asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many cases of known homosexuality have been reported in the Royal Air Force during the last three years; and what action has been taken against those found guilty or responsible for this offence.

:During the last three years, 86 members of the Royal Air Force have been convicted by court-martial of offences of this kind. This figure represents an average annual incidence of about one in 9,000. Sentences of up to seven years' imprisonment and discharge with ignominy were imposed, and only most exceptionally was a man allowed to remain in the Service after conviction.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the employees of his Department in Singapore are excluded from the Central Provident Fund Act of November, 1953; why they were not included like other workers; and whether he will take steps to see that they obtain the same legislative privileges as other citizens.

Yes. We are at the moment considering whether locally-engaged Air Ministry employees can be brought into this scheme. I will write to the hon. Member when a decision has been made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made in the acquisition of town headquarters for No. 604 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

:The Middlesex Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association is continuing its search. Since I wrote to my hon. and gallant Friend in December last year, three properties have been considered, but none was suitable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will define the rights of pedestrians on police-controlled zebra crossings at times when the police are not on duty at them.

Under the Pedestrian Crossings Regulations pedestrians have precedence over vehicles at all zebra crossings unless traffic is for the time being controlled by a police officer in uniform.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of the United States of America that no arms or equipment should be supplied to Spain under the agreement concluded recently between the United States Government and the Spanish Government of a character that could be used for hostile action against Gibraltar.

:No. The safeguards in the agreement between Spain and the United States regarding the use of arms and equipment supplied to Spain make any approach of the sort suggested by the hon. Member unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what circumstances the British motor vessel "Servo" was seized by the Spanish authorities in the Straits of Gibraltar on 26th January and escorted to Algeciras.

I am informed that on 26th January the British-registered motor vessel "Servo" was detained on her way to Tangier from Gibraltar by a Spanish Customs gunboat and taken to Algeciras, where her crew and cargo were seized. The crew have since been released, and mail which the ship was carrying has been returned. A formal charge of smuggling has now been made and the case will be heard at the provincial court at Cadiz on 6th February. The British Vice-Consul at Cadiz will be present in court.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how far the information received from the United States Government indicates that the procedural atomic talks, now taking place between the United States and Soviet Governments, cover President Eisenhower's plan for international stock piling of atomic materials and his proposal for private discussions on atomic disarmament.

These talks cover President Eisenhower's proposal and the Soviet proposal for a ban on atomic weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement in respect of the situation in Korea, and on the convening of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation for the purpose of discussing immediate Korean problems.

The Indian Government's proposal for a further meeting of the Assembly on 9th February to discuss Korea did not receive the requisite support. Her Majesty's Government considered that in view of current developments it would be premature to reconvene the Assembly on 9th February to discuss the Korean question.The discussions at Panmunjom are the subject of another Question on today's Order Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the depleted resources of the United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund and the fact that this will curtail assistance to refugees, what action Her Majesty's Government is taking to assist the Emergency Fund and thus increase its resources.

The reserves of the United Nations Refugee Emergency Fund have been increased by recent contributions from Australia and Switzerland, and by donations from private sources.As regards the question of a further contribution by Her Majesty's Government, I would point out that this country's contribution of £100,000 in August, 1952, still accounts forover one-third of the total contributions from Governments and is the biggest contribution so far. A great number of Governments have so far made no contributions to this fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Japanese war criminals are held by this country; what are their terms of imprisonment; and where they are imprisoned.

There are two categories of Japanese war criminals: major criminals, Class "A", who were tried by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and minor criminals, Classes "B" and "C", who were tried by the military tribunals of the individual allied Powers.Twenty-five Class "A" war criminals were convicted by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Seven were hanged, 5 have died and I has been released on the expiry of his sentence. The remaining 12 are at present serving sentences of life imprisonment in Sugamo prison in Tokyo, except for one, Minami, who has been released on special medical parole for the period of a serious illness. The decision to grant him special medical parole was taken by the Governments of the eight allied Powers (namely, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands New Zealand, Pakistan and U.S.A.) which, by the terms of Article 11 of the Treaty of Peace with Japan, have the responsibility for granting clemency or parole to Class "A" war criminals.Seven hundred and fifty-six Class "B" and "C" war criminals were convicted by United Kingdom military courts; 220 were executed, 2 have died, 423 have completed their sentences, 14 were paroled by the Supreme Commander of the allied Powers and 97 remain in prison. The sentences of the remaining 97 are as follow:50 are serving 21 years.14 are serving 20 years.32 are serving 15 years.1 is serving 14 years.They were sent back to Japan from prisons in the British Colonies and Burma in 1951. Since then they have been confined in the Sugamo Prison, in Tokyo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a report on the recent good will mission of Admiral Lord Mountbatten to Ethiopia.

It is customary for a commander-in-chief, Mediterranean, after assuming command, to pay courtesy calls on the heads of maritime States within his command. After the federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia it became appropriate for Lord Mountbatten to pay such a call on His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. He accordingly visited Ethiopia from 6th November to 11th November, 1953, calling at Massawa with Her Majesty's ships "Glasgow" and "Surprise," and flying to Addis Ababa, at the Emperor's invitation, to pay his respects. He was given a warm welcome, and by all accounts the visit was very successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in HANSARD details of the lecture tours arranged by his Department, or where he has given assistance in any way, to hon. Members of both Houses of Parliament to visit the United States of America for lecture purposes during the last two years.

During the last two years the Members of both Houses of Parliament named below have undertaken lecture tours in the United States paid for and sponsored by the Foreign Office at the times shown, and have lectured on the themes specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British subjects were wounded in the 275 attacks which took place in the Suez Canal Zone in the past 13 months.

:By 28th January the total number of attacks against British personnel since the beginning of 1953 (excluding attacks by shooting) was 283. Thirty British subjects were wounded in these attacks.

asked the Minister of Food why he refuses to pay wholesale remuneration to Porthill Dairy, Limited, on sales to T. W. Greer, Limited, whereas he pays remuneration in a similar case of which particulars were supplied to the Parliamentary Secretary by the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme on 17th November, 1953.

As I have already informed the hon. Member, there is no analogy between the two cases.

asked the Minister of Food how meat, imported from New Zealand, will be allocated to wholesale meat distributors after meat rationing comes to an end.

The current Agreement with New Zealand runs to September, 1955. I have asked the New Zealand Government whether they would wish to terminate it this year following decontrol. Until both parties have made up their minds about that I am unable to say what will be the system of sale and distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the suggestion of the Report on Industrial Development in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and British Guiana that legislation should be introduced to give substantially increased In come Tax allowances for depreciation on new plant and machinery; and what action he proposes to take on this matter.

This suggestion is now being considered by the West Indian Governments who have the primary responsibility for deciding matters of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the recommendation in the Report on Industrial Development in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and British Guiana that the investment functions of the Jamaica Development Corporation should be modelled on the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation in the United Kingdom; and whether he will adopt this recommendation.

:I have considered this recommendation and have consulted the Governor on it. I am satisfied that, given the differences between the economies of the two countries, the investment functions of the Industrial Development Corporation in Jamaica are already sufficiently closely modelled on those of the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that meat and milk are still subject to price control in Antigua and that this price is below the cost of production; and whether he will take steps to ensure that this price control does not force the local producers to bear a loss when selling their products.

Meat and milk are still subject to price control in Antigua. I understand that most of the producers are satisfied with the prices that they get. The matter is primarily one for the Government of Antigua, which has in mind the consideration mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a trade commissioner has yet been appointed for the British West Indian territories.

Yes. Mr. Garnet Gordon, of St. Lucia, has been appointed Trade Commissioner in London for the British West Indies, British Guiana and British Honduras.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet received the report of the Select Committee of the Legislative Council of Barbados, on their consideration of the Maude Bill.

I have not heard that the Select Commitee has yet reported, but I am asking the Governor to keep me informed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the protest made by three Government officials in Kenya to the Government Housing Committee against the presence of Asian and African editors at a social function arranged for General Erskine by the Government Press Officer, with the consequence that the latter has had to give up his flat; and if he will take steps to end such racial discriminations.

