asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for a telephone are outstanding in Dorset; how many of these are from farmers; and how the figure compares with a year ago.

1,367 applications are outstanding, including 556 in course of being met. Of these, 74 and 34 are from farmers. A year ago there were 2,100 applications on hand, including 89 from farmers.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many telephones and extensions have been supplied to bookmakers, betting clubs, totalisators and other betting agencies since May, 1945.

I am sorry that this information is not available, as our records do not distinguish between different categories of business-rate subscribers.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many telephone installations have been made in Aberdeenshire during the past 12 months; and how many applications are now outstanding.

1,731 telephones were installed in the last 12 months; 3,063 applications are outstanding.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will give the average number of rural telephones which have been provided in Wales for each of the periods since April, 1949; and what are the comparable figures for England and Scotland.

The information could be given, but it would require a disproportionate amount of time and labour to collect as the Post Office central records do not show rural telephones separately from others.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many priority sites for rural telephone kiosks which have been submitted by the rural district councils in the counties of Brecknock, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Glamorgan, Monmouth, Pembroke and Radnor since April, 1949, have been rejected; why preference is not given to rural communities; and whether he is satisfied that the scheme initiated in September, 1949, is being implemented at present.

I cannot give the exact figure, but about 30 of the sites proposed by these counties were in excess of their total allotment since 1949.The provision of rural kiosks is expensive in manpower and materials and it does, in fact, receive a fair share of our limited resources. I can reassure the hon. Member about his last two points, since my noble Friend fully recognises the importance of the telephone in rural areas.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when he will permit the British Broadcasting Corporation to proceed with first television coverage for East Anglia, South-East Kent, West Wales, Cumberland, North Scotland, North Wales and South Cornwall for which frequencies were allotted at the Stockholm Conference in 1952.

The Government have just sanctioned a substantial programme of work on additional television stations and it is too early to say when further stations can be authorised.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what areas of the country will remain to be covered by the British Broadcasting Corporation's first television coverage after the present authorised programme has been completed.

The main areas will be the north-west part of Scotland, part of South Scotland and North-West England, the western part of Northern Ireland, Central Wales, East Anglia, and part of South-West Kent.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the Government has yet decided what form competitive television will take.

I would ask the hon. Member to wait until the White Paper is published in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation what buildings were erected by Scottish Aviation, Limited, at Prestwick Airport before 1939.

I understand that prior to September, 1939, Scottish Aviation, Limited, erected at Prestwick Aerodrome one hangar with workshop annexes, two workshop buildings, two office and stores buildings, and accommodation for flying training pupils comprising bedrooms, recreation rooms and garages. The company also erected two hangars with annexes the cost of which was to be repaid by the Air Ministry over a term of years. The company also adapted farm buildings for use as offices and stores.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he will ensure that Prestwick Airport will ultimately become the air junction for all internal European and transatlantic traffic, and thus truly fulfil its function as an international airport.

I certainly intend that Prestwick shall continue to fulfil its function as the second international airport of the United Kingdom, and it is with this object that the important development work I announced last week is to be undertaken. I would point out that, with the exception of Aer Lingus, all foreign European operators providing services terminating in Scotland or transiting Scotland to North America already use Prestwick.However, I regard Renfrew, where a new passenger building and control tower are now being built, as the airport for Glasgow on internal services.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement regarding the terms of reference of the proposed planning inquiry into the Gatwick Airport extension scheme.

As I announced on 22nd July, the precise terms of reference of the local public inquiry have not yet been settled, but its object will be to hear and report on representations as to the effect on local interests of the proposals. These representations may include suggestions for detailed modification of the scheme in the light of local needs. It will not, however, be open to objectors to question the need for a main alternate and overflow airport for London, or to represent that the airport should be in some other place.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation (1) what summer services he has approved to connect Aberdeen with the Glasgow-London route:(2) what services he has approved for stepping up the frequency of the Aberdeen-London service.

None. Services between Aberdeen and London are provided by British European Airways via Edinburgh only, and the traffic does not at present justify any increase in frequency.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the result of the negotiations initiated by him between British European Airways and the Scottish Advisory Council for Civil Aviation on the operation of an air service from Errol Airport.

I understand that, after carefully re-examining the case for operating scheduled services to Errol, British European Airways informed the Scottish Advisory Council for Civil Aviation that it will be impossible to include Errol in their network, because the services could not be operated without unjustifiable financial loss.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation how the number of summer services between Renfrew and London and between Prestwick and London, which he has approved, compares with the number of services operating on these routes out of the tourist season.

In the tourist season 48 services a week are operated between Renfrew and London and 15 services a week between Prestwick and London. Out of the tourist season, the figures were 34 services between Renfrew and London and seven between Prestwick and London.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation what additional summer services he has approved from London to Edinburgh and the east of Scotland to cope with the holiday traffic.

This summer British European Airways have, for the first time, included stops at Wick and Shetland on their trunk service from London.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement about the future of the passenger service charge.

Yes. The passenger service charge was introduced in May, 1952, as a charge, additional to the landing fee, on airline operators, to help meet the cost of services and facilities for passengers at State airports. It is on the basis of 5s. for each passenger leaving Ministry of Civil Aviation airports for overseas. It was hoped that this additional charge on the operators could be passed on to the travelling public by being absorbed into the fares.The International Air Transport Association has, however, for a number of reasons not agreed to do this. Most British independent operators were willing to arrange for the charge to be paid by passengers when they buy their tickets; but neither the Corporations and main foreign airlines (who between them, carry most of the passengers using our airports, and whose problems are, admittedly, different from those of the independents) nor the travel agents could arrange this. In consequence, most airlines collect the charge from individual passengers as they leave the town terminal or the airport.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he has any further information to give about United Kingdom participation in the United Kingdom-New Zealand air race.

The Royal Air Force has entered four aircraft (three P.R. Canberras and one Valiant) in a field of 12 entries in the Speed Section and British European Airways has entered a Viscount (V.700) in a field of six entries in the Handicap Section. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary plans to take part in the race as a member of the crew of this aircraft.The race will start at 4.30 p.m. from London Airport on Thursday, 8th October, and the Royal Aero Club, who are responsible for the organisation at this end, have been informed that His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester will be graciously pleased to start the race.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress of the four-Power conference on air safety.

A number of meetings have been held in Berlin between military representatives of the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America and of the Soviet Union. Discussions are continuing and I regret that I can make no statement at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is yet in a position to make a comprehensive statement on the results of the consultations between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Federal German Government on the draft law recently approved by the German Government in Bonn and designed to give compensation to victims in Germany of Nazi persecution; whether as a result of these consultations or otherwise the draft law has yet been extended so as to include non-German displaced persons left in Germany; what progress this Bill has made to date; and if he will have a translation of it into English put in the Vote Office

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees wrote to the Allied High Commission on 25th June reporting the result of his consultations with the Federal German authorities regarding the draft Federal compensation law. The High Commissioner states that some of the suggestions put through his representative in Germany were accepted by the German authorities during the drafting of the law and he regards the draft law as being on the whole adequate from the point of view of refugees within the competence of his office.He points out, however, that many refugees will not benefit because they do not fulfil the conditions in Article 8 of the draft law, or because they may not have been persecuted for the reasons set out in Article 1. He draws attention to the difference between scales of compensation envisaged for persecutees on grounds of race, faith, ideology or political convictions and persecutees on grounds of nationality, and asks for a wider interpretation by the courts of the latter ground. He also asks that national persecutees should be specially considered as eligible for compensation from the hardship fund provided by the law, and requests the Allied High Commission "to take such action as may be deemed appropriate" to secure improvements in the above matters.The draft law provides compensation for those non-German displaced persons left in Germany who have been persecuted on grounds of nationality and suffered permanent injury to health. As the United Nations High Commissioner's letter shows, however, there are certain deficiencies in the law in this respect and the United Nations High Commissioner's request to secure appropriate improvements is at present under consideration in the Allied High Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Soviet Government has agreed to pay compensation to the widow of Flight Lieutenant Wyles, who was shot down over Germany by Soviet aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any assurances have yet been received from the Soviet Government that those responsible for the shooting down of the Royal Air Force Lincoln of Flying Training Command in the Hamburg-Berlin corridor on 12th March last, have been punished; and if he will now make a statement as to the reparation which is to be made to the families concerned for the loss which they sustained.

