asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that 66 per cent. of the electorate of Malaya are prevented from standing as candidates because they do not possess a knowledge of English; and, in view of the fact that this makes democratic representation impossible, if he will take steps to modify the requirements for candidature in this regard.

The hon. Member is misinformed. In the Federation of Malaya the language qualification is a knowledge of English or Malay. My right hon. Friend sees no reason to alter this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will consider varying the relevant trade union ordinance, so that the trade unions of Singapore and the Federation of Malaya may affiliate to the Pan-Malayan Labour Party, on similar lines to those which exist with the trade unions in Great Britain.

It is for the two Governments concerned to consider the need for introducing amending legislation in the light of any representations made to them by trade unions. A Bill which would permit the creation of political funds on the majority vote of union members is at present being considered by the Federal Legislative Council of Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to explain clearly to the people of Singapore and Malaya the methods of secrecy of the democratic vote in view of the fact that two out of every three electors on the roll cannot read or speak English.

Both Governments intend to launch publicity campaigns in January to educate the public in electoral matters through the Press, wireless, films, public address vans, posters and leaflets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many persons in Malaya have been registered as electors for the Legislative Council; what is the estimated number of persons eligible for registration; and what are the estimates of registrations among the Malayan, Chinese and Indian communities, respectively.

About a million and a quarter electors have registered out of a potential electorate of about 2 million. No statistics are kept which would enable an estimate to be made of the number of registrations from each racial community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the financial burden borne by the Federation of Malaya directly due to the present emergency, what further financial assistance from the United Kingdom to the Federation is being considered; to what extent the financial strain has curtailed expenditure on the social services; and if he will make a statement on the present situation in Malaya.

No further special grants towards the cost of the emergency are at present contemplated. So far, the burden of the emergency has not seriously curtailed expenditure on social services. There has been no recent development in the emergency sufficiently important to call for a statement to the House; but the hon. Member may care to read the High Commissioner's budget address last month to the Federal Legislative Council, a copy of which I am placing in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects the Report of the Royal East African Commission on land to be available.

I understand that the Report is likely to be completed early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further steps are being considered to increase the number of school places and to secure trained teachers in Sarawak and North Bornea; and, in particular, what consideration has been given to the need of increasing the number of girl pupils as compared with boys.

An expert from this country recently visited both territories to examine their educational systems, and his recommendations are now being considered by the two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decisions have been taken by the Government of Kenya on the main criticisms of the Whitley Council of the East African Salaries Commission Report.

In the proposals which it is about to put to the Legislative Council for approval, the Kenya Government have not been able to accept the recommendations of the Staff Side.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Kikuyu people have been sentenced to death for receiving stolen property intended for Mau Mau terrorists; and how many of these have now been executed.

Four persons, of whom two have been executed, have been sentenced to death for offences under Emergency Regulation 8 F (1), which deals with demanding, collecting or receiving supplies by or for terrorists. It is known that one of these cases, on which the Court of Appeal's judgment is still awaited, involved stolen property. I have asked the Governor for information about the other three and will circulate a further reply when it has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amount per unit is now paid into the Sugar Welfare Fund and what effect the reduction in price in 1955, as compared with 1954, will have on the amounts paid into the Welfare Fund.

The amount is 10s. a ton, except in Jamaica, where it is at present 7s. 6d., and St. Kitts, where it is £1. The amount is not affected by the negotiated price under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the reasons for a lower price being fixed for sugar under the Commonwealth Agreement in 1955; and whether he is aware that wages and conditions of employment on the plantations are already bad;(2) What effect the reduction in the price paid for sugar under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement will have on the wages paid to, and the conditions enjoyed by, the workers on the West Indian sugar plantations.

The slight reduction in the negotiated price for Commonwealth sugar in 1955 was based on the agreed price formula which takes into account many items of the producers' costs besides labour. There was, in fact, no significant movement shown this year in the index of wages and salaries. Wage rates in the Commonwealth sugar industries are negotiated separately in each territory by representatives of the employers and the sugar workers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the difference between the price per acre offered by the Government and that asked for by the vendors of the estate land still to be purchased in Nyasaland.

It would be contrary to the public interest to reveal details of negotiations of this kind while they are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the restrictions on oil-seed processing in Nigeria are contrary to the recommendations of the Gardiner Committee and those of the economic mission sent by the International Bank; and if he will consult the Nigerian authorities on this matter.

The Nigerian authorities have made certain proposals for restricting the supply of groundnuts for local processing. I do not know whether they have yet taken action on them, but I am making inquiries on this point and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he proposes to lower the school-leaving age of children in Mauritius from 14 years to 11-plus years.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a reorganisation of primary education in Mauritius which is due to come into effect from 1st January, 1955. The latest information which I have available on this matter will be found in Part III of the Annual Report of the Mauritius Education Department for 1953, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty his estimate of the increase in the number of volunteers in the Royal Navy necessary to enable him to dispense with the employment of National Service men.

About 5,000 a year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that no ship in Her Majesty's service bears the name of Nelson; and whether he will take steps to remedy this defect in naval tradition.

I fully appreciate my hon. Friend's wish that one of Her Majesty's ships should bear the name Nelson, and my right hon. Friend will keep the matter in mind.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when he will make regulations concerning the fitting of television suppressors to electrical appliances.

My noble Friend hopes to lay regulations before Parliament early in the New Year.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will extend the reduced charge period from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. from 22nd December to 3rd January next, to cover Christmas and the New Year.

No. In accordance with our usual practice, the reduced evening rates will be withdrawn on the evenings of 25th, 26th and 27th December and 1st January in England; and on 25th and 31st December and 1st and 2nd January in Scotland, in order to give all the staff at least one evening at home during the holiday period.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air his estimate of the increase in the number of volunteers in the Royal Air Force necessary to effect a six months' reduction in the period of National Service.

On certain assumptions, about 20,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that Venom aircraft of the Royal Air Force have been suspended from operational flying; and whether he will make a statement.

Venom aircraft are not suspended from operational flying: they are temporarily restricted from carrying wing-tip tanks and performing certain manœuvres in flight until modifications have been made. These are already in hand.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps are being taken towards bringing the Royal Observer Corps up to full strength.

In order to make good deficiencies in the Royal Observer Corps, we propose to invite Class "H" Reservists who are surplus to the immediate requirements of the Royal Air Force on mobilisation to volunteer for service with the Corps. The first batch of 3,000 invitations will go out early in the new year. Reservists who accept the invitation and carry out their duties with the Royal Observer Corps satisfactorily will not be called up for Royal Air Force training in addition. We shall, of course, continue to welcome other volunteers to the Corps.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the loss of the South Goodwin Lightship.

Yes. As hon. Members will know, the South Goodwin Lightship was driven from her station by a gale during the night of 26th November and, within about an hour, was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands. A research scientist on board was rescued by helicopter, but, despite an extensive search, which included the use of frogmen, no trace of the crew of seven has been found. A full inquiry is being carried out by the Corporation of Trinity House, who will inform me of their findings.I am sure the House will join me in expressing deep sympathy with the relatives of those who have lost their lives in this tragic occurrence. I would like also to express Her Majesty's Government's gratitude to the crews of the ships and aircraft engaged in attempts at rescue who ran great risks in their search for survivors, inside as well as outside the wrecked lightship, under appalling weather conditions.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the rescue by a United States helicopter from the South Goodwin lightship when all other means were ineffective because of the bad weather conditions, he will give consideration to the provision by the Government of a helicopter service for the saving of life at sea.

Her Majesty's Government already provide a helicopter service for search and rescue at sea. The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force have a number of helicopters stationed at various places around the coast. While these are provided in the first instance to meet Service requirements, they form an integral part of the rescue facilities available to assist any casualty at sea, and Her Majesty's Coastguard do not hesitate to call on them whenever they can help. Those of the United States Air Force also help, as they did so effectively in the present case. I am informed that the Royal Air Force are planning to increase substantially the number of their helicopters on the coast. The answer to the hon. Member's Question is, therefore, that a service such as he has in mind is already in being and is to be further extended.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how the loads of air liners used for trooping contracts compare with the maximum loads permitted to similar liners of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

If the operational factors are similar, the maximum

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the suggestions made in the Final Report of the Beaver Committee on Air Pollution concerning motor vehicles, what consideration he is giving to this aspect of the Report.

The Committee say that the law on the subject of smoky motor vehicle exhausts is adequate and that the problem is one of enforcement, which is a matter for the police. My Department has already asked for the co-operation of the principal associations of users of diesel-engined vehicles to avoid smoky exhausts, and they have promised full support.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what theatrical properties in relation either to weight or number may be carried by variety artistes, in accordance with his regulations, without it being necessary for the vehicle in which they are being carried to have a C licence.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation in respect of which routes he has received applications to operate helicopter services.

I have received the following applications to operate helicopter services:

If the vehicle is constructed or adapted to carry goods, a C licence is necessary to carry any theatrical properties. No carrier's licence is needed for the use of any vehicle such as a private car that is not constructed or adapted to carry goods.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give the date, or dates, on which he contacted the consulting engineers concerning putting in order the plant and equipment to enable progress to be made on the construction of the Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel; and if he can yet name the date when work will commence.

The answer to the first part of the Question is early May, and to the second, "No."

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the decision to embark upon an expanded programme of road construction and improvement, he will reconsider the proposals made by hon. Members about road improvements urgently required in the North-East.

I will certainly bear these proposals in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether agreement has now been reached by his Department and the London County Council about the construction of a modern type fly-over at Hammersmith Broadway in connection with the Cromwell Road Extension Scheme.

I have nothing at present to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 24th November.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the large number of potholes on the A40 trunk road near Llandovery; and whether he will arrange for some men to fill them up.

Yes. The road has now been repaired.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the proposed pension increases recently announced, what steps he is taking to ensure proportionate increases for retired railway superannuitants.

