asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 33 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, in order to provide security of tenure for tenants of housing associations;(2) if he will now take administrative action to discourage the further extension by the use of Section 33 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, of the principle of the tied house into the industrial field.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to think that the Section in question requiries amendment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what discussions have been held with housing associations as a result of the undertaking given by his predecessor on 9th March, 1954, during the Committee stage of the Housing Repairs and Rents Bill.

There have been very full discussions with the National Federation of Housing Societies, and the helpful advice they have given to their members is, I am sure, all that my right hon. Friend could have wished.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will initiate an inquiry as to the genetic effects of radioactivity on human beings by means of an investigation of the biological history of those who were engaged in X-ray work some 40 or more years ago.

My noble Friend thinks it wise to await the report which the Government have invited the Medical Research Council to prepare on the medical aspects of nuclear radiation. He has, however, drawn the Council's attention to the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether the Government in inviting the Medical Research Council to prepare a report on the medical and genetic aspects of nuclear radiation will request them to evaluate the sources of the present radioactive contamination of London's atmosphere, as between X-ray apparatus, isotopes used in industry and medicine, and nuclear test explosions.

The Medical Research Council will no doubt examine all aspects of the question on which the Government have invited them to report. Meanwhile, I am advised that X-rays do not add to the radioactivity of the atmosphere and that the use of isotopes does so to a quite negligible extent.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will consider the advisability and possibility of setting up, after consultation and agreement with the other Governments concerned, a permanent organisation for co-operation and effective action in social, economic and political matters by Commonwealth countries.

The United Kingdom Government are always ready to consider modifications and improvements in the machinery of Commonwealth co-operation. The existing arrangements are however working satisfactorily, and I do not think there is any general desire on the part of other member countries for the establishment of a permanent organisation.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance in how many cases in each of the last three years his medical advisers have disagreed with the expressed views of local doctors on war disability applications to the disadvantage of the applicants.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many applications for war disability pensions in each of the last three years have been referred to independent medical experts; and how often the advice tendered favoured the applicants.

The cases referred numbered 49 in 1952, 21 in 1953 and 18 in 1954. Advice favourable to the applicants was given in 10, eight and three cases, respectively.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many war disability claims were received during each of the last three years; how many were granted and how many rejected; and how many, in each category, were in respect of the 1914–18 war.

The following table gives the available information:

Year	Received	Accepted	Rejected
1952	27,850 (1,040)	11,940 85)	13,060 (810)
1953	27,100 (1,260)	11,710 (105)	13,900 (740)
1954	23,200 (910)	9,600 (120)	12,550 (640)

The figures in parentheses relate to the 1914 war and are included in the main figures.As a number of the claims accepted or rejected in each of the years 1952–54 were made in previous years, the sets of figures are not strictly comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) if he is aware of the criticism of the African Court at Karatina by the Supreme Court at Nyeri; what is the jurisdiction of this court; what is the maximum sentence awarded; and how many are still undergoing punishment as a result of its judgments; and(2) the number of cases in which the prosecution had relied on statements by accused persons obtained by Muriu Wamai, head man of Ruthagati Post; and how many of these cases resulted in sentences of death.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will put a transcript of the evidence and judgment in Regina versus Muriu Wamai and others in the Supreme Court at Nyeri in the Library.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th December, 1954; Vol. 535, c. 140] supplied the following information:Apart from its appellate jurisdiction, the African Appeal Court at Nyeri has jurisdiction as a court of first instance to try a wide range of criminal cases as may from time to time be specified under the provisions of the African Courts Ordinance. Its jurisdiction cannot extend to cases involving the penalty of death or life imprisonment. It may pass sentences of imprisonment for any term not exceeding 12 months and/or impose a fine of any sum not exceeding £500. The approximate number of persons still undergoing punishment as a result of its judgments is 1,200.I have asked the Governor to institute a search of court records to establish the number of convictions resulting from statements obtained by Muriu Wamai. I will circulate this information in the

asked the Minister of Education if he will publish a list of those local authorities whose development plans for secondary education have not been approved, with a short statement of the reasons why each plan has not been approved.

There have been no alterations to the list which I gave in answer to the hon. Member's Question on 3rd February. I will write to the hon. Member about the second part of his Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the importance of avoiding hatred and the difficulty of avoiding horror in illustrations used during Civil Defence training, he will seek the right to reproduce in official training manuals paintings by two artists of whom he has been informed.

I do not agree that the circulation of such reproductions as I have seen of the paintings by these artists which have been exhibited in London would have the effect suggested by the hon. Member, and they would in any case be entirely unsuitable for inclusion in training manuals.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent short-time working is now prevalent in the light castings industry in the Falkirk area: and in which sections of the industry.

Short-time working has recently increased in the light castings industry in the Falkirk area, mainly at one firm where 209 workers are working four shifts instead of five. The section chiefly concerned manufactures gas cookers.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what progress has been made in the arrangements for manufacturing the transatlantic telephone cable which was announced to this House in December, 1953.

Manufacture of both cable and repeaters has started on both sides of the Atlantic. Practically all the cable itself will be made in the United Kingdom.I should like to take this opportunity of reporting to the House that, on account of rising costs on both sides of the Atlantic but more particularly in America, the total cost of the project may prove to. be £15 million instead of £12½ million as was forecast in December, 1953. At this increased figure the value of the equipment etc. manufactured in America will now exceed that from the United Kingdom, and we may have to make some contribution in dollars.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement about the future use of the Medway Barracks, Chatham.

My hon. Friend dealt fully with this complicated problem in his letter of 15th March to the right hon. Member, and I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the proposed helicopter shuttle service between the South Bank and London Airport is due to start; and what type of helicopter, of what seating capacity, etc., is to be used.

It is expected that the service will start towards the end of May or in early June. Westland Sikorsky 55 helicopters will be used; they will be equipped with silencers, and with floats to enable safe emergency landings to be made on the river. This additional equipment will limit the carrying capacity of the helicopters to four passengers.