asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether the detailed examination and discussions with representatives of the Royal Automobile Club and Auto Cycling Union on the subject of their training scheme have yet commenced.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what was the number of fatalities per 1,000,000 passenger miles flown in each of the last five years by aircraft of the nationalised British Corporations and by other British commercial aircraft, respectively.

The figures for the Airways Corporations are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an assurance that it is his policy to carry out road widening and rebuilding wherever this can be proved to be in the interests of road safety.

My right hon. Friend could not give such an assurance without regard to cost or practicability, but he is fully seized of the importance of road improvements in the interests of road safety and has devoted to this purpose a substantial part of the limited funds available to him.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the urgent and essential road works which must be completed in Scotland before he can consider the authorisation of the construction of a Forth Road Bridge.

The order in which schemes can be approved depends to some extent on the funds made available year by year for road works generally. But my right hon. Friend thinks that, apart from road improvements vital to the economic life of the Highlands and Islands, the construction of the White inch Tunnel, the improvement of the Glasgow—Stirling road and a number of other improvements should be given priority over the Forth Road Bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the serious accidents which have occurred in the last six years on the Glasgow—Stirling road between Stepps and Dennyloanhead he will authorise the widening of this road to enable heavy vehicles to pass each other without risk and danger to other users of the road; and what steps are being taken to provide the necessary finance and labour needed to make this road suitable for the traffic that has to pass over it.

We attach high priority to the widening of this road and my right hon. Friend hopes to proceed with the detailed preparation of a scheme at an early date. The cost will be at least £1 million and I cannot yet say when it will be possible to begin the constructional work.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that there is still no sign marking the main entrance to London Airport and that there are no indications of the approach to the airport at the 25 yards mentioned in his reply to the Question put to him by the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West, on 28th October last.

A sign five feet by one foot with "main entrance" marked in black lettering on a white ground is attached to the boundary fence, adjacent to the west side of the main entrance to London Airport and facing the London direction. This is the sign to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply of 28th October as having been down for repainting. It has remained in position since then.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that on the direct road from St. Pancras station to London Airport there are only two signposts indicating the route to the airport and both of them are at the junction of the Great West Road and the Slough Road, which is some two-and-half miles from the airport; and whether he will arrange for all the main roads to London Airport to be adequately and clearly signposted to the airport with as little delay as possible.

My right hon. Friend has in hand a new system of signposting for London which should facilitate all through journeys, including those to London Airport. There are 41 signs within a radius of five miles of the airport.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he cannot comply with the request of Stirling County Council to have a halt sign installed at junction of route A.803 and route A.80, at Longcroft, Stirlingshire.

As my right hon. Friend has explained to the hon. Member in correspondence, drivers coming out of A.803 have a reasonably good view of A.80. It would not, therefore, be justifiable to require them to halt and make them liable to penalties on failing to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on the Icelandic fishing dispute.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds) on 26th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on the situation in Trieste.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in Trieste.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson) on Monday.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give a list of the colonial advisers to the British Council together with details of their qualifications.

The British Council has no special colonial advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was invited to a conference between the heads of the Four Powers, for the purpose of general exploratory discussions without agenda and without an undue number of officials, along the lines suggested by the Prime Minister on 11th May.

No such invitation has been sent to the Soviet Government. But, as the Prime Minister said in the House on 3rd November, we still hope that such a meeting may have a useful place in international contacts.

asked the Minister of Food the saving to his Department in money and manpower through the decontrol of feeding-stuffs and cereals.

Allowing for new staff requirements in connection with the present arrangements for carrying out the guarantees under the Agriculture Act, the decontrol of feedingstuffs and cereals has resulted in a net saving of some 300 in staff and £142,000 in salaries. A substantial staff will be required next year to operate the deficiency payment scheme, but I am unable at this date to make any firm estimate.

asked the Minister of Food the saving to his Department in money and manpower through the discontinuing of sugar rationing.

There will be a staff saving of about 500 and a salary saving of about £200,000 as a result of the derationing of sugar.

asked the Minister of Food Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the future building of slaughterhossuses.

An Interdepartmental Committee has been appointed to recommend where slaughterhouses should be sited under the policy of moderate concentration which I announced in the House on 5th November, 1952. Local authorities and private interests will be encouraged to build new slaughterhouses at such places as may be agreed.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the difficulties under which animals are slaughtered and inspected at the Sittingbourne slaughterhouse; and what his intentions are to bring about some improvement.

The daily kill is limited to an amount which, in agreement with the local authority, can reasonably be handled and inspected. I am afraid the site does not lend itself to improvement or enlargement of the premises.

asked the Minister of Food if he is now in a position to make a statement about the implementation of the recommendations of the committee of inquiry into the slaughter of horses.

The Government accept, with two minor modifications, the recommendations of the committee. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are indebted to the hon. Member for Oldbury and Halesowen (Mr. Moyle) for bringing forward the Slaughter of Animals (Amendment) Bill to implement those recommendations and the Government intend to support and facilitate its passage through Parliament.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of this year's harvest of British-grown barley have been purchased on Government account at the guaranteed minimum price.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose the extent of the Ministry's purchases since they will have to be sold commercially.

asked the Minister of Food what consultations were held with the Governments of Colonial territories and the marketing boards concerned with the sale of oils and fats to this country, before his decision to return the import of oils and fats to private account; and what representations were made to him by these authorities.

None, but the colonial Governments were informed that the decision would not affect existing contracts with the Ministry of Food.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the difficulty of local authorities, because of shortage of staff, in enforcing the law that condemned meat must not be used for human food, he will limit its sale to licensed firms only, to be processed for non-human uses in licensed premises subject to strict supervision.

No. I propose shortly to introduce revised conditions of sale, about which I am consulting local authorities and interested associations, and I am satisfied that these will provide adequate safeguards so far as sales of condemned materials from Government slaughterhouses are concerned.

asked the Minister of Food how long the existing long-term contracts between his Department and the Colonies are to be continued; and whether he will make a statement.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food whether he is in a position to make a statement on the future of the meat ration, in view of the approaching end of the seasonal flush in home production.

Yes. Last June, I was able to announce that during the season of heavy supplies butchers would receive a supplementary issue, in addition to the ration of 2s. 4d., and would be permitted to sell meat off the ration after the needs of their registered customers had been met. Now that the season is over, we must return for a time to normal rationing and from next Sunday the ration will be 2s. 2d. without supplement.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to improve the regularity of supply of those types of canned fish which at present only appear occasionally in the shops.

The only types of canned fish which are not in reasonably good supply are salmon and crabmeat. I should like to see more regular and abundant supplies of these, but the quantities which we are able to import are determined mainly by balance of payments considerations.

asked the Minister of Food how much refined sugar was purchased by his Department abroad to meet the expected demand on derationing; how much of this has been sold to the public; and what complaints he has received from domestic refiners that they have stocks on their hands which they cannot sell, owing to his purchases.

About 57,000 tons; most of it was sold before derationing and the rest has been distributed since. I have received no complaints.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is proposed to continue cropping some sections of the land at Kongwa, Tabora and in the southern province of Tanganyika that were cleared under the groundnut scheme; and what staff changes are now being made.

The Corporation is continuing its activities as described in my reply to the hon. Member on 23rd January. It has reduced its staff accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total estimated expenditure on African education in Kenya in 1953, in Government, local authority and grant-aided schools; and how much of this is contributed by the African community in fees and from rates to African councils.

£2,131,924, of which fees from Africans represent £270,714 and contributions by the African District Councils £290,125.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what constitutional guarantees for the future have been requested by the Prime Minister of the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast Government have asked that Her Majesty's Government should declare their readiness to introduce an Act of Independence for the Gold Coast into Parliament as soon as the necessary constitutional and administraive arrangements for independence are made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give particulars in respect of arrests or prosecutions last September for the publication of alleged seditious literature in Nigeria; and if he will make available for Members copies of that literature.

I have no particulars of such arrests or prosecutions in September last, but I am making inquiries of the Governor and I shall inform the bon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the production of cheap synthetic rubber in the United States of America together with the embargo on the export of natural rubber from Malaya to China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are causing a slump in this in- dustry which may reduce Malaya to the condition of a distressed area because of its dependence on this one commodity; and what plans he has for assisting this trade.

