asked the Prime Minister whether he will give details of the civil servants and other Government staff that accompanied him to Bradford on 18th January, 1956 and what was the cost to the public funds.

I have been asked to reply. As has long been the practice, my right hon. Friend was accompanied by one of his private secretaries and a secretary to assist him in the transaction of normal Government business. Their travel and subsistence fell on public funds. He also had a personal secretary with him whose expenses do not, of course, fall on public funds.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish in HANSARD the full text of all Government announcements made from his office from 1st January, 1956, to 15th January, 1956, inclusive.

I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend had always understood the hon. Gentleman to be in very close touch with current affairs, but if it will help the hon. Member he will gladly place a copy of the announcements in the Library. There were four announcements on surplus war stores, one on the appointment of the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of London, two on Crown Livings and two on Civil Service appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many tanks sold to private dealers as scrap during each of the past five years were subsequently shipped to the Middle East.

The hon. Member will have read the White Paper on the Export of Surplus War Material which was published on 19th January. I have no information apart from that contained in the White Paper that tanks sold to private dealers during the past five years have subsequently been shipped to the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information was received by Her Majesty's Government from the Belgian Government or from other sources in Belgium in July, August or September last, as to the export to Egypt of used British tanks.

On 21st July, Her Majesty's Government were informed by the Belgian Government that they had issued a licence for the export from Belgium to Egypt of 100 demilitarised Valentines, which the Belgians described as tanks, bought in the United Kingdom. No other information was received during these months either from the Belgian Government or from other sources in Belgium.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the evidence that British arms supplied to Iraq under the Bagdad Pact are to be used against Israel: and whether he will make a statement.

I know of no such evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he will now make a statement on the subjects discussed and conclusions reached at the discussions held early in January, 1956, between representatives of the Foreign Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and of the fishing industry.

On 5th January my hon. Friends the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries in the Foreign Office and the Scottish Office met representatives of the British fishing industry to hear their views on proposals relating to the Icelandic fisheries dispute which have been made by a Special Group of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, and submitted to Her Majesty's Government and the Icelandic Government for consideration.All sections of the industry said that they were ready to accept in principle the proposals of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation Group while making some suggestions in detail for their practical implementation.I should like to express Her Majesty's Government's appreciation of the industry's helpful response to the constructive proposals put forward by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made to the Greek Government concerning the recent broadcasts abusive of this country on the Greek radio.

The latest of the repeated protests to the Greek Government about broadcasts from Athens Radio to Cyprus was made on 16th January. The Greek Government's reply of 17th January was unsatisfactory and evasive. It was accordingly rejected by Her Majesty's Ambassador who renewed his representations to the Greek Government and has now been authorised to convey to Her Majesty's Government the Greek Government's assurance that they dissociate themselves from the allegations made in the Athens Radio commentary which gave rise to this protest. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the monitoring report of this particular broadcast.

The following is the text of a monitoring report of an Athens Radio commentary on 12th January entitled: "Britain's agents killed Turkish policeman."

As if the persecutions and the violent measures of the British Colonial Authorities against the Greek population of Cyprus were not enough, yesterday's vandalism, which must have been certainly organised by agents of the Foreign Dynast, was added. With the toleration of the British Colonial administrative organs some demonstrators looted and damaged Greek shops in Nicosia. They wounded Greek Cypriots and created panic and terror in Greek women who, with babies in their arms, were running to be saved from the mania of barbaric crowds.

Yesterday's events in Nicosia are reminiscent of the horrible events which took place in Istanbul and Izmir during the terrible night of 6th September. The same methods were used. The British Colonial administrative organs, which show harshness and rage when striking at Greek Cypriots even for an unimportant reason showed an indeed surprising indifference to the raging demonstrators. The Colonial authorities in Cyprus have two standards of justice: Cruel persecution of the Greek majority of the megalonisos and indescribable endurance when certain Turks—fortunately they are very few—at the service of the Government carry out criminal actions and violate even the most fundamental rules as regards the preservation of order.

Those who instigated yesterday's demonstration in Nicosia knew about this. They know that they are the favourites of the British.

The organisers of yesterday's riots knew the Turkish policeman was not killed by Greeks but by agents of the local administration in order to incriminate the Greeks and cause vandalism. Otherwise they would not have dared to do what they did. All this proves that the aim of the violent and stratocratic measures which the British are applying against the Greek Cypriot people is not the restoration of order in the island but the suppression of the Cypriot people's voice which is demanding that their sacred right of self-determination should be recognised.

The world's free people will certainly judge this attitude of the British Colonial authorities and of some of their Turkish protegés. However, something else is also apparent, namely that the responsible colonialists, not having repented and not having been taught by the blows their policy has so far dealt to the cause of the free world, are still applying the policy of divide and rule.

Realising that their violent campaign against the Cypriot people has completely failed, they are trying to turn the Turks of the island against the Greeks so that they may shift the issue on to another level. They are indifferent to the calamities which may be brought about by the tactics and to the general damage they are doing to the unity and interest of the free world.

The agents of colonialism think that they can repeat in Cyprus what they have done in Izmir and Istanbul. They kill Turkish policemen in order to incite the Moslem element of the island, and massacre the people. However, we are certain that the Turkish population of the megalonisos knows who killed the Turkish policeman and who organised yesterday's vandalism. They know very well that everything is caused by colonialism, they denounce, not only yesterday's outrages, but also all the vile plans of foreign imperialism. Plans which aim at turning the Greeks of Cyprus against the Turks and vice versa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what degree of co-operation was requested by the United States of America from Her Majesty's Government in their proposals to use atomic weapons against China in June, 1953, and in April and the autumn of 1954; and why this House was not informed of these proposals;

No such proposals were received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what contribution Her Majesty's Government propose to make to the Fund of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the year 1956.

Her Majesty's Government propose, subject to Parliamentary approval, to contribute a sum not exceeding £100,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner's Fund for 1956. As in 1955, £80,000 will be made available as an outright contribution, and a further £20,000 will be paid if the total of contributions for 1956, including the United Kingdom's own contribution, reaches $3·25 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on recent disturbances and loss of life in Sierra Leone; what the causes of the trouble were; what steps are being taken to remove them; and what alternative proposals are being put forward.

Since the second half of November disturbances have occurred in the Northern and South-Western Provinces of Sierra Leone, causing fourteen deaths and considerable damage to property. The police opened fire upon disorderly crowds on twelve occasions, but themselves suffered no serious casualties. The situation is now quiet, though certain areas continue to be unsettled.The immediate cause of the disturbances appears to have been the prospect of increased local taxation in 1956 together with dissatisfaction over the administration of the local tax laws. The Sierra Leone Government has decided that both the origin of the disorders and the use of force by the police should be investigated by a Commission of Inquiry. Its composition and terms of reference are being considered. Local taxation is meanwhile to be restricted to a maximum of 25s. per head.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what consideration the Governments of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland have given to the question of the franchise of Africans in their respective territories; what consultations have taken place and with whom; to what extent similar principles governing the franchise will operate in the two territories; and how soon the proposals of the two Governments will be made public.

The matter continues to have the close attention of both Governments, but I regret that I have no statement to make at present. For Northern Rhodesia I have still nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 14th December and to my predecessor's statement of 11th February, 1954. For Nyasaland I can add nothing to the written reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Beresford Craddock) on 15th June, 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that women and girls in the settlement area of Seminyih, Malaya, had their clothing taken off by British personnel and thrown a distance where they had to walk naked to recover them in the presence of groups of men; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made by an impartial body into the circumstances which led to this incident; and if he will give an assurance that such conduct which reduces the prestige of this country will not be repeated.

No. I am, however, aware of the allegations to which the hon. Member refers. The Government of the Federation have appointed a High Court judge to inquire into these allegations. I cannot say more while the matter is thus sub judice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the policy of Her Majesty's Government in relation to the future of the present British Somaliland and of Somalia, and their future integration and independence.

As stated in the communiqué issued after my recent talks with a delegation from the Somaliland Protectorate future policy there is under consideration and it will be a few months before any announcement can be made. The Trust Territory of Somalia is due to become independent in 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make about the lockout of workers on the suburban omnibus services in Singapore.

As a result of a succession of lightning strikes by workers of twelve Chinese bus undertakings, the Singapore Chinese Bus Owners Association declared a lock-out of their employees on strike until the Singapore Bus Workers Union agreed to certain terms. The terms included the recognition of owners' rights to manage their own undertakings and an assurance that there would be no more lightning strikes.After the Minister for Labour and Welfare had announced his intention to set up a Court of Inquiry the parties to the dispute signed an agreement on 28th December and normal bus services were resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to particularise and identify the offences referred to by Counsel for the Crown when, during his address to the Supreme Court of Kenya at Nairobi in Regina v. Waters and Fuller (Kamau Kigena deceased), No. 176, 1955, he suggested that offences of this kind by security forces were prevalent.

I am informed that Counsel had no particular instances in mind, but was referring in general terms to the situation as he conceived it to be before 18th January, 1955, when the amnesty for such offences by the Security Forces was announced. Counsel's submission was that similar cases had been prevalent before that declaration of clemency and that, in view of the warning then given, a deterrent sentence was warranted in the case under trial as that offence had been committed after 18th January, 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the advantages that would result from Gibraltar having its own radio station, what consideration has been given to the matter, and what prospects there are in this connection.

I should like Gibraltar to have its own radio station and have consulted my colleagues on a proposal for a station which was put to me by the Gibraltar Government, but there are considerable practical difficulties, for example, in the allocation of frequencies. These difficulties are being examined, but I cannot say at the moment what the prospects are.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to announce the terms of reference and the composition of the committee of inquiry to be set up by the Gold Coast Government into the activities of the Cocoa Purchasing Company.

The Government of the Gold Coast hope to announce the terms of reference of this Committee very shortly and to appoint the members in time for the inquiry to begin immediately after the end of the current main crop season in the middle of March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to visit Gibraltar.

As the hon. Member knows, I was able to pay a very brief visit to Gibraltar last October. I have in mind to pay another visit as soon as I can, but I cannot name a date. Owing to its welcome proximity to the United Kingdom I can do so without difficulty as soon as I conveniently can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the recent announcement of financial aid by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Grenada for hurricane rehabilitation.

Yes, As I informed the House in the statement I circulated on 14th December, the Governor of the Windward Islands was then in London to discuss this matter. He had prepared in the light of expert advice a draft programme of rehabilitation in all fields, covering both Grenada and Carriacou, and it was on the basis of this programme that the discussions took place.Hon. Members will know that the damage caused by the hurricane to Grenada was extremely severe; all parts of the island were affected and all crops were very seriously damaged, with effects on the economy which will certainly persist for years. The resources of Grenada are quite insufficient to meet the cost of rehabilitation of damage on this scale. As a result therefore of the discussions Her Majesty's Government agreed, subject to the approval of Parliament, to make available to the Government of Grenada assistance up to £3·5 million, up to £2 million to be by way of free grants and up to £1·5 million by way of loans. This assistance, together with a sum of £312,500 from the current Grenada allocation of funds under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, and a further sum of £30,000 from Grenada's reserve funds, which the Governor agreed to make available, should enable an adequate rehabilitation programme to be carried out.This programme aims in the first place at the restoration of Grenada's economy by means of loans to farmers to enable them to clear and replant their land. It is expected that the concentration will be first on food crops, and then on crops giving a quick return, such as bananas. Later the emphasis will shift to tree crops such as cocoa and nutmegs which take longer to mature. The programme provides also for the repair or replacement of destroyed and damaged houses and for the repair of damaged public buildings and services including the replacement of the pier at St. George's, the capital.Hon. Members on both sides of the House will, I am sure, welcome this information. The need in Grenada was great and Her Majesty's Government have done their best to meet it.Parliamentary approval will be sought in due course for the provision of these sums by means of a Supplementary Estimate during the current financial year and in the main Estimates during subsequent years. It is expected that the total assistance will be made available over a period of three or four years. Meanwhile, Parliamentary approval has been anticipated and sums totalling £200,000 have been advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund in order to keep the Government of Grenada in funds pending the approval of Estimates; and it may be necessary to make further advances in this way before the Supplementary Vote is made available.