asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will release for general publication in the United Kingdom the terms of the Githaka and Batuni oaths which motivate the atrocities of Mau Mau and which are administered to subjugate the Kikuyu tribe and achieve the ultimate massacre of the European population in Kenya; and if he will, at the same time, release those sections of the general or third-grade oath which refer to the person of Jomo Kenyatta.

I see no objection to publishing the texts of these oaths, so far as they are known, and they are given below. I could not agree to publication of the attendant rituals.

This change was made in order to conform with the other figures connected with the active Forces quoted in the Statement on Defence all of which are related to the financial year.As the reply to the second part of the Question consists of a table I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many inhabitants of Kenya have been moved under the villagisation procedure; how many homes have been burned during villagisation operations; upon whose lands the displaced persons have been settled; and what provisions have been made as to the land evacuated.

About 600,000 persons have been moved. 150,000 huts, evacuated and stripped by their owners of usable material, have been destroyed, in some cases by fire, to deny their use to terrorists. The villages are built on clan land, and the inhabitants continue to cultivate their own original holdings. No land has been evacuated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make on the reasons for the resignation of Colonel Young from the police force in Nairobi.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken to deal with the persons in Kenya responsible for the printing and distribution of leaflets threatening reprisals against Kikuyu who take advantage of the Government's amnesty offer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken in respect of the attempts to defy the law and to frustrate the policy of Her Majesty's Government in Kenya.

I am aware of these attempts to prejudice the surrender offer. Police investigations are being made to identify individuals responsible for the production or distribution of the pamphlets in question. These, and any other similar pamphlets, have been proscribed under Emergency Regulations which also provide for penalties of up to two years imprisonment and/or a £500 fine for printing, publishing, or distributing any proscribed publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he has not appointed a doctor to work in the hospital which the people of Lefkara, Cyprus, have built voluntarily; and whether he will endeavour to encourage such self- help.

This hospital has nine beds for patients with minor ailments. It has a trained nurse and is visited twice weekly by the Government doctor stationed seven miles away. The Cyprus Government consider that the present arrangement best enables the Government Medical Officer to serve this rural area. In reply to the second part of the Question, the hospital already receives a Government grant of about 50 per cent. of the running costs. The Government are also prepared to help to subsidise a private practitioner in the village if a suitable candidate is forthcoming.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the officially proposed nationalisation of the electricity under takings in Mauritius.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the negotiations now in train for purchase of the General Electric Supply Company by the Central Electricity Board of Mauritius. I am not at present able to add to my right hon. Friend's reply on 2nd February to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the political situation in British Guiana.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement in respect of present social and political conditions in British Guiana.

As regards social conditions, fair progress was made with schemes in the Development Plan last year, in particular the housing drive. The pace is now increasing but much remains to be done.There have recently been dissensions within the People's Progressive Party. This came to a head at a Party conference on 12th-13th February at which a motion of no confidence in the existing Executive was passed and elections were held for office bearers and the General Council. As a result Dr. and Mrs. Jagan were relegated to less important posts in the Executive and a number of their supporters displaced. Mr. Burnham was elected party leader.The validity of the action taken at the conference is, however, contested by Dr. and Mrs. Jagan, who are purporting to continue in their previous posts. Dr. Lachhmansingh, the new Chairman of the party, has announced that a general congress will be held on 27th March with the intention, I assume, of confirming the recent elections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what the increase of 128 per cent. and 60 per cent. over 1947 figures in the wages of unskilled labour on 10 estates in Tanganyika and Kenya, respectively, and the increase in Uganda of 115 per cent. over 1949 figures represent in terms of increased income per week to the people concerned in money terms; and what these increases represent in increased cost per cwt. of tea.

The answer to the first part of the Question is given below.I regret that I have no information on the effect of increases in wage rates for unskilled labour on the total cost of production of a given quantity of tea.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent tear gas was used in the recent riots in Sierra Leone before the troops opened fire.

Tear smoke was used by the police on 15 occasions before the troops opened fire and on 14 occasions afterwards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what pension scheme is in force for African ex-Government employees in Nigeria; the total amount being disbursed; and what amelioration of the scheme is under consideration.

The Governor-General of the Federation of Nigeria, tells me that where an African employee is of pensionable status, retiring benefits are payable under the Pensions Ordinance, which provides a pension of 1/600th of final pensionable emoluments for each month of pensionable service. Where the employee is non-pensionable, provision is made for a retiring allowance of 1/800th of retiring emoluments for each month's service. Gratuities are awarded for service of between five and 15 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further consideration has been given in respect of introducing an elective element into the British Borneo and Hong Kong Governments.

In the Borneo Territories the time for direct elections has not yet come. As regards Hong Kong, I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply given by the noble Viscount my right hon. Friend's predecessor to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) on 20th October, 1952. I have nothing to add to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made towards securing a reciprocal arrangement from the Government of South Africa to enable Northern Rhodesian nationals, convicted in South Africa, to serve their sentences in Northern Rhodesia.

As was stated in reply to the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Orbach) on 22nd December, this subject is now the responsibility of the Government of the Federation.

asked the Prime Minister the policy of the Government with regard to the official proposals of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics requesting the United Nations to call a World Conference at which to propose and arrange for the destruction of all atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs.

I have seen certain proposals contained in the Soviet statement on 18th February. These have not yet been officially communicated to Her Majesty's Government or to the United Nations. The United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee, on which the United States, France, Canada, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom are represented, is meeting in London on Friday. The Soviet Delegate will doubtless unfold and explain the proposals of his Government to the sub-committee, whose meetings are to be held in private. I feel sure in the interest of international agreement that this is the best method of discussing these issues. If this could be achieved, a world conference would be possible and necessary.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a comprehensive statement up to date specifying the Government's present policy on the hostilities now taking place in the Far East relating to Formosa and the islands off the Chinese coast, which have been referred to the United Nations organisation.

A very full statement was made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on the 14th of this month and I have only somewhat general observations to make upon this anxious subject today.There is a great difference between the coastal islands of China and the island of Formosa. As there is no question of our being involved militarily or indeed of our being needed in the defence of the coastal islands, we should be careful of what advice we should offer our friends and Allies upon it.The decision on whether or when these particular islands should be evacuated is not one the burden of which falls upon Her Majesty's Government and we must recognise the natural preoccupations of other Governments who are immediately affected by the threatened attack from Communist China. This is especially true at a time when the Chinese Communists keep stridently asserting that the islands are to be regarded as a stepping stone to the seizure of Formosa itself, with all that that must mean for the Chinese Nationalists under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, who have been given shelter and protection there by the Unitied States, and to whom the United States are bound by over 14 years' comradeship in war, both against the Chinese Communists and the Japanese invaders of China.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he expects the completion of records regarding the personnel eligible to share in the salvage award of the s.s. "City of Marseilles."

Owing to the fact that lists of officers and men assisting in the salvage operations were not rendered at the time, it has not been possible to compile a complete record of those eligible to share in the award. Press announcements, wireless broadcasts, and the issue of an Admiralty Fleet Order, in November, 1953, have resulted in 90 applications for shares and a few are still coming in. So far about 60 applicants have been found to be eligible. In the meantime we are making sure, as far as we can from the records available, that others who may be eligible shall not be excluded. I hope that it will be possible to complete the task within the next few months and to start making payments.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make arrangements for the sale of postage stamps through a larger number of channels than at present, for example, tobacconists or newsagents' shops.

Arrangements already exist for shopkeepers to sell postage stamps where there is a demand, and where the nearest place from which they can be bought is as much as 150 yards away. If my hon. Friend has any particular places in mind and will let me have details, I shall be glad to make inquiry.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will consider including famous buildings or former Royal palaces in holiday resorts likely to attract foreign visitors, such as the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, on stamps of values likely to be used for postcards and letters going abroad.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in order to publicise British holiday resorts abroad, he will consider incorporating in the design of postage stamps likely to be used in mail going overseas famous landmarks such as the Blackpool Tower.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the statement my noble Friend made in another place on 9th February, of which I am sending them a copy. There is nothing I can add to that statement for the present.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the greater part of the Grange Estate, Kettering, is more than a mile from the town's main post office; that the estate contains a group of council houses specially designed for and occupied by old folk, most of them drawing retirement pensions; and whether, for their convenience and that of other residents on the estate, he will reconsider his refusal to have a sub-post office there.

I am having inquiry made and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he has now completed his investigations into the allegations of pilfering of correspondence from Messrs. Thomas Hammond, Manufacturers, Craigmillar; and if he will make a statement.

I have gone thoroughly into this matter and I am satisfied that there is no substance in the allegations of pilfering made by Messrs. Hammond & Co.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applicants received the telephone service in the borough of Romford during 1954; and how many applications are now outstanding.

Five hundred and seventy seven telephones were connected last year and 2,153 applications are at present outstanding. We hope that in 1955 the rate of connection will be nearly trebled as compared with 1954.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in future, when cables have to be laid in areas where doctors work and where the telephone becomes affected, he will give due warning so that the inconvenience now being felt in the Harley Street and Wimpole Street area will not be repeated.

I very much regret the inconvenience caused to subscribers in the Harley Street and Wimpole Street area. We have had to replace a section of a large cable which was in a very bad condition. By working day and night the job was finished in three weeks. We do all we can to minimise interruptions but we are seeing if it is possible in such cases to give subscribers a better system of warning.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of cases in which the telephone manager at Cardiff has exercised his discretion by granting a private telephone service to people who do not come within the categories recognised for priority purposes.

Special records are not kept, but the number of cases is very small indeed.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are outstanding in the borough of Barry; how many telephone applications were granted during 1954; and when he hopes that all existing applications may be satisfied.

Two hundred and thirty-eight telephones were connected last year and we hope to increase the number in the current year. Two hundred and forty-three applications are at present outstanding, but in view of the high level of new applications I cannot say when they will all be cleared.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what proportion of oustanding applications for telephones in Wales were granted in 1954; and how this compares with the proportion granted in England.

Figures for Wales itself are not readily available, but in Wales and the Border Counties 14,448 telephones were connected during 1954. Outstanding applications fell from 23,030 at the beginning of the year to 21,452 at the end; in England the outstanding applications fell from 302,545 to 296,053.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the nature of the unforeseen urgent requirements which are delaying the installation of telephones for citizens in the Thurso area; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the situation.

There are 27 applicants waiting for telephone service in Thurso. Additional equipment is required at the exchange and I hope this will be ready by the end of May. Work has been started on a new underground cable scheme, which has had to be extended to serve a new housing estate.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General to what extent the provision of new telephones is being impeded by shortage of cable; and what steps he is taking to increase the supply of cable.

One hundred and eighty thousand orders for telephones are at present held up because of shortage of wires in local cables. Since restrictions on capital investment were eased, we have increased our purchases of cable by more than 50 per cent. A further increase is planned for 1955–56, but it will take time to clear the heavy arrears of work which exist throughout the country. There is no shortage of cable producing capacity at the present time; but our purchase of cable has in the past been restricted by the limitations on capital investment.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many new telephones for private subscribers were installed

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what reasons, apart from lack of exchange equipment, are preventing applicants for telephones in the borough of Morley from having their applications granted.

Seven applicants are held up for lines as well as exchange equipment. We hope to arrange for some of them to share the lines of existing subscribers when additional equipment has been provided in the exchange.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the estimated cost of the decision to convert airfields at Alor Star, Kuantan and Gong Keda into bases suitable for jet fighters and bombers; and whether this cost is to be shared between Britain and Malaya.

The estimated cost of the work being carried out or contemplated at these three airfields is £1·6 million. No share of this cost is to be undertaken by Malaya.

Following is the information:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the proportions of expenditure on armed manpower, equipment, and administration, respectively, in the Royal Air Force in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The following are the figures for Royal Air Force manpower and equipment (including technical supplies):

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air at what date in 1952 it was decided to remove the radar station then existing in Northumberland to a different site; and whether he will give the reason.

The present site, which was selected in December, 1950, is regarded on operational grounds as being the better of the two.

asked the Under- Secretary of State for Air if, with a view to lessening damage from supersonic bangs, he will arrange for aeroplanes causing such bangs to be flown in scheduled areas or over the sea only.

There are already restrictions on the areas in which such flights may be made, but my noble Friend is considering, with the other Ministers concerned, whether further restrictions should be imposed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what airfields within a radius of 30 miles of Central London are still controlled either wholly, or in part, by his Department; which of these are to be retained for permanent use; and when he anticipates the remainder will be made available for disposal.

The following is a list of these airfields:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of days on which civil air transport between London and the Continent was delayed by fog or other adverse weather conditions during 1954; and the number of hours involved.

Air traffic between London and the Continent may be delayed owing to adverse weather in the United Kingdom or at the Continental aerodrome, or by weather en route. Delays in bad weather will also depend upon the application of companies' weather minima. There are also many causes of delay not connected with the weather and I regret that I could not, without an unjustifiable amount of research, analyse all delays over the year so as to isolate those due to weather.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make an early decision as to whether it will be necessary to build the proposed second runway at Gatwick Airport, as at present the owners of houses on or near the site of the proposed second runway are unable to sell their properties owing to the possibility of compulsory acquisition.

I fully understand and sympathise with the uncertainty on this matter but at the present time I cannot possibly say definitely whether or not the second and northern runway will be built. Meanwhile it must remain a possibility.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he anticipates flying will cease at Bovingdon, Croydon and Stansted, in conformity with the proposals contained in the Government's White Paper on London's Airports, Command Paper No. 8902; and when he expects Croydon to be closed and made available for sale.

Bovingdon and Stansted will remain in military flying use when civil flying ceases. The date of the withdrawal of civil flying from Bovingdon is being discussed with the Air Ministry and the operators concerned and depends primarily on the provision of facilities elsewhere for those operators at present based there. The withdrawal from Stansted is likely to be a gradual process as accommodation becomes available elsewhere for the substantial number of aircraft based there, and I cannot yet forecast when it will be completed. I expect Croydon to be closed and to become available for sale about 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the number of accidents which have occurred on road A. 12 within the Brentwood, Essex, urban district in recent months; and whether to prevent further accidents he will authorise the commencement of work on the Brentwood by-pass in respect of which detailed plans have already been prepared.

I know of, and much regret, the number of accidents which have occurred on road A. 12 at Brentwood, Essex, in recent months. I hope to include the construction of the Brentwood by-pass in the expanded road programme in due course, but I am not at present in a position to go beyond what was contained in my statement of 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he has omitted the Rochester by-pass road from the list of road schemes to be started at an early date.

This is part of the expensive and complicated Medway towns project. There are considerable difficulties in settling the line of the road, objection having been raised on agricultural grounds to the proposed line. I may not, therefore, be able to publish a draft scheme under the Special Roads Act, 1949, for some time. I hope to include the proposal in the programme in due course.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much, under the Government's new road programme, he expects to spend on major projects in Wales during 1956–57, 1957–58 and 1958–59, respectively.

I have as yet nothing to add to my statement of 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, of the £64 million to be spent on new by-pass and major roads in the next five years and the £339 million in the next 20 years' programme, how much will be spent in Wales; and the details of such schemes.

I have nothing to add to my statement of 2nd February except to say that no figures such as are instanced in this Question have been put forward by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much of the expenditure on the expanded road programme will be met by Exchequer borrowing and how much by provision out of his Department's estimates; and to what extent the ratio will vary from year to year.

This expenditure will be met from my Department's estimates, apart from the share borne by local authorities. As the provision of the necessary finance for these estimates is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I would refer my noble Friend to the statement made on this subject by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 7th December last, during the debate on the Address.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he is taking with local authorities to ensure that the expanded road programme he has announced is not frustrated by any unwillingness to add to rate-borne expenditure on the part of these authorities; and whether, and under what powers, he can authorise local authorities to borrow for their proportionate expenditure on the new programme.

I do not think that I need anticipate such unwillingness. The extent of the pressure which local highway authorities have brought to bear on my predecessors and myself suggests that they will, in general, be anxious to play their full part in the expanded road programme.Powers authorising local authorities in England and Wales to borrow for expenditure on highway works are vested in my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government under Section 195 of the Local Government Act, 1933. My Department, however, acts as sponsor of such applications. The corresponding powers in Scotland are vested in me under Section 259 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1947, as amended by Section 4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1951.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the urgent need on traffic grounds, he has yet come to a conclusion on the proposal for the Hyde Park boulevard road improvement.

As I said in reply to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson) on9th February, I am anxious to see an improvement scheme for this area begun at the earliest possible date. There are, however, some important questions still to be settled, and these are under urgent consideration in consultation with the London County Council and other interested bodies.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many persons were killed and injured during 1954 as a result of their colliding with the doors of motor vehicles; and what steps he is taking to mitigate this addition to accidents on the road.

Complete figures are not available. The police inform me that 3,200 accidents involving deaths or injury were caused in 1954. The most effective method of reducing these accidents is education. The Highway Code, rule 66, is one of the methods I am using. Road safety propaganda also deals with it frequently.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many persons have been killed and how many injured on uncontrolled pedestrian crossings during the six months ending 31st December, 1954; and figures for the corresponding period of 1953.

Forty-seven persons were killed and 466 seriously injured on uncontrolled pedestrian crossings during the six months ending 31st December, 1954. The figures for the corresponding period of 1953 were 47 persons killed and 408 seriously injured. I am afraid I have no figures covering these periods for slight injuries.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what provision is made for the construction of a dual carriageway on the Great Cambridge Road from the Edmonton and Enfield boundary to the Hertfordshire boundary, in the current roads programme; and when work on it is likely to commence.

