asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the rate of unemployment benefit paid to male and female adult workers in British Guiana.

There is no unemployment benefit in British Guiana.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what legislative and administrative reforms have been carried through in British Guiana since the establishment of the present Government.

Some examples of progress in social and economic matters are given below. They include measures in the educational, agricultural, medical and housing spheres.(1)—(

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many adult sugar workers were unemployed in British Guiana at the latest convenient date.

I regret that there are no accurate figures. It is estimated that there are between 8,000 and 12,000 unemployed in all industries in British Guiana, of whom a good many would be sugar workers. Owing to the seasonal nature of the industry, and the fact that many workers spend part of their time cultivating their own rice fields, no satisfactory figures of unemployment can be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which category of detained persons in Kenya are required to work on public projects; what these projects are; and what is the nature of the work, the hours of work, the conditions of accommodation, and the wages paid.

Those detained in the special camps are employed on camp construction and agricultural development to provide food for the camp; they do not work more than eight hours a day. No work is done on Sundays or public holidays; they live in thatched huts or converted army huts and are paid local market rates for similar work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will advise the Governor of Kenya to liberate Mr.Odede, who is now detained under the emergency regulations.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what economic reforms have been introduced in Kenya during the last 18 months.

I would refer the hon. Member to my statement on 28th October last. The Kenya Government's expenditure on development has risen steadily since 1946 and is now running at the rate of £6 million annually. In addition, work has begun on the 5-year £5 million plan for African Agriculture. The committee on African wages has presented the first part of its report and on 1st April the statutory minimum wage in urban areas was raised by Sh. 10 a month. The Central Housing Board has allocated £¾ million to the Nairobi City Council to enable it to complete its 5-year housing programme in three years; £ million to Mombasa and lesser sums to other centres. These are some examples of the progress made and if the hon. Member will put down a Question about any particular project he has in mind, I will do my best to provide the information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by how much the revenue of Kenya would be increased if taxation of incomes were raised to the level of the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Hale) on 16th December.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many married quarters for officers and other ranks were built in Portsmouth during 1951 and 1952; and how many are expected to be completed during 1954.

None. Work on the second stage of the Armed Forces Housing Loan, which applies to the home ports, is only due to start during the present year. Arrangements are, however, well in hand for starting 249 houses in the Portsmouth area in August. It is hoped to place contracts by the end of March, 1955, for a further 886 houses.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) what information he has as to the present whereabouts of 839654 Able Seaman Terence Braden, who was last heard of on the Admiralty yacht "Elinor" off the China coast on 4th June, 1954;(2) what precautions are taken to ensure the safety of naval personnel on pleasure cruises in naval vessels off the China coast; and whether, if it is not possible to take adequate safety measures, such pleasure cruises will be banned.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the circumstances under which Able Seaman Kenneth Wilkinson, along with others, was arrested in Chinese waters by the Chinese authorities; and what steps are being taken to obtain the release of these British seamen.

The yacht "Elinor" is privately owned and administered by an inter-Services Committee at Hong Kong, which rents her to qualified Service personnel for recreation and issues the necessary instructions for her cruises. Local orders limit the yacht's journeys to Hong Kong waters which are well defined, and these limits are impressed upon those using the yacht.The "Elinor" had been hired by an officer from Her Majesty's Ship "Concord," who bad been in charge of her on two previous occasions, with a crew of eight from Her Majesty's Ship "Concord." The yacht left Hong Kong on 1st June for a five-day recreational cruise to Tolo harbour—which is within the limits to which I referred. They were expected to return on 6th June.After unsuccessful air and surface searches had been carried out, the Chinese People's Government were asked to assist to trace the yacht. They said that she was found in Chinese territorial waters and taken into port by the local authorities on 1st June and that the crew were reported to be fit and being well treated and entertained by the local authorities. The yacht and crew have now been sent to Canton and I have every reason to hope that they will soon be released and returned to Hong Kong. Until then, the full circumstances of this incident will not be known.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action he proposes to take in regard to the resolution passed by both the industrial and non-industrial staff sides of the Royal Naval Propellant factory at Caerwent, Monmouthshire, protesting against the proposed adoption of a closed fortnight's holiday instead of the present staggered period, a copy of which he has received.

The reasons of economy and efficiency which led the Admiralty to reintroduce the closed period in most Admiralty industrial establishments apply strongly to the Royal Naval Propellant Factory, Caerwent, and I could not agree to except that establishment from the general arrangements. These will be reviewed in the light of the experience of 1954.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many officers and other ranks have been released from the Air Ministry as a result of the recent increase in civil staff.

I take it my hon. Friend is referring to the figures published in Command Paper 9167. These represent, not only the non-industrial staff in the Air Ministry itself, but also the non-industrial staff employed by the Air Ministry all over the world. Of the increase of 73 in the first quarter of this year, 66 resulted from the replacement of officers and airmen.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of airfields in Britain at present occupied by the United States Army Air Force.

