asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on what date the road improvements affecting the approaches to Swansea recently announced by the Government will begin.

My right hon. Friend hopes to approve the two schemes on the eastern approach road to Swansea in the coming financial year. The execution of the constructional work will then be a matter for the Swansea County Borough Council.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will investigate the state of the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal with the view of ascertaining how much of it has become derelict.

My right hon. Friend has no powers which authorise him to direct an investigation of a canal for the purpose suggested by the hon. Member. I understand, however, that the British Transport Commission, who own this canal, do not agree that it has become derelict; they tell me that they will be glad to give the hon. Member any information she may wish about it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what changes are proposed in the status of the maintenance base at Renfrew airport.

I am informed that the management of British European Airways are, through the machinery of the National Joint Council for Civil Air Transport, considering with the trade unions concerned, various alternative proposals for the base. I have assured the Scottish Advisory Council for Civil Aviation that I shall be willing to discuss the situation with them before final decisions are taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Colombia concerning Mr. Wesley R. Driver, a British Protestant missionary, who has been prevented from returning to his post among the Cuheo Indians in Mitú.

Mitú, where Mr. Driver lives, lies in the Eastern Plains which are classified as a special military area. Her Majesty's Ambassador at Bogotá has requested the Colombian Government to issue the necessary military permit to enable Mr. Driver to return there. So far, this has not been forthcoming and Her Majesty's Ambassador has been instructed to renew his representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ask the Colombian Government to honour the Anglo-Colombian Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, by allowing Miss Mary Wilkinson, a British Protestant missionary, freedom to continue her work.

The Anglo-Colombian Treaty of 1866 guarantees to British subjects in Colombia the rights of freedom of conscience and freedom of private worship. So far as I am aware these rights have not been denied to Miss Mary Wilkinson; and I therefore see no occasion for representations to the Colombian Government in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consultations took place between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government on the proposed withdrawal of United States troops from Korea; and what consideration he has given to the possibility of withdrawing a proportionate number of United Kingdom troops in the immediate future.

Her Majesty's Government were informed in advance of this decision and saw no reason to object.I have no statement to make in reply to the second half of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that a large proportion of the native quarter of Massawa was burnt during the British administration of Eritrea, that upwards of 70 steel-reinforced concrete buildings were destroyed by the Administration, and that a dredger, a floating dock, a cement factory and other installations were sold overseas, Ethiopia being excluded from the bargain sale, if Her Majesty's Government will make a gift of British shipping to the Ethiopian Government as a partial recompense for these losses.

The imputations in the first part of the Question are completely unfounded. The British Administration in Eritrea were not responsible for improper demolitions and disposals in Massawa; nor was Ethiopia wrongfully deprived of benefit.The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give details of the sum of £950,000 which was paid by the Ethiopian Government to the British administration of Eritrea at the time of the handover of that territory by the Administration; what proportion of this sum was made up by the value of stores and assets; what proportion consisted of excess of expenditure over revenue; how was the value of the stores and assets computed; and how far the United Nations organisation was notified that this payment was to be made by the Ethiopian Government to the British Administration.

Details of this transaction are contained in Command Paper 8690. Briefly, Her Majesty's Government agreed to a proposal by the Ethiopian Government to pay the sum of £950,000 as a contribution towards sums expended by Her Majesty's Government in Eritrea for the benefit of Eritrea over and above the revenue raised there during the period of the British Administration. The expenditure borne by Her Majesty's Government included the cost of stores.The £950,000 falls far short of the total nett cost to Her Majesty's Government. There is, therefore, no question of any particular proportions of the negotiated sum being made up by the value of stores and assets or by excess of expenditure over revenue.The United Kingdom representative made appropriate reference to the Agreement in the relevant United Nations debate and the Agreement itself was, of course, registered in the usual way with the United Nations Secretariat.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what communications have been received by the Government from the United States Government regarding the possibility of an agreement between the United States of America and Pakistan covering military aid to Pakistan.

The United States Government have kept Her Majesty's Government informed of their attitude towards granting aid to Pakistan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take steps to arrange talks with the Governments of Great Britain, the United States of America, France and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the purpose of seeking agreement on the establishment of an international agency to develop and control the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Her Majesty's Government are in touch with the United States authorities following on President Eisenhower's recent proposals. But I am not yet in a position to make a statement about the possibilities of international discussions.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an undertaking that, when existing contracts lapse, he will put an end to his Department's bulk purchases.

It is the Government's intention to discontinue State trading in foodstuffs as soon as practicable and we have made considerable progress in this direction. But an undertaking of the kind suggested without regard to possible exceptional or temporary circumstances would not be in the public interest.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that approximately 1,000 tons of brown Cuban sugar have been dumped by his Department on a waste piece of ground near the canal at Barton Hill, Bristol, and covered with a tarpaulin; and what steps are being taken to prevent the deterioration of this food through dampness and from being eaten by rats.

No. The site of this raw sugar is not waste land but protected private ground adjoining warehouse buildings under the constant supervision of experienced public warehouse keepers. The sugar is fully protected against the weather and is in no danger of being eaten by rats.

asked the Minister of Food what expenditure has been incurred by his Department in respect of the maintenance of abattoirs in each year since the inception of the Meat Control Scheme in 1940; and whether he can make an estimate of the cost of structural improvements and extensions.

Information is not readily available for the period since 1940; but over the past five years and for the 300–350 private slaughterhouses held on lease or requisition, the average annual expenditure on maintenance, repairs, improvements and extensions has been £125,000. Without undue labour this sum cannot be sub-divided among the several heads.

asked the Minister of Food if he will restore the provision and management of slaughterhouses to local authorities.

I hope to be able to make an early announcement on this and other questions about the licensing and use of slaughterhouses in the period following decontrol.

asked the Minister of Food if he will approve the provision of a public abattoir to serve the Medway towns.

An Interdepartmental Committee is drawing up a siting plan for slaughterhouses throughout the country under the policy of moderate concentration. I would ask my hon. Friend to await this Report. The needs of the Medway towns will be fully taken into account in drawing up the plan.

asked the Minister of Food how much it cost his Department for each egg sold to the public through packing stations in December, 1953, or as near to this period as will enable the position to be seen in its proper perspective; and the total cost.

The cost to my Department in respect of each egg sold through packing stations during the four weeks to 26th December was approximately l·66d. per egg. The total cost of implementing the guarantee under the Agriculture Act during this period is estimated at £2·5m.

asked the Minister of Food what amount has been paid this financial year by way of subsidy on the sale of eggs.

Approximately £8·1m. from 1st April, 1953, up to 26th December, 1953.

asked the Minister of Food (1) if he is aware that the views of the national body representing the buyers and distributors of milk in England and Wales have not been sufficiently considered by his Department in considering administrative proposals for the production and marketing of milk; and if he will ensure that adequate weight is attached to the views of this body in future;(2) If he will consider proposals already made to him by the representatives of the milk distributors for an independent authority to exercise overall control of the industry when the Milk Division of his Department ceases to function; and if he will make a statement.

The safeguards which will be necessary before full marketing powers can be restored to the Milk Marketing Boards are now being discussed with all the interests concerned. I must await the outcome of these talks before making any statement.

asked the Minister of Food (1) if, in view of the desirability of overall control of the milk industry in order to provide safeguards for the Treasury, the consumer and other interests, he will provide such control by giving statutory recognition to an organisation representing all sides of the milk distributive trade made up of an independent authority of three to five persons to deal with disputes;(2) if, in view of the fact that the Milk Marketing Board is engaged in the retail and wholesale distribution of milk, he will charge this body with the whole of the duties at present carried out by the Milk Division of his Department;(3) if, in view of the comments made by the Select Committee on Public Accounts on the payments by his Department to the Milk Marketing Board for collection of moneys from distribution, he will impose safeguards, for consumer's and distributors' interests, on the Milk Marketing Board before restoring to them their full powers of marketing and control over the milk supplies of the country.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to his starred Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many trade union advisers have resigned or had their appointments terminated since the present Government took office; and whether, in all cases, they have been replaced.

One labour officer with experience of the trade union movement in this country has resigned in this period. His work is now carried on by other labour officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now take steps to form an advisory panel of persons active in industry in the United Kingdom to advise on any industrial projects which Colonial Governments in the West Indies may desire to refer to them.

Consultations with Colonial Governments on this recommendation are well advanced and my right hon. Friend hopes to be able to announce a decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to develop the manufacture of coir fibre for producing bags for coffee and cocoa in the West Indies.

The Jamaica Government recently granted concessions under the Pioneer Industries (Encouragement) Law, 1949, to a local company which has begun production of a coir fibre suitable for making coffee and cocoa bags. Coir fibre is produced in the other West Indian Colonies which have a substantial coconut industry, but the trade has so far been limited to producing a fibre for upholstery. It is still doubtful whether coir fibre bags can be produced at a price competitive with imported jute bags.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that nearly 500 men have been dismissed from the Bata Arang Colliery, Malaya; that this will cause hardship to a township which depends entirely upon this pit for a living, and that hardship is already being experienced; and if he will take steps to provide these men with alternative employment and with unemployment pay during their enforced idleness.

Of 500 employees paid off by the Malayan Colliery at Batu Arang, 40 have been re-engaged, 110 have found full or part-time work elsewhere, 90 are wives of workers still employed on the mine, and 105 are eligible for gratuity, of whom some are meanwhile receiving monthly payments by the company and some may be re-engaged. The remaining 155 have left the district.No serious distress or unemployment exists as a number of those left without work have since found employment on estates and tin mines through the Kuala Lumpur employment exchange. Others continue to live on the mine and are rearing poultry or cultivating vegetables on land made available by the company, which has been practically doubled in area since the reduction in the labour force took place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what requests have been received from the rubber workers' unions of Malaya to set up wages council machinery to settle wages rates in the rubber industry; and what steps he is taking to carry this out.

