asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when a subscriber on an automatic exchange makes a call to a subscriber on a manual exchange and, after waiting some time and hearing the dialling tone, comes to the conclusion there is no reply, what is the appropriate action to be taken to prevent the subscriber being charged for a completed call.

He should simply replace his receiver. No charge is recorded for the call unless the distant subscriber's receiver is lifted from its rest.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General (1) how many television licences were issued in Brentford and Chiswiok in 1953; and how this total compares with the years since 1945;(2) how many television licences were issued in Brentford and Chiswick in the first quarter of 1954; and how this compares with each quarter of 1953;(3) the total number of television licences issued in Brentford and Chiswick up to the latest convenient date.

No separate record is kept of television licences issued in Brentford and Chiswick and I regret that the information is, therefore, not available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the additional cost to public funds of the new practice, whereby transport for the civilian employees of No. 3 Maintenance Unit, Milton, Berkshire, is to be paid for on a per-coach basis instead of a per-capita basis.

We did consider a suggestion of this kind, but we do not propose to make any change.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air if he will authorise immediate payment of arrears of allowances, etc., due to 1313510 J/T F. J. Rees, formerly of 32 Maintenance Unit, St. Athan, who was invalided from the Royal Air Force in February.

This airman was paid £9 when he was discharged from the R.A.F. Hospital, St. Athan, on 26th February, 1954. He was on leave from then until 30th April, his last day of service in the Royal Air Force. He was sent £24 on 24th March and the outstanding balance of £13 11s. 5d. on 5th May.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what action he is now taking to secure a reduction in the Royal Air Force's commitments and expenditure in the coming year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to his Question on 29th April.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is yet in a position to state when the further memorandum giving his preliminary views on recommendations of the Thesiger Committee not embodied in the Transport Charges &c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will be available.

The memorandum was circulated on 23rd April to the representative bodies who submitted evidence to the Thesiger Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent he intends civil aviation to continue at Northolt aerodrome.

Northolt will be closed to civil flying after 31st October, 1954. On that date all remaining air services now using Northolt will be transferred to London Airport, and thereafter Northolt will cease to be available for civil aircraft either as a regular terminal or as an alternate aerodrome. Flying from Northolt after 31st October will be under the direction of the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many charges have been preferred in British Guiana with reference to the alleged seditious activities of the People's Progressive Party; and in how many cases convictions have been recorded.

Two charges were preferred. The jury acquitted one man and since charges against the other were of a similar nature, the Crown decided not to proceed with the prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many cases charges have been brought in British Guiana in connection with the alleged plot to burn Georgetown; and in how many cases the trials have resulted in conviction of the accused.

None. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question on 26th November last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the results of his official visit to Uganda.

I have no statement to make. The purpose of my short visit to Uganda was to attend the opening of the Owen Falls dam by Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the terms of the Uganda Hotels Bill; and whether any similar Bill will be introduced in Tanganyika.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Uganda Hotels Ordinance and of the Tanganyika Control of Hotels Ordinance, which was brought into operation this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African boys and girls took the recent Cambridge Overseas School Certificate at the Nairobi Alliance High School and Girls High School, respectively; and how many places at Makerere College, the University College of East Africa, are allotted to Kenya and Nyasaland, respectively.

49 African boys from the Nairobi Alliance High School and five African girls from the Girls High School took the 1953 Cambridge School Certificate examination. All of these passed.Twenty-five per cent. of the places at Makerere College are allotted to Kenya and 5 per cent. to Central African territories; 10 per cent. are reserved for open competition. There have been no applicants from Nyasaland so far this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what statistical purposes are served by asking visitors to East Africa to declare their race.

I understand that the main purpose is one of practical convenience, chiefly in connection with the tourist trade. The statistics enable the Governments to provide information asked for by travel agencies, hotels, shipping and trading companies, etc.: visitors of different races have many different requirements for which provision has to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects the report of the East African Salaries Commission.

