asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that another fatal accident has recently occurred on Kirkfieldbankbrae, Lanarkshire; and when he expects the road to be reconstructed.

I learned with regret of the fatal accident which occurred on 2nd June. I am prepared to make a grant this year towards an improvement at Kirkfieldbankbrae, involving a diversion and new bridge over the River Clyde, and I have invited the Lanark County Council to submit a scheme to me. It should be possible for work to start in the autumn and for it to be completed about eighteen months after commencement.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the need for accelerating the Government's policy of reconstructing the road system of this country, and in view of the fact that his Department and the highway authorities are now hampered by a procedure which causes unnecessary delays, whether he will consult with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with a view to obtaining the services of the Organisation and Methods Division of the Treasury to advise on the problem.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent the delay in bringing the new road traffic schemes, for which he is responsible, into operation is due to shortage of expert staff in his Department and among the highway authorities, civil engineering consultants, and contractors concerned; how far it is due to the necessity of carrying out the complicated procedure which developed before road reconstruction became urgent; and what remedial action is proposed.

I do not think that the progress of road construction and improvement schemes is being delayed by a shortage of suitably qualified engineers or by administrative procedure. The preliminary steps in connection with these schemes is necessarily somewhat lengthy since it incorporates statutory safeguards for the interests of those who may be affected. This procedure could not be modified except by legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state, up to the latest convenient date, how many teachers in primary, secondary, and other schools, respectively, in Cyprus are appointed, paid, pensioned, or controlled by the Greek Government or other Greek institutions or persons.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 22nd December, 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what charge Mr. John Campbell and Mr. Peter Kirby were held for the night of 19th June in prison in Nicosia.

The two men were not charged, and were not held in prison for the night. The Governor informs us that they were taken to a police station in connection with a bomb explosion, of which they were accused by a crowd of Cypriots who assaulted them, and from whom they were rescued by the police. They were released after a statement had been taken from them. I am asking the Governor for a detailed report on the incident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the deteriorating position in Cyprus, he will convene a conference in Cyprus of the mayors, together with representatives of the Church, the trade unions, the Turkish community, and others, with a view to dealing with the causes of violence and unrest.

If at any time the Governor felt that such a conference would be likely to serve the purposes mentioned I am sure that he would not hesitate to call it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to state briefly the terms of the recent proclamation by the Governor of Cyprus relating to publications in Greek; what maximum penalties are imposed for publication and for possession; and when the order came into force.

The proclamation prohibits the importation or possession of twelve specified publications issued by the Greek Communist Party outlawed from that country and operating from Budapest. The maximum penalties are a fine of £100 or imprisonment for six months or both. The order came into force on 16th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many persons have been arrested in Cyprus during the last twelve months on charges of publishing or being in possession of seditious literature; how many were convicted; and what penalties have been imposed.

Forty-eight have been arrested. Fifteen were convicted. The penalties included three of imprisonment for terms varying between one and three months, and twelve fined sums varying from £5 to £25.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the present hostilities in Malaya, indicating what has been the result of the recent talks there for the purpose of achieving peace.

The hon. and learned Member will no doubt have seen the statement by the Government of the Federation of Malaya about a letter from the Communist terrorists offering negotiations. I have placed copies of the statement and the letter in the Library.

The statement makes it quite clear why the offer has been rejected, and I would only add my warm agreement with the Government of the Federation in the decision which they have taken on the unanimous advice of the Director of the Operations Committee and with the support of the main political parties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) if he is aware that security lighting has been discontinued in many of the villages in the Federation of Malaya; that the removal of this amenity increases the risks by villagers which is in excess of the savings involved; antd if he will take steps to restore this extra safeguard;

(2) if he is aware that the scattered residents of the jungle in Malaya and ex-squatters were promised that they would receive many benefits in the resettled villages, hitherto unknown to them such as electric lighting; that this privilege and amenity has now been withdrawn on the grounds of excessive cost; and if he will take steps to extend the grid system to cover all these villages.

These are entirely matters for the Federation Government. They alone can decide when the local situation has improved sufficiently to justify the discontinuance of security lighting and I am not prepared to intervene in the matter.

Although the inhabitants of the new villages enjoy many amenities previously unknown to them, they were not induced to move by promise of these things but were resettled for security reasons. Where the grid is available, villagers can have electricity in their houses if sufficient of them are prepared to pay the necessary charges. It is not possible to provide electricity everywhere in the Federation but the new villages will benefit, in common with other rural communities, from any future extension to the grid system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will inform the House of the progress of the talks with the delegation from Malta.