Although the hon. Gentleman's fears about the effects of the situation may be exaggerated it is undoubtedly causing Her Majesty's Government and the Federation Government serious concern.The Government of the Federation is determined to raise the efficiency of the natural rubber industry in order to meet any fair competition from synthetic rubber. A big programme for replanting is being put in hand. The Rural and Industrial Development Authority is helping small-holders with the preparation of latex and the Malayan Rubber Export Registration Board, established at the end of 1952, regulates the packing, grading and shipment of rubber.On exports to China, I cannot add to the reply given on 9th November by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Board of Trade, to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury and Radcliffe (Sir W. Fletcher). Export of rubber to Russia is not prohibited, but is subject to quantitative restrictions imposed by Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of the dependent territories concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what effect the slump in the rubber industry in Malaya has had upon the replanting of trees on the estates; and if he will give the acreage replanted in 1950, 1951 and 1952 together with the area of jungle brought into cultivation for the first time.

The main planting season is not yet far advanced. Until the returns showing the number of acres replanted and newly planted in 1953 are received in the first quarter of 1954 the effect of the decline in the price of rubber cannot be fully assessed. Following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) why the dead body of a Chinese woman bandit, shot and killed by Malayan security forces, was brought down from the jungle, then strapped to an upright plank and put on exhibition outside the police station at Kulim on 16th September;(2) why the body of an Indian bandit, shot and killed by Malayan security forces, was put on exhibition outside the Kulim police station in mid-September.

The bodies of these terrorists were not put on exhibition at Kulim police station. They were photographed, as is essential for criminal record and identification purposes. Owing to the siting and structure of the police station it was not possible to screen this operation completely from public sight. The High Commissioner is considering what action should be taken in future to exclude the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a decision has now been reached on the direct financial assistance to be offered by Her Majesty's Government to the Federation of Malaya in 1954.

Yes. Subject to the approval of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government are prepared, in implementation of the promise already given, to give the Federation of Malaya in 1954 a grant of £6 million towards the cost of the emergency. In arriving at this figure they had in mind that they would not wish to see the cash and available liquid resources in the hands of the Federation Government fall below $70 million to $75 million by the end of 1954. Should there be any unforeseen deterioration in the financial situation of the Federation of Malaya, Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to consider further assistance in respect of 1954.As regards future years, should the emergency continue, Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to consider the matter well before the beginning of the Federation's financial year in question, in the same light.The High Commissioner has been authorised to make this offer known in the course of the Budget Session of the Legislative Council which opens today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the decision to expand the number of battalions in the Malay Regiment in Malaya.

There are at present six battalions of the Malay Regiment. It is proposed that three more should be formed by 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will ensure that in future tear gas bombs will not be used with an outer casing of the type which caused serious shrapnel wounds and one death in the recent disturbances in Nyasaland.

I hope that a less dangerous type of tear smoke grenade will shortly be available in quantity from this country. Colonial Governments have been warned of the risk of using the type of grenade which caused these regrettable casualties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the wife of Chief Gommani of Nyasaland, was taken into custody with him, handcuffed and kept in prison.

On 30th May, when Chief Gomani and his family were taken from the custody of the Portuguese authorities into that of the Nyasaland police, his wife was taken into custody on possible charges in connection with the disturbances at Lizulu on 26th May. All the persons arrested were at first handcuffed to prevent their escape, since Chief Gomani had forcibly escaped from custody four days earlier; but the handcuffs were removed from the female prisoners as soon as the vehicle in which they were travelling moved off. The wife of Chief Gomani was detained in custody until the next day, but she was not lodged in prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has given to the petition, signed by 12,000 residents of Hong Kong, urging the creation of two elected unofficial seats on the legislative council.

The petition has been laid before Her Majesty The Queen, to whom it was addressed, but I was unable to advise Her Majesty that the petition should be granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reports he has recently received from the Governor of Hong Kong on the effects of the embargo on trade in strategic goods with China on the economic position of the Colony; and if be will make a statement.

Hong Kong's rigid observance of the embargo on strategic exports to China has led to a severe decline in her export trade with China. There was some recovery in the second half of 1952 and the first half of this year, but the Governor has reported a renewed downward trend during recent months, due principally to a considerable slackening in China's demand for pharmaceuticals.The above trends are illustrated by the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to allow Somali people the right to choose their own tribal chiefs without intervention by his officers.

In the present stage of development in the Protectorate, I do not propose to alter the existing system whereby the Governor approves and appoints as a local authority a chief who has already been chosen by the tribe concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of Somalis who have been arrested in connection with the new laws imposed in Somaliland.

If the hon. Member will let me know which laws he has in mind, I shall do my best to provide the information he requires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he refuses recognition to Sultan Kashen, who has been acclaimed in that office by over 40 tribes in Somaliland.

I assume that this Question refers to Haji Ali Koshen. The title of Sultan of the Esa Musa tribe to which this person lays claim has no traditional or formal existence and is, therefore, not recognised by the Protectorate Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will obtain a report from the Governor of Cyprus and inform the House on the action of the Customs authorities in Limasol in pouring into the sea 7,044 bottles of whisky because they had been lying unclaimed at the Customs office for 12 months.

I understand that the importer, after inspecting this whisky, refused to pay the import duty. As he was also unwilling to incur the expense of re-exporting the consignment he authorised the Customs to destroy it in his presence. The whisky was the remainder of a consignment of 30,000 bottles of Australian origin sent to Malta in 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what information he has as to the number of trades unions in British Guiana affiliated to the World Federation of Trades Unions; and the dates of such affiliation.

My information is that none of the British Guiana trade unions is formally affiliated to the World Federation of Trades Unions. Members of three British Guiana trade unions were, however, present at the W.F.T.U. Conference held in Vienna last month. They are:Mr. Ramkarran, Transport Workers Union.Mr. A. Jackson, Post Office Workers Union.Mr. B. B. Blackman, British Guiana Sawmill Workers Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what information he has as to the names of trades unions in British Guiana affiliated to the International Federation of Free Trades Unions; and the date of such affiliation.

The British Guiana Labour Union was affiliated in November, 1949, and the Man Power Citizens' Association in September. 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the minimum weekly wage established by the last agreement negotiated under the joint negotiating machinery of the Manpower Citizens' Association and the Sugar Producers' Association in British Guiana.

The minimum wages established by the last agreement between the sugar producers and the Man Power Citizens' Association were:

Factory unskilled labour—Male: 23 cents (11½d.) per hour. Female: 15½ cents (7¾d.) per hour.

Semi-skilled and skilled factory workers from 24½ cents (1s. 0¼.) to 62 cents (2s. 7d.) per hour, and Cane cutters $1:19 cents (4s. 11½d.) per ton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average accommodation in terms of square feet of floor space allocated to an adult resident male employee of the Sugar Producers' Association in British Guiana.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. The minimum size of rooms in estate ranges, which are being replaced by houses, is 100 square feet with a verandah of 60 square feet. The number of rooms allotted to each family depends on the family's size. The houses which are being built by sugar workers with loans from the Sugar Welfare Fund must be not less than 200 square feet excluding kitchen, bathroom and latrine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average expectation of life of a citizen in British Guiana in terms of the last available health survey, specifying also the expectation separately for persons of European descent, persons of Asian descent and persons of other descents, respectively.

Expectations of life at birth for the population of British Guiana as a whole were given in my reply of 21st October to a Question by the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson). Figures calculated locally for the current expectation of life of males is 53 years for "East Indians" as well as for all races. Corresponding figures for females are 54 years for "East Indians" and 56 years for all races. No separate figures are available for Europeans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give particulars of the schemes of capital development financed by private enterprise, under the Colonial Development and/or Welfare Act, by the Colonial Development Corporation, and internationally financed under the auspices of any of the international or United Nations agencies which have been initiated and approved, or were under consideration at the time of the suspension of the Constitution of British Guiana.