I expect to receive advance copies of the Commission's report this month and that it will be published a few weeks later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many students now attend the East African Co-operative Training School; from which territories they come; and what difficulties are being experienced with regard to the staffing and financing of this school.

No figures are available for 1954, but in 1953 there were two courses attended by 8 co-operative officers from Kenya, 12 from Tanganyika and 12 from Uganda. Proposals for an additional tutor and for a permanent building to replace the hutments now in use are under consideration by the three Governments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is expected to receive the report of the Royal Commission on Land in East Africa.

As my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury informed my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrew, East (Sir G. Lloyd) on 5th April, the Commission hopes to submit its report by the autumn of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the present price of posho in Kenya is the cause of hardship; and whether he is now prepared to consider the question of a subsidy.

The important matter here is the relationship between wages and the cost of living, hi which the price of posho is an important element. A committee under the chairmanship of the Commissioner for Labour recently made recommendations for adjusting the minimum wage level in urban areas to the cost of living. These recommendations are now being examined by the Government of Kenya which has already accepted an interim recommendation to raise the statutory minimum wage by 10s. a month. This took effect from 1st April this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities for secondary education exist in Mauritius for Chinese, Indian and coloured children, respectively; and the numbers attending these schools, giving separate figures for Government and aided schools.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st March, 1954; Vol. 525, c. 203] supplied the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many weighbridges there are on the sugar estates of Mauritius; how many Government inspectors are employed; and how many estates there are with automatic weighing machines;(2) if he is satisfied with the method of sampling, weighing and testing of canes of Mauritius sugar planters, before their delivery to the factories of the millers; and what action he is taking to encourage improved methods.

I am consulting the Governor on both subjects and will circulate the information required in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the annual cost of the hostilities in Malaya; and what proportions are being borne, respectively, by the Exchequer of Great Britain and the Malayan Government.

So far as it is possible to isolate expenditure upon the emergency by the Government of the Federation, the figure may be given as £20 million in 1954. Towards this Her Majesty's Government have made a direct grant of £6 million. They also meet the extra cost of maintaining U.K. forces in the Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the unsettled state of the rubber industry is caused largely by the constant fluctuation in the price of rubber; and what steps are being taken to establish reasonable constant prices in an industry on which the welfare of Malaya depends.

Yes, but stabilisation of rubber prices is an international problem and prolonged negotiations have shown that there is little likelihood of agreement being reached on what measures are necessary and practicable.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will grant facilities to the public and, in particular, to organised parties of older schoolboys and members of youth clubs, for a limited inspection of Her Majesty's aircraft carrier "Ark Royal" while the vessel is in Gladstone Dock, Seaforth, Liverpool.

I regret that such visits would not be practicable at present as the ship is still building, but I shall be glad to reconsider this question when the ship is in commission.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present arrangements for the use and disposition of the yacht "Britannia" at the conclusion of the Royal tour; and what personnel will be involved in these arrangements.

"Britannia" will be berthed at Portsmouth under the control and administration of the Flag Officer, Royal Yachts, and available for use as required by Her Majesty. At times when she is not required for service, her complement will be reduced to a minimum consistent with proper maintenance.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action he is now taking to secure a reduction in the Royal Navy's commitments and expenditure in the coming year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 29th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals the Government have for assisting agricultural producers in the Scottish islands along the lines proposed for Northern Ireland producers on 18th February, 1954.

The Government recognise that under the marketing arrangements following on decontrol the Scottish island producers may be at some disadvantage as compared with distant producers on the mainland of Scotland, which is the area taken for comparison in the case of Northern Ireland, and that, therefore, a similar problem may arise.In these circumstances, the Government intend to alleviate the possible disparity and to secure that the island producers will receive a measure of financial assistance proportionately comparable with that to be afforded to Northern Ireland producers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the total number of houses under construction in Scotland at the end of January, February, March and April, 1954, giving separate figures for houses being built by local authorities and by private builders.

Following are the figures: