asked the Lord Privy Seal why the Atomic Energy Authority has given guarantees to certain groups of contractors and civil engineers that they will be employed to build the first four atomic power stations for the Central Electricity Authority; and why the Atomic Energy Authority has advised against the civil engineering work being put out to public tender.

The Atomic Energy Authority has given no such guarantee, nor would it be within its competence to do so. The invitations to tender for the atomic power stations to be built for the C.E.A. and technical advice given in this connection by the Atomic Energy Authority are the responsibility of those Authorities, and not of Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a further statement upon the recent disturbances in Sierra Leone against the increases in hut tax.

I am glad to be able to say that since the end of January no further disturbances have been reported.The Governor is to appoint Sir Herbert Cox, Q.C., lately Chief Justice in Tanganyika, to be Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry. Its terms of reference will be to inquire into the causes of the disturbances and the action taken to deal with them, and to make recommendations. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce very shortly the full membership of the Commission, which will begin its work as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total number of administrative officers in the eastern region of Nigeria; how many of these are in the Secretariat at Enugu; how many officers left the Service in 1955; and how many have expressed their intention to finish in 1956.

There are now 148 administrative officers serving in the Eastern Region of Nigeria, of whom 72 are serving at the Headquarters of the Regional Government in Enugu. Five left the Service in 1955, and seven have given notice of their intention to retire in 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what incidents have made necessary the section of the Tanganyika Penal Code Amendment Ordinance which prescribes penalties for incitement to violence.

No particular incident inspired the amendment in question. When occasion arose to amend the penal code the Tanganyika Government decided to incorporate a provision making incitement to violence a crime punishable with up to three years' imprisonment in view of the general desirability of discouraging such acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the formation of the proposed Whitley Council for Tanganyika.

A draft constitution for the Whitley Council has been prepared, but discussion on it has been deferred at the request of the staff side.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Government of Bermuda are claiming treasure found at sea in August, 1955, by private citizens some 12 miles from the Bermuda mainland; and by what authority this decision has been taken.

I have been informed that the remains of the wreck of a sixteenth century ship have been discovered within the territorial waters of Bermuda and that a number of articles of value have been salvaged from it. The Government of Bermuda has claimed the wreck and the articles found in it on behalf of the Crown, under Section 523 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why African representation on the Cotton Board in Nyasaland has been terminated.

There are four African members on the Nyasaland Cotton Marketing Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to cheapen and facilitate appeals from the Supreme Court of Seychelles.

No. So far as my right hon. Friend is aware, there is no reasonable ground for complaint.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many appeals from judgments of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Seychelles have been heard by the Supreme Court of Mauritius and the East African Court of Appeal from December, 1948, to date; how many of these judgments have been quashed, reversed, modified or sent back for retrial; and how many have been upheld.

Fourteen cases have been taken on appeal to the Supreme Court in Mauritius and one to the Eastern African Court of Appeal, with the following results:—

(a) Judgment reversed	ten
(b) Retrial ordered	one
(c) Trial declared a nullity	one
(d) Damages increased	one
(e) Damages decreased	one
(f) Judgment upheld	one

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, at the cessation of the active phase of the emergency in Kenya, he will instigate a full inquiry into and examination of the origins and growth of Mau Mau to ascertain why the movement was allowed to grow to such an extent before the Kenya Government took action, and in order to ensure that such circumstances shall never come about again.

The Kenya Government intends to investigate these matters fully at the end of the active phase of the emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what authority United States consular personnel in Hong Kong were permitted to search business establishments operated by Chinese residents, and to shadow and investigate them.

United States officials in Hong Kong have no authority to search business establishments or to interrogate businessmen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why United States consular personnel were allowed to search Chinese residents in Hong Kong, and to enter the senior department of the Nam Wah Middle School and to subject forcibly a girl student to a detailed search and a long interrogation about herself and her family.

United States Consular officials are not authorised to search Chinese residents in Hong Kong. As regards the incident to which the hon. Member's question evidently refers, I understand that, with the permission of the headmaster, officials of the Consulate-General asked a girl in the Nam Wah Middle School to establish her identity in connection with a passport inquiry. As soon as they realised that it was a case of mistaken identity, they apologised and withdrew.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take concerning the Chinese Nationalist airman Major Lei Shum-ling, who, while being pursued by members of the Chinese Government Air Force, landed his Sabre jet fighter in Hong Kong.

The circumstances in which the aircraft in question came to land in Hong Kong are by no means clear. The incident raises a number of complex questions of international law and practice which are still under examination.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies approximately how many cases of Mui-tsai bondage of children now exist in Hong Kong; and what action has been taken to secure the progressive abolition of this institution.

No cases have come to light for a number of years. Mui-tsai is illegal and social welfare inspectors vigilantly enforce the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to recruit Africans to work on the Kariba Hydro-Electric Scheme; what forms of contract they are being offered; and if they will be liable to prosecution in a criminal court for breaches of such contracts.

The first two parts of the Question relate to matters within the competence of the Federal Government. As to the last part, I am advised that under Northern Rhodesian law, breaches of contract by Africans working on the Northern Rhodesian bank of the Zambesi may involve a liability to prosecution. I cannot speak for Southern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the report of the inquiry by a High Court judge into the Semingih incident in Malaya on 13th January; and if he will make a statement and place a copy of the report in the Library of the House of Commons.

The Commission of Inquiry has not yet completed its work. My right hon. Friend will place a copy of its Report in the Library of the House as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the terms of reference of the conference to be held with Mr. David Marshall, in April, on the future of Singapore.

In my right hon. Friend's talks with the Chief Minister of Singapore last December it was agreed that the agenda for the talks in April should be:

(a) a definition of internal self-government;

(b) a date for the introduction of internal self-government;

(c) the structure of the Legislative Assembly;

(d) the future of the Public Service;

(e) external relations and external defence;

(f) any other business.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the transport system of Singapore; what were the chief recommendations; and which of the recommendations the Singapore Government are implementing.

The Report was submitted to the Governor last month and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Its principal recommendation is that a special public authority, or a statutory limited liability company financed jointly by Government and private investment, should be set up to operate the Colony's public transport services as a single undertaking. These are matters for the Government of Singapore and it is not for my right hon. Friend to consider the Report unless he is specifically asked to do so by that Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further steps are being taken by the Government of Malaya to settle the claims of the railway and Government employees of Malaya who are asking for an increase from $2·28 per day to $4·15, which claim was submitted to the Whitley Council, the official side of which offered $3 a day which was refused by the trade union side as inadequate with the value of the Malayan dollar at 2s. 4d.

I am informed that the Chief Minister is likely to see representatives of the workers concerned in the near future to discuss these wage claims and the Government's offer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what instructions have been given to the troops in Cyprus in connection with the use of firearms in controlling crowds or rioters.

Instructions are that firearms are to be used only as a last resort when serious injury to life or damage to property is threatened and when no other form of force would be sufficient to prevent it. Due warning must be given wherever possible and firing is to be limited to the minimum necessary to restore order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to state the precise proposals made by Her Majesty's Government for the future self-government of Cyprus; and what steps Her Majesty's Government are prepared to take to bring such self-government into being.

I cannot, at the present stage, go beyond saying that Her Majesty's Government's proposals in this regard were outlined during the Tripartite Conference last September, and have been further explained by the Governor in his recent exchanges with Archbishop Makarios and Turkish Cypriot representatives. These exchanges are still continuing and I am sure the hon. Member will agree that no further comment is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the finding of a new church for the Maronites in Nicosia; and what steps have been taken in recent months either to rehouse the museum building used for storage or to satisfy the Maronites' request.

Efforts to find a suitable alternative building have continued since my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on 21st December, but without success. The Governor is hopeful that it will eventually be possible to assist the Maronite community to find a new church but this will be difficult so long as the present shortage of accommodation and strain on building resources continue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the death in Famagusta on 7th February of Petrakis Yiallouris.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 15th February. The inquest has now been adjourned until 2nd March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present position of the recommendations of the Bourne Report and the active dissidence of inhabitants in Ashanti and Togoland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a further statement on the present constitutional position of the Gold Coast.

A Round Table Conference called by Dr. Nkrumah is now considering with the help of Sir Frederick Bourne the recommendations made in his Report and other constitutional questions. The majority of those invited accepted Dr. Nkrumah's invitation, but the Northern Territories Council and the National Liberation Movement and its associates have refused to attend. I am sorry that Dr. Nkrumah's efforts have failed to procure the attendance of all parties but nevertheless I hope that the Conference will assist the progress of the Gold Coast towards the attainment of full self government within the Commonwealth. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies said on 14th December last in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Fenner Brockway) it is still the intention of Her Majesty's Government that the Gold Coast should achieve that status at the earliest practicable date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement in respect of the recent referendum in Malta; and to what extent he will accept the result as a fair indication of the wishes of the electors of Malta.

I have nothing to add at this stage to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Teeling) on 15th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the recent conference in London on the subject of the federation of the West Indies.

My right hon. Friend proposes to make a statement as soon as possible after the conclusion of the conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make a statement on a new broadcasting station for Gibraltar.

I have nothing at present to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Erith and Cray-ford (Mr. Dodds) on 25th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the light of the House's decision in favour of the abolition or suspension of the death penalty, what steps he proposes to take about the operation of capital punishment in the Colonial Territories.

Local law and practice are the responsibility of the Colonial Governments. My right hon. Friend will, of course, keep these Governments informed of any decisions which Her Majesty's Government may take in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how the number of crimes committed in British Guiana in 1955 compares with the two previous years.

The particulars of crime since 1955 are as follows:

—	1953	1954	1955
Reports made:
Summary Offences	49,452	55,068	56,017
Indictable Offences	1,610	1,587	1,458
Proceedings in Courts:
Summary Offences	23,768	25,542	25,270
Indictable Offences	986	1,065	1,010
Total Convictions	20,322	23,538	22,958
Outstanding Cases			3,027

The above figures include minor offences such as drunkenness, breaches of traffic regulations, trespass, disorderly conduct, fights, cruelty to animals, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet received a report from the Governor of British Guiana as a result of the latter's visit to West Demerara; and what were its main conclusions.

The Governor has reported that his visit to West Demerara has helped his understanding of the problems there and that he was much impressed by the potentialities of the Boerasirie extension project for improving the drainage and irrigation of the whole area and for bringing an important extent of new land into production. He is satisfied that good progress is being maintained on this scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average expectation of life of male and female children in Trinidad at the age of one year in 1921, in 1954 and in representative intermediate years.

The latest date for which information is available is the period 1952–54. The following table gives comparisons with 1921, 1931 and 1946.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: EXPECTATION OF LIFE AT AGE OF ONE YEAR
	1921	1931	1946	1952 to 1954
Male	43·57	50·92	57·07	62·13
Female	45·82	52·34	59·46	64·00

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decisions have been taken as a result of the consultations between the Acting Governor of British Honduras and himself with regard to hurricane relief and reconstruction in the Colony.

Proposals were submitted by the British Honduras Government for a programme covering the relief and rehabilitation of the people of the northern district, the re-establishment of farmers on the land, and the restoration of the Government and public services. These proposals were examined in consultation with the Acting Governor and the Financial Secretary, who came to London for the purpose, and I have been able to approve a programme which is well-balanced and will enable the physical and economic damage to be restored on sound lines. The programme is estimated to cost £900,000. Subject to the approval of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government will provide towards the cost of this programme up to £500,000 as a free grant and up to a further £200,000 by way of loan. Colony funds will bear the cost of the balance, of which £170,000 will be found from the Colony's allocation of Development and Welfare funds. The loan will be for twenty-five years, the first five years being free of interest, and thereafter carrying interest at 3½ per cent. It is intended that the programme shall be completed within three years, but the forestry and agriculture sections of the programme may run up to four years.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of ice-breakers in the Royal Navy and in each of the fleets of the other Powers which have made territorial claims on the Continent of Antarctica.

Of the fleets concerned, only that of Argentina includes an icebreaker.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what provision is made by his Department for Service personnel who prefer a vegetarian diet.

It has not been found necessary to make any formal arrangements for vegetarians as there are so few of them in the Fleet. Under the two systems of victualling in the Royal Navy, the men either provide themselves with food out of a money allowance—this applies usually in small vessels—or are provided with meals, commanding officers having discretion to vary the diet for vegetarians.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware of the shortage of steel being delivered to the shipbuilding industry; and what action he proposes taking to remedy this situation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 15th February to Questions from the hon. Members for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop) and Sunderland, North (Mr. F. Willey).

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give the date by which the new telephone exchange at Langley Mill, Derbyshire, will be in full operation and available to subscribers.

By April next year on present plans. We may be able to improve on this a little.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress he has made with the plan to provide telephone weather forecasts for the London area.

This service will be available from Monday, 5th March. From then a record of a forecast made by the Meteorological Office may be heard by calling WEAther 2211. The forecast will relate to the weather in the London area. It will not replace the more extensive services that may be obtained from the Meteorological Office, London, on HOLborn 3434, or from the Meteorological Offices in other parts of the country.

asked the Postmaster-General what channels in Band III, and for what areas, have been authorised for the Independent Television Authority to date.

The I.T.A. have been authorised to use Channel 8 in the Midlands, Channel 9 in London and South Lancashire, and Channel 10 in Yorkshire

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state in greater detail the effect of the cut of £1,500,000 in capital investment for broadcasting upon the capital development of the services of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Television Authority.

In the case of both the B.B.C. and the I.T.A, the cut in capital investment is of the order of 20 per cent. on the original estimates for 1956–57. The general effect in both cases will be a slowing down of the process of extending and improving existing services. The details are now being worked out by the two bodies. On the subject of the applications which it has received from the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. for consent to provide a second television programme, the Government have decided to defer consideration of any such additional television programme for two years Such a postponement has the advantage that it should be possible by then to make a better assessment of the influence of current technical developments, including colour.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the total number of civilians of all categories employed in No. 14 Maintenance Unit, Royal Air Force, Carlisle; and the estimated total cost of their salaries and wages in the last financial year.

The civilian strength of the unit is 2,732 and the estimated cost of salaries and wages there in the year ending 31st March, 1956, is £1,218,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) whether his attention has been called to the allegation in the official report entitled, "The Royal Air Force Medical Services," Vol. II, to the effect that, during the war, Blackpool landladies were unwilling to allow sick people to remain long in their billets; and whether, in view of the fact that the question whether a sick man was to stay in his billet or attend hospital was strictly a matter for the Royal Air Force medical services, and that the landlady had no say in the matter at all, he will arrange for this statement to be withdrawn;(2) whether his attention has been called to the allegation in an official report entitled, "The Royal Air Force Medical Services," Vol. II, to the effect that Royal Air Force personnel during the war were often placed in overcrowded bedrooms by Blackpool landladies and whether, in view of the fact that the amount of space allotted to each man was strictly regulated by his Department and that regular inspections were carried out by the Royal Air Force, he will cause this statement to be withdrawn;(3) whether his attention has been called to statements in "The Royal Air Force Medical Services," Vol. II, criticising the attitude of Blackpool landladies towards Royal Air Force personnel during the war; whether he is aware that over 800,000 Royal Air Force personnel were billeted on 131ackpool landladies at a cost of £1 1s. per person a week over an eighteen-month period and, thereafter, at £1 10s. a week; that, in addition to sleeping accommodation, this cost covered breakfast, hot mid-day dinner, tea and supper; and, in view of the fact that succeeding commanding officers paid tribute to the landladies for their helpful co-operation, whether he will arrange for a correction to be made in the official history.

The scale of billeting in Blackpool during the war was so great that there were bound to be some shortcomings. These naturally find their place in an account of the war-time problems experienced by the R.A.F. medical services. I willingly pay tribute, as did this history, to the co-operative attitude displayed by the majority of the landladies, and I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this opportunity to correct the impression which seems to have been conveyed.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what provision is made by his Department for service personnel who prefer a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarians can have extra cheese, bread, milk and margarine in place of meat and bacon.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the general policy of his Department in regard to parking on safe traditional parking places, such as market squares, village greens, wide road verges, etc.; and what is his policy as to compelling motorists parking there to display rear and side lights during the hours of darkness.

The provision of parking places on and off the highway is a responsibility of the local authorities and it is my policy to encourage them to provide as much safe and suitable parking space as possible. At the present time parking without lights is not lawful on any road outside London except when approved by a chief officer of police at an authorised parking place. I intend shortly to make Regulations which will enable vehicles outside the London area to be parked without lights if and where the chief officer of police consents to it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to advise local authorities to notify the holder of a motor vehicle excise licence when it is due for renewal, as is done by the Post Office in the case of a radio licence.

No. The cost of such a reminder system would far outweigh any advantage it might have. All motor vehicle excise licences expire either on 31st December or at the end of the calendar quarter for which they are current and, as they have to be fixed to the windscreen, a motorist is kept constantly reminded of the expiry date.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent the railway modernisation programme and the recently announced programme for improvement of canals and inland waterways, respectively, are to be curtailed; and the total saving in each case to enable the British Transport Commission to save £22 million of capital expenditure.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement on the economic situation which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made on 17th February in which he said that the Commission would be spending more this year than last year in order to make a start with the railway re-equipment and modernisation plan. Priorities generally will be carefully examined to get the best value in increased operating efficiency for the resources employed.The answer to the second part of the Question is £12 million from the railways, £9 million from British Road Services, and £1 million all told from the rest of the Commission's activities.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will impose a 30 miles per hour speed limit on Tebourba Way, Southampton, and/or provide adequate lighting, pedestrian crossings and footpaths.

These are matters in the first instance for the Southampton County Borough Council; it has not as yet asked me either for a 30 m.p.h. speed limit or for pedestrian crossings.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to give an assurance that the motorway schemes proposed under the present programme will be carried out as quickly as originally intended; and, in particular, that the actual construction of the motorway between St. Albans and Ashby St. Ledgers will be started within two years.

As I said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 8th February. I am reconsidering priorities, but I cannot say at present whether, as a result, there will be any changes in the motorway schemes. The preparatory work including the statutory procedures is proceeding.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation by how much the roads programme is to be reduced for 1956–57; the total estimated expenditure during that year and the total new commitments to be entered into; and how these compare with the announced programme.

As I said on 8th February in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) I am reconsidering priorities to secure better traffic flow particularly at the approaches to large towns. This I think will be a better use of road resources in present circumstances. Accordingly, a few schemes which it was previously intended to authorise in 1956–57 will be deferred and the amount to be spent during that year will be reduced by about £¼ million.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to take steps to ensure that in future where the visibility on roads divided into three traffic lanes is restricted either by alignment or contour, the right to overtake by using the centre traffic lane should be restricted to traffic travelling in one direction only, and that clear directions to that effect should be displayed on the stretches of road concerned.

I am considering experiments with a wider range of road markings to control overtaking. The first essential is that any such markings should be clear and that their purport should be unmistakable and easily understood by drivers. My hon. and gallant Friend will realise that on roads in this country it is rarely practicable at bends to retain three lanes; vehicles need more room to manoeuvre at bends and it is better to divide the carriageway into two lanes only. At humps and dips which restrict visibility an overtaking lane would only be safe if the driver using it could rely on complete compliance by the opposing driver.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the work on the Swansea East Side Approach Road (Bridging of King's Dock Level Crossing), which was started in July, 1954, and the Swansea East Side Approach Road (Vale of Neath Railway Bridge), authorised in February, 1955, will be completed.

The estimated completion date for the new bridge over the King's Dock Level Crossing is September, 1957. The new Vale of Neath Railway Bridge is expected to be completed by November, 1958.

asked the Minister of Defence the number of man-years recruited by the Royal Navy, Army and the Royal Air Force, separate figures being given for each Service, in 1950,

MALE RECRUITMENT TO ACTIVE FORCES IN TERMS OF MAN-YEARS*
1950 to 1955
INITIAL RECRUITMENT
(Including National Service liability)
Service			1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955
Navy	…	…	96,000	100,500	113,000	101,000	83,000	74,000
Army	…	…	120,000	134,500	178,000	137,000	126,500	112,500
R.A.F	…	…	106,500	196,000	164,500	140,000	123,500	96,500
Total		…	322,500	431,000	455,500	378,000	333,000	283,000

(Excluding National Service liability)
Service			1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955
Navy	…	…	77,500	81,500	93,000	83,500	67,500	59,000
Army	…	…	86,500	100,000	91,000	72,500	57,000	48,000
R.A.F.	…	…	69,500	116,500	92,500	84,000	73,000	58,000
Total		…	233,500	298,000	276,500	240,000	197,500	165,000

PROLONGATIONS OF SERVICE
Service			1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955
Navy	…	…	15,500	34,500	18,000	21,500	14,000	14,000
Army	…	…	25,500	52,000	40,500	48,000	68,000	64,000
R.A.F.‡	…	…	†20,000	†65,500	38,500	46,000	45,500	34,000
Total		…	61,000	152,000	97,000	115,500	127,500	112,000
* The figures given exclude the man-year product of boys and apprentices before entry into the effective strength and of men joining the Army on the special short-service engagements, Types A, B, C, E, K, N, S and T.
† Represents best possible estimate.
‡ Excluding aircrew.

asked the Minister of Defence the number of Regular recruits enlisted in the Royal Navy, the Army, and the Royal Air Force during the period 1st January to 31st December, 1955, together with the comparable figures for 1953 and 1954.

The reply:

MALE REGULAR RECRUITS ENTERED IN EACH OF THE SERVICES IN 1953, 1954 AND 1955
—	1953	1954	1955
Royal Navy	9,334	8,111	7,582
Army	42,680	38,895	34,818
Royal Air Force	31,615	27,974	21,135
Total	83,629	74,980	63,535

The Answer is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many transatlantic passenger sailings between English ports and United States ports and vice-versa were made in 1955; and how many between Scottish and United States ports and vice-versa in the same year.

321 such sailings were made from and 303 to English ports in 1955 whilst the numbers from and to Scottish ports were 25 and 23 respectively. About one-fifth of the sailings from and to English ports and all those from and to Scottish ports were by ships having accommodation for not more than twelve passengers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations the constituent elements of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve; and what are its obligations.

I would refer the right hon. Member to paragraph 91 of the Defence White Paper published on 17th February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the present number of pest officers employed by his Department and county agricultural executive committees; what salaries are paid to these officers; what instructions are given to them in connection with the requests by the farming community for increased destruction of British wild life; and to what extent these instructions are based on information in recent ecological surveys.

The number of pests officers employed by my Department and county agricultural executive committees and their salaries are as follows:

10 Provincial pests officers	£860–£l,050
10 Field officers (Pests) Grade I	£860–£l,050
51 Field officers (Pests) Grade II	£655–£830*
155 Field officers (Pests) Grade III	£311–£655

Instructions to these officers concern the control of the animals specified in Section 98 of the Agriculture Act, 1947 (namely, rabbits, hares and other rodents, deer, foxes and moles) and wood-pigeons and birds of the crow family. The instructions are kept under review in the light of information obtained in ecological surveys.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many foxes were destroyed by his pest officers during the past 12 months; and what estimate he can give of the number of foxes destroyed during the same period by hunting.

The killing of foxes is not part of the normal duties of my department's pests staff save in Merioneth where, because of the exceptional conditions, three men are employed specially for this purpose. They destroyed about 900 foxes in the past twelve months. I cannot estimate how many foxes were destroyed by hunting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what traditional parking places in north Buckinghamshire, other than the Market Square at Stony Stratford, have recently been regraded as unauthorised street parking places during the past few months;(2) by what authority the Market Square at Stony Stratford has now been graded as an unauthorised street parking place; the reasons for this; and whether any formal request was made by the Wolverton Urban District Council for such a step to be taken.

The regulation of the parking of vehicles in streets, outside London, is a matter for the local authority, subject to my confirmation of any byelaws which it may make for this purpose. I am not in a position to say what action local authorities may have taken with regard to what my hon. Friend calls "traditional parking places" in any particular area. As regards parking in the Market Square at Stony Stratford, I informed the Wolverton Urban District Council in September last, following a public local inquiry, that I did not propose to confirm byelaws which they had made for the regulation of parking in the Square.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what visits have been paid to the State of Israel since its foundation by himself or his predecessors; and when the next visit will take place.

Neither I nor any of my predecessors have yet paid a visit to Israel. As regards my own plans, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave this afternoon to the hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Daines).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the anticipated drastic cuts in the exports of coal, he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board that it should take immediate steps to increase substantially the output of opencast coal and thereby assist in retaining valuable relationships abroad.

The Board is already fully aware of the need for a high level of opencast coal production, which increased by 13 per cent. last year and will, I hope, increase further this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date he sent a circular to all local authorities recommending that special consideration should be given to Regular ex-Service men for council house tenancies without regard to length of residence in the locality; how many satisfactory replies have been received; and which local authorities have written refusing to apply the suggested principle.

In a circular dated 8th March, 1955, I recommended to housing authorities that any application for a council house from a Regular ex-Service man who had found employment in or near the district or had family connec tions with it—provided the application is made within one year of his leaving the Forces—should be considered exclusively on the basis of his housing need and without regard to the length of his residence in the locality.The results are encouraging. Almost all the local authorities have now replied. 1,302 councils have stated that either they are already applying the principles I recommended or have now decided to do so in future; 107 have given partially satisfactory replies; 7 are in course of reconsidering their practice; 36 authorities have given unsatisfactory replies, but since I am in correspondence with the councils concerned, it would be undesirable to give their names.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he will either issue as a White Paper or send to all local authorities the descriptions of the methods by which freezing and bursting of water pipes in buildings has been prevented in Canada, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America for practically the last quarter of a century, details of which are in his possession.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 21st February to the hon. Members for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) and Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the savings that can result from the use of modular co-ordination in the laying out of, and the construction of, buildings, if he will circularise all local authorities asking them to give consideration to the application of this science, which is being so actively considered and applied in many European countries as well as in the United States of America.

I am carefully watching this development. As soon as methods applicable to this country have been evolved I shall consider the advice to be given to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Labour to break down the national totals and percentage of applications for the deferment of agricultural workers granted up to the end of 1955, so as to show detailed and proportionate results for each region, both before and after the extension in

APPLICATIONS (OTHER THAN RENEWAL APPLICATIONS) FOR DEFERMENT OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS BORN IN OR AFTER 1933 DEALT WITH BY AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY PANELS AND NATIONAL SERVICE DEFERMENT BOARDS
Ministry of Labour Region	A: From 15th February, 1951 to 31st December, 1955			B: From 1st October, 1955 to 31st December, 1955
	Number of applications	Deferment granted		Number of applications	Deferment granted
		Number	Proportion		Number	Proportion
			Per cent.			Per cent.
London and South Eastern	1,646	984	60	60	47	78
Eastern	3,673	3,042	83	230	213	93
Southern	2,725	2,351	86	146	143	98
South Western	6,520	5,559	85	309	286	93
Midlands	4,972	4,315	87	193	183	95
North Midlands	5,282	4,941	93	364	355	98
East and West Ridings	3,487	3,086	89	197	178	90
North Western	3,973	3,360	85	207	192	93
Northern	5,070	4,671	92	260	250	96
TOTAL: England	37,348	32,309	87	1,966	1,847	94
Wales	6,949	6,708	97	267	263	99
Scotland	6,789	6,010	89	361	331	92
TOTAL: Great Britain	51,086	45,027	88	2,594	2,441	94

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what estimate has been made by his research department of the increased cost to an ordinary three-bedroomed house if double windows were provided and the ceilings of the upper storey rooms insulated by glass wool; and what would be the approximate saving in fuel ex

Particulars in respect of each of my Department's administrative regions are set out in the table below. These statistics are collected quarterly and the last quarter of 1955 includes, therefore, only a short period during which the extended deferment arrangements operated.pressed as tons of coal per year that would result from this.

The provision of double windows would probably cost between £25 and £100 and the insulation of the bedroom ceilings by glass wool £6–£7. The resulting yearly savings in fuel could he as much as a quarter and half a ton of coal respectively, if heat comfort remained unchanged, though experience shows that improved insulation usually results in greater comfort rather than in the saving of fuel.