The talks with representatives of the two parties in the Maltese Legislature started on 20th June and are still in progress. Last week the leaders of the two parties explained the main features of their respective proposals for the future constitutional and economic relationship of Malta to the United Kingdom. This week each delegation is discussing its proposals in more detail with representatives of Her Majesty's Government, after which the round-table talks will be resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision is made by the Governments of the three East African territories for education in the visual arts; what exhibitions have been sponsored by these Governments; and whether Her Majesty's Government will co-operate in the provision of paintings and sculptures on loan to these Governments for that purpose.

I am consulting the Governors and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Colonial Film Unit was disbanded; what annual savings on the Estimates are expected to be made from this; what consultations were held with Colonial Governments before the decision was reached; and whether, in view of the importance of work of the unit, he will make a colonial development and welfare grant so that this work can be carried on.

The Colonial Film Unit was disbanded because, largely owing to the success of its own pioneering work in stimulating the development of local film units overseas, the need for the advisory and training services of a central unit in London had greatly diminished. Colonial Governments were fully consulted. Expenditure from colonial development and welfare funds for the last full year's operation of the Unit was £9,299.

To assist those Governments still requiring technical advice on film matters the services have been retained in the Colonial Office of Mr. William Sellers, the former Head of the Unit. I am glad to take this opportunity of paying a warm tribute to the work of the Unit under the direction of Mr. Sellers in pioneering the development of local film production in the Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how far the rule that Ministers must resign business directorships applies to all Colonial Territories; and what exemptions are permitted in particular cases with the reasons therefor.

On the approach of Ministerial systems in Colonial Territories, it has been the practice over a number of years to draw the attention of unofficial Ministers to the rules and customs which govern ministerial conduct in the United Kingdom. In general, Ministers are expected to divest themselves for the period of their office of business interests which might conflict with their public responsibilities. Governors may in their discretion, subject to the public interest, waive these requirements for shorter or longer periods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent Her Majesty's Government are still bound by the provisions of the Congo Basin treaties and the Convention of St. Germain-en-laye with regard to the sale of spirits to Africans; in what territories the prohibition applies; what steps are open to Her Majesty's Government or the Colonial Governments to bring these treaties to an end; and if he will make a statement.

These Instruments are still binding on Her Majesty's Government.

The provisions relating to liquor apply, so far as Her Majesty's Government are concerned, to all the African territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom Government are responsible. The present effect of these provisions is unfortunately directly discriminatory on racial grounds and I have informed the Governments of the territories concerned that I am prepared to agree to the introduction of legislation the provisions of which are not considered to be contrary to the spirit of the Congo Basin Treaties as indicated in the preambles to the Berlin Act, 1885, and to the main St. Germain-en-laye Convention, 1919. I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply which I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Wakefield (Mr. Creech Jones) on 2nd February, 1955.

In the absence of any denunciation clauses in these Instruments I am advised that they could only be brought to an end by the unanimous consent of all the signatory Powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that all vehicles entering Kumasi are being searched; and whether he will make a statement upon the disturbed conditions in Ashanti.

I have no information on the searching of vehicles entering Kumasi, but the police are taking all necessary steps with commendable patience and efficiency to maintain law and order in Ashanti. I am sure the House will share my hope that the people of the Gold Coast will speedily resolve the political disputes which have led to such disorders as have already occurred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Kota Kota Producers' Co-operative Society in Nyasaland has been converted into a company as a result of official action, in view of the opposition of African members to this change.

The Kota Kota Society was formed in 1939 as an unregistered co-operative society. In the absence of co-operative societies legislation, which was not enacted until 1946, the Society was converted into a limited company in 1942 and its status has remained unaltered since then. The members of the Society were entirely in favour of the change.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what area of African trust land in Nyasaland has been transferred into public land since October, 1951; and how much of this has been used for the settlement of European immigrants.

Since October, 1951, a total of 38,387 acres of African trust land has been declared to be public land under Section 8 of the Nyasaland (African Trust Land) Order in Council, 1950. Of this area approximately 16,000 acres have been acquired for agricultural and veterinary purposes, including Government maize farms; 12,600 acres for forestry and catchment; and 8,800 acres for townships, administrative headquarters and other similar purposes. None of the land has been used for the settlement of European immigrants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement about emergency expenditure in British Guiana.

Since the suspension of the Constitution in October, 1953, the British Guiana Government have had to undertake considerable emergency expenditure, including the extra cost of maintaining a battalion of United Kingdom troops in the Colony as compared with the normal basic costs of the unit when in this country. This emergency expenditure is a heavy burden on local revenue and reserves already severely taxed to maintain a central administrative and social services and to finance development.

Her Majesty's Government, therefore, propose to make a special grant to British Guiana during the current year of £250,000 as a contribution to the emergency expenditure, and Parliamentary approval for this will be sought shortly. If necessary, consideration will be given later to the provision of any further assistance of this nature which may prove to be needed, having regard to the ability of the Colony then to bear the cost of the emergency.

The special grant is supplementary to the assistance provided for development in British Guiana. In addition Her Majesty's Government are continuing to bear the basic costs of the United Kingdom battalion stationed in the Colony, and it is only the extra cost which falls on local revenues.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has now completed his investigations into the case of the leading stores assistant (S), whose name has been supplied to him, and who was sentenced to lose eighteen days' leave for failing to report back to his base on time during the railway strike; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is looking carefully into this and similar cases and hopes to complete his investigations soon.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will take steps to make it possible for legally adopted sons of seamen to be eligible for admission to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook.

I am looking into this matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that the problem of educating the children of those serving in the Royal Navy both at home and abroad is becoming a matter of increasing concern and often of heavy expense to the parents; and what proposals he has to deal with this problem.

I can assure the hon. Member that the problems of Service parents in this respect are very much in the minds of all the Ministers concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones there are in Cathays, Central, Gabalfa, Penylan and Plasnewydd wards of Cardiff, whose needs have not been met; and how many in each ward have been waiting for over two years.

I regret that information is not available for wards, but on the exchanges mainly concerned there are 433 applications outstanding, excluding 408 in the course of being met or under inquiry. Sixty-one of the outstanding applications are over two years old.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones in the areas of Rhoose, Sully and Dinas-Powis, respectively, were outstanding at the latest convenient date; and the comparable figures a year ago.

The figures are as follows: —— Rhoose Sully Dinas Powis Applications outstanding at: 31.3.55 … … 33 51 46 31.3.54 … … 24 34 53

asked the Postmaster-General how many new telephone kiosks were provided in rural areas in Wales in 1954; and how many it is hoped to provide during 1955.

Sixty-six kiosks were provided in 1954 at a cost of £22,000. We have increased the financial allocation for this year to £27,000 and hope to put up sixty-nine kiosks.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones in the Borough of Barry were outstanding at the latest conveient date; and the comparable figure a year ago.

Two hundred and seventy on 31st March, 1955. The figure a year ago was 315.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the newly-appointed superintendent Methodist minister for Huntingdonshire is being compelled to share his telephone line with another subscriber, whereas his predecessor did not have to share; and whether, in view of the confidential nature of many of the conversations which the minister has to conduct, he will ensure that he does not have to share the line with another subscriber.

I am afraid that the decision must be maintained. We have avoided asking the minister to share for as long as we could but it is now the only way in which we can give telephone service to an applicant in the neighbourhood.

asked the Postmaster-General how many outstanding applications for telephone connections there are in the Oadby Exchange area; how many have been waiting for between one and two years, and how many for more than two years; how many new connections have been made since 1st January, 1955; and how many were made during 1954.

There are 206 applicants, of whom forty-six have been waiting between one and two years and thirteen over two years. Thirty-one people have been connected since 1st January and seventy-four were connected during 1954.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for the installation of telephones are outstanding in Wembley; and what number has been outstanding for over two years.

Ninety-seven. Nine have been outstanding over two years.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps he is taking to keep the pensions of retired Post Office workers in step with increases in the cost of living.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Dr. King), on 14th June, this matter is being kept under review.

asked the Minister of Education how many pupils were in the secondary schools of England and Wales at the beginning of the school years 1953–54 and 1954–55, respectively; and the estimated number for 1955–56.

Following is the information: Number of senior pupils in maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools January, 1954 (actual) … 2,038,000 January, 1955 (estimated) … 2,084,000 January, 1956 (estimated) … 2,192,000

asked the Minister of Health with what countries there are reciprocal agreements entitling British subjects to similar benefits to those enjoyed by foreigners who use our National Health Scheme.

Following is the information as respects foreign countries:

Multilateral agreements A reciprocal agreement is in force between the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg for giving medical treatment to indigent persons. A Convention extending this arrangement to all members of the Council of Europe was signed in December, 1953, and is in force between those countries which have ratified it (the United Kingdom, the Irish Republic, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and the Saar).

Bilateral agreements Agreements are in force whereby British subjects employed in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxemburg who participate in the social insurance schemes of those countries can have their United Kingdom insurance taken into account in reckoning their entitlement, and that of their dependants, to medical benefit. Agreements with Austria, Belgium, the German Federal Republic and Sweden are being negotiated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were abandoned by their parents and came under the charge of local authorities in each of the last six years; and what percentage in each case were known to be illegitimate.

The numbers of children abandoned and received into care by local authorities in England and Wales in each period of twelve months ended 30th November, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954 were respectively, 1,449, 1,364, 1,521, 1,452 and 1,302. Figures were not obtained for 1949. It is regretted that information is not available as to the numbers of children who were illegitimate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to make a statement about the contents of the Monopolies Commission's Report on exclusive dealing, collective boycotts, aggregated rebates, and other discriminatory trade practices.

I am glad to have an opportunity of summarising the findings of this Report, which was published today.

This is the first general inquiry that the Commission has made under Section 15 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948. The Report covers a wide range of collective practices, all of which involve discrimination in favour of, or against, certain customers or suppliers. The Commission was not asked to consider trading methods as such (except aggregated rebates); what it had to advise on was whether collective agreements to adopt or enforce them operate in the public interest.

The Commission found that agreements falling wholly or in part within their terms of reference exist in a wide range of industries and trades, and that their form may vary widely from one industry or trade to another. The Commission has nevertheless found it possible for the purposes of its Report to identify six broad categories of agreement. These are: I. Collective discrimination by sellers, without any corresponding obligation on the buyers. II. Collective discrimination by sellers in return for exclusive buying ("exclusive dealing"). III. Collective adoption of conditions of sale (notably the maintenance of resale prices). IV. Collective enforcement of such conditions of sale. V. Collective discrimination by buyers without any corresponding obligation on sellers. VI. Aggregated rebates.

The Commission discusses each of these categories in turn, illustrating them from the evidence which it has received from this inquiry, and from its earlier Reports. The Commission discusses the arguments for and against each category of agreements, and the effect on the public interest of action taken in the course of carrying them out. It then discusses the policies adopted in certain other countries—U.S.A., Canada and Sweden—in relation to such agreements. Finally, the Commission discusses the general effect of the practices on the public interest, and makes recommendations as to possible action by the Government.

The inquiry was made by a group of ten members of the Commission. They have concluded by a majority of seven to three (subject to a reservation by one of the seven about enforcement agreements) that all the types of agreements examined do in general affect the public interest adversely, some to a considerably greater degree than others.

The majority have been impressed particularly by the effect of a binding and collective obligation in preventing traders from experimenting and from trying out new or different ways of conducting their business. Such obligations, they say, create an undue rigidity which may affect the numbers and kinds of concerns engaged in a trade, the trading methods of those established in the trade and the level of prices both generally and to different classes of buyers. They think, however, that the use of the practices might, subject to suitable safeguards, be justified in exceptional circumstances:— ( a ) Where consumers are not able to judge the standard of service which it is in their interests to demand from distributors, and the matter cannot conveniently be dealt with by legislation. 36 ( b ) Where an exclusive-buying or exclusive-dealing agreement protects an industry of strategic importance or one that is peculiarly susceptible to damage from imports, and protection by Government action is impracticable. ( c ) Where a common price agreement is found after inquiry to operate in the public interest and agreements within the scope of the present inquiry are necessary for its effective operation. ( d ) Where the practices are necessary to enable small firms to compete with a very large concern which is itself employing restrictive practices.

The Report discusses two possible alternative courses of action, either of which would require legislation: (i) Compulsory registration and publication of agreements (with subsequent prohibition of those found after investigation to be against the public interest). (ii) A general prohibition of the practices, with provision for exceptions, on the grounds stated above, in particular cases.

The majority prefer the second course. They suggest that exceptions might be made by Statutory Order, on the advice of an independent body, which would assess the merits of each application for exception.

The remaining three members are not prepared to say that the practices are in general injurious to the public interest. They recognise that some may be injurious in certain circumstances, but do not think that industries should be prevented from using them without having an opportunity of having their cases examined individually. A general statutory prohibition seems to them to create a degree of inflexibility in the law which might in the future prove undesirable. They would, however, be prepared to accept the idea of compulsory registration considered, but rejected, by the majority.

These three members think that agreements, and the enforcement of agreements, obliging all the parties to fix resale prices or handle only price-maintained goods are likely to be against the public interest. But they disagree, as does one of the other seven members, with the finding that collective arrangements for the enforcement of resale prices prescribed by individual manufacturers in general operate against the public interest. It seems to them illogical that, if it is lawful for individual manufacturers to prescribe resale prices, they should be debarred from enforcing maintenance of those prices in the most effective manner consistent with the general law.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the Report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the supply and export of pneumatic tyres.

Yes. I received this Report on 24th June. It will be laid before Parliament in due course in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions are issued to commanding officers to ensure that serving soldiers are provided with full facilities for exercising the franchise at the time of a General Election.

These instructions are contained in the pamphlet "Elections—Registration and Voting Procedures" which is issued to all units and is available in the Library of the House. Details of the procedure were given in my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport and Fareham (Dr. Bennett) on 29th April.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange that agricultural workers recalled for their fortnight's annual training shall do this training during the months from October to April, in view of the inconvenience caused, especially to small farms, when the training is held in the summer months.

For a number of compelling reasons we have to hold annual camps between April and October.