asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what action he has taken to improve the food and conditions aboard H.M.S. "Truelove" in view of the evidence at a court-martial held at Chatham on 16th November last.

In accordance with plans made some time ago, this ship was withdrawn from the Fishery Protection Squadron towards the end of last year to be prepared for reserve. The report of the Board of Inquiry which investigated conditions on board is being carefully studied, however, to see what can be done to improve conditions in other ships of the squadron. Service in these ships is bound to be arduous because of the nature of their duties.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1) what are the total numbers of civilians employed by his Department at Londonderry;(2) what is the total annual expenditure by his Department on naval establishments at Londonderry.

About one thousand four hundred and fifty civilians are employed in the Londonderry area. The total annual expenditure on naval establishments there is approximately two million four hundred thousand pounds; this excludes Admiralty overheads, replacement and running costs of ships and aircraft, and new capital expenditure.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the resolution sent to him by the Rugby Division of the British Medical Association protesting at the new charges for switching telephone calls during temporary absence; and what reply he has sent.

Yes, but I could not justify the withdrawal of the charge for temporary transfer of telephone calls. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply sent to the Rugby division of the British Medical Association.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) when he proposes to introduce special postage rates for magazines published by charities and other organisations of an educational, cultural and non-commercial nature;(2) how many charities and educational or cultural organisations of a noncommercial nature have approached him with requests that their publications, which are now subject to a higher postage rate than previously, might be allowed a special rate of postage to ease the burden put upon their finances by the new rates.

I have received representations from many organisations but I cannot satisfactorily separate those which come within my hon. Friend's definition. I have considered all these representations carefully and sympathetically but I am sorry I cannot agree to a special rate of postage for the publications to which he refers.

asked the Postmaster-General how much revenue his Department has estimated will be lost in the forthcoming financial year through the practice of shipping consignments of magazines which are by their nature exempt from Irish import duty in bulk from the United Kingdom to Dublin for posting thence to addresses in the United Kingdom.

I have no evidence that this practice is being followed but if my hon. Friend has any such evidence, I should be glad to have it.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress is being made in the provision of married quarters for airmen stationed at Greenham Common, Newbury; and if he will represent to the United States authorities the urgent need for making adequate provision in this way to relieve the pressure on local housing accommodation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Freeth) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, when there is a conflict of evidence between a man's Service documents and his birth certificate for the purpose of settling the date of his birth for pension questions, he will take the birth certificate as the conclusive document.

No. Recruits are warned that the date of birth which they give on first attestation will be accepted for all Service purposes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects to be able to start the experiment of one-way traffic in Jermyn Street, W.1.

The Commissioner of Police tells me that he hopes to start this experiment in about a month's time.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when Pelham Street Bridge, Lincoln, will be completed and when work will be started on the Stamford Boundary-Kesteven Boundary widening scheme.

The estimated date of completion of Pelham Street Bridge, Lincoln, is March, 1958. Work started on the Stamford Boundary-Kesteven Boundary widening scheme on the 20th February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the system of elec- trification which he has approved under Section 4 (2) of the Transport Act, 1947, for adoption by the British Transport Commission in then modernisation plans.

The British Transport Commission is today announcing its decision, subject to my approval, to depart from the electrification systems hitherto used in this country and to adopt as a standard for future electrification the use of an overhead supply of alternating current at the industrial frequency of 50 cycles, generally at a pressure of 25 kilovolts. This will apply to all lines to be electrified under the modernisation plan except the extensions of the Southern Region system to the Kent coast, for which it is proposed to use the low-voltage D.C. third-Tail system. This system will be retained where it now exists elsewhere in the Southern Region.Some other existing electric lines where no serious problems of inter-running arise will be kept on their present systems, at any rate for the time being, but elsewhere conversion to A.C. is proposed, in particular on the East Anglian lines of the Eastern Region, including the Shenfield electrification and its extensions.I am carefully and urgently studying the Commission's proposals in consultation with a number of my colleagues who are concerned. Meanwhile it would be premature for me to commit myself to final and formal approval of them. I should, however, like to express today my warm appreciation of the bold and imaginative technical decision which the Commission has reached on this most important matter and my hope that, in the words of its own report, it will be proved to have anticipated the needs of the new railway era.I am arranging for a copy of the Commission's technical report to be placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how far the reductions to be made in capital expenditure at the direction of Her Majesty's Government on the programme for the railways in the coming year, will affect the future programme for improvement and electrification of the line between London and the West Riding of Yorkshire.

I am not in a position to make a statement about the exact place to be assigned to this particular scheme in the British Transport Commission's modernisation programme, but the Commission has said that the reductions which have had to be made in capital expenditure this year will not affect the major development work of that programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what measures are being taken by the British Guiana Government to improve the living conditions of Amerindians in the Southern Rupununi Savannahs.

The Government have paid special attention to the improvement of medical facilities and the incidence of malaria has been greatly reduced. A scheme has been prepared for assisting cattle rearing by the Amerindians and they are benefiting from the improved economy of the area resulting from the construction of air strips and tracks. Government are assisting by grants the nine mission schools which serve the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the need for further progress with the geological survey in British Guiana; and what action is being taken with regard thereto.

Yes. It was the Government Geological Survey which led to the discovery of manganese deposits of major commercial importance and it is considered essential that this basic work for the development of the Colony's mineral resources should be extended to cover the whole territory. Financial provision for the period up to 1960 is included in the Development Programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what success is being achieved in introducing mechanised cultivation amongst rice growers in British Guiana.

In the last four years the number of tractors in use in the rice industry has nearly trebled and the number of combines has more than doubled. It is expected that this trend will continue and in order to ensure the most efficient use of this machinery the British Guiana Government proposes to intensify its investigations into problems of mechanisation of rice production.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the Government of Kenya were recently granted a loan of £5,000,000 for agriculture, and that their similar request for the same amount for education was refused; and if he will state the reason for this decision.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the request made by the Kenya Government in 1953. As my predecessor said on 9th December, 1953, in announcing the grant by Her Majesty's Government of £5 million for the specific purpose of intensifying African agricultural development, the same case could not be made out for distinguishing Kenya from other African territories in regard to education.It is estimated that from the beginning of 1953 to the end of the current financial year the Kenya Government will have spent a little over £4½million on African education from the ordinary budget. In the development plan for the period 1954–57 almost £1¼ million is allocated to African education. The considerable financial assistance which Her Majesty's Government are making available to Kenya, both towards the cost of the emergency and under the C.D. & W. Act, has helped to make it possible for the Kenya Government to undertake expenditures on this scale on African education.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what are the reasons for the Tanganyika Government's refusal to allow the Tanganyika Africa National Union to reopen its branch in Sukumaland;(2) why the Morogoro branch of the Tanganyika African National Union has been refused registration under the Societies Ordinance by the Government of Tanganyika.

No recent application has been received by the Registrar of Societies for the registration of a branch of the Tanganyika African National Union in Sukumaland, although some time ago registration was refused to certain branches in the area because the registrar was satisfied that they were being used for purposes prejudicial to the maintenance of peace, order and good government. This decison was welcomed by the great majority of the African population in the area. A branch of the union in Morogoro was registered on 15th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that Somalis find difficulty in becoming law students in the United Kingdom; and whether he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs.

I know of no special difficulties in the way of qualified Somalis undertaking law studies in the United Kingdom. I understand from the Governor that it has recently been decided to assist a suitable Somali to study law at an English University.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many students from the Somaliland Protectorate are obtaining higher education in the United Kingdom at universities, technical colleges and teachers training colleges, respectively; and his plans for increasing the numbers now studying.

Three at universities; eleven at technical colleges, and four at teacher training colleges. The Governor has very much in mind plans for fitting Somalis to qualify for higher education and, as the hon. Member was informed in my reply of the 23rd February, my Educational Adviser is to pay a visit to the Somaliland Protectorate as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why there is a 20 per cent. ad valorem tax on any goods entering Sierra Leone, since this is not the practice in the Gold Coast and Nigeria.

As tariffs are determined by Colonial Governments according to local needs, there is no uniformity of tariff rates between Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the Gold Coast. Incidentally the 20 per cent. ad valorem tariff in Sierra Leone does not apply to all imported goods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he authorised the demand for the return of outfit allowance from Mr. C. S. Duncan, a former education officer, Sierra Leone; and whether he will make a statement.

When he was appointed Mr. Duncan signed an agreement with the Sierra Leone Government which included, among other items, an undertaking to refund the amount of his outfit allowance if he resigned before completing three years' service. He resigned after serving only two years and five months. The Sierra Leone Government have waived their claim against him under the agreement in certain other respects but are not prepared to relieve him of this obligation. I can see no grounds on which to intervene in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of staff in the Fourah Bay Teachers Training Department, Sierra Leone; how many students there are; and how many will take the qualifying examination this year.

The Teachers' Training Department of the Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone employs 14 staff. There are at present 119 students, of whom 26 will sit their qualifying examinations this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will inquire into the position of the cocoa-marketing societies in the Kabba Province of Nigeria to see if they can be associated with a co-operative union in the Western Region in order to strengthen their resources, especially for crop financing.

I have done so and understand that these societies cannot legally join unions in the Western Region but that they are all members of the Kabba Co-operative Produce Marketing Union. This union is developing satisfactorily. It has made use of certain facilities provided by co-operative organisations in the Western Region. Crop financing appears to have been adequately provided for by loans from Northern Region authorities who made £20,000 available for this purpose in the current year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many schools remain closed on the instructions of the Governor of Cyprus, and the total number of pupils involved.

Four secondary schools involving 4,770 pupils. Although no elementary schools have been closed, teachers have been instructed to discontinue classes in 290 of these schools until Greek flags were removed from the school buildings. This involves 47,000 pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement on the granting of self-government to the people of Cyprus.

I have nothing to add to my statement of 5th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is now intended to hold a general election in Trinidad; and why the further delay is taking place.

The position regarding a general election remains as set out in my reply to the hon. Member of 14th December, namely that it must be held within four months of the dissolution of the present Legislative Council. This must be dissolved on or before 26th May of this year. There has been no further delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has given to the representations that have been made to him about bringing the Bridgetown, Barbados, aerodrome up to international standards.

I have not received any recent representations about this airport. It is already used by Stratocruiser aircraft, among others, and the runway is now being strengthened to carry these aircraft at their maximum permissible weight. It is also proposed to extend the runway from 6,000 feet to 7,000 feet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what amount each year the wage of the workers employed in the citrus growing industry has increased since 1951, showing each year separately.

I understand that the question relates to the citrus industry in British Honduras. The Governor has been asked for the information, and when available it will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which of the territories comprising the Windward Islands, compulsory education is enforced; and from which islands it has been withdrawn and what is the reason for such withdrawal.

Provision is made by law for compulsory attendance in Grenada and St. Lucia and in parts of Dominica. I am asking the Governor for details as regards enforcement and will write to the hon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the number of people employed in casual work in Dominica; what proportion this is of the total working population; and the average number of months a year for which these casual workers can hope to obtain employment;(2) if he will give an estimate of the percentage of the working population, and the numbers, unemployed in Dominica as an average for 1955 and for 1950;(3) what labour employment exchanges exist in the island of Dominica; and how unemployed persons or casual labourers, having no access to such exchanges, can find employment.

I regret that this detailed information is not available in the Colonial Office. I am asking the Governor for it and I will write to the hon. Member when I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement with regard to his recent visit to Malta.

I took the opportunity of my return journey from Cyprus to pay a brief visit to Malta where I had conversations on the present situation with the Governor, the Archbishop of Malta, the Maltese Prime Minister and local political leaders. My visit was necessarily brief. I accepted the Maltese Prime Minister's suggestion that he should come to London as soon as he had recovered from his indisposition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent mui-tsai exists in Singapore; and what measures are being taken to deal with this practice.

No case has come to light since 1949. The practice is illegal under the Children and Young Persons Ordinance, which is enforced by the Social Welfare Department.

asked the Secretary of State for War what quantity of paint originally ordered for use by anti-aircraft units has been declared surplus and offered for sale at public auction sales since 1st February, 1956; when was the paint ordered; and the principal colours of the surplus paint.

In the short time available it has not been possible for me to provide the detailed information asked for by the hon. Member but I will write to him.

asked the Secretary of State for War the date and quantity of bituminous paint ordered for the Army tents in Korea; when were deliveries made; how much was declared surplus and offered at public auction sales; and the colour of the paint.

Between July, 1951, and November, 1952, 6,000 gallons of dark brown bituminous paint were specially purchased for use in Korea. Deliveries were received between August, 1951, and February, 1953. Of this quantity 4,800 gallons have been declared surplus and offered for sale.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of institutes for agricultural research in Wales to which his Department contributes funds; and by whom they are financed and administered.

My Department at present grant-aids one agricultural research institute in Wales, namely, the Welsh Plant Breeding Station which is administered by University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. The grant covers the whole of the net cost of the Station. Responsibility for grant-aiding the Station is being transferred to the Agricultural Research Council as from 1st April, 1956.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food details of the amounts of Government funds spent in Wales on agricultural education, agricultural research, and the agricultural advisory service, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Forestry Commissioners have yet received the Report of the Committee on Hedgerow and Farm Timber.

Yes. The Report will be on sale tomorrow and copies will be available in the Vote Office.My right hon. Friend and I would like to express our thanks to the Chairman, Lord Merthyr, and the members of the Committee for the time and thought they have devoted to this important subject. Their recommendations will receive most careful consideration by Ministers and by the Forestry Commissioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT up-to-date lists of countries in the sterling area, excluding the British Commonwealth, in the dollar area, in the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, and of those in any other currency groupings, respectively.

Yes.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how far the expanded Imperial College of Technology will be concerned with all the major sections of technology on lines similar to those of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States of America; and if he is satisfied that the proposed site in Kensington is large enough to allow for the proper development of an institution of this kind; and if he will make a further statement.

The Imperial College will develop the study, at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels (but with increasing emphasis on the latter), of the whole range of technology for which London is an appropriate centre, having regard to the distribution of industry in this country and to the facilities available elsewhere. It will also continue to develop the study of the basic physical and biological sciences, but will rely on other schools of the University for subjects such as economics, law, and the humanities generally for which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has itself to provide. These requirements can be met on the proposed site provided that it is made fully available to the College. I hope that full particulars of the manner in which the site is to be developed, with a model of the proposed buildings, will be available very shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the floating debt has increased by £725 million, from £5,103 million in 1953 to £5,828 million in 1955; and if he will state what was the rate of interest charged in 1953 and what is the rate that has to be paid at present.

The figures quoted by the hon. Member relate to the totals of the floating debt on 31st December, 1953 and 1955 respectively. The rate of discount at which Treasury Bills were issued through the weekly market tender on 1st January. 1954, was £2 2s. 8d. per cent. The rate for Treasury Bills accepted on 2nd March, 1956, was £5 4s. 1d. per cent.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of fully qualified psychiatric social workers at present em- ployed by hospital management committees and by local authorities acting as agents for his Department.

The hospital statistics do not distinguish between psychiatric social workers who are fully qualified and those who are not but approximately 200 fully qualified psychiatric social workers are employed in hospitals and between 30 and 40 by local authorities under the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health why opticians are not allowed to supply rimless spectacles under the National Health scheme.

Rimless mountings do not give the protection to the lenses which is afforded by the usual frame, and I should not feel justified in authorising the expenditure of public money on them.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of smallpox and deaths from that disease were recorded in England and Wales in 1955.

On present information, none.

asked the Minister of Health how many death certificates were received during 1955 on which the cause of death was given as vaccination, vaccinia, encephalitis, or encephalomyelitis following vaccination, or similar condition following vaccination, and the ages of those to whom the certificates related.

On present information, one: seven months.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that no provision exists in his regulations to compel next of kin to return to the National Health Service wheelchairs and tricycles after the death of the patient to whom they were issued, he will state the authority under which an annual check is carried out to try to ensure the recovery of wheelchairs and tricycles which are no longer required; how many such conveyances were recovered during 1955; and what was their total value.

I check these vehicles as their owner. As regards the last two parts of the Question, the computation of numbers and values would involve lengthy and extensive administrative inquiries, which in the circumstances are not justified. I am satisfied that the procedure we adopt is effective.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that no information is available as to the annual cost to the public of hearing aids, invalid tricycles, and wheelchairs, false limbs, etc., which are written off annually by the National Health Service owing to the death of the patients to whom they were issued, he will now amend his regulations so as to ensure that, in the public interest, detailed records and accounts are kept of all such wastages, with a view to eliminating them.

I am not convinced of the advantage of the suggested amendment.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the difficulty many parents are experiencing in deciding whether or not to let their children be inoculated against infantile paralysis because of the fact that members of the medical profession know little of what is proposed; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mr. Moss) on 5th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on the Adoption of Children which were presented in September, 1954.

These recommendations are receiving consideration with a view to legislation as soon as time can be found for it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many West Indians are now resident in Scotland; and how many were admitted in 1955.

Some 800 persons born in the West Indies were enumerated in the 1951 Census as being usually resident in Scotland. For the reasons given in the Answer to the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) on 1st March there are no complete statistics of later arrivals, but I am not aware that any substantial parties have come to Scotland with the intention of remaining.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) to what population size he proposes that the development corporations of the new towns in the London area should develop their respective new towns; by what appropriate date this figure will be reached; and how many towns will be allowed to expand beyond the target size stipulated in the master plans within the period covered by the county development plans;(2) if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the ultimate anticipated size of new towns in the London area; the extent to which they will be expanded by the development corporations; and the anticipated extent of natural growth after the development corporations' targets have been reached.

I am examining the issues underlying these Questions, and I shall be consulting the development corporations and the local authorities concerned. In the meantime I have no statement to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state how many death certificates were received during 1955 on which the cause of death was given as vaccination, vaccinia, encephalitis, or encephalomyelitis following vaccination, or similar condition following vaccination, and the ages of those to whom the certificates related.

In 1955, two deaths registered in Scotland were certified as having been due to the effects of vaccination. In one case, a child aged three months, the certified cause was "vaccination, acute meningo encephalitis," and in the other, a child of four months, "post vaccinal encephalitis."

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of smallpox and deaths from that disease were recorded in Scotland in the year 1955.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what negotiations are taking place between the Scottish Education Department and local authorities with the object of obtaining agreement to the introduction of a teachers' widows', orphans' and dependants' pension scheme at an early date.

No negotiations are in progress, but, as my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State said in the Scottish Standing Committee on 21st February, we are ready at any time to meet the Educational Institute of Scotland and the local authorities to work out the details of the scheme outlined in the Teachers (Superannuation) Bill.

asked the Lord Advocate if he is yet in a position to prosecute in connection with the murders at East Kilbride and Dennistoun.

No. While the most diligent investigations have been made and are continuing in both these cases, so far no evidence has come to light pointing to the perpetrators of the crimes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what quantity of herring has been landed at Ross-shire mainland ports, including Inverness, from 1st October, 1955, to the latest available date; and what is the value of the catch.

The following are the figures requested for the period from 1st October, 1955, to 18th February, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much the price per cran paid by his Department to herring fishermen is reduced because of the high cost of road transport of surplus herring.

At present, the same prices are paid for surplus herrings at all ports irrespective of the cost of transport to the nearest factory.The Herring Industry Board propose that, from the 1st April, the price to be paid for herring of standard quality purchased for conversion to oil and meal should be 42s. per cran at Category A ports, 35s. at Category B ports and 28s. at Category C ports. In general, Category A includes only ports where there is an oil and meal factory: and Categories B and C, ports at which there is no factory, and transport costs are consequently heaviest.These proposals have been accepted in principle by the fishermen's associations and I am considering with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for the Home Department certain detailed suggestions which the associations have made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the annual cost to his Department of the transport by road of herring from Ross-shire mainland ports to fish-meal factories at Wick, Fraserburgh, and Peterhead.

In 1955 the Herring Industry Board incurred expenditure of approximately £22,600 in transporting surplus herring from Ullapool, Gairloch and Kyle to the factories mentioned. This is part of the operating costs of the oil and meal scheme, only the net loss on which is met by the Department.