Thirteen airfields in this country are at present in flying use by the United States Air Force.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of United States Army aircraft at present based in Britain.

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Mr. C. Cowling, Huddersfield Road, Oldham, who is urgently in need of a telephone, was informed by Post Office Telephones, Manchester, in March, 1952, that the large number of applications made some delay inevitable and, later, that the cuts imposed on the Post Office under the current capital investment programme restricted the amount of labour and, in January, 1954, that a party line was available and, in April, 1954, that the work would be carried out as soon as possible and what are the present circumstances which preclude the installation of a telephone in Oldham.

Mr. Cowling will be connected within a month or two. I regret the delay in meeting applications due to shortage of capital resources and the large number of applicants. However, progress was made in Oldham last year, and over 900 telephones were installed.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will now give a date for the conversion of the Seven Kings and Hainault telephone exchanges from manual to automatic control.

Plans are in hand to convert the Seven Kings and Hainault telephone exchanges to automatic working. I regret that I cannot state definitely when this will take place, but it is unlikely to be before 1960. Dominion exchange, which serves part of the area until recently served by Seven Kings, may he converted a little earlier.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the new Crystal Palace television transmitter will guarantee the North-East Essex coastal area, Harwich-Brightlingsea, with reliable reception.

The B.B.C. expect that the Crystal Palace television station will give considerably stronger signals in the North-East Essex coastal area than the existing station at Alexandra Palace. They hope, therefore, that the service there will be generally satisfactory.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what reply has been sent to the communication addressed to him by the annual meeting of the Cumberland Federation of Women's Institutes, complaining of the continued bad radio reception in Cumberland; and whether an early improvement may be expected.

I am sending a copy to the hon. Member. Some improvement was made in the spring when the power of the Home Service transmitter at White haven was increased. Further improvement must await the provision of very high frequency broadcasting in this area.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what success the Post Office is having in its efforts to persuade owners of older motor vehicles to fit suppressors so as to eliminate this cause of interference with television reception, which is a nuisance to those living near main highways; and what plans he has for making this appeal more effective.

The most up-to-date information I have is that contained in my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Harrison) on 10th February last. Appeals to encourage the fitting of suppressors on older motor vehicles continue to be made by a number of interests, including the Post Office. The situation is being watched carefully.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the comparative accident records of trolley omnibuses and central petrol omnibuses for any convenient recent period.

Following is the answer.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet received replies to the memorandum giving his preliminary views on recommendations of the Thesiger Committee not embodied in the Transport Charges Bill which was circulated on 23rd April to the representative bodies who submitted evidence to this committee; and whether he will introduce legislation to implement the main recommendations taken to improve the position with regard to the bringing in of rural parties to entertainments in provincial cities before the end of the present summer.

I have now received most of the replies to my memorandum of 23rd April. I regret I am not yet in a position to make a statement on the matter raised in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why no authorisation has yet been issued for the institution of "No waiting" restrictions in the Woolwich central area; and whether he will now issue such an authorisation without delay.

The proposed "No waiting" restrictions in the Woolwich central area were recommended to me by the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee at their meeting on 18th June, when they also considered similar proposals for several other areas in London. My right hon. Friend has decided to accept this recommendation. Provided that no objections are received and that the necessary signs can be erected quickly, he hopes to make the regulations in the near future.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet reached a decision about the recommendations on underground car parks contained in the report of the Working Party on Car Parking in the Inner Area of London.

Yes. The Government have decided that to reduce congestion in the streets of London the project for underground car parks is worth further examination. I have, therefore, engaged Sir Owen Williams and Partners, Messrs. Bylander and Waddell and Sir William Halcrow and Partners as consultants to prepare as soon as possible detailed plans and estimates for garages under Grosvenor Square, Cavendish Square and Finsbury Square respectively. When I have their reports I shall discuss the matter with the local authorities and other interests concerned before any further decisions are taken.I have no power at present to authorise the use of parking meters on the highway, but I propose to legalise them in future road traffic legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proposals he has received regarding navigation from the Land Drainage Legislation Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee; what progress has been made in the consultations with the interests affected by the abandonment of derelict canals; and if he will take immediate steps to introduce legislation to close all derelict canals.

The sub-committee referred to by the hon. Member made a number of recommendations concerning the future of canals no longer required for navigation. A large number of national bodies have been consulted on these recommendations and the last of their replies has only recently been received. These replies, which disclose widely divergent views, are now being considered by the Departments concerned, but it will be some time before any conclusions as to possible legislation can be reached.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when dredging operations and work on the improvements to the ferry piers at North and South Queensferry, as outlined in the sketch plan prepared by the British Transport Commission and deposited by him in the Library of the House of Commons, are to be begun.

I am informed by the British Transport Commission that preparations are being made for the work at North and South Queensferry, in connection with the improvements to the ferry, to begin next month.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the width of the footpaths on the Barton Swing Bridge at Eccles; what clearance there is for pedestrians when two of the new wide omnibuses pass each other on the bridge and if he is satisfied that the present arrangements are safe for pedestrians.

