asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in considering granting Income Tax concessions to those who contribute towards the private education of their children, he will give consideration to comparable concessions for those who are unable to afford to make payment for the private education of their children.

I have noted the hon. Member's point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with representatives of the Federation of British Industries concerning their proposals for consideration in his forthcoming Budget.

No such discussions have taken place.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the total annual cost of withdrawing the restriction placed by Section 350 of the Finance Act, 1952, upon the relief or repayment allowed by the Treasury in respect of tax deducted by United Kingdom companies granted double taxation relief when paying dividends.

No central record is kept of the number of cases or the amount of tax affected by this restriction, but the cost of withdrawing it might be estimated at about £1 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of double taxation relief granted in the last full year to United Kingdom companies.

The total relief granted in assessments made in 1954–55 is estimated at about £110 million, nearly all of which relates to companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further sales he is proposing to make of the dollar securities owned by the Treasury.

There has been no change in the general policy which was announced by my predecessor on 3rd February, 1955, of retaining the bulk of these securities in Treasury ownership, while arranging for sales to be made from time to time on the London market. I do not consider it necessary or desirable that market operations of this kind should be accompanied each time by a public announcement, but I shall be ready to inform Parliament at appropriate intervals of any sales which have actually taken place. The sales so far made in this way amount to about $30 million.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) the contribution paid to Western European Union for the year ended 31st December, 1955; what was the advance for the year 1956; what was the subscription to the working capital fund; what proportion each of these three United Kingdom contributions bears to the respective total contributions of all member States; and why these figures were not separately shown in the Supplementary Estimate;(2) what proportion of the total budget for Western European Union is represented by the sum of £59,990 in the Supplementary Estimate for 1955–56; and if he will include a statement of this proportion in all future estimates.

Western European Union only came into existence on 6th May, 1955, and the budgets for the years ending 31st December, 1955 and 1956, have yet to be settled. So far the United Kingdom has subscribed £35,927 towards expenses incurred in 1955, an advance of £10,000 towards the budget for 1956, and £6,000 towards the working capital fund. Each of these sums represents 20 per cent. of the total contributions by member States. This percentage was shown in the Supplementary Estimate of last July and will be shown in future Estimates. The sums were not shown separately in the February Supplementary Estimate because at the time of its preparation the Council of Western European Union had not fixed the levels of the working capital fund nor of the 1955 and 1956 budgets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate amount of Income Tax and Surtax, respectively, collected from persons resident in Wales during the year ending April, 1955; and what were the figures for the two previous years.

The amount of Income Tax payments attributable to residents of Wales and Monmouthshire is estimated at between £30 million and £45 million for 1954–55 and also for each of the two preceding years. I regret that corresponding figures for Surtax are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate amounts of Purchase Tax collected in respect of goods sold in Wales during 1954 and 1955, respectively.

I estimate that of the Purchase Tax collected in 1954, about £11½ million may have related to goods for sale in Wales; and in 1955, about £14 million. These estimates are derived from the Census of Distribution 1950, which shows for that year the proportions which the trade of retailers in Wales who deal substantially in taxable goods bore to the trade of such retailers in the entire United Kingdom; it has been assumed that these proportions have remained about the same in subsequent years and that they can be taken as a basis to indicate, approximately, the revenue attributable to purchases of taxable goods in Wales.These estimates are not comparable with the estimate given in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 29th June, 1954, which had to be based on a broader and more approximate assumption.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Govern-what are the provisions of the Smithfield Market byelaws approved by him relating to the licensing of bummarees and porters; for how long these byelaws have been in operation; and what changes have been made in them since before the war.

The current provisions are those embodied in the byelaws approved in February, 1953, which amended the original byelaws of 1877. I am placing copies of both documents in the Library.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the terms and conditions laid down by his regulations for compensating owners of sound houses when these have to be demolished for any public purpose.

The basis on which compensation is assessed is fixed by statute. Perhaps the hon. Member will let my right hon. Friend know of any particular difficulty he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour why it is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government for underground mineworkers to be called up for National Service.

