asked the Minister of Defence the sum of money by which the Estimates can be reduced when his proposal for a reduction of 100,000 men is put into effect.

When the reduction is complete, which will not be until 1958, the saving in maintenance costs thereafter will be about £43 million a year, at present price levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many death sentences pronounced on Southern Sudanese convicted of crimes committed during the August disturbances have been carried out; how many public executions there have been; and in how many cases has sentence of death been commuted.

Up to 1st December, thirty executions were reported to have taken place. Nineteen sentences of death have been commuted by the Governor-General. All executions have been, and will be, carried out in private.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the recommendation of a Committee of this House on a Private Bill in May, 1954, that his Department should give consideration to the position of local authorities who are called upon periodically to make substantial contributions to the alleged actuarial deficiencies on their superannuation funds.

Yes. I have considered this point; and I am not convinced that any change in the law is required.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a further statement about his proposed review of the Rent Restrictions Acts.

Yes, in due course.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is willing to test materials for flame resistance; and to whom application should be made for the tests that would fulfil all six requirements laid down by the Inter-Departmental Committee.

Yes. The Joint Fire Research Organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is ready to test materials for flame resistance on behalf of manufacturers and bodies concerned with fire precautions and safety.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if the research on flame resistant material, conducted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has yet succeeded in finding the chemical compound which will meet the requirements of the Inter-Departmental Committee in regard to cost, shrinking, washing-out, skin rash, elimination of glow or char and texture.

No. The work of the Joint Fire Research Organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in collaboration with industry is concerned with tests to assess the value of methods of treatment. I understand, however, that the textile industry, here and in the U.S.A., is studying methods of flame-proofing fabrics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the cost of imports of heroin, and what was the value of exports of heroin, during twelve months up to the latest convenient date.

Heroin is not imported into the United Kingdom. Exports in the twelve months ending on 30th September, 1955, were valued at £261.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has sent to the letter addressed to him by the Chairman and Secretary of the Scottish Section of the Town and Country Planning Association about securing the dispersal of industry as well as overspill population from Glasgow, encouraging its movement to small towns and villages other than the designated areas of new towns, and the undesirability on general grounds of directly linking the composition of a new town with slum clearance.

I have informed the Association that I have taken note of its suggestions. These are being fully considered by the Clyde Valley Committee in its study of the Glasgow overspill problem.