Each footpath is 3 feet 10 ins. wide and the carriageway is wide enough for two eight-feet buses to pass without overhanging the footpaths. This, with careful driving, seems reasonably safe to me.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what information he has now received from the Dartford Tunnel Committee as to the number of shields they will require for the construction of the Purfleet-Dartford Tunnel.

The committee have informed us that it wishes to retain all four shields. My right hon. Friend will discuss this, together with other matters, when he meets the Glasgow Corporation deputation.

asked the Minister of Food (1) the total value of stores held by or on behalf of his Department at the latest date far which figures are available(2) the 'present value of the land and buildings occupied by stores held by this Department; and what is the number of staff required to protect and administer such stores;(3) the annual cost of storing, maintaining, protecting and administering the stores held by his Department.

The value of my Department's commercial stocks in the U.K. at 31st March, 1954, was about £210 million; it would not be in the public interest to disclose the value of strategic stocks. The stocks are stored in commercial premises, as well as in Government buildings, all of which are operated by commercial firms with non-Government staff. It is not possible therefore to state either the present value of the land and buildings occupied by or the number of staff engaged in looking after these stocks. The records of storage costs do not separate the costs of movements into and out of store, rent, repairs, etc., from the cost of looking after the stores. The total cost of all these items during the year ended 31st March, 1954, was about £131 million.

asked the Minister of Food on how many aerodromes foodstuffs are at present stored by his Department; and what foodstuffs are so stored.

Sixty-eight. The commodities comprise bagged grain, raw sugar, oilseeds, flour, animal feedingstuffs and canned goods.

asked the Minister of Food the percentage of the capacity of the Government cold stores at present in use.

All the Government cold stores are in use and the total stocks in them represent about 75 per cent. of capacity.

asked the Minister of Food the average return on capital earned for the latest available period by cold storage undertakings under their agreement with his Department.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 18 and 19 of the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on the Trading Accounts of the Ministry for 1952–53. The percentage returns there quoted are related to capital assessed on a basis not comparable with the capital structure of other industries. On a fair basis of comparison, I have no reason to think that the rate of profit in this industry is out of line with that generally accepted for Government contracts.

asked the Minister of Food the quantities of home-produced eggs and imported eggs covered by subsidy arrangements in April and May, and the rates of subsidy paid; and whether a term has now been set to his Department's contracts for the purchase of foreign eggs which require a subsidy.

About 3·4 million boxes of home-produced eggs and about 0·5 million boxes of imported. The rate of subsidy during April and May has averaged 1s. 7½d. per dozen and 10½d. per dozen, respectively. The only contract for foreign eggs is with Denmark and this will end on 30th September next.

asked the Minister of Food if he is satisfied that his Department will be able to buy up all the pigs offered for sale for slaughter before 3rd July, 1954.

No. During recent weeks the numbers of all classes of fatstock offered have been abnormally high and far beyond the Ministry's capacity to slaughter or current market requirements. Moreover, as part of the plans for decontrol, facilities for slaughter must be made available for use by private traders on 1st July. Consequently, it has been necessary to restrict purchases of pigs, as of all other classes of fatstock, during the last weeks of control.

asked the Minister of Food what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that the Potato Price Control Orders are properly observed by hospital management committees; and if he will confer with the Minister of Health, with a view to ensuring that the minutes of such bodies in respect of contracts placed by them with regard to food supplies are open to inspection.

No special steps are taken by my Department, but if any instance of suspected contravention is brought to my notice I will have inquiries made. The matter raised in the second part of the Question is entirely one for my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Food how many slaughterhouses have been licensed to operate from next week onwards; if he is satisfied that all reasonable requirements are likely to be met by the arrangements already made; and to what extent local authorities are exercising their option to buy the new government slaughterhouses.

At the middle of May, 2,260 private slaughterhouses had been licensed and 2,700 applications for licences were under consideration. In general, local authorities are satisfied that sufficient slaughtering facilities will be available on decontrol. Of the seven new slaughterhouses built by the Government, one is to be purchased by a local authority at a valuation to be determined by the district valuer; two others will be taken over by local authorities on the basis of a rent for a year when the purchase price will be determined; negotiations with the local authorities at the other four places for use of the premises on a rental basis have not yet been completed. Arrangements are being made to ensure that in any case slaughtering facilities will be available to traders at these four slaughterhouses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the amounts of Exchequer Equalisation Grant given to individual Scottish local authorities for the year 1953–54, together with the estimated figures for the year 1954–55.

The following tables show the amounts of the second provisional calculation of the grants for 1953–54 and of the first provisional calculation of those for the current year. Both are subject to revision when further data become available. For this reason, and because the basis of allocating expenditure and calculating grant in the current year is different from that in 1953–54, no valid comparison of the two sets of figures can be made. The figures include, where appropriate, the estimated amounts of the transitional grants payable under Section 6 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1954.