asked the Minister of Education what early action he will take, following his recent visit to Norfolk., to deal with the many unsatisfactory primary schools in the county.

I am now considering the authority's proposals, including those for the replacement of old primary schools, for the school building programme, 1965–68.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools in Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Clayton-le-Moors, Church and Rishton are more than 50 years old.

I understand from the local education authority that 43 schools in these areas occupy premises built over 50 years ago.

asked the Minister of Education how many school classes with more than 40 pupils there are in Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Clayton-le-Moors, Church and Rishton, respectively.

Twelve in Accrington, 1 in Oswaldtwistle, 1 in Clayton-le-Moors and none in either Church or Rishton, in January, 1963. These 14 classes represented 4 per cent. of all 356 classes in maintained schools, in the 5 localities.

asked the Minister of Education what consultations he has had with the Liverpool Education Authority about its proposal to establish a system of comprehensive education in the city; and what advice he has given the authority about the future of the city's grammar schools.

The local education authority has not, so far, consulted me about this proposal which I understand is still in the formative stages.

asked the Minister of Education how many nursery schools are maintained with Government support in the county of Shropshire and in the Wrekin division; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy for increasing the number of nursery schools in Shropshire and in the Wrekin division.

The local education authority maintain three nursery schools in Shropshire, one of them in the Wrekin division. I cannot at present authorise any expansion of nursery education, save in those cases where an authority can satisfy me that the establishment of a new nursery class in existing buildings will enable a number of qualified married women to return to teaching in maintained schools.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of current estimates the growth of motor-car ownership, he will consider raising the number of parking spaces to be provided in colleges of technology above the present level of six per cent. of the seating capacity of teaching rooms.

No. I see no need at present for a change in the arrangements which I settled last year after careful consultation with my right hon. Friends the Ministers of Housing and Local Government and of Transport. But I shall, of course, keep these arrangements under review.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of £4,000 a year per student at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield.

The cost per student at the College of Aeronautics is high in comparison with that at other institutions since the College concentrates on post-graduate work and carries out a great deal of research. The figure of £4,000 per student relates to 1962–63 and is based on the Ministry grant in that year plus certain balances carried over from the year before. This figure was especially high in 1962–63 because the College had been building up staff and facilities in anticipation of a higher total of students than were actually enrolled. Since then the number of full-time students has increased and at the same time, as a result of close scrutiny by the College authorities and a cost investigation by the Ministry, economies have been effected in the running of the College which will lead to a reduction in the Ministry's grant. The estimated cost per student to be borne by the Ministry grant in 1964–65 will be about £2,500.

asked the Minister of Education how many new schools were completed in 1963; what was the estimated cost thereof; and what is the approximate value of school-building schemes for 1964.

Four hundred and eighty new schools were completed in England and Wales during 1963; the building cost of these, together with extensions and alterations and the remodelling of existing schools, was about £76 million. The value of completions during 1964 is expected to be a little higher.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit in his Department.

None. The duty of the Research and Intelligence Branch of my Department is to stimulate and support educational research by professional persons in universities and elsewhere, and money from my research fund is used accordingly.

asked the Minister of Education what sum has been allocated to the education authority of the County Borough of Derby for their minor capital works programme for 1964–65.

£22,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has referred fluoroacetamide to the Poisons Board again, with a view to banning its use altogether.

No. Fluoroacetamide can now be purchased only for use as a rodenticide. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture announced on 3rd February, he has asked his Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances used in Agriculture to review without delay the use of this substance as a rodenticide. I shall not hesitate to consult the Poisons Board again if the Committee's report shows that to be desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now received the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the report of the police inquiry into incidents connected with the visit of Queen Frederika last July.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg) on 13th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in his consultations with the interests concerned about the proposed measure to amend the law with regard to fire precautions in residential hotels and clubs.

An outline of the Government's proposals has been circulated to the local authority organisations and other interested bodies and they have been invited to submit their comments by the end of February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his Department.

All 22 members of the Home Office Research Unit who are engaged on research projects are professionally qualified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a notice in writing to the British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Television Companies requiring them to broadcast official announcements containing warnings, particularly before public holidays, drawing attention to the dangers of the cliffs at Lulworth Cove, in view of the number of fatal accidents that have occurred there recently.

I understand that the Dorset Police have arranged for warnings of the danger on the spot, and this seems to me a more effective way of drawing attention to it than national broadcast publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when Her Majesty's Government propose to make a statement on the recognition of the new Government of Zanzibar as the de jure government of that country; what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the recognition of Zanzibar as a member of the Commonwealth; and what information he has as to the policies of the other independent countries of the Commonwealth in this regard.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the replies which I gave to his Private Notice Question today.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will introduce legislation to amend the laws of copyright so as to remove the perpetual copyright from the institutions which enjoy it under Section 46(1) of the Copyright Act, 1956.