I hope to provide for at least part of this work at an early date, but at present I can add nothing more to my statement of 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission that where it is their intention to discontinue the use of a railway line an opportunity should be given to undertakers to acquire the line for conversion into an autobahn, cycle track, country-walk or similar project.

No. There is already full opportunity for anybody interested to make an offer for land surplus to the British Transport Commission's requirements.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he has taken to ensure that the Ullapool—Garve Road is kept open to traffic during heavy snowfalls.

A heavy-duty snow plough is stationed on the road and arrangements are made for traffic to proceed in convoy behind the plough.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many miles of crofter counties road schemes have yet to be completed; and what work is in progress at the present time.

Six hundred and fifty-seven miles of class I road improvements scheduled under the 1935 Crofter Counties roads programme have yet to be completed. Work is now in progress on two schemes—the improvement of 5·75 miles of A.836 between Borgie and Naver Bridge in Sutherland and the improvement of 4·7 miles of A.815 between St. Catherine's and Strachur in Argyll.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what toll will be charged on the new Conway Bridge.

I do not at present contemplate imposing tolls on the new Conway Bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that more than £88,600 was spent on roads in the new town of East Kilbride in the year ended 1st April, 1953, under grant from the Road Fund; and what expenditure was incurred in respect of the main Glasgow and Edinburgh roads in the area of the county of Lanark under grant from the Road Fund during the same period.

I assume that, in the first part of the Question, my hon. Friend has in mind the amounts of grant made for road construction in East Kilbride in the year beginning 1st April, 1953, as given in my answer of the 13th December last to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Bence). It is not possible to specify separately expenditure on the main Glasgow and Edinburgh roads, but in the same period total expenditure on trunk roads in Lanarkshire amounted to approximately £100,000 and total Exchequer expenditure on classified roads to approximately £150,000 mostly for maintenance and minor improvement.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what grants were made for road construction or improvement within the county of Lanark during the year April, 1953, to April, 1954, other than £88,615 for East Kilbride.

In the year beginning 1st April, 1953, grants towards major and minor improvement works on classified roads within the county of Lanark, excluding East Kilbride, amounted to £23,011, and improvements were authorised on trunk roads in the same area to the value of £56,449.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now give an assurance that Government objections to the construction by private enterprise of a Channel tunnel have been removed so that arrangements may be made by those concerned to set on foot the necessary investigations and prepare suitable plans in the light of recent scientific and technological developments relating to underwater tunnels of this character.

I have nothing to add to the many previous statements on this topic.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is satisfied that number-plates on the front and back of cars are always easily discernible especially at night; whether he will consider what further action can be taken to clarify and strengthen the law to ensure that they are kept clean and properly lighted; and, in view of the fact that the present aluminium plates are sometimes not easily seen owing to dazzle, if he will consider prescribing more suitable metal.

I think the existing Regulations adequately define the standards of legibility and illumination required for number-plates. Enforcement of the Regulations is a matter for the police.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what action he now proposes to take in regard to the staggering of hours of commencing and ending work to ease the traffic congestion at peak periods.

The London Transport Users' Consultative Committee are considering, with the London Transport Executive and officers of my Department, the most practical method of obtaining the co-operation of the travelling public and their employers in this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation approximately how many telephone calls a day are made between the offices of his Department in London and in Nottingham.

On the average, about nine or 10.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the present scheme for a tube on the bed of the Forth was first submitted to his Department; and when he expects to be able to announce a final decision on the question.

The scheme, which is one for consideration in the first instance by the local authorities concerned, was first mentioned to my predecessor last July. I cannot say when a final decision will be reached, and would refer the hon. Member to what I said about this scheme in the course of my statement on the 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into London Transport will be available to hon. Members.

Tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he expects to conclude his discussions with the National Farmers' Union on a plan to pay lower subsidies for horned calves; and whether he is aware that such a scheme would be unfair to breeders of breeds such as Lincoln Reds.

Discussions with the National Farmers' Unions have not yet been completed, but my right hon. Friend will make an announcement as soon as possible. As regards the second part of the Question, we expect to obtain the comments of breed societies on the proposals through the National Cattle Breeders' Association.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the long delays in getting results of soil tests from his Department's laboratories; and what steps he will take to improve this situation.

