asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will refer the matter of differential speed limits outside London to his Departmental Road Safety Committee immediately he receives the Report of the Committee which is now considering the speed limits within London.

I would prefer to see what is in the Report first.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the work of the electrification of the railway from Euston to Manchester is expected to commence; and when it is likely to be completed.

I am not in a position to make a statement about this. As the House knows, it is the practice of the British Transport Commission to publish each year forecasts of the work under the modernisation and re-equipment programme to be undertaken in the following two years.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many road vehicles and garages were respectively scheduled by Her Majesty's Government for disposal under the Transport Act, 1953; how many have been disposed of; and what is the present estimated loss or profit to public funds arising from this operation.

31,636 vehicles and 821 depots were due for disposal under the Transport Act, 1953. 18,695 vehicles and 425 depots have been sold. Losses or profits arising from this operation are not borne on public funds.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of persons holding public service vehicle driving licences in the London Metropolitan area, and in England, Scotland and Wales, each stated separately.

Of the public service vehicle drivers' licences current on 31st March, 1955, 34,921 were issued in the Metropolitan traffic area, 159,945 in the other traffic areas covering the rest of England and Wales, and 25,660 in the Scottish traffic area. Separate figures for Wales are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the amount received by his Department during the last year for which figures are available in respect of services for information about the movement of shipping as supplied to Lloyd's and others by the Lloyd's signal stations of Her Majesty's Coastguard.

£6,802 18s. 5d. for the year ended 30th September, 1955.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many divisional officers he proposes to appoint whose primary task it is to put forward proposals for eliminating accident black spots; and how many such officers have been appointed to date.

I propose to appoint two officers on the staff of each of the divisional road engineers for this purpose. These appointments will be made as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) what representations he has received in regard to the failure to provide adequate provision for pedestrians to cross on the surface of the road at the Cromwell Road Extension at Hammersmith;(2) what representations he has received in respect of the provision of subway crossings in the Cromwell Road Extension at Hammersmith.

Representations have been received from the hon. Member and one other person.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many toll gates and toll bridges are now in operation on public roads in the United Kingdom; and what steps are being taken to eliminate them.

There are 6 tolls on trunk roads, 19 on classified roads and 78 on unclassified and private roads. These include 45 toll bridges open to motor traffic.At present I am concentrating the funds available on the construction and improvement of roads and bridges, and am only using the funds available to me to redeem tolls when this is a consequence of the building of a new or reconstructed bridge.

asked the Minister of Defence what consideration he has given to the unification of training for the cadet officers of the three Services.

I have studied with interest the suggestions made recently in another place for integrating the training of officer cadets but I am not satisfied that it would be in the interest of economy or efficiency to change the present system.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement on future policy for liability to National Service.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government towards National Service was set out in the White Paper on National Service (Command 9608), and amplified by Ministers in the course of the debate in this House on 2nd November. I have nothing further to add to these statements.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will revise the scheme for free air mail Christmas parcels to United Kingdom troops stationed overseas, so as to place all members of Her Majesty's forces serving in Malaya and Kenya on the same footing as those serving in Korea.

I am afraid not.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware that the wives of serving officers are dissatisfied with present pay and allowances; that this is detrimental to the best interests of the Services and is a bar to recruitment; and if he will make a statement on future prospects for the revised pay code and give an assurance that improvement will be on a realistic basis.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 2nd November in the course of the debate on National Service.

asked the Minister of Defence, in order to save personnel and public money, if he will consider amalgamating the nursing services in the three Fighting Services and forming one defence nursing service.

The nursing services of the Armed Forces form part of their medical branches. As I informed my hon. and gallant Friend last week, the amalgamation of these branches is one of the matters dealt with in the First Report of Lord Waverley's Committee, which is now being considered, but about which I am not yet in a position to make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he proposes to take in the United Nations to safeguard the independence of international civil servants following the decisions of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Office in the cases of the dismissed officials of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

No question of action in the United Nations arises. The International Labour Office Administrative Tribunal is the competent body to hear appeals by officials of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and has found in favour of the officials concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further regulations have been made by the Egyptian Government in regard to ships entering the Gulf of Aqaba; and if he will make a statement.

No further regulations have been made by the Egyptian Government. The situation with regard to the Regulations published on 5th September is still as stated in the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 7th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with Mr. Molotov at Geneva concerning the implementation of the Geneva declarations on Indo-China.

My right hon. Friend had a useful exchange of views with Mr. Molotov. No decisions were reached but it was agreed to maintain contact and to keep the situation under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to which foreign countries we are now supplying war materials and armaments.

These commodities are exported to most countries in the world outside the Soviet bloc. I would refer the hon. Member to the tables which are published in the Annual Statements of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Commonwealth Countries and Foreign Countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many of the 21 Foreign Service and Foreign Office officers who were compulsorily retired since 28th May, 1951, under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act, 1943, were thus retired as a result of the inquiries following the escape of Messrs. Maclean and Burgess.

None. The Foreign Service Act is not designed to deal with security or disciplinary cases, for which there are quite different procedures. The object of the Act is to provide for the retirement on pension of established officers who have not made sufficient progress in the Service to justify their retention or promotion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, with a view to assisting our export trade in agricultural machinery and engineering goods to Yugoslavia, he will consider offering further aid to that country, either by way of loans or the provision of technical assistance, in the direction of improved methods of agriculture.

Her Majesty's Government are not in a position to provide facilities for the promotion of exports to Yugoslavia beyond those already available to exporters under the arrangements made by Exports Credit Guarantee Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he expects to publish the text of the Agreement with Belgium on uranium supplies from the Belgian Congo.

A White Paper containing the text of the Agreement is now in the course of preparation, and will be published in the course of the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the seditious character of broadcasts from Radio Athens, he will consider the advisability of jamming this station so that it cannot be heard in Cyprus.

Her Majesty's Government share the indignation of my hon. and gallant Friend at these offensive and subversive broadcasts from Athens which continue despite repeated representations to the Greek Government. I cannot at present say what particular countermeasures Her Majesty's Government will take in this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take to rationalise the anomalous constitutional position of the New Hebrides Condominium.

Her Majesty's Government have accepted in principle proposals submitted last year by the United Kingdom and French High Commissioners for the revision of the 1914 Protocol, which is in many ways outmoded, and for improving the administration of the Condominium. These proposals are now being examined in detail with a view to further discussions with the French Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if it is with his authority that African populations in Northern Rhodesia are being evacuated in connection with the construction of the Zambesi river dam and on what date he authorised this; what number of people is involved and over what area; and what compensation is being provided.

I have not been asked formally to give my authority for the evacuation; when I am, I shall first satisfy myself that all the arrangements proposed are satisfactory. I am informed that between 25,000 and 29,000 Africans will be involved, according to the area to be flooded, which is not likely on the Northern Rhodesia side to exceed 1,000 square miles. The Governor is considering what type of compensation may be necessary and its scale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what constitutional changes are to be made in Northern Rhodesia prior to the election of the Legislative Council in 1958 and if he will ensure these will include the extension of voting rights to protected persons on the same basis as to British subjects.

I have nothing to add at present to the statement made by my predecessor on the 11th February, 1954. Consideration is being given to these problems in Northern Rhodesia but it may be some time before the Governor is able to put forward agreed recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consult with the Governor of Nyasaland regarding the desirability of a commission upon the franchise for Africans in this Protectorate.

No. We are now in the process of bringing into effect the constitutional arrangements which I announced on 15th June. It will be time enough to consider the future when they have been in operation for a little while and there has been opportunity for the kind of local consideration and consultations contemplated in my statement of 15th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to implement the recommendation of the Kenya Wages Advisory Board that the housing factor of the urban minimum wage for Nairobi be increased by 4s. per month.

The Kenya Government have increased the allowance in question by 4 shillings 50 cents from 1st November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that Kenya is being developed as a multi-racial State, he will take steps to abolish the Kenya regulations enforcing residence in special African locations as at present applied to the various Kenya races and also to Arabs. Somalis, Ethiopians, Malagasies, and Comoro islanders, and also the racial discrimination applied to such peoples in relation to beverages, in particular, the discrimination between European beverages and the native beers and spirits made of grain, sugar, and honey, which are not less intoxicating than European brands.

Our policy is one of progressive removal of restrictions based on race, as and when practicable. It must be borne in mind, however, first, that some of the existing residential restrictions derive from restrictive covenants on leases, and, secondly, that present arrangements for giving special assistance and protection to African town-dwellers are based on the existence of African locations. The Kenya Government are preparing legislation designed to remove the discrimination against Africans in the purchase and consumption of spirituous liquor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much grant is given by the Kenya Government towards the upkeep of the first multiracial school in Nairobi.

Between September, 1953, and September, 1955, the Kenya Government have assisted this school by making towards its recurrent expenditure grants totalling £3,180 of which £1,871 were found from the Colonial Development and Welfare allocation of the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the anxiety felt by the Arab community in East Africa about constitutional change in Zanzibar; and whether the Arab members are now attending the Council.

I think that everyone who knows the circumstances is concerned that Arab leaders in Zanzibar should have withdrawn co-operation from the Sultan's Government and should be opposing measures of constitutional reform to which they had previously consented.At present two of the three Arab seats are vacant owing to resignations. The remaining Arab member has not been attending the Council, but has attended Committees of the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, despite the fact that armed Illalos, Akilsy Elders. British liaison officers, and staff pass into the former reserved area with the tribes from the Protectorate, these tribes have engaged in a pitched battle between themselves in the Haud, shot a British official who happened not to be travelling in the primrose-coloured car of the administration, stoned the Sinclair Company's employees and besieged an Ethiopian police barracks; and if he will make inquiries into the efficiency and discipline of the Illalos and other officials sent into Ethiopia with the tribes to keep order.

I am aware that a number of incidents have taken place in the Haud of the general nature described by the hon. Member, although I would not describe as a siege the small affray which recently took place near Ethiopian police lines at Awareh. I am entirely satisfied with the efficiency and discipline of the Illalos and other staff employed in the Haud, but it must be understood that they operate under considerable difficulties owing to the restrictions imposed on their numbers by the 1954 Agreement, the lack of the police support in the Haud which they are able to enjoy in the Protectorate and the obstacles put in their way by the Ethiopian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will advise the Government of Uganda to amend the Factories Ordinance so that it lays down specific minimum conditions as obligatory.

Specific minimum standards of health and safety are already obligatory, and where circumstances call for added precautions the Governor in Council is empowered to make special rules. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the inability of the civil administration in Cyprus to deal effectively with the events leading to the destruction of the British Council Library, and other disturbances, he will say what steps he has taken to ensure that the two most senior civil servants responsible for the administration of the Colony during the period in question, and who have now been moved from Cyprus, are not placed in positions of similar or greater responsibility elsewhere.

None. I do not accept the implication in the Question. These two officers were moved as a result of the recent reorganisation of government in Cyprus, involving the appointment of a Governor of high military rank and civilian Deputy Governor and the abolition of the post of Colonial Secretary. Both the former Governor, whose appointment as Governor of Nyasaland has been approved by Her Majesty, and the former Colonial Secretary, who is an officer of great ability, retain my full confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to ensure that, in future, no attempt is made by British troops or Cyprus police to prevent the flying of the Greek flag in Cyprus.

I propose to be guided by any advice the Governor may give me from time to time on this matter. In no circumstances will the flying of Greek flags be allowed on Government buildings, or on premises such as elementary schools, for which the Government are primarily responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals were recently made by Archbishop Makarios for a settlement in Cyprus; and the response of the Governor on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.

I gave the right hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) an account of proposals recently made by Archbishop Makarios to the Governor of Cyprus, and of the Governor's reply, in my reply to a Question on 16th November; to which I would refer the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a further statement on the position in Cyprus.

No; I have no further statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in view of the need to attract to, and retain in, Her Majesty's Oversea Civil Service suitable officers from this country, what steps he is taking to ensure that experienced officers of that service are placed in posts in Britain in which they can directly tender advice to Her Majesty's Government on all important questions of policy and that the present system under which such advice from officers of the Oversea Civil Service must pass through the Home Civil Service shall be terminated.

I attach great importance to ensuring that the experience of suitably qualified members of the Over-sea Civil Service continues to be made available in London in as direct a form as is practicable, and a relatively large number of appointments and postings have been made to this end.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that there is concern among ornithological societies about the increasing destruction of wild animals in British Colonial Africa; and if he will take steps to save wild life from extermination there.

I am aware of the public interest in the matter and I am already considering, in conjunction with our African Governors, whether further protective measures are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will arrange for the documents giving particulars of the proposed constitutional changes in Sarawak to be placed in the Library of the House.

A copy of the Resolution passed by the Council Negri has been placed in the Library of the House. A copy of the official record of the proceedings of the Council covering the debate on the Resolution will also be placed in the Library as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why, among the proposals for the revision of the Constitution of Sarawak, which provide for an increase in the number of the members of the Council Negri, there is included a proposal to decrease the ultimate legislative powers of the Council given to it by the former Rajah and confirmed by the Crown at the time of the cession of the territory.

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to the proposed introduction of provision for the disallowance of legislation and Governors' reserved legislative powers. Those provisions, though rarely invoked in practice, are an essential safeguard in any colonial constitutions which are amended to provide, as the proposed new constitution of Sarawak will provide, for an elected majority. This was recognised by the unofficial member who moved the Resolution in the Council Negri praying for the grant of a new constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why particulars of the proposals for the revision of the Constitution of Sarawak, unanimously approved by the Council Negri, were not published in the Sarawak Gazette, in order that the people of Sarawak might be informed of progress.

The text of the Resolution of the Council Negri containing the proposals for the new constitution, with the minutes of the discussion in the Council, was published in the Sarawak Government Gazette of 7th October. Full reports have also been published in local English, Chinese and Dyak newspapers, and a full explanation of the proposals and their implications was broadcast by the Attorney-General over Radio Sarawak and subsequently repeated in Chinese, Malay and Dyak translations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when legislation is to be introduced to deal with sweated labour conditions of shop assistants in the Federation of Malaya.

When the new Employment Ordinance is brought into force it will be possible to use it to lay down maximum hours of work for shop assistants. All shops employing assistants are at present required to close on either Friday or Sunday. Consideration is being given to the control of working conditions by supplementary legislation or by the use of the Wages Councils Ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the subjects to be discussed at the forthcoming conference with the Chief Minister of Singapore on his visit to this country next month.

I hope among other things to have preliminary discussions with the Chief Minister about the agenda for the meeting which will be held with a delegation from Singapore next year to consider the situation in the light of a year's working of the constitution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the bye-laws governing the grant of State scholarships in the Federation of Malaya; and what proportion of these were granted to sons of the Malayan aristocracy.

Awards are governed by State legislation or regulations. Awards are granted on qualifications and merit and I am assured that there is no reason whatever to suppose that preference is given to any particular class. Family circumstances are usually investigated so that, other things being equal, awards may be made to candidates who might otherwise be unable to afford higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Dip Mohamed Mansour is being expelled from Sierra Leone after 31 years' residence.

The Governor has suspended the execution of the expulsion order pending the consideration of the representations made to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now able to reply to the petition of the opposition parties in the Gold Coast regarding a commission to inquire into alleged irregularities in the cocoa purchasing companies.

This is a matter for the Gold Coast Government, which has decided that an independent investigation will be conducted into the activities of the Cocoa Purchasing Company.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps he is taking to ensure adequate supplies of steel to the shipyards in the north-east of England.

I am aware that shipbuilders and ship repairers in general, including firms on the North-East Coast, are becoming apprehensive about their steel supplies. My right hon. Friend is, of course, in close touch with industry and the situation is being carefully examined with the Iron and Steel Board. If the hon. Gentleman cares to send my right hon. Friend full details of any particular instances of steel shortage, he will certainly look into them.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty in how many cases during the past three years boys serving in the Royal Navy have decided not to continue their service after being punished by caning.

There are no records available which would enable me to state the number of boys who apply for discharge after being punished by caning; there is, however, no evidence to suggest that applications for discharge are either more or less numerous, in proportion, from boys who have been so punished than from others.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if British warships still patrol the waters of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to intercept craft suspected to be carrying slaves from Africa to Arabia; and whether he will state the number and nature of the ships engaged upon it and any results achieved.

Her Majesty's ships stationed in the Persian Gulf, and those passing through the Red Sea, have general instructions to search craft suspected of carrying slaves. There have been no incidents connected with slave trading in recent years.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the Independent Television Authority screened a film un the evening of the 4th instant depicting a Spanish bull fight; and, as bull fighting and bull baiting are illegal in this country, if he will take action under Section 9 (2) of the Television Act, 1954, to require the Authority to refrain from broadcasting matter of this nature in future.

The responsibility for ensuring that the programme contractors comply with the Act rests on the Independent Television Authority. I do not regard the programme referred to by the hon. Member as justifying the issue of a direction under Section 9 (2) of the Television Act, 1954.

asked the Postmaster-General why he is asking an outside organisation to review the Post Office's methods of handling mail; why he is not using the services of the Organisation and Methods Division of the Treasury; what outside organisation he has selected; and the cost involved.

As stated in paragraph 19 of the Report on Post Office Development and Finance (Cmd. 9756), the purpose is to ensure that no possibility is neglected of improving efficiency. The valuable work done by the Organisation and Methods Division of the Treasury and the Post Office continues. But, in addition, it would be useful to have the ideas on our mail-handling problems of an outside firm with experience of other large undertakings. The organisation has not yet been selected, and I cannot yet say what cost will be involved.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made by those investigating the allegation of improper use of materials and aircraftmen from the Royal Air Force, Lichfield.

A report has been received from the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command, and is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for infringement of the law about lotteries have been launched this year by the Chief Constable of Lancashire, and how many by the chief constables of the Lancashire county boroughs.

In the first six months of this year, prosecutions for offences under Section 22 of the Betting and Lotteries Act, 1934, were instituted in respect of one lottery in Lancashire, two in Liverpool, and one each in Preston, Warrington and Wigan. Twenty-four persons were prosecuted in the county, and 21 in the four county boroughs.

asked the Minister of Education how many ex-Service men of the 1914 to 1918 war were accepted for training and subsequently appointed as teachers; and how many of these men were still employed as teachers at the nearest convenient date.

At least 5,700 ex-Service men from the 1914–18 war were accepted for training as teachers under a number of special schemes. I regret that statistics are not available which enable me to say how many of these men were appointed and how many are still employed as teachers.

asked the Minister of Education how many ex-Service men of the 1939 to 1945 war were accepted for training under the Teachers' Emergency Training Scheme; how many secured posts; and how many were still employed as teachers at the nearest convenient date.

Of the ex-Service men of the 1939–45 war, about 17,500 successfully completed courses under the Teachers' Emergency Training Scheme and many others were trained for teaching under other arrangements. They nearly all took up teaching posts, but statistics are not available to enable me to answer the last part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he retains military personnel in the camp in Richmond Park.

Because suitable alternative accommodation is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total capacity of the camp in Richmond Park; and how many people are occupying it at the present time.

Its capacity is 35 officers and 848 other ranks and its present number of occupants is 20 and 473 respectively, all women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of fatal accidents in the home attributed to coal-gas poisoning for 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954, respectively.

Deaths from fatal accidents in the home, recorded by the Registrar General for Scotland as attributable to coal-gas poisoning, were: