asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what additional road space will become available as a result of building operations now being carried out in Bennet Street between St. James' Street and Arlington Street.

Responsibility in this matter is divided between the Westminster City Council as highway authority, and the L.C.C. as planning authority. The city council did not propose any widening of Bennet Street as its capacity is limited by the traffic signals at the Arlington Street—Piccadilly junction rather than by its width. The L.C.C., however, in granting planning permission to redevelop the south side, imposed a condition that the new building should be serviced from Arlington Street. This arrangement should relieve Bennet Street of standing traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what economy cuts have been made in the road programme for the present financial year.

My noble Friend cannot expect me to anticipate any announcement of the Government's decisions in respect of the proposed economies foreshadowed by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will circulate an up-to-date list of all major road improvement schemes which are being started in the current financial year.

Following is a list of some of the more important road improvement schemes on which constructional work will, I hope, be begun in this financial year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what stage has now been reached in the planning and execution of the new motorway to the north of England.

Objectors are being interviewed as quickly as possible and I hope in the next few months to make the scheme establishing the line of the road between St. Albans By-pass and Watford Gap in Northamptonshire together with the spur to Dunchurch. I shall then publish the draft Orders under Section 3 of the Special Roads Act, dealing with alterations to side roads, public footpaths, etc.The consulting engineers have completed the prototype bridge designs and these have been approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission. Substantial progress has also been made with the preparation of detailed drawings, bills of quantities, and land reference plans for this section. My intention is to proceed with this portion of the road at the earliest possible moment.On the section north of Watford Gap to Doncaster, the preliminary survey has been completed and the necessary drawings required for the draft Scheme are being prepared. I have to discuss with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the effect on agricultural interests of the proposed line. I hope these discussions will be completed in time for me to publish a draft Scheme before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will list the 23 schemes each costing over £100,000 for converting A.1 into a dual-carriageway road.

I would refer my hon Friend to the Answer I gave today in reply to his Question about A.1.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish in HANSARD the text of the Note sent to the British Government by the Soviet Government on the incident concerning Lieut.-Commander Lionel Crabb, and the reply sent by Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics should be invited to join this organisation.

No.

asked the Minister of Defence what he estimates the annual savings to the Exchequer would be if National Service were abolished; and whether he will take the necessary action to bring about this saving in national expenditure.

The answer to the first part of the Question would depend upon the size of the Regular Forces to be maintained. This would in its turn depend on the commitments which they had to carry out and on the success of Regular recruiting. As regards the second part, I have nothing to add to my reply to Questions on this subject this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will list the offences for which deportation is authorised in each of the Colonial Territories; and how many persons have been deported from each of these territories in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

The Answer to this Question involves consultation with colonial Governments, who are being asked for the information. I will pass it on to the hon. Member when it is received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether in view of the improvement in the state of the emergency in Kenya, he will amend the criminal procedure code; and, in particular, if he will consider the appointment of multi-racial juries.

A comprehensive review of criminal procedure in Kenya was initiated some time ago and is proceeding continuously, but the volume of work involved is such that completion of the review cannot be expected in the immediate future. The implications of creating a system of multi-racial juries will be examined in this general context.

asked the PostmasterGeneral when he proposes removing the telegraph poles extending from Finchley Road, London, to Dollis Hill.

We have been unable to identify any Post Office poles awaiting recovery in this locality. If the poles in question are Post Office poles and the hon. Member would furnish more precise information of their whereabouts, I will have further inquiries made.

Harvey asked the Postmaster-General whether he now proposes to take over the land behind the Drill Hall, Tenby Road, Roch Avenue, Edgware, at present in the possession of the War Office, and for what purpose.

We are discussing the use of this land with the local authorities concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the sub-post office at Weoley Castle, Birmingham, is run in conjunction with a general store; that the population of this area is expanding by thousands; that there are widespread complaints about the unsatisfactory service which is resulting; and what action he proposes to take to provide a separate post office for this area.

This office, like the great majority of sub-post offices, is run in conjunction with a private business. Because of the increase of population in the area, it is hoped to open a new sub-office in Hillwood Road when the new shops being built there are ready.

asked the Postmaster-General the circumstances in which he is seeking an extension of premises or accommodation for the Post Office services in Aberdeen; why he is incurring the expense of a new building for these purposes instead of using some of the buildings now in existence and available for the purpose; and what will be the capital cost and annual cost involved.

My right hon. Friend is looking into the matter and will write to the hon. and learned Member.

asked the UnderSecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what special steps he proposes to take to make known to public opinion in the Commonwealth and the United States of America the reasons for the breakdown in the negotiations concerning the future constitution of Singapore.

Full information was sent to our representatives in Commonwealth countries so that they might secure the widest possible publicity for the statement issued by Her Majesty's Government on 15th May. This statement set out in detail the reasons for the breakdown of the talks. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary that similar steps were taken in the United States of America and other foreign countries.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects the recently announced increases in salaries to be paid to nursing staffs of hospitals.

The Whitley agreement giving full details of the new salaries is being issued to hospital authorities tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the number of spastic children in Aberdeen city and county, their ages, the nature and kind of academic education and occupational therapy they are receiving and the results which are being achieved there.

I am asking the education authorities for this information and will write to the hon. and learned Member when I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the number of persons in Aberdeen city and county, with their ages, suffering from spastic infirmities, the places where and the manner in which they are receiving therapeutic treatment and the number and kind of qualified physiotherapists and other expert persons who are engaged in this work there.

I am making inquiries, and I shall write to the hon. and learned Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what type of aircraft is used by qualified parachute soldiers for jumping practice; and to what extent there is a shortage of these aircraft.

Hastings and Valettas are being used for this purpose; in general, aircraft resources in the United Kingdom are adequate for Regular parachute personnel.