This right of certain universities and colleges goes back many centuries. The Copyright Act of 1911 withdrew it but maintained the copyrights existing at that date. This provision was repeated in the Act of 1956. I have not been aware of any demand for its withdrawal.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why, in view of the fact that one of the major reasons for high prices and the high cost of living is the high first cost charge made by a number of manufacturers for their products, and that the Monopolies Commission have supplied evidence to this effect, he will not give an assurance that before introducing legislation to abolish resale price maintenance he will take legislative action to control manufacturers' prices.

No. As a general rule, the interest of the consumer is best served by ensuring competitive conditions, not detailed regulation of individual prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he is aware of the lack of adequate conference buildings and centres in this country and the adverse effect which this has on the attraction of international conferences to Great Britain; and whether he has any plans for remedial action.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the problem which is an important one. He is following with interest a number of schemes for improving the provision of conference facilities in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will give the number of jobs in prospect in the Gateshead Employment Exchange area; and how many will materialise in 1964.

There are about 2,000 jobs in prospect in the next four years in the Gateshead Employment Exchange area from new building and other developments known to the Board of Trade. It is not known how many of these will materialise during 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will give the number of new factories and extensions to existing premises completed during the last six months in Gateshead, the number in process of completion, and the number of additional jobs created.

Two completed, and four in process of completion. These six projects are estimated to provide 900 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, in view of the continued high numbers of unemployed among young people in the Gateshead employment area and the fact that 150 not included in the numbers of unemployed have taken up full-time further educational courses, what steps he is taking to encourage new industries in this area to give an assured future to young persons.

The best solution to the problem of unemployment among young people in Gateshead is to promote faster economic growth in the region of which it forms part. This is the central purpose of our programme for the North East and in drawing it up we had particularly in mind the need to provide an assured future to young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Rest of Eastern Regional Development when he will Europe make a further announcement about the sale of British Lion.

My right hon. Friend proposes to make a further announcement when the successful purchasing group has been chosen.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will include in the forthcoming White Paper on Monopolies recommendations to improve the efficiency of small shopkeepers.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry. Trade and Regional Development if he will state the value of British exports of gas and chemical machinery to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Eastern Europe, respectively, in 1963; and what proportion of total British exports of this type of equipment this represented.

Following a change in 1963 in the statistical classification of exports figures are no longer collected under this general heading. Figures are, however, available under the specific headings detailed in the Export List and these will, of course, be provided on request.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will state the value of British exports of plastics and rubber machinery to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Eastern Europe, respectively, in 1963; and what proportion this represented of total British exports of this type of equipment.

United Kingdom exports of plastics and rubber-working machinery including presses for tableting and pelleting and plastics moulding in 1963 were as follows:

—		Per cent. of total exports
	£
Total Exports	11,136,290	—
Of which—to U.S.S.R.	1,858,399	16·7
Rest of Eastern Europe	1,290,269	11·6

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will give the number of qualified staff engaged on research in his Department.

Twenty-five research officers, and 28 statisticians whose duties include research. In addition I have appointed the Director of an Economic Research Unit at the Board of Trade who will take up his appointment on April 1st next.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he is aware that for 1962, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 4,145 bankruptcies, these being 128 per cent. above the 1951 level, that liquidations totalled 4,909, which was 178 per cent. above 1951, and that these bankruptcies and liquidations have been due in part to the higher interest charges, higher rents and rates and other adverse conditions; and what action he proposes to take to assist business to overcome these diffculties.

The percentage increase in the number of liquidations was 78 not 178; but in any case I cannot accept the premise on which the hon. Member bases his Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is aware that since 1951 there have been 58,079 bankruptcies and liquidations; and whether he will cause an investigation to be held as to why during these years there has been this rapid rise in the failures of private business.

No. I do not think any useful purpose would be served by such an inquiry. Failure in business is due to manifold causes, including lack of commercial ability. The hon. Member will appreciate that the figures which I gave him in reply to his other question on this subject on the 12th February included very many cases, including since 1951, 24,672 members' voluntary liquidations, where there was no suggestion that creditors would not be paid in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1) why he granted a £235,000 loan to the private company Pitch Fibre Pipes; what conditions were attached to that loan; what were the agreed interest rates; what are the financial resources and assets of this company; and whether he will make a statement;(2) why the private company Pitch Fibre Pipes, to which his Department have granted a £235,000 loan, were not advised to raise this money through the normal money market procedure;(3) whether, before deciding on the grant of a £235,000 loan to the private company Pitch Fibre Pipes Ltd., he ascertained who the controlling interests are who own 9,000 of the shares under a nominee company.

A loan of £235,000 was offered to Pitch Fibre Pipes Ltd. in accordance with Section 4 of the Local Employment Act, 1960, for the purpose of providing additional employment in West Hartlepool, which lies within a development district. This offer was made on the recommendation of the Board of Trade Advisory Committee following a full investigation into the circumstances of the Company. I cannot disclose details of this investigation, nor of the terms and conditions attached to the loan offer, which are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he has yet completed arrangements for his visit to Scotland in the next few weeks; and which areas he intends to visit.

My right hon. Friend hopes to visit Scotland again during March, but I cannot yet say which areas he will visit.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will list the new forms required for the Household Delivery Service with appropriate number and titles.

The forms are as follows:

• Household Delivery Service Details of Delivery Form—P 2446 G.
• Household Delivery Service Advice Card—P 2447 H.
• Household Delivery Service Delivery Control Shteet—P 2448 G.
• Household Delivery Service Posting Docket—P 2449 G.
• Household Delivery Service Bag Label—P 2450 C.
• Household Delivery Service Adhesive Label—P 2451 H.
• Household Delivery Service Delivery Charge Ready Reckoner—P 2454 E.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the cost of repairs to telephone kiosks arising from vandalism for each of the years 1961, 1962 and 1963.

I am sorry but I cannot give precise costs, but the best estimates I can make for the three years are £57,000, £67,000 and £90,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will, after consultation with the appropriate Departments and unions, assist civil servants employed in the new African States, and now being replaced, to enter the Civil Service in this country.

The Civil Service Commission run a number of competitions each year which provide entry to most of the main grades of the Civil Service for former members of the Overseas Civil Service.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will take steps to negotiate an agreement with British European Airways for leave travel by officers and other ranks of the Royal Navy similar to the arrangement he has negotiated with British Railways for rates of travel which are not available to the public.

No. I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the replies which I gave him on 7th and 12th February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the outcome of his recent consultations with the supplying countries over meat imports; and whether he will make a statement.

At the discussions with overseas suppliers of meat on a market-sharing arrangement, which ended on 7th February, agreement could not be reached on certain matters centring on the level of imports of beef and veal and mutton and lamb appropriate for 1964–65. Our proposals for the voluntary restrictions of exports from other countries to this market, coupled with standard quantity arrangements for fat-stock at home, which would need to be discussed at the Annual Review already in progress, cannot therefore be introduced for the coming fatstock year. The Government will continue its efforts to secure comprehensive and satisfactory arrangements on these lines and will participate in the work of the G.A.T.T. Meat Group. Meanwhile, we are seeking the co-operation of our overseas suppliers in co-ordinating the level and phasing of supplies to the U.K. market in the interest of maintaining market stability in the coming months.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has now been taken with regard to Recommendation 376 on the tasks of the Assembly of the Council of Europe in the present situation of European affairs, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th September 1963.

Recommendation 376 has been considered by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Committee

(a) instructed the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts, under the supervision of the Permanent Representatives, to report on the feasibility of agreements on harmonisation in social, cultural, legal and administrative matters based on those already taken by one or the other of the two economic groups (the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association);

(b) exchanged views on the GATT tariff negotiations, and agreed to discuss these negotiations again at their next meeting in April 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what treaty exists between the United States Government and Her Majesty's Government for military action by the United States in the event of nuclear aggression against the United Kingdom in the European zone.

Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government are Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides that an armed attack against one or more of the Parties in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and that, if such an attack occurs, each of them will assist the Party attacked by taking such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how many engineering and science graduates, respectively, left Scotland in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion each yearly figure represented in relation to the total graduates of that year.

I regret that no figures are available.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether he is aware that with equal educational qualifications a public school boy gets a 1 in 4 chance of entering Oxford or Cambridge University whereas a grammar school boy only has a 1 in 20 chance; and what action he proposes to take to change this situation.

The selection of students for admission to universities is a matter for the institutions themselves.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that fire losses in Great Britain for 1963 are estimated to have amounted to over £65 million as against an average of well under £30 million six years ago; and whether, in view of this increase and the fact that local authorities are now spending some £35 million per annum on fire brigades, he will give an assurance that the new building regulations will provide for much higher standards of file resistance in new buildings.

