asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether the final form and the functions and powers of the Tanganyika Civil Service Advisory Board have now been defined; and how far the form which the Board has taken, or is likely to assume, will be similar to that of a Whitley Council;(2) whether the Tanganyika Civil Service Advisory Board is now functioning satisfactorily; what decisions it has taken; and what decisions have been implemented.

I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have the information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many civil servants owning land in Kenya are political officers; and how many are of the rank of district commissioner or above or of the corresponding ranks in the Secretariat or Legal Departments.

The number of administrative officers of district officer level and upward owning land is ten, and the number of officers of corresponding Secretariat rank is ten. The number in the Legal Department of resident magistrate level and upwards is six. Of these figures approximately 50 per cent. represent household properties and the remaining 50 per cent. residential farm properties of twenty acres or over. The figures refer to serving staff on the pensionable establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement regarding political developments in Zanzibar.

The British Resident has had resumed discussions with representatives of the Arab community and hopes shortly to be in a position to issue a statement on the next stage in constitutional development in Zanzibar.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to provide more suitable water supplies, drainage and fire precautions in the slum settlements around Lusaka, pending the rehousing of the inhabitants.

The Government of Northern Rhodesia are doing what they can to alleviate conditions in these slum settlements. It must be remembered however that these settlements were erected illegally, that they are scattered over a wide area and that the building resources of the local authorities must be concentrated on rehousing. The main effort of the Government must therefore be directed towards the elimination of the slums by the provision of alternative accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what consultations the Governors of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland have had with the Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland under Article 96 of the the Constitution relating to the distribution of taxes, with special reference to the primary and secondary education of Africans and African welfare.

None. The Commission for which that Article provides cannot be appointed until 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds the subsidy on housing leased to Africans in Northern Nyasaland has been stopped under General Notice No. 651 of 1955.

I assume that the hon. Member intends to refer to Northern Rhodesia. I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 29th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the composition of the houses in the villages in Aden Protectorate that were recently attacked by the Royal Air Force.

Local stone and mud. Each "village" consisted of about three such houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) to what extent recent disturbances in the Aden Protectorate were due to incitement from outside;(2) what steps are being taken to prevent the incursion into the Aden Protectorate of armed bands from neighbouring countries.

There is no evidence that recent disturbances in the Eastern Aden Protectorate have certainly been instigated from outside. In the Western Aden Protectorate disturbances by dissident tribesmen have not been solely caused, but have been very considerably fomented, by the instigation and material assistance from the authorities in the neighbouring frontier Province of the Yemen, who also provide refuge for the dissidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make available to hon. Members the recent interim report on economic problems issued by the Government of Malta.

Yes. I have had copies placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what interim financial arrangements Her Majesty's Government propose to make to assist Malta, following their recent discussions with the Maltese Prime Minister.

I welcome this opportunity of informing the House that Her Majesty's Government, having examined with the Maltese Government their estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year ending 31st March, 1956, recognise that it will not be possible for the Maltese Government to provide from their own resources the budgetary services that are agreed to be necessary. Her Majesty's Government are accordingly prepared, subject to the approval of Parliament, to provide funds to the Government of Malta in respect of the current financial year, on the basis of the agreed Budget.This contribution will take the form of a grant of such sum as may prove necessary to maintain the balance in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Malta at a figure of £1 million at the 31st March, 1956, subject to a maximum grant of £2 million in respect of the current year. The contribution will be in addition to the funds already being provided in respect of war damage and reconstruction, the net cost of the services of the Malta Imperial Government, and grants under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts.I shall present at a suitable time, a Supplementary Estimate to give effect to this agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the new Workers' Charter has yet been introduced to take the place of the old Labour Ordinance in Singapore; and what are the main principles embodied in it.

A Bill to consolidate and amend the Labour Ordinance has had a second reading in the Legislative Assembly and is now being considered by a Select Committee. Its purpose is to protect wages and conditions of employment including those of women and young persons. Its provisions cover recruitment, repatriation, contracts, hours, rest days, holidays, health and accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many workers are now unemployed in Singapore; and what steps are being taken to establish an unemployment insurance fund similar to the one we have in this country.

Registration at employment exchanges is voluntary; the number registered during the first half of 1955 averaged 6,892. The International Labour Organisation has been asked to provide an expert to investigate the need for social security measures, including unemployment assistance. Meantime there is provision for relief payment by the Public Assistance Board to unemployed persons on the basis of need.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether an official inquiry was held into the presumed death by drowning of four members of the crew of H.M.S. "Aisne" near Beirut on 5th February last; and whether the conclusions of this inquiry are to be sent to the next-of-kin.

The right hon. Gentleman will have received the full reply which my right hon. Friend sent him on 30th June in answer to his letter about this unfortunate accident.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has now investigated the circumstances surrounding the death of Marine Duncan Rhyce-Rees on a forced march over Dartmoor on 1st June; and if he will make a statement.

Full particulars of this sad fatality have been sent to the hon. Member. The verdict at the inquest was that Marine Rhyce-Rees died of an acute virus infection. His condition could not have been diagnosed beforehand. The coroner found that there was no neglect on the part of anyone connected with the Commando test during which this young man collapsed, but my right hon. Friend has taken steps to see whether even stricter precautions can be observed during these tests.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been drawn to the competition of German, Dutch and Scandinavian with British shipbuilding yards and the need for a period of stability to enable British yards to meet this competition successfully; and what his present plans are to solve the relevant problems.

I am aware of the competition for shipbuilding orders which comes from Continental yards. A period of stability would no doubt contribute towards meeting this competition, but there are other factors such as the size of British firms' order books which affect their competitive position.With the rehabilitation of Continental yards after the last war, a renewal of competition was inevitable. The substantial order book of the United Kingdom industry and the rate of new orders this year will ensure that most shipbuilders will have a full programme of work for some time.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that British shipyards have recently declined foreign orders on the ground that they were too busy to undertake them; and what steps he will take to expand our shipbuilding industry with a view to obtaining more foreign currency.

In the present circumstances, when British yards are booked with orders for a long time ahead, some yards have had to decline to quote for inquiries specifying early delivery. The expansion of the industry raises a number of important considerations, among them the shortage of labour in highly skilled trades and the future level of shipbuilding requirements. I doubt if the industry would subscribe to the view that an expansion is called for on the evidence of work secured recently by foreign yards. British yards already have a substantial amount of tonnage on order for customers overseas.

asked the Postmaster-General how many cases of forgery in the use of postal franking machines have been discovered since January, 1946, up to the latest convenient date; and what loss of revenue has been involved.

No forgeries have been discovered, and we have no reason to suspect that there have been any.

asked the Postmaster-General what method his Department use to detect a forgery in the use of postal franking machines.

All meter-franked mail has to be handed in separately from other mail at specified post offices, where checks are made.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the great distance people have to travel from the new housing estate in Bearpark, Durham, for postal facilities; and if he will take steps to have a post box erected in this area.

A box was put up on the new estate last Friday.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he is taking to speed-up the provision of telephone kiosks in those isolated rural areas where they are urgently needed.

Kiosks are being provided in all villages which have a post office. In other rural areas kiosks are provided under a special scheme, the details of which are agreed annually with the county branches of the Rural District Councils' Association in England and Wales and with the county councils in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For the current financial year, £136,000 has been allocated to this scheme.

asked the Postmaster-General when an automatic telephone exchange is going to be established for Welwyn Garden City.

About 1960.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for the installation of telephones in the Selby area are still outstanding; and how quickly he expects to reduce this figure.

Thirty-five, of which twenty-three are in course of provision or under investigation. The other twelve will be connected as soon as wires can be made available.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that telegraph poles are now being erected in Garfield Road, Scarborough; and if he will arrange for these lines to be laid underground so as not to interfere with the amenities.

Yes. Two poles have been erected to enable the lines from the underground cables to be distributed to subscribers' houses. To put the lines underground would more than double the cost.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will allow the recipients of incoming Continental and overseas telephone calls to pay for these calls in cases where the originators request the charges to be reversed.

There has been very little demand for this. The difficulty is that in many instances our charges are much cheaper than in the reverse direction and we might lose a good deal of money. We will, however, look into it.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that further orders for new residential telephones cannot be accepted in the Cleethorpes area until additional equipment has been installed at the exchange; and, as this new equipment is not expected until 1957, if he will take steps to expedite its delivery.

I am sorry about this situation. The trouble is the very large demand for new telephones in the area running now at twice the rate it was three years ago. There are 167 people waiting; we hope to put ninety of them on the phone before the end of this year and within sixteen months we expect to complete the exchange and cable schemes that will deal with the balance.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will take steps to improve the reception in Southern England of medium wave programmes.

I am sorry I cannot add any thing to my reply of 13th July to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Sir P. Macdonald).

asked the Postmaster-General when the next international convention on radio wavelengths will be held.

Nothing definite has yet been fixed.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will include the proposed Rowridge Station in the first group of very high frequency broadcasting stations.

The first group of very high frequency stations will not be completed until about the end of 1956. We are considering the order in which further stations should be provided.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement as to the cause of the fatal accident to the pilot of the Hawker Hunter at the Royal Aircraft Establishment flying display at Farnborough.

A court of inquiry has been appointed to investigate this accident but I have not yet received its report. I should, however, like to take the opportunity to express the sympathy of the Air Council with the relatives of Flying Officer Price, who was killed.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the total cost of the rock garden that is being installed on the traffic roundabout at the Esher end of the Kingston by-pass; and by whom will it be borne.

The total cost of tidying up, levelling, planting and antidazzle treatment at this point, which I think is what my hon. Friend has in mind, is £1,410. It is borne on my Department's vote.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on what date he referred his plans for the redesigning of Hyde Park Corner to the Royal Fine Art Commission; and what views it has expressed.

Representatives of the Royal Fine Art Commission examined plans and models on 17th March. They have told the London County Council that in their view the disadvantage to amenities outweighs the advantage to traffic. Traffic conditions are, however, outside the terms of reference of the Commission.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects a report of the consultants to whom he referred the question of the tube crossing of the Forth; and whether he will make a statement before the Recess.

I do not know when I shall receive this Report, but it is very improbable that I shall have any statement to make on this subject before the Recess.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many lay-bys for heavy road transport have been constructed by his Department in Scotland during the years ended 30th June, 1953, 1954, 1955, respectively.

15, 17 and 18.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why no lay-bys for heavy road transport were provided by his Department when alterations were recently carried out on the Aberdeen-Elgin main road near the Tyre-bagger Hill; and what were the reasons for not carrying out the normal policy of his Department in this respect.

While it is the normal policy of my Department to provide lay-bys where they are needed, it was not considered that one was needed on this three-quarters of a mile length of road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the policy of his Department with regard to the provision, in due course, of a sufficient number of lay-bys on main trunk roads, so that ultimately parking by night on such main trunk roads, otherwise than in the lay-bys, can be made illegal.

It is my policy to provide lay-bys at reasonable intervals on trunk roads to enable vehicles using the roads to stand out of the main stream of traffic for relatively short periods. The lay-bys should certainly not be looked upon as a normal place for all-night parking.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will authorise the county surveyor of Hertfordshire to prepare land plans and reference schedules for the Stevenage by-pass immediately he has completed similar work, which he has in hand, on the St. Albans, London Colney, and Barnet bypasses, so that the acquisition of land for the Stevenage by-pass may be put in hand at an early date.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that there were 131 accidents on the A.12 road through Brentwood within the last twelve months; and whether he will approve the making of the Brentwood by-pass immediately.

I am afraid that my hon. Friend's figures do not square with mine, but I agree that there has been an increase in accidents on this road. I cannot authorise at present the making of a Brentwood by-pass, but I am considering whether there are any other steps I can take which would help traffic conditions.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to publish a list of schemes referred to in the statement on the expanded roads programme of 2nd February showing those on which work has started, where authorisation has been given but work not yet started, and those which have not yet been authorised.

The list is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the growing volume of traffic and the high accident rate, he will at an early date widen that stretch of A.33 between Chandlers Ford and the Southampton boundary known as Hut Hill.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the hon. Member for Keighley may expect a reply to his letter of the 9th June concerning the complaint of Mr. Bentley of Crofton, Howden Road, Silsden, Yorkshire, about a driving test.

I replied to the hon. Member on 13th July.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will have the Report made to him by the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee entitled London Traffic Congestion, 1951, reprinted and made available to Members.

If there is a general demand for the reprinting of this report I shall be happy to arrange for it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many licences have been refused by the licensing authorities because the applicant was changing the base of the vehicle and unable to serve the same area since the 1953 Transport Act came into force.

Twenty-nine.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many A special licences have been revoked in accordance with Section 9 (4) of the Transport Act, 1953.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what Regulations he has made to ensure that manufacturers of certain 100 miles-an-hour two-seater sports cars reduce the exhaust noise of these vehicles to a reasonable minimum; whether he is aware that, under certain circumstances, some of these cars can be driven in such a way as to be disturbing to the public; and whether he will arrange for a report to be made on the efficiency of the silencing arrangements on selected makes and types.

Regulation 20 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1955, requires that every vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine shall be fitted with a silencer expansion chamber or other contrivance suitable and sufficient for reducing as far as may be reasonable the noise caused by the escape of the exhaust gases from the engine.Where exhaust noise is excessive, it is usually due to alteration of the silencer or failure to maintain it in good and efficient order or to the vehicle being driven without reasonable consideration; in all such cases the owner or user is committing an offence under Regulations 77 or 82. If my hon. Friend will give me details of any particular make or model he has in mind, I will investigate.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has yet received the report of the formal inquiry into the railway accident at Wormit Station, near Dundee, on the night of Saturday, 28th May, 1955; and if he will now make a statement on the subject.

No. It is likely to be some time before the Report can be prepared as the driver of the train is not yet well enough to give evidence. I have therefore nothing to add to the preliminary statement which I made on 29th June in reply to a Question by the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the recent disturbances caused to the residents of Cranford, their children being frightened, and church services disrupted, by low-flying four-engined aircraft using No. 1 runway at London Airport; and, in view of the fact that an undertaking was given by his predecessor in October, 1953, that the use of No. 1 runway would be restricted to take-offs to the west, and landings to the east, what steps he proposes to take to secure the carrying out of this undertaking by the authorities at London Airport.

On the facts of the matter I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Heston and Isleworth (Mr. R. Harris) on 22nd June. I would add that my predecessor's statement did not go anything like so far as the hon. Member alleges.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the disturbance caused at night to residents of Hampton, Middlesex, by aeroplanes flying from London Airport at a low height; and whether he will take action to relieve the disturbance.

When aircraft take off to the east from London Airport some southbound flights will inevitably pass over Hampton. I regret that it is not possible to prevent this without unduly concentrating the flights over neighbouring districts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities in England and Wales, respectively, have replied to his circular, appealing for special consideration of the housing needs of members of the Armed Forces and their families, undertaking to accede to his request; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for. Harrow, East (Mr. Ian Harvey) on 6th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated taxation relief granted in connection with shipbuilding in this country compared with such relief, subsidies and other Government aid granted to shipbuilding in the chief shipbuilding countries which are members of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

It is provisionally estimated that, in making assessments for 1955–56 on the profits of United Kingdom shipowners, the deductions to be made for capital allowances, less any balancing charges, will amount to about £70 million, which is equivalent to a reduction of just over £30 million in the Income Tax and Profits Tax otherwise payable. I regret that comparable figures for other member countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about future arrangements for determining the salaries of the academic staffs of universities.

Yes. Those who are responsible for these matters in the universities have been giving very careful

The following is the information asked for in the first three parts of the Question:consideration to this matter since it was raised by hon. Members after my statement on academic salaries on 16th November, 1954. I must emphasise that the relationship between the governing bodies and academic staffs of the universities is in important respects different from that between employers and employees. This relationship is unique, and I should be sorry to see any attempt to change it. Its effect is to make inappropriate the development of negotiating machinery of the normal type. Nevertheless, it has been helpful to review the machinery of consultation.The University Grants Committee will be ready to receive representations at any time as to changes in the basic salary framework for the academic staffs of universities from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals or from the Association of University Teachers. Thus the Association as well as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals will have a formal right of approach to the University Grants Committee on this subject. It will be the duty of the Committee, after examining these representations, and if necessary elucidating them by discussion, to give a considered reply. Before replying the Committee would, if necessary, make a submission to me.The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals will also have full discussions with the Association of University Teachers as occasion demands on general salary questions. These arrangements seem to me to be the best which can be devised in view of the great complexities of this question, and I have every hope that they will work satisfactorily.