asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent he consulted the Cinematograph Films Council before coming to his decision on the treatment of applications from cinema circuits to increase their holdings of cinemas.

I did not consult the Cinematograph Films Council, nor was I statutorily required to do so.

asked the Minister of Works the total number of Government offices in the Regent's Park area and the total number of Government offices overlooking Clapham Common; what is the estimated number of civil servants employed in such offices; and what is the estimated rent paid out of public funds, together with the estimated amount of rental per head.

There are 143 properties used as Government offices in the Regent's Park area and two buildings used as local offices overlooking Clapham Common. There are 2,250 Government staff in the Regent's Park properties and 48 in the offices on Clapham Common. The rents paid out of public funds are £39,250 and £485 per annum, respectively, representing an annual rental per head of £17 10s. and £10.

asked the Secretary of State for War what has been the result of his inquiries into the death of Private Laffin, who was compelled to complete a route march in Germany just before his death, and into the placing under close arrest of the colour sergeant who was in charge.

Private Laffin did not go on a route march just before his death. He had, however, taken part in a crosscountry run ten days before. From this he suffered no apparent ill effects, and I understand that there is no evidence that the run could have affected his condition. The non-commissioned officer to whom the hon. Member refers was punished for offences committed in the summer of last year. These were in no way connected with Private Laffin.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware of local objections to the closing of certain roads in the vicinity of the Royal Air Force Station, Lichfield; and if he will suspend action pending a further inquiry at which the views of the Alrewas Parish Council and of the Lichfield Rural District Council can be heard.

Proposals under Section 15 of the Requistioned Land and War Works Act, 1945, for the permanent closure of certain highways which pass through R.A.F. Station, Lichfield are now being considered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation. No local representations against the closure have been made to the Air Ministry. If and when proposals are published, three months must be allowed for the consideration of objections before a closure order can be made. The Alrewas Parish Council and the Lichfield Rural District Council will therefore have the opportunity to put forward their views.

asked the Attorney-General, in the case of a petition for special leave to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in forma pauperis, what provisions there are for the payment from public funds of the appellants' London agents and counsel prior to the Privy Council's decision on the petition; and what is the situation between the granting of the petition by the Privy Council and the final decision of the appeal by the Privy Council.

In the case of petitions and appeals in forma pauperis to Her Majesty in Council there are no provisions for payment from public funds to the appellants' London agents or counsel at any stage, either prior to the decision on the petition or between the granting of the petition and the final decision of the appeal. There is a Rota of Privy Council agents who are willing to act in criminal cases for pauper petitioners and appellants without charging fees. Counsel prepare such cases and appear in them without payment and no Privy Council office fees are payable by the appellant. Moreover in criminal cases where the appellant is a pauper it is usual for the Crown to meet the costs of printing the Record and the appellant's Case and binding the Record for the use of the Board.

asked the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to overcome the difficulties which have arisen through the non-publication of statutory notices in the national Press.

No case has so far come to my knowledge in which non-publication of a statutory notice required in connection with legal proceedings or the administration of trusts or estates has caused serious difficulties. In many cases there is adequate discretion to extend time-limits for publication or to dispense with it or to substitute advertisement in local papers for publication in the national Press. In other cases where acts of administration or judicial proceedings have had to be held up no very serious inconvenience is likely to have occurred yet, but my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is keeping the situation under close observation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies from which countries Hong Kong imports sanitary ware, fixtures and fittings; and to which countries it re-exports such goods, giving the values in each case to the latest convenient date.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many appointments were made to the senior branch of the Foreign Service in each of the years from 1946 to 1953, inclusive; and, respectively, for each year, of which universities the appointees were graduates.

The total number of appointments to the senior branch of the Foreign Service (excluding the Legal Advisers) in each of the years from 1946 to 1953 was as follows:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations the basis on which the salaries of High Commissioners in Commonwealth countries are fixed.

The salaries of High Commissioners were reviewed as a result of the Report of the Committee on Higher Civil Service Remuneration (Cmd. 7635). The salaries now in force are within the salary range set out in paragraph 46 of that Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ex-officers of the police are in receipt of disability or supplemental pensions granted in consequence of injury on duty.

On 31st March, 1954, the latest date for which information is at present available, police authorities in England and Wales were paying 1,222 pensions to former members of police forces, war reservists and special constables in respect of injuries received in the execution of their duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ex-officers of the police are in receipt of disability or supplemental pensions granted in consequence of injury on duty.

On 15th May, 1954, the latest date for which figures are available, pensions in respect of injury or disease received on duty were being paid to 40 former Scottish police officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider excluding the robin, wren and skylark from his proposed order.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 7th April.