There has been no change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the deferment of call-up of underground coalmining workers.

asked the Minister of Labour why No. 23260378 Gunner P. J. Walsh, E. Troop, 177 Battery, Royal Artillery, Towfanau Camp, has been called up for National Service, when he was, and always has been, an underground mineworker, and at the time of his call-up was on underground development work.

The call-up of Gunner Walsh for National Service was deferred while he remained in underground coalmining employment with the National Coal Board. In September, 1955, my Department became aware that Gunner Walsh had left his employment with the Board and he accordingly became available for call-up. It was open to Gunner Walsh's new employers, a firm of shaft sinking contractors, to apply for the deferment of his call-up, in view of the nature of the work upon which they were engaged for the National Coal Board. In fact, however, they made no such application.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that approximately 400 awards of disablement pension were made in 1955 to men whose National Service was of less than six months' duration, he will ensure that a more thorough medical examination is given before a man is accepted for National Service.

I do not accept the implication in the Question that the award of disablement pension within six months of enlistment reflects adversely on the thoroughness of the man's examination by a National Service Medical Board.

asked the Minister of Labour how many vacant places for the training of disabled men are now not in use at the Wallasey Remploy Factory; how long these vacant places have remained unused; and how many disabled men and women on Merseyside are awaiting training in Remploy factories.

There is capacity for 65 disabled workers at the Wallasey Remploy Factory, but the precise number who can be absorbed at any time depends on the needs of production. In December. 1955, there were 55 workers in employment and there are 58 at present. On 16th January, 1956, there were 116 men and 17 women in the Merseyside Development Area who could be considered for employment at Wallasey and Bootle Remploy factories.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the principle on which he acts when he recommends that a person convicted and imprisoned for alleged crime shall be pardoned and released.

In accordance with practice each case must be considered on its own merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been burned to death, or died from burns received, in how many fires in the county of Lanark between January, 1945, and January, 1956 and what was the average time which elapsed before the fire-brigade arrived on the scene.

In the period between 1st January, 1945, and 31st January, 1956, there were 45 fatal casualties resulting from 25 fire incidents in the area of the Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Joint Commit. tee. The average time which elapsed between receipt of the fire call and arrival of the first appliance at the incident was eight minutes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children are currently receiving only part-time education in Fife and in Scotland as a whole, respectively and what immediate steps are being taken to remedy this situation.

The number of pupils in Scotland at present receiving part-time education is 1,570, of whom 105, all in the lowest primary class, are in Fife and the remainder in Glasgow. The education authorities are doing everything possible to recruit additional staff, including temporary teachers to replace those who are absent because of illness.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his attention has been drawn to the position that has arisen in Glasgow where, owing to the shortage of teachers, many children are receiving half-time education; and if he will make a statement.

In the past few weeks, Glasgow schools have been affected by two temporary factors, the high incidence of illness among staff at this season, and the increase in the secondary roll resulting from the fact that each January a large number of pupils enter secondary courses without a corresponding number leaving. It was consequently found necessary to introduce part-time instruction for certain classes in eight secondary schools and also in a number of primary schools which has varied from day to day according to the incidence of illness among the staff. The position has since improved and three of the secondary schools have been able to resume full-time instruction. On 20th February, 22 secondary classes containing 855 pupils and 15 primary classes containing 610 pupils were receiving part-time instruction which varied from half to over three-quarters of the normal amount. The education authority is doing all it can to remedy matters through the most effective deployment of all the available staff. At its request, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State is shortly meeting representatives of the authority and of the local association of the Educational Institute of Scotland to discuss the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has had from hospital boards to his communication asking them to restrain both their current and capital expenditure.

I am assured that regional hospital boards are making the fullest efforts, consistent with the maintenance of services to patients, to restrain expenditure on hospital running costs. I am further assured that, while the announced programme will not be reduced, urgently needed capital works alone will be undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for houses are at present before Midlothian County Council, Dalkeith Town Council, Bonnyrigg and Lasswade Town Council, Loanhead Town Council and Penicuik Town Council.

This is a matter for the local authorities themselves. I shall see, however, if I can get up-to-date information and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make arrangements for the costs incurred by local authorities in providing hospital treatment in homes provided under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948, for patients for whom the regional hospital board cannot provide accommodation, to be borne by the regional hospital board.

Local authorities are not empowered to provide hospital treatment as such in accommodation administered under Part III of the National Assistance Act. They are expected to afford such medical and nursing care as is necessary for residents for whom admission to hospital is not appropriate or immediately practicable. Regional hospital boards have no powers to meet the cost of care thus afforded.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what charges are levied under his regulations for the service of patrol cars when they are engaged to assist the passage of heavy and bulky loads by road.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there is likely to be early progress in developing technical education in Scotland.

As already announced, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and I will shortly present a White Paper on Technical Education in which the lines of future progress in Scotland will be set out.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the number of pupils who obtain high marks in scientific and mathematical subjects and whose further development is prevented by their failure to obtain a high standard in a foreign language or in classical studies.

No such estimate is available. In the central institutions, which provide instruction in mathematical and scientific subjects to the highest level, there are no language requirements either for entrance to, or as part of, any of the courses. As regards the universities, the Appleton Committee considered that, though in general the language requirement for entrance should not present real difficulty to potential graduates, it was a barrier for some; and, at the Committee's suggestion, this matter was brought to the notice of the universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make a statement on the extent and degree of emigration from Scotland during each of the last ten years, giving, as far as his records allow, the age and sex of each emigrant, the reason for emigration, and the country to which they have emigrated.

I am having these particulars extracted, so far as they are available, and will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make a statement on the present incidence of poliomyelitis in Scotland according to counties, cities, and towns; on the steps now being taken there for its treatment, cure, and elimination; and on the present success or otherwise of those steps.

In the four weeks to 11th February, the latest for which figures are available, there were nine provisional notifications in Scotland. Two of these were in the County of Lanark, four in Glasgow and one each in Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness Burgh.Research into prevention and treatment continues on the lines indicated in reply to the hon. and learned Member on 23rd November, 1954. In addition I hope as a prelude to offering vaccination on a larger scale as a preventive measure, local authorities have been invited to arrange for the vaccination of a limited number of children of the most susceptible ages in May and June of this year.There is no simple way of measuring the success of what is being done. The course of the disease must continue to be closely watched.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the reduction proposed in the capital investment programme of the South of Scotland Electricity Board.

The transfer of responsibility last year from three authorities to the South of Scotland Electricity Board made estimating for the current year specially difficult. Capital expenditure in the area in 1955 was approximately £15 million and the Board proposed to spend £20·7 million in 1956. Closer consideration made it possible to reduce this estimate to £19·1 million. This revised figure has now been reduced to £17·5 million. This second reduction of £1·6 million is attributable to distribution and as a result the rate at which new consumers can be connected and the scale of hiring of electrical appliances will be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the reduction proposed in the capital investment programme of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.

The Board's forecast programme for 1956 was £19 million, but in response to the Government's request for curtailment of capital expenditure, it reduced this to £18·7 million. This figure will be further reduced by £300,000 to £18·4 million. Of the total curtailment of £600,000 half is attributable to generation and main transmission and the other half to distribution. These reductions will involve the deferment of the start of work on two small generating schemes in Lewis and Harris where supplies will continue to be given less economically from diesel plants, of the small mainland projects of Mucomir and Glashan, and of certain other works. It will also be necessary to reduce the rate of connecting new consumers and to curtail the hiring of electrical apparatus.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make a statement on the future programme of mass radiography surveys for the detection of tuberculosis in Scotland.

Plans are now being made for a new series of community surveys by mass radiography, more intensive and on a much larger scale than hitherto, as part of a two-year campaign to combat respiratory tuberculosis in Scotland. I am inviting the Corporation of Glasgow to conduct a city-wide survey as the opening stage of this campaign, and with the assistance of my right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Air I am hoping to make available for this purpose, in addition to the ten mass radiography units normally at our disposal, about twenty more on loan from England and Wales for a period of five weeks.We shall seek to enlist the aid of voluntary effort of all kinds, and a great deal of preparation will be needed. Accordingly, the date proposed for the Glasgow survey is March, 1957. The local authorities of the other three Scottish cities and of many areas in the industrial belt will be offered facilities to arrange similar surveys at subsequent stages of the campaign, and I hope that well over a million examinations by mass radiography will be carried out during the two-year period. The surveys planned for 1956, of which I gave details in reply to my hon. Friend on 13th December last, will of course proceed.

asked the Minister of Defence how it is proposed to deal with Service and widows pensions, correspondingly to the increases for civil pensioners contained in the Pensions (Increase) Bill.

asked the Minister of Defence how it is proposed to deal with Service pensions correspondingly to the increases for civil pensioners contained in the Pensions (Increase) Bill.

The existing Prerogative Instruments will be amended so as to remove the limitations on the amount of pension and the amount of income qualifying for increase. In addition, the discrimination against pensioners without dependants will be removed. All officers and other ranks retired under the 1945 Codes and the earlier Codes who are 60 years of age (or, if younger, are unable to work) will thus get the full benefits of the existing pensions increase measures that apply to them.There will also be new increases for which officers and other ranks retired under all the Codes up to and including the 1950 Code will qualify, provided that they are 60 years of age (or, if younger, are unable to work).These new increases will in general be 10 per cent. of the basic pension, subject to a maximum of £100. But parallel with the arrangements proposed in the Pensions (Increase) Bill for short service pensioners and for pensioners more recently retired from the higher grades, there will be some modification for officers and other ranks who retired voluntarily with less than 20 years' service, who will get 6 per cent. increase with a £60 maximum, and also for officers of the rank of colonel and above retiring under the 1950 Code. The rates of widows pensions set out in Command Paper 8741 of January, 1953, will be increased by 5 per cent.

asked the Minister of Works what change in the volume of non-essential private building has occurred since the recent emergency Budget.

Information about new housing, industrial and miscellaneous building is obtained by my Department from the building industry once a quarter. The figures for the December quarter will be available shortly and I will communicate with the hon. Gentleman when I have them.

asked the Secretary of State for War to investigate the circumstances under which a soldier, whose name and particulars have been supplied to him, has been charged for items of equipment lost or stolen whilst he was in hospital, and was sent home on leave without a greatcoat in extremely cold weather; and if he will take appropriate action.

As this soldier was not due back from leave until yesterday, I have not yet been able to complete my inquiries. I have, however, been unable to confirm the hon. Member's statement that any charge has so far been levied for the greatcoat nor does the soldier appear to have asked to borrow one to go on leave.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he maintains his decision to post overseas Private D. R. Callen, Royal Sussex Regiment, in spite of the fact that his mother is a blind widow whose only other relative living at home is a schoolboy son, aged ten years; and whether he will reconsider this decision, the details of which are known to him.

I am satisfied that the present arrangements for the care of this soldier's mother are satisfactory and I am afraid that there are insufficient grounds to justify my cancelling his posting to Germany. He will not be sent further afield.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the circumstances which resulted in the death of Private Gordon Pilling, of Earlestown; and whether he will make a statement.

As the inquest into the death of this soldier was adjourned until today, I am not yet in a position to comment. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it is necessary for National Service men to buy their own cleaning materials; and if he will consider reviewing this, with a view to Service men being provided with such articles as standard issues.

A National Service man on joining the Army receives two shoe brushes, a clothes brush, a button brush and button-stick. He also receives a clothing allowance which contains an element for web equipment cleaner and metal polish. Dubbin is supplied free. Soldiers serving in operational areas receive free issues of any necessary cleaning materials instead of a clothing allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for War to state the comparative estimated costs of maintaining four British divisions in Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively.

Ignoring capital expenditure, the additional cost of maintaining four divisions in Germany as compared with the United Kingdom is some £8,000,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for War to review his methods of notifying relatives of soldiers who are killed or injured on service, in view of existing dissatisfaction with the present arrangements.

My right hon. Friend has recently reviewed the procedure and had some changes made. But, if the hon. Member has a specific proposal in mind, we will gladly consider it. I would however refer him to an answer on 6th December to written Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Sir A. Bossom) in which it was pointed out that, although casualties overseas are normally notified within twenty-four hours, we cannot prevent premature reports sometimes appearing in the Press.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in respect of the negotiations at Geneva, now proceeding, in relation to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the highest percentage reduction in existing tariffs which the Government of the United States of America is now prepared to offer in return for concessions by other participating countries, including the United Kingdom.

I understand that under existing legislation, the United States Government can reduce to 50 per cent. any rate of duty which is now greater than 50 per cent.: and in any other case can reduce by 15 per cent. the rates in force on 1st January, 1955. The actual offers made by the United States Government in the present tariff negotiations at Geneva are confidential at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many trade associations are recognised by his Department for purposes of discussion or negotiation on matters concerning their members; and what was the figure in 1946 and 1936.

Any trade association can approach the Board of Trade on matters affecting its members. There is no definite list of trade associations consulted by the Department. I regret, therefore, that I cannot give the hon. Member the figures for which he asks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state the comparative figures for United Kingdom consumption of home-produced and imported matches, respectively, for 1953, 1954, and 1955; and what restrictions there are on the import of matches.

Sales of home-produced matches were 13·3 million "short standards" in 1953, 12·5 million in 1954 and 12·2 million in 1955. Retained imports in these years were 4·8 million, 5·4 million and 5·9 million short standards respectively. A short standard contains 7,200 matches. There is no restriction on the import of matches except from the dollar area and from Russia, Eastern European countries, Argentina and Japan.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with representatives of the motor industry, with a view to a reduction of its investment programmes in face of the industry's apparent inability to expand its exports proportionately to its home sales.

There is close consultation between the Board of Trade and the motor industry, both in day-to-day talks and in the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry. Individual manufacturing firms, which are, of course, subject to current credit policy, make their own decisions on investment. It would be wrong to underestimate the great efforts made by the motor-car manufacturers further to increase their exports of motor cars, in 1955 the largest in the world.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that 14,000 tons of steel are taken weekly by the National Coal Board; and how much is now in the stockpile of the National Coal Board.

Deliveries of finished steel to the coal-mining industry during the five weeks ended 3rd December, 1955—the latest date for which figures are available—averaged about 14,000 tons a week. The average weekly rate of delivery during the first eleven months of 1955 was 13,000 tons which was the rate obtaining in 1954. Information about stocks held by nationalised industries, as by privately owned firms, is received on a confidential basis, but I can assure the right hon. Member that the National Coal Board is aware of the importance of keeping its stocks of steel to the minimum necessary for efficient working.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which commodities and commodity-groups, and by what amounts in value, were mainly responsible for the rise in imports in 1955.

Of the increase of £512 million in the value of imports c.i.f. as recorded in the Trade Returns between 1954 and 1955, iron and steel accounted for £71 million, non-ferrous metals for £57 million, coal for £57 million, rubber for £46 million, other basic materials and fuels for £79 million and food for £105 million. For more details, I would refer the hon. Member to the summary table on pages 3 and 4 of the Trade and Navigation Accounts for December, 1955.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what conditions attach to licences to import meat from Argentina and Uruguay.

Conditions governing the issue of import licences for meat from Argentina and Uruguay are set out in Notice to Importers No. 649, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. The open individual licences referred to in the notice are issued for periods of one year at a time.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widows were in receipt of the 10s. pension at the nearest convenient date; and when he expects to make a statement on Government proposals to improve the pension of these widows.

About 175,000, including some 30,000 over age 60 who receive it in the form of a contributory old-age pension.As regards the second part of the Question, I cannot add to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes), and others, on 13th February.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many cases of pneumoconiosis have been certified in Yorkshire and East Midlands for each of the years since 1946 until the latest date.

I am writing to the hon. Member. The following table shows the number of cases of pneumoconiosis diagnosed by the Sheffield Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1946. The area covered is the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire, the counties of Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Leicester, Rutland and Northampton. The figures do not, of course, reflect the incidence of pneumoconiosis. They depend on the number of people coming forward to claim benefit, and an important factor in any rise in the number of claims is an increasing awareness of pneumoconiosis and an appreciation of the importance of early diagnosis.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many miners were disabled by accident for more than three days in 1955; and the average period of disablement.

I regret that information in the exact form requested is not available. During the twelve-monthly period ended 5th June, 1954, industrial accidents among male workers in the coal mining industry gave rise to nearly 270,000 spells of injury benefit lasting more than three days. The average duration of these spells was just over 3½ weeks.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he is yet in a position to say when the White Paper, dealing with the genetic effects on human beings following atomic and thermonuclear explosions, will be ready.

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the report of the Medical Research Council's Committee on the medical aspects of nuclear radiation. It now appears that this report will not be ready before May.

asked the Minister of Health if he will review the representation of the management side of the Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley Council, with a view to giving a larger representation to the Association of Hospital Management Committees.

The composition of the management sides of all the Whitley Councils will be reviewed in the light of a recommendation of the Guillebaud Committee, but I do not intend to reach any conclusions on this matter until I have consulted with the interests concerned, such as the hospital authorities and the Whitley Councils themselves.

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates work will commence on the new 600 bedded hospital for Barnsley; and the estimated length of time for completion.

No new hospital is proposed for Barnsley at present. The Regional Hospital Board is preparing a scheme of major extensions to St. Helen Hospital but I cannot yet say when this will start. It is estimated that the full scheme would take some five years to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there are still cases of sleeping sickness in the Central and Southern Kavirondo districts of Nyanza Province.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many prisoners and other inhabitants there are on the islands of Mageta and Saiyusi in Lake Victoria; and how many full-time medical officers are in charge there.

I am asking the Governor for the information and will send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what special measures, such as mass radiography, he is taking to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in the prisons of Cyprus as a result of the increased numbers of persons under arrest.

I am informed that there is no question of the spread of tuberculosis in the prisons, nor is there overcrowding. Although mass radiography is not undertaken, full radio-graphical facilities are available and these are used whenever required.

asked the Minister of Education to draw the attention of the various institutions under his control giving technical instruction on architecture and building to the saving resulting from the use of modular co-ordination both in cost and in time of production of drawings and buildings; and if he will arrange that lectures should be given on this subject.

I am aware that a number of architects, including my Department's Development Group, have used such methods with success. The underlying theory is being studied in several of the leading schools of architecture and other research establishments, but it has not in my view developed to the point where it can profitably be included in the syllabus of building courses generally. While researches are continuing, I hope that teachers of architecture and building will keep themselves abreast of developments in this field and I welcome the publicity which is being given to this topic by the Royal Institute of British Architects, the British Standards Institution, the Building Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Modular Society.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of hon. Members who have, during the past 12 months, visited any overseas country for any purpose where the cost of the visit was wholly or partly met by Her Majesty's Government's funds, the countries visited and the total cost involved.

During the twelve months from the 1st February, 1955, to the 31st January, 1956, the following hon. Members visited foreign countries wholly or partly at the expense of the Foreign Office. (The list does not include members of Her Majesty's Government, and I cannot give details of visits made with the financial assistance of other Government Departments):

Mr. Barber, Mr. Ronald Bell, Mr. Boardman, Sir Robert Boothby, Mr. Brooman-White, Wing Commander Bullus, Mr. Burden, Miss Burton, Mr. Bryan, Sir David Campbell, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Collins, Mr. Crouch, Mr. Darling, Mr. de Freitas, Mr. John Eden, Right Honourable John Edwards, Right Honourable Walter Elliott, Mr. Edward Evans, Mr. Fletcher-Cooke, Mr. Thomas Fraser, Mr. Grimond, Air Commodore Harvey, Dr. Somerville Hastings, Mr. Denis Healey, (Mr. Hollis), Vice Admiral Hughes-Hallett, Sir James Hutchison, Mr. Montgomery Hyde, Mr. George Jeger, Mr. Roy Jenkins, Mr. David Jones, Captain Kerby, Mr. Lindgren, Mr. Longden, Sir Jocelyn Lucas, Right Honourable J. S. Maclay, Mr. McLeavy, Mrs. Mann, Sir Frank Markham, Lieutenant Commander Maydon, Mr. Mellish, Right Honourable H. S. Morrison, Mr. Airey Neave, Mr. Nigel Nicolson, Right Honourable P. J. Noel-Baker, Mr. Oakeshott, Mr. Oliver, Mr. Paget, Mr. Pannell, Mr. Peart, Miss Pitt, Mr. Popplewell, Mr. Ramsden, Right Honourable Alfred Robens, Lieutenant Colonel Schofield, Mr. Sharples, Mr. Smithers, Mr. Teeling, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Vane, Major Wall, Group Captain Wilcock.

asked the Postmaster-General the total annual cost of the provision of clothing to Post Office personnel, other than postmen.

The total annual cost of providing clothing for Post Office personnel, other than postmen, is approximately £350,000.

asked the Postmaster-General to arrange for the issue of a special postage stamp to the World Jamboree, to be held in Great Britain in June, 1957, which year will also mark the centenary of the birth of Robert Baden-Powell and the Golden Jubilee of the Boy Scout Movement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Llewellyn) on 8th February.

asked the Postmaster-General to extend the present practice of issuing commemorative postmarks for special events, to include similar occasions in the life of the British Merchant Marine and shipbuilding industry.

I should be glad to consider on its merits any case my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) to arrange for the issue of a commemorative postmark to be used for the cancellation of mail posted on board the "Empress of Britain" during its maiden voyage from Liverpool on 20th April, 1956;(2) to arrange for the issue of a commemorative postmark to be used for the cancellation of mail posted on board the "Mayflower" during its unique maiden voyage from Plymouth, on 4th July, 1956.

I am considering these suggestions and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible

asked the Postmaster-General how long letters sent by Forces Air Mail take to reach destinations in the United Kingdom; and what steps he proposes to take to improve this service.

The time varies with the distance from the United Kingdom: letters from Germany take about two days, those from Korea about a week. I am not aware of any general dissatisfaction with this service. In the case of which the hon. Member has sent me details, delay was caused by failure of an aircraft.

asked the Postmaster-General the average time now taken for air mail letters from London to reach Montevideo; and how this compares with the time when the mails to South America were carried by the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

Air mail letters are due to reach Montevideo within about 1½–2 days of their leaving London. The time taken is practically the same as when the British Overseas Airways Corporation were carrying mails to South America.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on Civil Defence policy.

The Government's policy is set out in the Statement on Defence, 1956 (Cmd. 9691) published last Friday.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when work will be begun upon improving the road junction at Valley Road, Hertfordshire, on the Great North Road.

Negotiations for the acquisition of land have begun. I hope they will be completed in time for the work to be started before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made on Conway New Bridge since work started in April, 1955; and whether an estimated date of completion can now be given.

Work is proceeding satisfactorily and unless unforeseen difficulties occur I hope it will be completed in October, 1957.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when work will be begun upon the proposed roundabout on the Great North Road at the Comet public house in Hatfield.

Preparations are being made for the building of this roundabout in conjunction with the provision of a new road into Hatfield New Town, and I hope that work will start by the end of this year.