I am satisfied that in general there is no undue delay; but special difficulties may have occurred in isolated cases and appropriate action has been taken to deal with them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider adding a member of the veterinary profession to the recent-appointed committee on pig production, in view of the importance of health and disease in relation to productivity.

I do not think this is necessary as the Committee will be concerned primarily to ascertain the types of pigmeat required by the market and how the demand can be met by farmers.

asked the Minister of Education why the basic sum of £30, which is paid to holders of State scholarships to universities, even if their parents have an income of £2,200 or more per year, is not also paid to the recipients of honorary State scholarships.

I take it that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the holders of university open awards which are supplemented by my Department. The answer is: because they already receive the honorarium which accompanies the open award.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that there is a deficiency of convenient storage facilities in certain of the junior and infant schools completed by the Essex County Education Authority at New Harlow; and whether he will take steps to rectify this.

I understand that the local education authority know about the shortage of storage facilities in some of their schools, and are taking steps to remedy it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much new hospital building has taken place in each of the developing mining areas in each of the last six years; and how much is anticipated in the next three years;(2) what proportion of the total anticipated capital expenditure on hospitals in the next three years is to be spent in each of the developing mining areas.

It is not possible to relate hospital building to particular developing mining areas, except to some extent in Fife, and the following table shows the annual expenditure on hospital building schemes in the County of Fife. Expenditure over the next three years cannot yet be closely estimated, but the total of hospital building work in Fife in the period is likely to be at least £400,000, or about 7 per cent. of the total for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a list of the mental hospitals in the Glasgow and County of Lanark areas, respectively, showing the extent of overcrowding.

The following table shows, for the mental hospitals in Glasgow and Lanarkshire, the extent of overcrowding based on the floor space formula which was adopted by the General Board of Control many years ago. It does not follow that overcrowding on this basis interferes with the proper care and treatment of patients, but the medical commissioners of the Board in the course of their statutory visits pay special attention to this risk, and where necessary bring it to the particular notice of the hospital authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to indicate the average tender price for a four-apartment non-traditional and traditional house, respectively, for 1952, 1953 and 1954.

During the last three years for which figures are available—up to September, 1954—there has been a substantial fall in average tender prices both for traditional and non-traditional houses. The fall is particularly marked in the last year. In these circumstances, when the market has been falling, it would not be in the public interest to give actual figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to indicate the number of two-, three-, four-, and five-apartment houses, respectively, completed in Scotland during each of the years 1951 to 1954.

The available records of the proportion of houses of the

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assistance he gave, in the way of Government support, to the P.I.M. Board Company Limited when they purchased the Cordale Print Works, Renton, four years ago.

An Industrial Development Certificate for a new factory on the site in question, was issued to a company associated with the P.I.M. Board Company Ltd. in July,, 1952.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many appointments he has made to the membership of the Monopolies Commission since July, 1953; how many of these hold rank as deputy chairmen; how many are half-time and part-time, respectively; and if he will state the present number of members of the Monopolies Commission, divided as above.

Ten, including the Chairman. There are no deputy chairmen. The Commission now consists of 16 members, of whom the Chairman different sizes relate, not to houses completed, but to houses in approved tenders, and are compiled for the year October to September in connection with the framing of the Department's annual Estimates. On this basis, the following are the figures:alone is full-time. Three members devote a considerable part of their time to the work and the remainder are ordinary part-time members.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many officers from Government Departments have been seconded for duty with the Monopolies Commission; how the number of such staff has been increased since July, 1953; and how many are employed in an administrative or specialist capacity.

The number at 1st February, 1955, was 36. At 1st July, 1953, there were 27. Sixteen are at present employed in an administrative or specialist capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will enlarge the scope of this year's Digest of Welsh Statistics; and whether he will give figures showing taxation, revenue, and other duties paid from Welsh sources.

The Government are anxious that the Digest of Welsh Statistics should be as comprehensive as is reasonably possible, and I should be very glad to consider suggestions for enlarging its scope. I can hold out no hope, however, that it will be possible to include statistics of the kind asked for in the last part of the Question in view of the very real practical difficulties involved in calculating them.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a further statement in regard to the negotiations with the United States Government about commodity aid for 1954–55, and the steps which he has taken to resist flag discrimination.

Negotiations with the United States Government are still in progress but I hope to be able to make a statement at an early date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received from Purchase Tax on furniture for the financial year 1953–54; and what he estimates will be the amount received during the current year.

About £3 million in 1953–54, and I estimate about £3·3 million in 1954–55.