asked the Minister of Labour the number in Scotland of men employed in the Merchant Navy, the fishing industry, coal mining, and agriculture and as police cadets and also of apprentices, learners, pupils and

—	Estimated number of men in Scotland
	Granted deferment during year					Who will be granted deferment during year
(1)	1951 (2)	1952 (3)	1953 (4)	1954 (5)	1955 (6)	1956 (7)
Merchant seamen	490	590	500	560	600	450
Fishermen (Royal Naval Reserve Patrol Service)	120	110	100	90	130	90
Coal mining workers	1,200	1,200	1,200	1,300	1,600	1,100
Agricultural workers	690	1,300	1,200	1,300	1,100	1,300
Police cadets	—	—	—	—	20	20
Apprentices, learners and articled pupils	13,400	15,500	14,700	13,950	13,950	12,800
University students, student teachers, etc.	1,600	1,600	1,600	1,800	1,800	1,600
TOTALS	17,500	20,300	19,300	19,000	19,200	17,360
NOTES:
1. All figures are estimates and exclude short period deferments granted to boys at school. Statistics to show the total number of deferments granted are not maintained, but count of the numbers of current deferments are taken twice yearly (see table on page 174 of Ministry of Labour Gazette for May, 1956).
2. There were five registrations in 1952. There were only three registrations in the calendar year 1955 but as the last registration in 1954 was as late as 18th December, the number of deferments in 1955 in effect relates to four registrations. There are to be three registrations in 1956.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are taken to ensure that young men called up for National Service have their full medical reports, including a note of congenital and other defects, transmitted to the military authorities so that they have no need themselves orally to report their defects on arrival for training; and what information he has of men found unfit despite students who have been deferred from National Service during each of the last five years, and the number in each class whom he estimates will be deferred in Scotland from National Service during the current year to the latest convenient future date.

The Answer is as follows:previous medical certification to the contrary.

All documents concerning a man's National Service medical examination are transmitted to the appropriate Service Department in advance of the man's reporting for duty. As regards the last part of the Question I am advised that the proportion of National Service men who are discharged on medical grounds within a short period after entry to the Army and R.A.F. are 7 and 13 per thousand respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour what have been the respective percentage increases in the indices of wages and prices, calculated on the new basis since January, 1955, to the latest convenient date.

The new Index of Retail Prices was not in operation before January, 1956, but it can be linked with the Interim Index which was then in use. When this is done the Index shows a rise between January, 1955, and May, 1956, of 8 per cent. In the same period the Index of Rates of Wages has risen by 12 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the claim for an increase in pay of the entry grade of factory inspectors, class II, submitted to him on 6th July, 1954, has been settled; and whether he will consider applying works group scales to this grade so as to ensure the entry of technically qualified people.

An offer was made but was rejected by the association concerned. Works group scales would not be appropriate but a revision of the scales is now being undertaken in the light of the findings of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of Labour what his policy is towards the Register of Scientific and Technical Personnel; and how many staff are concerned with its maintenance.

My right hon. Friend's policy is to maintain the Technical and Scientific Register. The number of staff concerned is 138 but the scale of work is now under review.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons have been enrolled on the appointments register of the London Appointments Office, Tavistock Square, W.C.1, during the past five years; and how many of these persons have found posts through the assistance of that office.

During the course of the five years ended 16th April, 1956, 55,974 enrolments were received and 12,003 appointments were effected.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what response there has been to the suggestion in the Housing Manual, 1949, that fitments to take fireguards should be incorporated in the fireplaces of council houses; and whether, in view of the continuing incidence of death and injury from burns, he will reiterate this advice.

The detailed information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. In a circular to Local Authorities in 1953 their attention was drawn to the importance of fixtures for fireguards. Nevertheless, I have decided to send them a reminder as the hon. Lady suggests.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what decision he has reached with regard to objections raised in connection with the selection of a site for the proposed new district hospital at St. Austell.

