asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many, and in what Colonies and Dependencies, there is not now a Department of Co-operatives.

There are nine territories where there are official registrars of cooperative societies but no separate Departments of Co-operatives; and eleven others in which there are as yet neither registrars nor Departments.The lists of the territories are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the number of cases of juvenile delinquency in British East African Colonial Territories have increased or decreased during the past five years; what accommodation exists for these delinquents outside of prisons; whether instances of the infliction of corporal punishment have declined; and whether this punishment is ever inflicted on girls or women.

As regards the first part of the Question, I am asking the Governors of the territories concerned to bring the available data up to date.As to accommodation, there are reformatories or approved schools for young male offenders in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, and remand homes in Kenya and Uganda. In Zanzibar there are facilities for sending boys who require institutional treatment to the approved school in Tanganyika.Corporal punishment of juveniles has increased in Kenya during the past five years but has declined in Somaliland. It has shown little variation in Tanganyika and Zanzibar. There has been some increase in Uganda, but both here and in Zanzibar this form of punishment is used very sparingly.In none of these territories is corporal punishment ever inflicted on girls or women.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the maximum period for which juveniles may he sentenced to solitary confinement in the prisons of Kenya.

The maximum period is sixteen days, of which no more than seven days can be served continuously; an interval of seven days must elapse before a further period of the sentence is served.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the minimum age at which a person sentenced to detention during the Governor's pleasure can be placed in prison in Kenya; what ages were given in the court records in the cases of 12795/J, admitted to Kamite Prison on 20th August, 1954, and of 7966/J, admitted on 12th June, 1954; and whether entries in the prison records, stating them to be 12 years of age, were subsequently altered.

Subject to provisions in the penal code regarding the age at which a person can be held to be criminally responsible, which govern the minimum age at which persons can be convicted, there is no minimum age for the detention in prison of persons sentenced to be detained during the Governor's pleasure. The place and conditions of such detention are determined after all the circumstances of each case, including age, have been taken into account.The ages attributed to these prisoners in the proceedings of the courts, which convicted them on capital charges and sentenced them to be detained during the Governor's pleasure, were "under 18" and "about 12½" respectively. The prison records showed the age as 12 in both cases and there were no subsequent alterations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the maximum age at which an unaccompanied child may be kept in a detention camp in Kenya.

There is no maximum age limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Seychellois entered Kenya in 1955; and the deposit they must pay to enter this Colony.

:Of the 399 Seychellois who entered Kenya in 1955, 148 were returning residents, 118 were visitors and 73 were holders of temporary employment passes or entry permits. A deposit of £30 is required of non-residents to cover the cost of repatriation, including maintenance if necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the reason for which Colonel Young resigned the office that he held in Kenya.

I have nothing to add to my statement of 2nd February, 1955, the terms of which were agreed with the Kenya Government and with Colonel Young.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the police of the Fiji Islands entered a private meeting of trade unionists at the Nandi Theatre on 30th May and threw two tear-gas bombs into a crowded hall of unarmed and peaceful people causing injury to a number who had to be treated at the local hospital; if he will hold an inquiry into this incident; and also give an assurance that the Government of Fiji will refrain from interfering with the internal affairs of the trade unions.

I am informed that the annual general meeting of a union of Indian sugar cane farmers became disorderly; that the general secretary of the union called in the police to restore order and that they requested the crowd to leave the hall peacefully. The disorder continued and after due warning it was necessary to use two tear smoke grenades. There were no serious injuries. My right hon. Friend sees no reason for an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps arm being taken to replace the social welfare adviser on the staff of the Comptroller of Development and Welfare in the West Indies.

It is not proposed to make a new appointment to this post as it has so far existed. The work of the Comptroller for Development and Welfare in the West Indies and his advisers will come to an end on the establishment of the Government of the Caribbean Federation. It has been agreed in principle at the London Conference held in February of this year that there should be provision for the establishment of Federal Agencies for the purpose of advising and assisting Governments and others throughout the area. It will therefore be for the Federal Government to decide how far they wish to continue and extend the work of the various advisers at present attached to the Comptroller.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further progress has been made in respect of a new constitution for British Guiana; and with what organisations or representative persons discussions on this matter have taken place recently.

Progress is being made in the revision of electoral rolls and in the drafting of legislation, including necessary amendments to constitutional instruments. A draft Order-in-Council to authorise local legislation in preparation for elections was laid before Parliament on 15th June.The Governor has had discussions with the leaders of all main parties, except Dr. Jagan, who has not approached him, and with many other representative persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British soldiers and civilians and Cypriot civilians have been killed or injured, respectively, since the outbreak of violence; approximately how many assailants or suspected persons have been killed, injured, or arrested; what Cypriot Christian priest, or other representative person, has publicly denounced violence and appealed for its cessation without prejudice to the political issue; and what steps have been taken, in the interest of school children, to reopen schools and to secure agreement among teachers to dissuade their pupils from participating in violence.

The Bishop of Kyrenia is reported to have denounced violence on the eve of his arrest: his support of the terrorist movement is however notorious. A few other individuals have more sincerely denounced violence and appealed for its cessation. Half of the elementary schools have been reopened, and the Governor is considering what steps can be taken to arrange for further schools to be reopened without prejudice to security.The Answer to the first and second parts of the Question is as follows:

CASUALTIES
—	Killed	Wounded
British
Troops	39	154
Police	1	6
Civilians	5	32
Cypriots
Police (Greek-Cypriot)	9	21
Police (Turkish-Cypriot)	7	17
Civilians (Greek-Cypriot)	40	74
Civilians (Turkish-Cypriot)	1	22
Terrorists	13	19
	Captured—103
Note: In addition to the figures for terrorists given above, 312 persons are detained under the Detention of Persons Law who are suspected of acts of violence or of the furtherance of E.O.K.A. activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Government controlled beershops there are in the Seychelles; what their profits were in 1955; and whether these are still used to finance the services of a welfare and co-operative officer from the United Kingdom.

There are three Government-controlled clubs which sell "Bacca", a cheap and, I am informed, wholesome drink made from the fermented juice of crushed sugar cane. The net profits of approximately £1,375 in 1955 acrue to the Colony's ordinary budget and are not earmarked for any particular purpose.The services of a welfare and cooperative officer from the United Kingdom have never been employed in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will obtain a report from Malaya with regard to the circumstances in which Mr. Gordon Charteris Wemyss died at Batu Gajah Hospital; whether there has yet been a formal inquiry into this matter; and with what result.

I called for a report from the Federation of Malaya as a result of certain representations I had received from Mrs. Wemyss about the circumstances of her husband's death. The High Commissioner's reply indicated that a departmental inquiry had been held to investigate Mrs. Wemyss's allegations, that he was satisfied that her husband's condition was correctly diagnosed, that he received sufficient and adequate care and attention in hospital, and that allegations to the contrary made by Mrs. Wemyss were without foundation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal to what extent the development of the peaceful uses of atomic energy is dependent upon experimental atomic explosions.

The development of the peaceful uses of atomic energy is in no way dependent on atomic explosions. Nevertheless, experimental atomic explosions do yield scientific information of fundamental value.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what part Scapa Flow plays in the plans of the Admiralty in the event of war.

As the hon. Member will realise, it would not be in the public interest to reveal war planning details and I must, therefore, confine myself to repeating what has already been made public, namely, that we no longer see sufficient use for most of the naval installations in the Orkneys, either in peace or in war, to justify the expense of their retention.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what representations he has received about the facilities at Port Dinorwic, in the County of Caernarvon, for laying up small vessels; and what action he proposes to take to use these facilities.

The Managing Director of the Dinorwic Slate Quarries Company Limited suggested Port Dinorwic for laying up small naval vessels in reserve in a letter to the Admiralty dated 8th June. If it should become necessary to lay up vessels in this area the use of Port Dinorwic would be considered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty to make a statement on his plans for closing down naval establishments.

As was mentioned in my noble Friend's Explanatory Statement on this year's Navy Estimates, the whole shore support of the Navy is being reviewed to ensure that it remains adaptable and economical and that as much money and manpower as possible can be devoted to the sea-going Fleet.The review covers a wide field and will take time to complete. As and when conclusions are reached which are endorsed by the Board of Admiralty, steps will be taken to implement them; a recent case in point is the reduction of the naval base in the Orkneys.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the danger to British warships of the silting up of the Solent; and what steps he is taking to keep the channel clear.

No. No danger to Her Majesty's ships exists from this cause. The Hydrographer of the Navy has surveyed the Solent regularly during the last 20 years. The seabed is relatively stable and there are no signs of any area silting up appreciably.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what requests have recently been made to the Admiralty for assistance by Sunderland shipbuilding firms which are having difficulties in obtaining steel supplies; and what assistance has been given.

There has been one such request so far this year. We have taken the matter up with the British Iron and Steel Federation, but, because the firm concerned expects to receive more steel in 1956 than in 1955 or 1954, the Federation can promise it no more help until the needs of firms still receiving less than in 1954 have been met.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that television reception in the Bexhill area has deteriorated since transmission has been removed from Alexandra Palace; that this deterioration has increased during the past six weeks; what steps are being taken to overcome these difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

Bexhill is beyond the limit of good reception from the present temporary Crystal Palace station, as it was from Alexandra Palace. There has actually been some increase in the strength of the television signal received in the Bexhill area, but lately this has been offset by poor atmospheric conditions. Reception will be improved when the power at Crystal Palace is doubled later in the summer, and further improved towards the end of 1957, when the permanent mast is completed.

asked the Postmaster General if he is aware that Sir Bernard Docker has booked time on the Independent Television Authority service to publicise his side of the dispute with his former employers, the Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited; and whether he will ban this broadcast under the Second Schedule to the Act, as being an advertisement and reference to an industrial dispute.

Section 4 (3) of the Television Act places on the Independent Television Authority the responsibility for ensuring that advertisements comply with the provisions of the Second Schedule. The Authority decided that this particular advertisement was admissible under those provisions.

asked the Postmaster-General what research development he is conducting in connection with the practicability of using air-projectiles for the transport of distant mail.

None

asked the Postmaster-General why his Department describes a branch post office, located in Northgate, Hartlepool, as the Middlegate Post Office.

I intend to change the name of the office. The head postmaster is discussing with the council what the new name should be.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken to remind the general public of the re, vision of certain postage rates.

As I explained in my reply on 13th June to my hon. Friend, the Member for Reigate (Mr. Vaughan-Morgan), widespread publicity was given to all the new postage rates before they were introduced; reminders about the new rate for printed papers were issued on 2nd and 6th June.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of applicants waiting for telephone installations at the Feltham and Hounslow Exchanges at the latest convenient date.

954 at Feltham and 1,899 at Hounslow on 31st March, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the shortage of married quarters at A Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Habbaniya; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

There is a shortage of married quarters at Habbaniya. This is now a Royal Iraqi Air Force Station, and the number of Royal Air Force personnel who will remain there is a matter for agreement with Iraq.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the crash on Friday, 15th June, near Ipoh in Perak, Malaya, of a Royal Air Force Valetta transport aircraft.

On the morning of 15th June a Royal Air Force Valetta crashed into a hillside while engaged in dropping supplies to troops about twenty miles

south-east of Ipoh in Perak State. In addition to the Royal Air Force crew of three the aircraft was carrying an Army officer as observer and five men of the Royal Army Service Corps as dispatchers. The bodies of eight men have been recovered. The body of the ninth occupant of the aircraft has not been found but he must be presumed to have been killed. A court of inquiry has been convened.I am sure that the House will wish to join with me in expressing sympathy for the bereaved.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what consultations took place with the British Transport Commission before it was decided to reduce the number of vehicles to be retained by 101.

No decision was taken by my predecessor or by me to reduce the number of vehicles. The Transport (Disposal of Road Haulage Property) Bill has contained a limitation on both number and aggregate unladen weight ever since it was first presented to the House. As I explained to the hon. Member on 6th June, the Commission has been free to keep 7,750 vehicles, but to keep that number and to keep within the limit of 36.000 tons unladen weight it would have to sell some of the heavier vehicles it now proposes to retain, and substitute a greater number of lighter vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to introduce legislation to free pick-up vehicles from the limit of speed of 30 miles-per-hour in all circumstances at present imposed on them, and make them subject to that limit only when in built-up areas, in the same way as are private vehicles.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Written Answer on this matter which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas).

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will consider the construction of a roundabout on the main road through Newton Farm Housing Estate, Hereford.

This proposal has been examined, but it is considered that traffic conditions do not warrant the construction of a roundabout.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to give a general direction to the British Transport Commissioners, when planning the economies required in the national interest, not to close branch lines save in the most exceptional circumstances.

No. It is of prime importance for the British Transport Commission to reduce its operating costs wherever practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of road accidents known by the police to have occurred in 1953, 1954 and 1955, on the All London to Newmarket trunk road on a length of road extending from the Bull and Horseshoes public house, North Weald Basset to the junction of First Avenue, New Harlow, specifying separately the annual number in which fatal and other personal injuries have been sustained together with the annual number in which children under 15 years of age have received fatal or personal injuries.

The police reported 57 accidents in 1953, 76 in 1954 and 89 in 1955. Of these, one, none and one respectively were fatal and 17, 27 and 42 involved personal injury. No children were killed in any of these years; four were injured in 1953. three in 1954 and three in 1955.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made on the Potter Street diversion on the All trunk road authorised in 1955–56; and when the work on this scheme will be started.

I have made an Order establishing this diversion as a trunk road and the preparation of detailed working drawings and other preliminaries is well advanced. It is hoped to obtain the land required in time for work to start in the summer of 1957.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made on the Harlow by-pass on the All trunk road; and when it is proposed to start work on this scheme.

I have made an Order establishing the line of this by-pass, and I hope very shortly to invite the county council to prepare the contract details. It is not possible yet to say when construction work will start.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the bad traffic conditions which at present obtain at Holmes Chapel; and if he will now give further information with regard to the arrangements for the construction of the north-south motorway.

Yes. The preliminary survey work on the Preston—Birmingham motorway is now nearly complete and I hope to publish a draft scheme for this road before the end of the present financial year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the work of widening the bridge over the River Don at Doncaster is likely to commence; and what is the estimated cost of the whole scheme.

Tenders have been received and are being considered; but until one has been accepted the cost of the scheme will not be known. Subject to the acceptance of a satisfactory tender, work will begin this summer

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many salmon were killed in the River Tweed between 27th and 29th May as a result of pollution.

It is reported to me that about a dozen adult salmon were killed as a result of pollution and the abnormal natural conditions in the river on the days mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the approximate total area of land acquired by compulsory purchase by public and local authorities in Scotland for the years 1945 to 1955, inclusive.

The total area of land acquired by compulsory purchase under statutory powers for which I am responsible in Scotland was, in the years 1945–55, approximately 6,950 acres. Of this total, 3,403 acres, acquired under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1941, following war-time requisition, have now been sold.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate cost per head for 1955 of travelling expenses of persons employed by the Treasury.

The amount charged to subhead A of the Treasury Vote for travelling and subsistence in the financial year 1955–56 was about £26,500, or £20 per head for staff provided for in this subhead.The figure of £26,500 includes some £13,800 for such items as attendance at meetings held abroad, expenses of staff taking up duty abroad, and local travelling expenses of staff stationed abroad. It also includes some £1,450 for removal expenses of staff transferred from one locality to another in this country, and some £1,500 paid to individuals who are not Treasury staff but attended conferences or training courses organised by the Treasury. Excluding these special items the cost of travel and subsistence allowances in this country of Treasury staff is £9,750, or just over £7 per head in the year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to state the approximate total area of land acquired by compulsory purchase by public and local authorities in England and Wales for the years 1945 to 1955, inclusive.

I can answer only for those acquisitions of land under compulsory powers for which I am the confirming authority. Complete records of the area of land acquired have not been kept over the whole period. The information available is as follows:

Year	Acquired under Housing Act, 1936 Part V.	Acquired under—Town and Country Planning Acts, 1944 and 1947. Town Development Act, 1952. New Towns Act, 1946.
	Acres	Acres
1945	not available.	6,098
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950	4,365	2,931
1951	4,942	2,348
1952	4,791	2,064
1953	4,415	1,740
1954	3,263	1,790
1955	2,030	723

In addition, 173 acres were acquired in 1955 for miscellaneous local government services (including water and sewerage). Figures under this head are not available for the preceding years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the Committee of Inquiry on the use of unpatented inventions for defence production reported; and what action the Government propose to take with regard to these matters.

The Report of this Committee is being published today. The Committee, for whose help I am deeply grateful, consisted of Sir Harold Howitt, G.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., F.C.A., Sir Robert Barlow and Mr. John Megaw. Q.C. They recommend that the Crown should be given permanent powers to authorise the use of unpatented inventions and unregistered designs in connection with defence and Civil Defence contracts, subject to strict provisions which they have worked out to give proper safeguards to industrial interests.After careful consideration, the Government have decided to accept the Committee's main recommendations with one modification. The Committee recommend that the taking of certain decisions should be confined, by legislation, to the appropriate Minister or the permanent head of his Department. Instead, administrative steps will be taken to ensure that these decisions are taken by Ministers or senior officials only.I propose to discuss the recommendations in detail with industrial organisations, and to introduce legislation to give effect to them as soon as is practicable. This legislation will enable the emergency powers under which Departments have been operating to be revoked.I am looking further into a point raised by the Committee relating to Section 47 (1) of the Patents Act, 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for War why 4,000 electric lamps, 110 volts, 1,000 watts, are to be on offer at the forthcoming auction at Melton Mowbray; and what efforts have been made to have them used by Government Departments.

These were bought during the war for use with a type of cinema projector which has not been manufactured since 1946. We now have only two such projectors for which a sufficient stock of lamps is being retained. The Army has no other use for the lamps. They were not specifically offered to other Government Departments as they did not appear on any "shopping list". All interested Departments did however receive prior advice of this sale as well as the usual catalogues.

asked the Secretary of State for War why 5,030 pyjama jackets, 3,650 pyjama trousers, 1,500 serge blue jackets, and 2,780 serge blue trousers were offered for sale at the recent auction at the New Islington Public Hall, Manchester; how much they realised; how this compares with the total cost; and the reason for the difference between the number of jackets and trousers in both cases.

The pyjamas were of grey flannel of a type now considered too heavy. All stocks of grey flannel pyjamas which were held centrally were disposed of in 1954, and the jackets and trousers referred to were oddments subsequently returned from command depots. The jackets originally cost 4s. 8d. each and the trousers 4s. 3d. The average prices received for them were ls. 11½d. and 2s. Od. respectively.The blue serge jackets and trousers were of the type universally used in military hospitals until 1952, when they were, with certain exceptions, replaced by battle dress. We hold stocks in excess of present requirements and the items put up for sale were part of the surplus and mostly of war-time manufacture and poor quality. The jackets originally cost 19s. 6d. and the trousers 14s. 9d. The prices realised were about 3s. 5d. and 7s. Od. respectively.These items are all held and accounted for separately and not as suits and this is the reason why the numbers of trousers and jackets offered for sale do not correspond.

asked the Secretary of State for War why 1,798 metal or wood-cased electric record players are to be disposed of at the forthcoming auction at Melton Mowbray; when they were purchased; for what purpose; and the total cost.

These are surplus to foreseeable requirements. They were ordered towards the end of the war and were delivered between 1945 and 1950 for use with cinema projectors. They cost ½29,667 and were offered to the other Service Departments before being put up for disposal. Sales catalogues have also been circulated to all Departments which might be interested.