No compensation has been offered by the Soviet Government, but Her Majesty's Government will continue to press them on this matter. No assurances have been given by the Soviet Government that action has been or will be taken against those responsible. I understand that immediate action was taken by the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Pensions to give financial assistance to the families who suffered loss.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to maintain production in the fish canning industry in Dundee.

The production of canned fish is no longer subject to any form of control by my Department.

asked the Minister of Food what discussions he has had regarding the future supply of grain from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The Russian Trade Delegation in London has been in contact with Ministry officials about the possibility of future grain imports, but no negotiations have taken place.

asked the Minister of Food what further derationing he proposes to introduce before the end of 1953: and if he will make a statement.

As already announced, we hope to deration sugar in September. We have no further announcement to make at this moment, but I can assure my hon. Friend that my right hon. and gallant Friend will lose no opportunity as occasion arises of derationing further foods still under control.

asked the Minister of Food the number of fat cattle, sheep and pigs purchased by his Department in Dorset during the last 12 months; and how the figure compares with the two previous years.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food how many gallons of milk were purchased on his behalf by the Milk Marketing Board in Dorset during the last 12 months; and how this figure compares with the two previous years.

In the financial year 1952–53, about 48 million gallons and for the two previous years about 48·2 and 47 million gallons, respectively.

asked the Minister of Food why he refused an Australian request to negotiate a long-term contract for tinned fruit; and to what extent, as a consequence, tinned fruit, apart from home supplies of plums, etc., will be in short supply.

My right hon. and gallant Friend is confident that supplies will increase and that the interests of producers and consumers will best be served by a return to private importation when the moment is opportune.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the bacteriological infection of frozen pre-cooked meat increases rapidly in room temperature; and whether he will instruct all shopkeepers to mark on their cooked meat and pies the last date by which the goods should be eaten.

Yes. Unfortunately, there is no standard length of keeping time which could be marked on such cooked meat and pies. There are many other factors which affect their quality, such as their processing treatment and the conditions in which they are stored.

asked the Minister of Food why he has given permission for the entry of 15 million tins of Norwegian sild at a cut price with which British canners find it impossible to compete; and what steps he proposes to take to protect the interests of British fishermen.

No sild has been imported from Norway since 1950. We are now selling, at reduced prices, the stocks bought at that time in order to hasten the return of this trade to private hands.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that between Monday, 20th July, and Friday, 24th July, the price of eggs rose to such an extent that the wholesale prices on the latter date were 58s. per 100 for Grade A, which represented a rise of 7s. per 100, 56s. per 100 for Grade B and 45s. per 100 for Grade C; and whether he will reintroduce price control.

No. The prices quoted are per long hundred, which is 120 eggs. Present prices are a reflection of the seasonal decline in supplies. Imported eggs of high quality are readily available at substantially lower prices and my right hon. Friend certainly does not intend to reimpose price control on an industry which appears to be giving consumers considerable satisfaction under the measure of freedom we have been able to restore to it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the present policy of his Department on the treatment and discharge of Service men who undergo amputation of limbs as the result of battle injuries or accidents sustained on duty; and why the former policy, under which such men were retained in the Forces until they were fitted with, and able to use, artificial limbs, was changed.

The rules governing the treatment and discharge of men who undergo the amputation of a limb are now the same as for those suffering from other kinds of disability and were revised by the previous Government to secure this uniformity. Men receiving hospital treatment as in-patients may continue to do so for up to five months before being brought before a medical board to determine their fitness for further service and, when invaliding and terminal leave is taken into account, their final discharge may be up to eight months after cessation of duty.For those who have undergone amputation, this period is usually quite long enough to cover the fitting, and practice in the use, of an artificial limb. If, however, the hon. Member has in mind a case where, despite these arrangements, the individual appears to have been discharged from the Service prematurely, I should be glad if he will bring it to the notice of the appropriate Service Department.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he can now announce that the Government will increase the retired pay of the 359 officers still surviving who were given in 1919 rates which were to vary with the cost of living, but which in spite of the great rise in that cost have not been increased since they were anchored in 1935 at 9½ per cent. below the 1919 rates.

I regret that I am not in a position to add to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend on 1st July.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if, in view of the variations in the cost of living during the last five years, he is aware that many Service pensioners living on fixed pensions suffer financial hardship; and if he will take steps to ensure that such pensions shall be assessed in a way which will bear a direct relation to the cost of living at the time when the pension is actually paid to the pensioner.

The object of the various Pensions Increase Acts has been to alleviate hardship of the kind referred to by the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what measures he proposes for the protection of the pensions of public servants and of their widows' pensions when the proposed constitutional changes occur in the Gold Coast.

I have not yet received the proposals of the Gold Coast Government for constitutional reform but would, meanwhile, draw the hon. Member's attention to the guarantee of pensions to overseas officers which was given by the Prime Minister of the Gold Coast in his statement on the Public Service on 8th July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply has-been made to the request of the Legislative Council of the Gold Coast that the Gold Coast Constitution Order in Council should be amended so that the Cabinet be composed exclusively of members of the Assembly; that members of the Assembly should be directly elected by ballot; and that an Act of Independence for the Gold Coast should be introduced subsequently.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question on 8th July. The proposals of the Gold Coast Government have not yet been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the proposed programme for the development of African housing in Kenya; and on what principles the new housing loan will be allocated.

Both Government and the local authorities have their own separate housing schemes. In addition to 900 quarters completed in 1952, Government plans to build 2,310 quarters for a cost of £800,000 to house all its African employees throughout the Colony. Provided funds can be made available the bulk of these should be completed by 1956.Nairobi City Council has a capital programme of £2 million from 1953–57 which will provide houses for 25,000 people and serviced plots for employers' and owners' building. Details of the programme are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to provide that citizens of Kenya, charged under the Emergency Regulations, are provided with copies of the statements of prosecution, witnesses and other evidence to be adduced against them not less than 48 hours before their trial.

Such arrangements are being made for persons so charged before the Supreme Court

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to provide that citizens of Kenya charged under the Emergency Regulations are provided with an opportunity to obtain legal advice prior to their trial and to be legally represented at their trial.

Persons charged under the Emergency Regulations do have an opportunity to obtain legal advice and to be legally represented at their trial. In cases in which the accused is charged with a capital offence the Government assigns and pays for counsel to represent him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the recent expression of strong opposition to federation with Kenya by Africans, Asians and Europeans in Uganda and Tanganyika, he will make a statement of the Government's intentions.

Her Majesty's Government have no present intentions in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of frequent instances of heroism and devotion to duty displayed by Kikuyu tribesmen, he is satisfied that adequate and immediate recognition is being given to the individuals concerned.

Kikuyu tribesmen are eligible for the various gallantry awards—the George Cross, George Medal, the various classes of the Order of the British Empire and the Queen's Commendation for brave conduct.The British Empire Medal was awarded in March to Chief Muhoya Kagumba and Chief Eliud Mugo in recognition of their leadership and fight against the Mau Mau, and other awards are under consideration.The Governor is fully alive to the desirability of submitting such recommendations as quickly as possible after the event.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the contribution made to the prevailing conditions of tension and unrest in Kenya by the staff of the Indian Commissioner's Office in Nairobi; and whether he will make representations to the India Government asking for the withdrawal of those responsible.

I am aware that there have been a number of complaints from responsible sections of opinion that the activities of the Indian Commissioner's staff in Nairobi have had an adverse effect on the situation in Kenya.With regard to the second part of the Question, my hon. Friend may be assured that Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom would immediately make suitable representations to the Government of India concerning any breach of the instructions governing the conduct of the Commissioner and his staff, if there were grounds for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representations Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have made to the Government of India regarding recent official public statements by leading Ministers which have led to an increase in the unrest and racial tension existing in Eastern Africa.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to recent speeches by Mr. Nehru, in which occurred certain remarks about conditions in Africa. Mr. Nehru has been left in no doubt that Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom categorically reject these remarks in relation to the territories in Africa for which Her Majesty's Government are responsible, and deplore their possible effects on public opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if leprosy is on the increase or decrease in Malaya; and to what extent the supply of the most recently discovered drug for dealing with this disease is being maintained to the two leper colonies in the Federation.

I have no evidence that leprosy is on the increase in Malaya. Supplies of the latest proved drugs are ample.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to provide medical service and assistance to the Sakai tribes in the jungles of Malaya.

Those of the Sakai who have settled within reach of the travelling dispensaries get the normal medical services provided for rural areas. Where jungle forts have been established, there is a medical dresser on the establishment and arrangements are also being made for regular visits by doctors travelling by helicopter.In general, however, the Department of Aborigines is responsible for the welfare of the Sakai and makes arrangements with the medical and health authorities, as occasion arises, to deal with epidemics or, where possible, individual cases of ill-health.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the letter left for her mother by Miss M. Coleman, health sister in Malaya, before she took her life on 2nd May has not been forwarded to her mother by the officers responsible.

It has now been confirmed that Miss Coleman did not leave a letter to be forwarded to her mother. A letter addressed to her mother on 17th December, 1952, but not despatched at that time, has, however, now been sent to her.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what co-operatives have been organised among smallholders in Malaya for the provision of credit for marketing and processing.

The numbers of cooperatives in the Federation of Malaya at the end of 1952 were as follow:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the total number of bedrooms in new houses provided by the Hornchurch Urban District Council in the years 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively, and to the nearest convenient date in 1953.

The figures are: 1,398, 1,057, 948, 894, 435, and to 31st March, 1953, 24.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why his Department refused to sanction a contract for the erection of 115 dwellings at Sealand and limited it to 48 dwellings; and, in view of the allegation by his Department that the cut was due to a shortage of bricks and cement, what corresponding cut was made in other building work in the neighbourhood.

The word "cut" is inappropriate in this context. The number of houses under construction in the area has increased by 174 per cent. in the last two years. Approval of the remainder of the tender referred to has been deferred until a reduction can be secured in the price of the houses. But, for the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop) and others on 14th July, it will be necessary to phase the council's housing programme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the future of the Purchase Tax coupon scheme.

The working of the Purchase Tax Coupon Scheme has now been carefully reviewed. The Government are satisfied that the imperfections inherent in this experimental scheme now outweigh the benefits derived from it, and that, on balance of advantage, it should be discontinued.It has not been possible to devise any alternative arrangement which would be free from the defects of the present scheme and would also incorporate adequate safeguards against abuse and loss of revenue. But, although the Purchase Tax Coupon Scheme will, therefore, be terminated at the end of this year, the Personal Export Scheme will, of course, continue to provide its valuable facilities for tourists.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the restrictions on the raising of fresh capital by investment trusts and unit trusts.

Yes. I circulate herewith the text of a letter which I have sent to the Chairman of the Capital Issues Committee on this subject:27th My, 1953.I have been considering whether some relaxation might be made in our policy towards new issues by Investment Trusts and Unit Trusts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the fiduciary note issue.

Yes. To provide for the usual seasonal increase in the demand for notes, the Treasury have authorised an increase of £25 million in the fiduciary note issue, bringing the total of the issue up to £1,625 million. The Treasury Minute is being laid before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will indicate the procedure which is carried out in Breconshire for the placing of names of children and adults on the register of patients requiring accommodation in suitable institutions under the mental health services; how many persons are now on the list in the county awaiting admission; and whether he will give an assurance that parents are always consulted as to the proper provision for their children's treatment.

Cases are recorded by the local health authority in the order of their ascertainment and priority of admission to suitable institutions is determined by various considerations such as relative medical need and home conditions. Four names are now on the waiting list. I understand that the common practice of discussing with parents proposals for their children's treatment is invariably followed.

asked the Minister of Health what support the Welsh Board of Health is giving to the Old People's Week in Wales from 6th–12th September.

The Board have co-operated from the outset with the Old People's Welfare Committee who, under the auspices of the Welsh Council for Social Service, are organising this special week. The Board have issued a circular commending the movement to local authorities in Wales and indicating how they may help. In collaboration with the Central Office of Information they are gathering material for a public display poster to be printed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in English and Welsh to illustrate various activities of old people and what is being done for them throughout Wales.