The complaints lodged with the Government Housing Committee related solely to the noise and disturbance caused by some of those attending the party in its later stages. With his consent, the Press Officer was subsequently allotted a house elsewhere in Nairobi.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will hold an inquiry into the conduct of the Kenya Home Guard and police, similar to that held by the War Office into the conduct of British troops in Kenya.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 16th December, 1953. My right hon. Friend has only just returned from Nigeria today. I have no doubt that he will give early consideration to this matter in the light of later developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in relation to the forthcoming publication of the report of a mission from the International Bank of Reconstruction to Nigeria, he will co-operate with the Bank and the Government of Nigeria to try to make sure that the interval between publication of the report in Nigeria and general availability of full copies in this country shall be shorter than was the case with the corresponding report on British Guiana in 1953.

My right hon. Friend has this problem in mind and has already taken steps to meet it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to which Colonies has the offer already been made of transferring them from his Department to the Home Office; and to which further Colonies it is proposed to make such offers.

As the House is aware, the Maltese Government were informed last September that Her Majesty's Government would be prepared to agree in principle to the transfer of responsibility for handling business relating to Malta to the Home Secretary. The Maltese Government have not yet given a firm reply.The proposal was framed to meet the special circumstances of Malta and there are no plans for making a similar offer to other Colonial Territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the annual report of the Overseas Food Corporation for the year ended March, 1953, will be published.

I understand that the report will be published on 16th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he declines to agree to set up Civil Service arbitration machinery in the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago, as has been repeatedly asked for by the Trinidad Civil Service Association.

My right hon. Friend has not declined to agree to the setting up of Civil Service arbitration machinery in Trinidad and Tobago. The matter is primarily one for the Government of the territory and they are at present considering it. No decision has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish in the Official Report a statement showing what arbitration machinery exists in the several Colonies for determining disputes which might arise in the Colonial Civil Service.

There is negotiating machinery on Whitley lines in nearly all Colonial Territories. In the Federation of Malaya negotiations for an arbitration tribunal are proceeding in Whitley Council, but apart from that, standing machinery for arbitration has not yet been considered in other Colonial Territories. No useful purpose would be served by publishing a further statement in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the daily rates of wages for the weeder, field worker, and the average tapper on the rubber plantations of Malaya, in Malayan coinage and its English equivalent.

The daily rates paid during the last quarter of 1953 on estates in membership with the Malayan Planting Industries Employers Association (which covers about 80 per cent of estates of 100 acres and over), were $2.10 (4s. 11d.) for field workers, which includes weeders, $2.50 (5s. 10d.) for check-roll tappers and $2.80 (6s. 6d.) for contract tappers. For the first quarter of 1954, Mr. Justice Taylor, as sole arbitrator, has awarded corresponding rates of $1.95 (4s. 7d.), $2.25 (5s 3d.) and $2.55 (5s. 11½d.).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is satisfied that when the Overseas Food Corporation took delivery of new trucks at Urambo, in December last, there were no serviceable vehicles available from the surplus groundnut scheme equipment being sold by the East African Disposal Board.

:The Chairman of the Corporation assures me that no suitable vehicles were available from surplus equipment in the hands of the East African Stores Disposal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent lack of co-operation by other countries is hindering the anti-locust campaign in British East Africa.

:My right hon. Friend is not aware of any lack of co-operation by other countries in regard to the anti-locust campaign in British East Africa itself. He has been concerned over the amount of co-operation between other territories included in the outbreak area of the desert locust, and welcomes the steps recently taken to improve the situation in that respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decisions have been taken on the future economic development of British Guiana.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can now give the figures for paid up members of trade unions in British Guiana for 1953, showing each registered trade union in the Colony.

I am asking the Governor if this information is now available and if it is I shall circulate it in the Official Report.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what change he proposes to make in the length of foreign-service commissions.

:This matter is under examination now. As the hon. Member will be aware, the problem is most complex and I am not yet able to announce a decision. I hope, however, to make a further statement in the near future.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why the Labour Ordinance and Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, which applies to employees and employers of Singapore, does not apply to men employed at the naval base, Singapore; and if he will take steps to see that these men have equal protection with other workers.

I ssume that the hon. Member is referring to the Straits Settlement Labour Ordinance of 1st October, 1923, and the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance of 1st October, 1933. On the whole, current Admiralty practice confers on the locally entered employees of the Naval Base, Singapore, greater benefits than they would derive from these two Ordinances.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps are being taken to encourage the growth of democratic trade unionism in the naval base at Singapore; what progress has been made in setting up a joint committee for dealing with industrial problems; how many meetings took place during 1953; and if he will consider appointing a trade union adviser for the naval base.

The United Kingdom-based staff at Singapore have the normal joint consultative arrangements. The locally-entered staff are represented by two unions, both of which are recognised by the naval authorities.The locally-entered non-industrials already have a joint consultative council and a draft constitution for a similar body for the locally-entered industrials will shortly be discussed with the union concerned.Seven meetings of joint bodies took place in 1953, and two formal meetings with the union representing the locally-entered industrial employees. In addition, informal discussions with the employees' representatives took place frequently.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what powers he has delegated to the captain of the dockyard and naval base, Singapore, to deal with industrial matters; and in what circumstances the captain of the dockyard is required to send these problems home for decision.

The Commodore Superintendent, to whom I assume the hon. Member is referring, has the normal powers entrusted to a superintendent of a naval dockyard. The matters on which he seeks higher authority are governed to some extent by regulation, to some extent by custom and to some extent they are a matter for his judgment. In addition to the normal powers, however, certain additional powers in relation to the pay and conditions of service of locally entered civilians have been delegated by the Admiralty to the naval authorities on the Far East Station.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what day or days in 1954 it is proposed to hold Navy Day or days in each of Her Majesty's dockyards.

Navy Days at the home ports are being planned as follows:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what request for co-operation in surveying the waters around New Guinea has been received from the Hydrographic Department of the Australian Navy.

None.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what proportion of the inland mail services of this country were in connection with football pools.

:In the financial year 1952–53 pool correspondence formed about 9·5 per cent. of the total inland postings and brought in about 8·7 per cent. of the total inland mail revenue.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the total net loss to date since the telegraph service was nationalised; and which was the last year in which there was a surplus.

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is £78 million, and to the second, 1871.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many robberies of mail vans, mail trains and post offices have occurred, together with the amount taken, in each of the last five years; in how many cases the thieves were caught; and what was the amount of money recovered.

:Part of the information asked for by the hon. Gentleman is not readily available in the form for which he asks it: part of it will take time to compile. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give an assurance that the Salford Corporation Ambulance Service will be allocated a new frequency for their radio-telecommunication when Band III is allocated to competitive television; and if the Government will bear the cost of the change.

Clearing the whole of Band III for television will involve moving the Salford Corporation's ambulance service and other mobile services, and all these, when required to move, will be assigned new frequencies. The corporation was warned, when its licence was issued, that it might be necessary at a later date for a change to be made in the frequencies allotted. I regret that the Government cannot undertake to bear the cost of such changes.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) whether the new corporation which it is proposed is to operate commercial television will itself be permitted to produce programmes in competition with the programme companies;(2) whether the proposed programme companies will be permitted to televise children's programmes containing advertisements.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Television Bill.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General for how long the Government proposes to conduct its experimental approach to the question of commercial television.

As long as experience demands.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) to give the estimated cost and date of completion of the temporary television station in the Plymouth area; and the cost and estimated date of completion of the proposed permanent station on the same site;(2) when work will be started on the new temporary television station for the Plymouth area.

The B.B.C. estimates that it will cost from £200,000 to £250,000 to provide service from North Hessary Tor; only a small part of this sum will be incurred in making temporary arrangements in the first instance. The Corporation will be better able to estimate completion dates when the site has been purchased and the work of construction can begin, but the intention is to adhere if at all possible to the timetable they originally planned, namely, to set up the temporary station within a year and the permanent station by the end of 1955.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the qualifications for appointment as local Commissioners of Income Tax; and the date on which such qualifications were laid down.