I have asked the Governor by telegram for this information, which may take some time to collect. I will circulate it, when received, in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what quantities of bauxite have been exported from British Guiana in each year for which bauxite has been exported; who proportion of the bauxite in each year was taken from lands owned by the operating companies and what proportion from other lands; and what royalty or other payment is made to the Government of British Guiana in respect of bauxite exported from lands owned by companies and in respect of bauxite exported from other lands.

I have figures for the period 1948–52 and if the hon. Member wants earlier figures I will try to get them for him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in terms of quantity and value, the principal imports and exports of British Guiana in terms of the last available financial year.

The total value of imports and exports in 1952 was £17,237,428 and £17,099,317 respectively. The full details, by value and quantity, are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take to deal with the diminution in purchasing power of the dollar in British Guiana.

What is important for British Guiana is not the purchasing power of the dollar, but the real standard of living. There is no doubt that, until progress was interrupted by the recent period of misgovernment, living standards were rising steadily and the restoration of sound administration should ensure, so far as Government's influence can go, that the rise is resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he will announce the names of the members of the commission to be sent to British Guiana; and when he expects the commission to begin its work.

I hope to be able to announce the names very shortly, perhaps as soon as next week. The commission should reach British Guiana in January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the Report of the Rubber Study Group which recently met in London; and what effect it is likely to have upon the rubber industry in Colonial Territories in the near future.

I am considering the Report of the Management Committee of the Rubber Study Group with the Governments of rubber-producing territories with which I am concerned. Those recommendations which relate to synthetic rubber and stocks of natural rubber are intended to benefit producers of natural rubber in the near future.The Government participating in the Rubber Study Group have not yet expressed their views on these recommendations. It has been announced, however, that the United States Government has relaxed regulations under which the use of synthetic rubber could be made mandatory and that there is to be an early review of policy affecting natural rubber.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will grant licences for the export of dredgers to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and China.

While it has now been found possible to approve the granting of licences for the building of certain trawlers for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the question whether orders for dredgers may be accepted remains under consideration, but I am hopeful that a decision will be reached before long. Her Majesty's Government would not be prepared to issue licences for the building of dredgers for Communist China so long as the United Nations Resolution of 18th May, 1951, is in force.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what decision has been reached in considering the building of trawlers and fish factory ships for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that it has been decided that contracts for about 30 of these vessels offered by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics can now be accepted.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how long the Royal naval base police at Singapore have been dealing with civil cases; and what special training they have had for this purpose.

This police force is a civilian force, and has been dealing with civil cases since it was established in its present form in 1938. Trained personnel have been recruited for this purpose from civil police forces, and others are trained by working under the direction of experienced officers.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are now outstanding in Wales; how many were outstanding a year ago; and if he will make a statement.

Figures for Wales itself are not readily available, but in Wales and the Border counties 23,717 applications for telephones were outstanding at the 30th September, 1953, as compared with 25,174 a year ago. There were 15,248 new applications during the 12 months.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many subscribers are waiting for telephones in the Anfield district of Liverpool; and what is the number of applicants waiting for telephones in the city of Liverpool.

There are 647 applicants waiting for telephones in Anfield and 5,818 in the city of Liverpool as a whole. 5,194 telephones have been fitted in the city during the past 12 months.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will consider the possibility of restoring a cheaper postage rate for cards containing only a simple acknowledgment, for letters posted before a specified early hour of the day, or letters addressed and to be posted within a locality or limited radius; and if he will make a statement.

Acknowledgment cards may already be sent by post for 1½d. if they comply with the printed paper Regulations of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy: the introduction of cheap rates of postage for letters posted early in the day, or for those intended for local delivery, would involve a net financial loss which would be prohibitive.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the cash turnover in the post office at 37–39, Canal Street. Renfrew, for 1933 and 1952;and what was the expenditure for wages for this post office for the same two years and the total costs of operating this post office for those two years.

In 1952 the cash turnover was £755,000, the expenditure for salaries and wages was approximately £10,000, and other direct costs, e.g., rent, light, fuel, totalled about £1,200. It is regretted that comparable figures for the year 1933 are not available.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) to what extent it is intended, under the terms of the White Paper on Television Policy, to include advertising companies in the category of persons entitled to operate the proposed new television stations;(2) what is to be his policy in regard to the eligibility of programme companies, financed in part or wholly by an advertising agency, for a licence to operate any of the proposed television stations envisaged in the White Paper on Television Policy.

Any rules for defining the type of company which might provide programmes for the new corporation would have to be agreed with the corporation when it is set up. I would, however, refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 11th November in which I stated that the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and the Institute of Incorporated Practitioners in Advertising have informed my noble Friend that it was contrary to their rules for any advertising agent to have a substantial financial interest in the ownership of any advertising medium.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the proposed corporation which will be responsible for running the commercial television stations will be free to let the network of stations to only one programme company.

The corporation will be expected to give opportunities to a number of independent programme companies.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how far under the terms of the White Paper on Commercial Television the programme companies are to provide studios, projectors, cameras and the like.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the proposed commercial television corporation will, in accordance with paragraph 16 of the White Paper, be obliged to provide studios or studio equipment for programme companies.

The extent to which a certain amount of studio space will be provided must be discussed with the governors of the corporation when it is set up, but as a general principle the Government envisages that the programme companies will provide most of their own studios and studio equipment.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to ensure that under the terms of the White Paper on Television Policy no one newspaper proprietor shall have a monopoly of newspaper advertising on the commercial television network.

As stated in paragraph 9 of the White Paper it would be for the new corporation to make proposals to my noble Friend about advertising arrangements, and I can assure the hon. Member that the possibility he envisages is unlikely to arise in practice.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what responsibility will attach to his Department respecting the nature of television programmes referred to in paragraph 9 of the White Paper on Television Policy.

As stated in paragraph 8 of the White Paper, the corporation, like the B.B.C., would be given independence in the handling of day-to-day matters, including individual programmes.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the location of the proposed television station to be operated by the proposed television corporation.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 15 of the White Paper on television policy (Cmd. 9005).

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the permanent television transmitter for the Northern Ireland region is expected to come into operation; and what is likely to be its area of coverage.

The B.B.C. expects that a permanent television transmitter at Divis, in Northern Ireland, will be ready to take over the service from the existing temporary transmitter before the end of 1955. The number of people within range of television will then increase from half a million to about a million. The area of reception should include the towns of Newry in the south, Dungannon and Dungiven in the west, Coleraine in the north, and Donaghadee in the east.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many licensees of channels in Bands I, II, or III, have been given notice of any alteration in the channels now used by them; and if he will give details.

No formal notices have been issued; but discussions have been going on with the B.B.C. about moving certain of their outside broadcast links from Band III.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General which channels in Band III can be readily made available for commercial television; and what licensees now occupy them.

Two channels between 184 and 196 megacycles per second could readily be made available. The licensees now occupying the band are the B.B.C. who use it for television outside broadcast links and a number of radio manufacturers who use it for experimental transmissions.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General which channels are to be made available to the proposed new television corporation; and what body is to advise the Postmaster-General on the allocation of channels.

Two channels between 184 and 196 megacycles per second would be made available in the first instance. My noble Friend will not receive advice from any formal body on the assignment of channels.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air (1) if he will set up a special inquiry into the regulations and instructions governing formation flying by modern jet aircraft; and to what extent close formations are still necessary in attack and defence and how far the distances between machine and machine have been revised as speeds have increased.(2) how many fatal accidents have occurred in jet aircraft during the most recent convenient 12 monthly period: how many of these accidents were occasioned by aircraft colliding; and in how many cases these collisions occurred in the course of close formation flying.

Formation flying is necessary for the tactical use of both day fighter and ground attack aircraft in modern war. Practice in formation flying is, therefore, an essential part of the operational training of fighter pilots, and in Fighter Command most flying is done in formation. Without close formation flying pilots would lose visual contact with each other in cloud.During the twelve months ended 31st October, 1953, there were 135 fatal accidents involving Royal Air Force jet aircraft. Fifteen were collisions, of which seven occurred during close formation flying. These figures suggest that the hazards inherent in flying in close formation have been minimised by careful training and that there is no case for a special inquiry into this matter.My right hon. Friend the First Lord has asked me to add that what I have said applies

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why it was decided to dispense with the services of George Henry Bottomley, a joiner, employed at the Royal Air Force Station, Padgate.

I have not yet completed my inquiries into this case and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air if he is aware that a number of practice bombs dropped wide of the target at Berners Heath. Suffolk, causing concern to householders in the neighbouring village of North Stow; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be no further repetition of these incidents.

I regret that on two occasions in the last three months practice bombs dropped on the range at Berners Heath have fallen some distance outside the range area. Instructions have been given for more stringent checks of technical equipment to be made before bombing practice begins. Restrictions have been placed on the height from which bombs may be dropped to lessen the risk of inaccuracy. I hope that these precautions will prevent a repetition of the recent incidents.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air what provision of married quarters is being made at Greenham Common Aerodrome; if sites for caravans are being provided on his Department's land; and when the Newbury Rural District Council may expect a reply to their letter of 7th October inquiring about these matters.

No married quarters or permanent sites for caravans are being provided at this airfield. A reply was sent to the rural district council on 23rd November, 1953.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air what aeroplane dropped the bomb on Friday last at Ludney, five miles from the Saltfleet target; whether Saltfleet is being used for learners; and, in view of his recent undertaking, if he will now close the Saltfleet bombing range altogether.

I regret that during the course of training exercises last Friday a practice bomb fell at Ludney. No damage or casualties have been reported. A court of inquiry is being held to determine the cause of the incident.Although this range must be kept open for operational training, I have given additional instructions about its use to minimise the risk of any accidental release of bombs over the land. We shall have to accept some reduction in the training value of the range to the Royal Air Force. I am also urgently investigating ways and means of reducing the frequency with which the range is used and I hope to make a further statement on this point in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many live horses were imported from Ireland to be killed for food during the last year for which information is available and also during each of the two previous years; and how many of these were so much injured that they had to be slaughtered on arrival during each of the three periods.

The figures asked for in the first part of the Question are not available. The numbers of horses that had to be slaughtered on arrival from Ireland because of injury or exhaustion were 11 in 1951, four in 1952, and one up to 30th September, this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give details of the method of calculating the Net Agricultural Output as used in the Economic Survey, 1953.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the foreword and first two sections of Agricultural Statistics, United Kingdom, Part II, published this year, of which a copy is available in the Library of the House. Briefly, estimates are made of the volume of output of each commodity for each year and the volumes are valued at the prices ruling in 1945–46. This gives a series of figures for gross output at constant prices. The volume of farmers' purchases of feedingstuffs, livestock and seeds is estimated and valued in the same way and the amount deducted from the estimate of gross output to give the figures for net output for each year. These are expressed in index number form, that for 1936–9 being put at 100.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the success of the forest policy of Her Majesty's Government depends on confidence in the market for home-grown timber; and what assurance he can give that he will support the market without delay should the price fall below the cost of production.

As I said in answer to a Motion by my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Sir I. Orr-Ewing) on 5th December last, the Government fully recognise the need for a healthy and stable forest industry, and I shall always be willing to take up with my colleagues any question which appears to endanger the health of the industry by depriving producers of a reasonable market and a reasonable return.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he has any statement to make with regard to the flying object reported to him by two airmen as seen in the skies over Kent on 17th November.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) and the hon. and gallant Member for Rochdale (Lieut.-Colonel Schofield).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were completed by the local authority and by private builders, respectively, between 31st October, 1945, and 31st October, 1951, and between 31st October, 1951, and 31st October, 1953; and how many houses were under construction, by local authority and by private builders, respectively, on 31st October, 1953, in the Blackley Parliamentary Division of Manchester.

I regret that I cannot add to the information published in the Housing Returns.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what allocations for council-house building in 1954 have been made to Newbury Borough Council, Newbury Rural District Council, Bradfield Rural District Council and Hungerford Rural District Council, respectively; and whether these allocations will permit the councils to complete in 1954 at least as many houses as in the current year.

In these four districts, about as many council houses are likely to be built in 1954 as in 1953;Newbury Borough Council and Hungerford Rural District Council may build rather fewer than this year, but Newbury Rural District Council and Bradfield Rural District Council should build more.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that he will prevent the market for timber in this country from being so swamped with imported material that neither market nor price remains for home-grown material.