The Rubber Workers' Union has formally applied for the establishment of a wages council, and in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Wages Council Ordinance, the Malayan Planting Industries Employers' Association has been notified of the application and asked for its observations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he has banned, in Singapore and Malaya, the film based on Mr. Graham Greene's novel, "The Heart of the Matter."

The censorship of films in Singapore and the Federation of Malaya is provided for under local legislation and is entirely a matter for local decision. While the film "The Heart of the Matter" was not passed initially by the Film Censor, who acts jointly for the Federation and for Singapore, I am informed that it has now been passed for exhibition, with one cut, by the Appeals Committee of Singapore and will shortly be considered by the separate Appeals Committee of the Federation of Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent there have been any fresh attempts to encroach on British sovereignty in the Falkland Island Dependencies; and if he will give an assurance that no intruders have been allowed to establish themselves in the territory.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind a public statement by the Argentine Ministry of Aviation, last December, that it was intended to establish a permanent Argentine military air base on Dundee Island in the Falkland Islands Dependencies. On inquiry by H.M. Ambassador, the Argentine Government categorically denied that they had any intention of establishing such a base at Dundee Island.H.M. frigate "Nereide" paid a routine visit to the Dependencies at that time, and the Royal Research Ship "John Biscoe" landed a party on Dundee Island. The only intruders found were three Argentine personnel, to whom a protest was handed at their unauthorised presence there.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about Mau Mau atrocities in Tanganyika.

Yes. There have recently been increasing signs of Mau Mau infection from across the Kenya border among the 8,000 Kikuyu in the Northern Province of Tanganyika. A Kikuyu, his wife and two children have been slashed to death and another Kikuyu and a 10-year old boy have been hamstrung and very seriously injured. Several Kikuyu who were assisting the authorities have disappeared.It is hoped that the prompt measures taken by the Tgka authorities will avert any further outbreaks of violence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many bombing operations have been carried out by British aircraft in Kenya against suspected members of Mau Mau; how many aircraft were used in each operation; what weight of bombs was dropped; and the results.

From April, 1953, up to and including 14th January last Harvard aircraft have carried out 578 attacks involving 1,708 sorties and dropped 20 lb. bombs to the total weight of approximately 110 tons; Lincoln aircraft have carried out 17 attacks involving 40 sorties and dropped 500 lb. and 1,000 lb. bombs to the total weight of approximately 110 tons.The main targets have been known Mau Mau hide-outs. There is evidence to show that bombing has been effective both in inflicting casualties on terrorists and in lowering the morale of gangs. Since the arrival of Lincoln bombers there has been a pronounced move of gangs from the forests into the reserves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many sorties have been made in Kenya by Lincoln bombers to the nearest convenient date; what weight of bombs has been dropped; and the estimated casualties.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Written reply I have given today to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler).

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions have been issued to the security forces in Kenya, since the trial of Captain Griffiths, concerning the indiscriminate shooting of persons in prohibited areas.

No new instructions have been issued concerning operations in prohibited areas. These areas consist of thick forest bamboo or inhospitable moorland with more than head high undergrowth. Entry into these areas is prohibited to all persons and this fact is well known to all.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give his reasons for continuing to withhold recognition from the Kabaka of Buganda.

Her Majesty's Government are convinced that to restore Kabaka Mutesa II would be contrary to the best interests of Buganda.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what records his Department keeps of the students who arrive in this country from Colonial Territories to take up a course of study which they fail to complete.

There is no record of such students available in my Department. Very few of the scholarship holders, who comprise about a quarter of the total, fail to complete their courses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will state, by regions, the numbers of

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take an early opportunity to visit Canada in order to see for himself the important industrial developments there and the opportunities thereby offered to United Kingdom traders and industrialists.

Yes. I have had great pleasure in accepting the invitation of the Government of Canada to open the Canadian International Trade Fair at Toronto on 31st May. I propose to take the opportunity then of making a fairly extensive tour of Canada's industrial centres and the West Coast.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a number of temporary civil servants recruited before and during the period of national emergency at a comparatively advanced age are approaching, or have reached, the age for compulsory retirement, and that they are being discharged

The following is the information required in so far as it is readily available. The acreage figures cannot be collated without excessive labour.with no means of support beyond a gratuity of about three months' salary; how many temporary civil servants are so affected or likely to be so affected in the near future; and whether he will consider rectifying this position by automatic establishment of all temporary civil servants on discharge under age limit regulations, with the right to a pension on the usual basis calculated on the whole period of their satisfactory service.

There is no compulsory retiring age for temporary civil servants. They are retained beyond the age of 65 if they are fit and efficient and there is work for them to do. Temporary civil servants with at least seven years reckonable service are eligible when they leave, for gratuity of a week's pay for each year of service prescribed in the Superannuation Acts. They have, of course, the same rights under the National Insurance Acts as the rest of the community. There are no central records of temporary staff from which I could compile the figures for which the hon. Member asks.The answer to the last part of the Question is "No.