The qualifications are the possession of real or personal estate as set out in Part III of the First Schedule of the Income Tax Act, 1952. These qualifications appeared in the Income Tax Act, 1842.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury for how much the paintings belonging to the National Gallery, which are on loan to other persons or bodies, are insured.

One hundred and sixty-eight pictures, on loan to provincial galleries, are insured for £115,915. In accordance with normal practice the pictures on loan to other bodies wholly or mainly dependant on moneys provided by Parliament are not insured.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received each month by his Department from the Pool Betting Duty on greyhound racing totalisator bets during 1953; whether the year's total is an increase or decrease on the total sum collected from this source in 1952; and whether the 1953 figure is above or below the estimated return.

The monthly receipts from Pool Betting Duty on greyhound totalisator betting during 1953 were:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an estimate of the cost of repaying post-war credits to all those with an earned income of £400 a year and under; and how many persons would benefit if this were done.

:I regret that no statistics of the present incomes of post-war credit holders are available and it is therefore impossible to make these estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now satisfied that the system of inquiry into the compulsory purchase of land provides enough time for objections to be lodged on be half of the occupier; and if he will give an assurance that where such compulsory purchase takes place, reasons for making these decisions are published.

:The Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act, 1946, prescribes time limits for the lodging of objections to a proposed compulsory purchase order. So far as I am aware the time limits are adequate. There is no statutory obligation on the confirming Minister to give reasons for his decision to confirm a compulsory purchase order.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the difficulties arising from the disused portions of the canals in Scotland; and whether he has any plans for their future.

:I have made inquiries with regard to a particular part of the Union Canal which lies in the right hon. Member's constituency and am informed that in the opinion of the County Medical Officer of Health there is no indication of a nuisance under the Public Health (Scotland) Act.

asked the Minister of Works the total area of Carlton House Terrace on which it is proposed to build the new Foreign Office; how much of this area has been so far acquired; and how much has been paid for it.

The total area of the site of Carlton House Terrace is about 3½ acres. The Commissioners of Crown Lands are the freeholders. No part of the freehold has been acquired by my Department. The leaseholds of Nos. 17, 10 and 11, representing an area of about ½ acre, were acquired in 1948 and 1950 at a cost of £114,500.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what representations he has received from local authorities that the Allotments Act, 1922, needs amendment to provide more equitable arrangements for pig-keeping; and if he is prepared to introduce fresh legislation.

:The Town Clerk of Cardiff has sent me a copy of his letter to the hon. Member in which he suggests that it is impracticable to allow pig-keeping on allotment gardens. The occupier should be able to keep two pigs on a fair-sized allotment garden and at the same time cultivate it mainly for the production of fruit and vegetable crops for family consumption. I do not, therefore, see any need for fresh legislation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Heneage Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for The Hartlepools (Mr. D. Jones).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the encouragement to greater technical knowledge in industry afforded by the establishment of comprehensive technical libraries in individual factories; if he will draw the attention of industrialists to their value in his publication "Target"; and if he will ask the British Productivity Council to examine methods by which the extension of such libraries can be further encouraged.

:I am well aware of the importance of technical libraries to industry, whether as part of the national or local library services or established in the factories themselves. I will consider whether "Target" can give suitable publicity to the value and use of these libraries. I understand that the British Productivity Council fully recognise the need for encouraging technical reading in industry and are doing what they can to help, both centrally and through local productivity committees.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will restrict the import of foreign apples during the main period of marketing of our home crop, either by prohibition for that time or by imposing a specific duty to prevent the large-scale imports of these foreign apples free of duty at a time when such imports destroy the market for our own farmers.

Under existing arrangements, imports of foreign apples are already restricted for balance of payments reasons during this period. As my hon. Friend is aware, an application has been made by the National Farmers' Unions for the imposition of a duty to protect domestic producers during their marketing season and this application is being considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value in pounds sterling of the imports to this country

:I give below figures of imports and exports of horses (including ponies) during 1952 showing the value of this trade with the dollar area and with other non-sterling countries. The figures include horses imported or exported only temporarily, for example, for racing, and do not, therefore, give any reliable indication of payments made for imports or earnings from exports.