I am aware of the increase in fire losses. In the preparation of the new building regulations the provisions of building byelaws about fire resistance are being comprehensively revised. But there is no power to include in the regulations provisions directed solely at the prevention of economic loss by fire.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit in his Department.

Research work is undertaken in several branches of my Department and is not confined to a single unit. The staff engaged in whole or in part on such work include some 150 professionally qualified officers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will take steps to refund to boroughs and local district councils the costs of their legal representation at inquiries under the Local Government Act, 1958, in connection with local government reorganisation.

No. Legal representation is entirely at the discretion of the local authority concerned and is not in my view essential. Where costs are properly incurred, however, they will rank in the normal way for rate deficiency grant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now make a further statement about the setting up of the Working Party on Piccadilly Circus.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and I have set up a Working Party with the following terms of reference:

"To determine the area which is of significance in relation to the traffic passing through Piccadilly Circus, and to consider probable developments in that area affecting the volume and composition of that traffic in the foreseeable future; to consider what measures could be taken in that area during the next twenty years to deal with the traffic expected; and in the light of this to assess the load of traffic for which the Circus will have to provide".

The Working Party comprises officials of the Ministries of Housing and Local Government and Transport, the London County Council and the Westminster City Council; Mr. O. A. Kerensky, C.B.E., B.Sc., M.I.C.E., M.I.Struct.E., M.I.H.E., an eminent civil engineer and a partner in Freeman, Fox and Partners, consulting engineers, who are responsible for the London Traffic Survey: and Mr. G. L. Drake the Director of the Survey.The Working Party will need several months to complete its task; I cannot give a close estimate. Its report will be published.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what consideration he is giving to the question of prescribing byssinosis among flax and hemp workers as an industrial disease.

A special survey to determine whether flax and hemp workers suffer from the disease has just been carried out by Professor J. Pemberton, of The Queen's University of Belfast. In view of his findings, I have decided to refer the following question to my Industrial Injuries Advisory Council for its consideration and advice:—

(1) whether, having regard to the provisions of Section 55(2) of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946 and the similar provisions of Section 54(2) of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1946, there exists a respiratory condition analogous to byssinosis which should be treated as a prescribed disease under those two Acts in relation to any insured persons working within the flax and hemp industry; and

(2) if so, what classes and groups of insured persons should be eligible for such cover and what special conditions, if any, should be placed on eligibility for benefit under the Acts.

The Minister of Labour and National Insurance in Northern Ireland is in full agreement with this decision.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how many of the householders receiving weekly allowances from the Paddington area office of the National Assistance Board in December, 1962, whose full rent or similar outgoings were not taken into account, were, respectively, Commonwealth immigrants, tenants of furnished accommodation, single persons, childless couples, men with dependent children and women with dependent children;(2) how many weekly allowances were being paid by the Paddington area office of the National Assistance Board in December, 1963; how many of the recipients were householders paying rent or owner-occupiers with comparable outgoings; and in how many cases the full amount of such rent or outgoings was taken into account in assessing the weekly allowance;

I am afraid that the information the hon. Gentleman asks for is not available, but I am writing to him about this.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his Department.

There are forty-four staff in grades normally requiring a University degree or equivalent qualification as a condition of entry and a further forty-eight with these qualifications in other grades.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his Department.

In the Directorate General of Research and Development there are at present 61 professionally qualified staff.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will request the Elder Brethren of Trinity House to con sider using Cornish granite for the new light and fog signals at Tater-du on the south side of the Land's End peninsula.

This is for Trinity House to decide, but I understand that for lighthouses on shore the practice for the past 60 years has been to use other materials whose initial and maintenance costs are much lower than those of Cornish granite.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the number of professionally qualified staff in the research unit of his department.

The research work of the Ministry is not concentrated in a single unit. On the roads side, the Ministry has eight professionally qualified officers engaged on research. Most research on roads is, however, done by the Road Research Laboratory which forms part of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Ministry employs an economist who studies problems relating to the shipping industry, and six statisticians, part of whose time is devoted to research.The Admiralty undertakes for the Ministry research and development work on radio navigational aids for merchant shipping. D.S.I.R. undertakes some research into shipbuilding and harbour problems.

asked the Minister of Transport on what conditions he would be prepared to receive a deputation from the Humber Bridge Board to discuss Government aid towards the construction of a Humber Bridge.

I understood that the Board was preparing a report on the financial implications of a bridge. I have not received it yet, and I do not think a meting would be useful in the meantime.I am doubtful whether the very high cost of a bridge and its aproaches would be justified at the present time, but I am ready to consider a report from the Board. We can then see whether a meeting might be useful later.