This is primarily a matter for the British Transport Commission, and I am in touch with the chairman on the subject.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will publish in HANSARD a tabulated statement showing the amounts of proposed and actual defence expenditure on production and personnel, respectively, in the period 1951 to 1954 inclusive, and estimating the value of each amount spent in terms of 1950 prices.

The information asked for is broadly as follows. The corresponding figures in terms of 1950 prices are shown in brackets.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that, whereas 75 per cent. of retired civil servants whose pensions do not exceed £550 per annum are receiving increases under the hardship clause of the Pensions Increase Acts, only 20 per cent. of retired officers and 37 per cent. of other ranks pensioners are receiving similar increases under pensions increase warrants and similar instruments; and if he will make the same provision for forces' officers and pensioners as for public service pensioners.

The same tests of hardship under the Pensions Increase schemes are applied to retired civil servants and to retired officers and pensioned other ranks of the Forces. The differing proportions qualifying for Pensions Increase as measured by these tests are probably due to the larger number of Forces' pensioners still under 60 and in receipt of income from other sources, including other employment.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that certain provisions of the law relating to life insurance and, in particular, to assessment of the surrender values of life insurance policies and to the surrender of such policies is antiquated and inflicts hardship on poor persons who, owing to the high cost of living, are unable to maintain such policies; and if he will set up a committee of inquiry to investigate these matters and make recommendations.

The law makes no provision about the surrender of ordinary whole life policies. It provides a right to surrender, and prescribes the minimum surrender value of, industrial whole life policies only when the owner goes to live abroad or the life assured has vanished. I understand that in practice most offices offer more than these statutory minimum and make discretionary payments in hardship cases. I hope all offices will continue to treat all such cases reasonably and sympathetically. I am not at present satisfied that any general inquiry is called for.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer his estimate of the cost to the Revenue of reducing the tax on petrol by 1d. a gallon.

About £10 million.

asked the Minister of Food subject to what conditions stocks of Australian and Californian raisins have recently been sold by his Department to foreign buyers.

Contracts were drawn up by the Ministry's agents, the National Association of Dried Fruit Port Services, Ltd., on whose advice the fruit was sold to the Continent. The contracts provided that the fruit must be used for manufacturing purposes only and not be resold to this country.

asked the Minister of Food on what date Australian and Californian raisins were last sold by his Department to British traders; and on what date it was agreed to sell Australian and Californian raisins to foreign buyers.

The contract for the sale of Australian raisins was signed on 14th May, 1954. Small sales continued to be made to the home trade up to that time. The contract for Californian raisins of the 1952 crop was signed on 22nd November, 1954. Sales of Californian raisins of the 1953 crop continue.

asked the Minister of Food (1) what steps were taken to inform merchants in Great Britain that he was prepared to consider much lower tenders for his stock of Australian raisins, which had been offered at £70 per ton and eventually sold at £30 per ton;(2) what steps were taken to inform merchants in Great Britain that he was prepared to consider much lower tenders for his stock of Californian raisins, which had been offered at £85 per ton and eventually sold at £41 per ton.

The Ministry's stocks of dried fruit are disposed of through the normal trade channels by the National Association of Dried Fruits Port Services Ltd, acting as agents for the Ministry. The fruit is offered to brokers who are told by the Association of the Ministry's selling policy and whose business and interest it is to keep their customers informed of this.

asked the Secretary of State for War what inquiries he is making into the discipline and conditions of life in the Boys' Battalion at Plumer Barracks, Plymouth; and whether, on the conclusion of such inquiries, he will make a statement.

I am extremely concerned that such an incident should have taken place.Immediately after it occurred, inquiries were made and certain steps were taken. As the hon. Member will appreciate, the inquiries which were begun before the accused boys were charged were suspended while the case was

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the concern in regard to the proposals in the revision of the Army Act to apply the code of English criminal law to all civil offences committed by soldiers, and the difficulties which are likely to arise in its application to Scottish soldiers in Scotland or abroad; and whether adaptations will be made to permit Scots soldiers charged with civil offences to be remitted to Scottish courts to be tried according to Scottish law.

I have been asked to reply.The Select Committee's proposals in this regard involve no change in the existing law. The most serious offences would still be specifically reserved for trial in the civil courts and, where other charges arise, the civil prosecuting authorities would retain their present power to decide whether or not to prosecute in a civil court.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what saving is estimated to result in the first full year in the expenditure of the National Assistance Board in regard to the augmentation of retirement pensions, sickness and industrial injury benefits, widow's benefit, and unemployment benefit, respectively, as a result of increase in these benefits and pensions proposed by his Department.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, Tuesday, 7th December, 1954; Vol. 535, c. 35], provided the following:The following table gives, in the first column, the amounts at present being paid by way of supplementation of the various benefits, and in the second column the amounts which it is estimated would be spent in a full year as the result of the increases in benefits and Assistance scales now before Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about further references to the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission.

A new reference was made to the Commission on 4th December. The subject referred is the supply of electronic valves and cathode ray tubes. The full text is as follows: