asked the Minister of Labour what representations he has received advising that scientists and technologists should not be called up for National Service; and whether he will make a statement.

I am at present considering a proposal from the Federation of British Industries that first and second class Honours graduates in science and engineering who wish to take employment in industry should not be called up. This suggestion needs very careful examination and I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make as full a statement as possible on the proposed pilot survey of the pottery industry.

A Survey Advisory Committee on which both sides of industry, together with the British Ceramics Research Association, will be represented, is being set up. This Committee will consider detailed arrangements for the conduct of the survey against the background of the general conclusions reached by the Industrial Health Advisory Committee. These are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any decision has yet been reached concerning the future use of Inveresk Gate.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average cost per prescription for February, 1956, and for February, 1955.

64·49d. in February, 1956; 62·29d. in February, 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the annual cost incurred in maintaining the Institute of Seaweed Research at Inveresk, Musselburgh, Midlothian, and if he is satisfied that the benefits derived from the Institute's work justify the cost of its maintenance.

Grants from the Development Fund to the Institute of Seaweed Research for the last three financial years were at the average rate of about £53,000 a year.

A review of the work of the Institute was carried out in 1954 by the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy. The Council reported that the Institute had most capably carried out a programme of research which had yielded information of real value. It recommended that future research work should be concentrated on fundamental algal chemistry.

The Development Commission announced in July last that the Institute in its present form would close down in 1956, but that arrangements would be made for the continuation of fundamental research. These arrangements are now under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what has been done to implement the proposals of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy, accepted in 1951, for a National Library of Science Inventions.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated in the House on 24th April, £10,350 has been included in the current year's Estimates for the purchase of books and periodicals for the Patent Office Library. This Library will eventually form the basis for the National Reference Library of Science and Invention. As regards accommodation, I am not yet in a position to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 1st November.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what has been decided regarding the proposal of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy for a National Science Lending Library.

I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that a start is to be made towards creating a nucleus of the literature required for the National Science Lending Library, and provision has been made for this purpose in this year's Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement on the proposal of the Army Council to set up a committee to inquire into the structure of the Army with a view to the future.

General Hull has been appointed chairman of a Committee which my right hon. Friend has set up to examine the future structure of the Army in the light of probable commitments and, in particular, to consider ways in which demands for military manpower can be reduced and use that can be made of civilians and outside organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement about the reorganisation of the Reserve Army, giving a table showing the names of units disbanded or put into suspension, and those retained together with their roles before and after this reorganisation; and what opportunities there will be for trained paratroops to continue serving as such in the event of their former unit no longer being employed in this rôle.

The majority of major Territorial Army units will now know or shortly be told how they are affected by the reorganisation of the Reserve Army. My right hon. Friend considers that it would not be in the public interest to publish the table for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks, but I will gladly write to him giving details of any unit in which he is interested. As to the second part of the Question, trained parachute volunteers are eligible to join the nearest airborne unit of their own arm, and this arrangement will continue to apply.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the members of the Board of Management of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes were last appointed; what remuneration they receive; and what annual reports, apart from the published accounts, are submitted by them to the War Office or other Government Departments.

The members of the Board of Management were appointed on the following dates:The Chairman—1st January, 1949.Deputy Chairman—13th June, 1952.Other civilian members—4th December, 1953, and 2nd December, 1955.Naval member—27th February, 1956.Military member—29th December, 1954.R.A.F. member—7th October, 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for War to give an estimate of what would be the annual cost to his Department of sending letters of up to one-and-a-half ounces in weight to and from soldiers stationed overseas by first-class air mail at the concessionary rate of 2½d. per letter.

At present lightweight forces letter forms may be sent to or by Service men overseas for 2½d. I am advised that the extra cost of sending by air all letters under 1½ oz. for 2½d. would be about £500,000 a year for the three Services.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now make a statement about the Roberton Training Ground, Lanark.

Because of recent changes in the organisation of the Reserve Army this training area is no longer required. The matter is now being discussed with the owners.

asked the Secretary of State for War the age of, and the duration, nature and extent of the training which National Service man 23159461 James Falconer, of the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, underwent before he was sent to Cyprus where he was killed on Friday, 13th April; and the circumstances of his death.

This soldier was aged 19 years 1 month when he was killed in a terrorist ambush on the road between Lefka and Llpedhouls at about 2 p.m. on 13th April. He was acting as escort on a vehicle convoy. Before he went to Cyprus on 14th October, 1955, he had completed the normal 10 weeks' training which all infantrymen receive before being sent abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will introduce legislation to require the deposit of a copy of all sound recordings on the lines of that applied to books by the Copyright Act, 1911;

(2) if he will introduce legislation to require the deposit of a copy of every film made in this country on the lines of that applied to books by the Copyright Act, 1911.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to prevent British companies making agreements with Canadian companies to adjust price ranges and markets, particularly such arrangements that keep British products out of the Canadian markets.

Agreements of the kind mentioned could, in certain circumstances, be examined by the Monopolies Commission or could be subject to registration and examination by the Restrictive Practices Court under Part I of the Restrictive Trade Practices Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade his reasons for requiring paper manufacturers to send in returns of the paper they produce, since they can now buy as much raw material as they like; and if he will now discontinue the Department responsible for these returns.

Regular and up-to-date information about industrial production forms an essential part of the economic statistics which the Government need in order to frame their economic policy to the best advantage. I understand that the paper manufacturers also find these statistics useful.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the respective total amounts of capital expenditure by industry in 1937 and in each year since the war, stated in terms of 1948 or any other comparable price standard; and whether he is satisfied that the future prosperity of the nation is being sufficiently provided for.

Following is the Answer:

Total gross domestic fixed capital expenditure by industry
	£ million revalued at 1948 prices
1938	865
1948	933
1949	1,031
1950	1,086
1951	1,061
1952	1,006
1953	1,079
1954	1,186
1955	1,364

These figures cover expenditure by agriculture, fuel and power, manufacturing, building, transport, distribution, etc.; they exclude expenditure on new dwellings, social services and other public services. Figures for recent years in more detail are given in Economic Survey 1956, Table 3. Comparable figures for 1937, 1946 and 1947 are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated loss of revenue in a full financial year if the level at which Surtax is imposed was raised from £2,000 to £3.000, £3,500 and £4,000, respectively.

The cost in a full year of raising the starting point to £3,000, £3,500 or £4,000 would be £27 million, £40 million or £50 million respectively if the income above the new starting points continued to bear the same rates of tax as at present. If the current rates above £2,000 were applied to the corresponding slices above the new limit the cost would be £46 million, £61 million or £73 million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the present number of students attending Scottish universities; what increase in the student population is estimated to take place during the years when an increasing number of pupils will be passing out of the secondary schools; and what steps are being taken, in conjunction with the University Grants Committee, to meet this situation.

In October, 1955, there were 14,109 full-time students in Scottish universities. The extent to which the demand for university education is likely to increase in the next decade, and the provision to be made for meeting it, are questions which are now under close examination as matters of urgency, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he hopes to approve the Warwickshire County Development Plan.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the Warwickshire County Council sent its development plan to him; and when he intends to approve it.

The plan was submitted to my predecessor on 30th November, 1951, and a public inquiry was held the following year. Thereafter certain modifications to the plan were discussed with the county council who prepared revised maps to take account of these modifications. I then held up my final approval, since it appeared that there was some prospect of local agreement being reached on schemes for the relief of congestion in Birmingham which might affect the plan. However, since these schemes are still some way from being settled, I have now decided to go ahead and approve the plan subject to the modifications agreed with the county council. The formal documents will be issued in the course of the next fortnight.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how long the negotiations have been going on for the purchase of the land and water necessary to provide Pateley Bridge rural district and Nidderdale with a water supply; and on what date he made the order to acquire the necessary land and water.

Negotiations between the parties have been going on for some years. The Order will now be made as soon as the draft of it is agreed by the promoters.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how his review of the effects of revaluation and the other aspects of local government finance is progressing.

I recently presented to Parliament a White Paper giving preliminary information about the new valuations for rating in England and Wales. The new assessments are, of course, subject to appeals. It will not therefore be possible to obtain a clear picture of the position until sufficient cases have been settled for the trend of the appeal decisions to become evident.

Meanwhile, the effects of revaluation are being studied by the Government together with other related aspects of local government finance. This is the most thorough review of its kind since 1929, and naturally includes an examination of the issue of Berating. This review which was started some months ago, is now already advanced. In fact, the Government expect to be ready with proposals for discussion with local authority associations by the autumn; and we hope to be able to make an announcement of our conclusions before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, of the total number of houses built in the years 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 and to the latest convenient date in 1956, he will state the percentage built by local authorities and private enterprise, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Housing Return for 31st March, 1956, published last week.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many Housing Management Commissions have been appointed under Section 87 of the Housing Act, 1936, and which are still in existence.

None.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the recent decision in Lamb versus Jeffries; and whether he will promote amending legislation, or take other steps, to provide that a teacher, the terms of whose contract of employment are determined by the county council but whose appointment has been made by the governors of a school and confirmed by a borough council as the divisional executive of an accepted district, shall not be disqualified from being a member of that borough council.

I have nothing to add to the Answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Itchen (Dr. King) on 8th March.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects to give his decision on the school building programme for 1957–58.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many motor car workers who are on Short-time are receiving unemployment pay; their estimated average wage and for how many days; and how much unemployment pay they receive.

Last week less than 100 out of some 25,000 motor car workers on short time were in receipt of unemployment benefit. As the result, however, of a local tribunal decision on 4th May, there will be a substantial increase in the numbers eligible for benefit. I have no information yet as to the, numbers actually entitled to benefit this week. I have no information as to the average wage of those concerned. The standard rate of benefit is 6s. 8d. a day for a single man, and 13s. 4d. a day for a married man with two children.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what changes he now proposes in the original plan of building 12 atomic power stations by 1965; and if he will make a statement outlining the new proposals and their cost and aims.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey) on 7th May.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet received the Report of the Ports Efficiency Committee on the delays to road vehicles in docks; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. The Report is being published on 10th May. Its recommendations are addressed primarily to shippers, shipowners, port authorities and road hauliers, by whom I hope they will be given full and urgent consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representations he has received requesting an amnesty to be granted to political prisoners in territories under the jurisdiction of Her Majesty's Government.

I do not know how the hon. Member would define the term "political prisoners". I receive representations from a variety of sources suggesting the treatment to be accorded to persons detained in Colonial Territories; but I am not aware of any request for a general amnesty such as the hon. Member appears to have in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many death sentences have been imposed, and how many have been carried out, as the result of new trials in criminal cases ordered by the East African Court of Appeal in appeals from Kenya.

pursuant to his reply[OFFICIAL REPORT, 18th April, 1956; Vol. 551, c. 71],supplied the following information:

Since 1st January, 1951, nine death sentences have ben imposed, and seven of these have ben carried out, as a result of new trials ordered by the East African Court of Appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why only 59 of 142 Tanganyikan students who passed the Cambridge Scholarship in 1955 are receiving higher education; what has happened to the remaining 83; and why they were not given opportunities for further education.

Only 59 Tanganyikan students passed the Cambridge School Certificate examination in 1955 with the credits necessary to qualify them for admission to East African institutions of higher education. Further local training is being arranged for selected candidates applying for posts in the engineering section of the Public Works Department (14), teacher training (26), medical services (6), veterinary services (2), cooperative development (2), and the Labour Department (2). The remainder are obtaining direct employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is prepared to appoint a committee representing all races in Tanganyika to consider franchise questions for both central and local government elections in Tanganyika.

The franchise in central Government elections is one of the matters which will be studied by a Committee to be set up in Tanganyika to consider the detailed proposals which the Government is putting forward for the inauguration of elections to the Legis- lative Council. The establishment and purpose of this Committee, together with Government policy in regard to elections, were announced in the Governor's speech to the Legislative Council of 25th April, of which a copy is being placed in the Library.

Elections have not yet been held in accordance with the Rules laid before the Legislative Council in February of this year under the Local Government Ordinance. It would therefore be premature to appoint a committee to review local government franchise at the present time.