My right hon. Friend has decided to approve the site proposed in the Cornwall County Development Plan, subject to a reduction in the area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what financial aid the National Coal Board offered to local authorities in the Midland coalfields to induce them to build houses for miners; and why he directed local authorities to refuse that offer.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "None". The second part does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now in a position to announce his proposals for amending the Rent Restriction Acts; and whether he will give an assurance that the proposed legislation will prevent an increase in rents, and thus assist in curbing the present inflationary spiral.

Not yet.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the acceptance of Her Majesty's Government's request to the nationalised industries to freeze prices has resulted in official disclosures that certain boards are bound to be involved in deficits; and, in view of the fact that the nationalised industries' stocks are in general guaranteed by the Treasury, if he will make a statement of Government policy in this regard.

I take it the hon. Member has in mind the announcement by the Central Electricity Authority of its decision to ask area electricity boards not to increase their tariffs despite the latest increase in the price of coal.While some of the area boards may be in deficit on the area's operations as a result, the electricity industry as a whole is expected to make a small surplus. This will fully satisfy the statutory requirement that the combined revenues of the Central Electricity Authority and the area boards taken together should be sufficient to meet their combined outgoings taking one year with another.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the present position with regard to the commencement of work on the reconstruction of the Bridge of Don, Aberdeen; why this work was not started early last autumn; and for what reason the work is now to take 32 months instead of the 24 months as previously indicated.

Work began on 1st May. As the hon. and learned Member knows negotiations preceding the issue of tenders took longer than was expected. The time to build the bridge was estimated at about two years and the contract provides that it must be completed in 32 months. If conditions are favourable the contractor may be able to improve on this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the urgent need of the Aberdeen fishing fleet for conversion from coal-burning to oil-burning vessels; and if he will consult with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in order to devise means whereby grants may be made available to owners of fishing vessels for this purpose.

I regret that I cannot at present add to what my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food said to the hon. and learned Member on 18th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will initiate a public campaign to interest teachers, parents and children in the national need for more scientists, technicians and technologists.

A great deal of publicity has been given to the need as a result of the recent White Paper and the debate on it last week, and we will continue to stress the need through the education authorities and the Regional Advisory Councils for Technical Education.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage more girls to enter on scientific and technological courses in schools and universities.

The recent White Paper suggested that education authorities and governors of central institutions might consider establishing special courses for girls and that employers might recruit and train girl technicians. These suggestions along with the others in the White Paper are being considered by the bodies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to make known the possibilities of developing rough hill grazings, bogs and peat land on the lines proved to be successful by Mr. Hobbs of Fort William, Mr. A. Allan of Muirfad, Mr. Taylor of Philorth and Dr. Smith of Birkhill; and what assistance from the Government is available for farmers unable to bear the initial expense of land recovery.

Advice on such development is given by the Advisory Service of the Agricultural Colleges and by periodic articles in "Scottish Agriculture" and bulletins and leaflets issued by my Department and the colleges.Assistance is available as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts. Further, under the Marginal Agricultural Production Schemes, assistance is available for the cropping and direct reseeding of marginal land, for the regeneration of rough grassland and for the reclamation of derelict or semi-derelict land. Other subsidy schemes with a bearing on this matter are the ploughing grants, and the lime, fertiliser, cattle and calf subsides.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the prescription of whisky for patients in Scottish hospitals is approved by his Department; and the total annual expenditure on this form of cure.

I should not be justified in forbidding the provision of whisky for hospital patients where this is ordered as being medically necessary. Expenditure in Scotland in the financial year to March, 1956, was £1,704.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has made to the letter sent to him by the River Tweed Commissioners with regard to pollution in the Tweed.

I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of the letter sent to the River Tweed Commissioners, on my behalf, by the Department of Health for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why a private enterprise property company has been invited to finance the building of certain shops in the town centre of the new town of East Kilbride.

The Corporation has decided, with my approval, to lease land to private developers who propose to erect shops and office buildings on a limited area, just under two acres, of the proposed town centre of East Kilbride. This is a procedure which has been followed by other new towns. The proposed arrangements will provide a substantial return to the Corporation and are without prejudice to ultimate decisions about the development of the remaining, and greater, part of the town centre area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the terms on which the East Kilbride Development Corporation has contracted with a private firm, details of which have been sent to him, to develop the new town centre.

The negotiations between the firm and the Development Corporation are not yet completed but the Corporation informs me that under the proposed arrangements the return to the Corporation will be at least 20 per cent. of the net rents at which the properties are let.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the projected new town centre at East Kilbride is to be developed by a firm, details of which have been sent to him; and whether other private firms, or individuals, will have an opportunity to tender for contracts for developments.

With regard to the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by me to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. T. Fraser).With regard to the second part of the Question the Answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps were taken by the East Kilbride Development Corporation to make known that it was prepared to receive tenders from private firms or individuals for a contract to develop the new town centre before a contract was awarded to a firm, details of which have been sent to him.

I am informed that the Corporation undertook inquiries of many sources and had discussions with other firms who might be prepared to carry out this development before deciding that the specialised experience of the firm with which negotiations are now proceeding would in its judgment produce the most satisfactory development of the first limited area of the town centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to ensure that, in future, children engaged in potato harvesting are given a balanced and adequate mid-day meal.

No child exempted from attendance at school for work in the potato harvest may be employed unless proper arrangements have been made for his mid-day meal. More than one-third of the children who are granted exemption for potato harvesting are supplied with a mid-day meal by the Schools Meals Service, and every encouragement is given to farmers to make use of this service where it is practicable to do so in order to ensure that the children get a balanced and adequate meal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that spaces for factories are more extensive and rents arc comparably cheaper in the Highlands of Scotland than they are in and near the large towns and cities, and what steps he is taking to bring these facts to the attention of actual and potential industrialists and business people.

I am aware of the attractions of industrial sites in the Highlands and my own and other Government Departments, in conjunction with the Scottish Council (Development and Industry), take every opportunity of bringing them to the notice of industrial firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set up a commission to examine the effect of the present system of freight charges on industry in the North of Scotland and to make recommendations as to how the pattern of industry can best be developed so as to offset the present burden borne by the North of Scotland, as contrasted with the regions further south.

An entirely new freight charges scheme drafted by the British Transport Commission is now under consideration by the Transport Tribunal; and the constant efforts made in consultation with the bodies already interested in Highland development to attract suitable new industries are meeting with some success. I do not therefore think that the appointment of a new commission is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has now reviewed the sentence of 84 days' detention passed on a soldier for refusing to make a parachute jump; and whether he will make a statement.

This soldier's sentence has been reviewed and suspended. He was released from detention on 13th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the great success of the Victoria Cross Exhibition, he will arrange for it to be extended until the end of July.

There are difficulties but we hope to be able to do this.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered complaints about the artillery firing carried on at Trawsfynydd, Merioneth, on Sundays, which makes public worship very difficult; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

The nearest church in regular use to Trawsfynydd is about 2½ miles away from the gun positions and in normal weather the noise of gunfire should not be disturbing. This no doubt explains why we have heard of only one complaint in recent years.So far as is practicable Sunday firing is avoided particularly during the normal hours of worship. It is not, however, possible to dispense with it altogether because of the requirements of Reserve Army training.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he proposes to take, following the criticism expressed in the Third Report of the Select Committee on Estimates, to expedite the rebuilding of the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, and to improve the married quarters.

When its Report was published planning was already in progress for rebuilding these barracks. As I explained in a Written Answer to the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) on 1st March, we plan to begin replacing living accommodation in 1958. The scheme is a large one, and I cannot hold out any hope of expediting it.Structurally sound married quarters are being modernised and those which are unsound will be replaced. A start is being made this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War what representations he has received from the National Executive of the British Legion concerning the drafting of inexperienced National Service men in Cyprus; and whether he will now cease to do so, or, alternatively, extend the period of training before drafting such persons to terrorist areas.

None. Experience has shown that the present rules produce an efficient soldier who is capable of performing his duty in difficult conditions in Cyprus or elsewhere, and I do not consider that any change is necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if, in view of the fact that the leaders of the trade unions in the film industry have published a joint statement in reply to the questionnaire of the National Film Finance Corporation, he will now reconsider the question of publishing the Corporation's report to him on the measures necessary to assist the industry;(2) when he expects to receive the report of the National Film Finance Corporation on the measures necessary to assist the film industry; and if he will make a statement thereon.

The Corporation does not expect to be in a position to make a full report before the Recess; but I hope that it will be able to give us its advice on the main issues before them. I have, therefore, no statement to make at present. In regard to the question of publication I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the non. Member on 15th May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is no necessary connection between the price of pig iron and the prices of scrap iron and steel, which are not raw materials; and what advice he received from the scrap merchants before deciding on the recent increase of steel scrap from 151s. to 201s. per ton and cast iron from 118s. 9d. to 138s. per ton.

Pig iron and scrap are raw materials for the production of steel and of iron and steel castings, and they are substantially interchangeable. The Board of Trade did not consult scrap merchants before the decision was taken to increase the maximum prices of scrap. As required by Section 10 of the Iron and Steel Act, 1953, the Board of Trade consulted the Iron and Steel Board.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to compel fertiliser manufacturers to keep their prices stable for at least 12 months, in view of the tendency for manufacturers to increase prices following an extension of the subsidy.

No. I do not contemplate introducing legislation to control the prices of fertilisers. I am informed that recent increases in the prices of fertilisers are attributable to increases in costs, particularly of transport and coal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the Argentine is buying from us in exchange for the beef which we buy from her; and to give details of quantities and monetary value.

United Kingdom exports to Argentina during 1955 were as follows:

	£
Live animals, chiefly for food	376,604
Beverages	219,918
Other food and tobacco	73,580
Basic materials	243,922
Coal, coke and briquattes	606,390
Petroleum and petroleum products	249,060
Metals	5,547,679
Engineering products	8,426,268
Textiles, excluding clothing	743,231
Other manufactures	6,802,514
Miscellaneous	190,294
	£23,479,460

In addition to her purchases of United Kingdom goods, Argentina spends large amounts of sterling on purchases of oil from British companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the high flammability of cellulose-nitrate lacquer finishes on fabrics; and what action he will take to inform and protect the public.

Yes. Cellulose-nitrate lacquers are highly flammable, but I understand that their use for fabric finishes has now considerably decreased. My right hon. Friend is, however, asking the British Standards Institution if it will refer fabrics with these finishes to the committee on flammability which it is setting up.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement about the distribution of German enemy property.

The Administrator of German Enemy Property is now in a position to complete his distribution and will forthwith start paying out to claimants on the General Fund a third and final dividend of 10¼d. in the £ which, together with the first and second dividends of 1s. each in the £ will make a total dividend of 2s. 10¼d. In all some £16 million will have been distributed to British creditors.This will exhaust the German enemy property at present in hand. It will be necessary, however, to make arrangements under the Distribution of German Enemy Property Act, 1949, for the disposal of such assets as will accrue later. The amount expected to accrue over the next three or four years would be insufficient to make practicable any further worth while distribution to the 28,000 claimants, and for this reason the present third dividend will be a final dividend closing the distribution.While no further sum will be available for distribution to British creditors and it will no longer be possible to consider applications for the return of the assets of individual Germans who were the victims of Nazi persecution, the Government has decided that it is right to make some provision to help in cases of real suffering caused by this persecution. It is proposed, therefore, to allocate future accruals up to a total of £250,000 to an appropriate charity for the purpose of relieving suffering occasioned as a result of racial, religious or political persecution by the Nazis in Germany and those countries in which the German Nazi influence predominated. Further accruals beyond the sum of £250,000 will be paid over to the Exchequer. An Order in Council is necessary to give effect to these proposals and will be made in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give an estimate of the amount of Income Tax payable by a single woman with earned income of £600 per annum; and what would be the combined Income Tax payable by a married couple without children if each had an annual earned income of £600.

£81 15s. and £129 15s. respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give an estimate of the amount of Income Tax payable by a single woman with unearned income of £600 per annum; and what would be the combined Income Tax payable by a married couple, without children, if the wife had an unearned income of £600 per annum and the husband an earned income of £600 per annum.

£135 10s. 0d. and £291 6s. 8d. respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement on the proposed £100 million economies in Government expenditure.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement which I made at the end of Questions today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to ensure that civil servants, who object on grounds of conscience to Premium Bonds, shall not be required to undertake duties in connection with their issue and sale, and shall not be in any way prejudiced thereby.

It is the duty of civil servants to perform the functions required of Departments from time to time. In these matters, as in all others, good sense will of course be used.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average income per head in Scotland in 1948 and 1955, compared with that of England and Wales.

No official estimate is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much gross income a man, claiming a wife allowance, has to earn in a year to enable him to be left with £50,000 after payment of Income Tax at the present rate of taxation.

£621,456.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he has now considered the representations made to him by the Museums Association on the subject of the financing and administration of provincial museums and art galleries; and whether he will now make a statement on the Government's future policy in this field.

I am aware of the importance of this subject, but I am not yet in a position to make any statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated cost for the current year of the rebate on cartridges used for the destruction of pests; and the total estimated yield of Purchase Tax on cartridges.

In answer to the first part of the Question. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture on 23rd April. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will furnish a statement to show, in each Department of State, the amount by which the salary of the Permanent Secretary or equivalent grade will exceed that of the Minister in charge of the Department, after adjustments have been made on or about 1st July, 1956.

The salary for senior Ministers in charge of Departments is £5,000. The new salary for Permanent Secretaries is £6,000 (£7,000 for the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the rules concerning State employees holding directorships, drawing fees, and undertaking part-time employment in private industry, whilst holding paid employment with the State: what rules or regulations govern this; and what categories of State employees are concerned in the question of undertaking private employment.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the general rules. Whole-time civil servants, established or unestablished, are prohibited from accepting positions which require their attendance during office hours or impair their usefulness as public servants or may conflict with the interests of their Departments or be inconsistent with their position as public servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals for increases in salaries and wages of civil servants and other Government officers Her Majesty's Government have under current consideration; and the Government's policy in relation to these increases at the present time.

No general claims of this kind are at present outstanding, but there are a few claims for detailed adjustments for particular categories, which will be dealt with according to their merits.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will publish in a White Paper the terms of agreements reached between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Ceylon prior to the recent general election regarding the occupation of the naval base at Trincomalee, the air base at Katunayake, the retention of British troops and internal security.

The Defence Agreement between the United Kingdom and Ceylon was published in 1947 in Cmd. Paper 7257. There are no other agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were committed in England and Wales during the three months ended 31st May, 1956, compared with the same period in 1955, 1954, 1953, and 1952, respectively.

The number of murders recorded as known to the police during the months of March, April and May, 1956, was 45. The corresponding figures for preceding years were 1952, 51; 1953, 42; 1954, 54; 1955, 52.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make it a legal obligation upon any vendor of a dwelling-house to state specifically that the property he is selling is subject to or immediately liable to a compulsory purchase or clearance order when he is offering for sale property which might be affected by such orders within a reasonable period of the sale.

No. A proposal to extend vendors' obligations of disclosure was considered at length by the Stainton Committee on Local Land Charges, who reported in 1952, and the majority of the Committee advised convincingly against any such proposal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for establishing a new veterinary investigation centre at Cambridge.

A Veterinary Investigation Centre at Cambridge has been maintained for many years, but new premises are necessary and both the University and I are anxious that the Centre should be moved alongside the University Veterinary School which has recently been opened. Thanks to a gift of £10,000 as a contribution to the cost it will be possible to erect a building for the Veterinary Investigation Centre on the School site adjacent to and in keeping with the other buildings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue a detailed report of the work which has been proceeding and is still going on in connection with bird pests, so that farmers can be informed of the results so far achieved.

An up-to-date account of the work on the control of the wood-pigeon and the rook is being prepared for publication and a further report on research into the control of all bird pests is under consideration. I am writing to my hon. Friend about the progress of our research on damage by birds to fruit-tree buds.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the future of the air station at Bishopscourt, County Down.

We plan to bring this airfield into use later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the conditions of sale of cattle enforced upon the Warangi people of Tanganyika by the Destocking Kondo Warangi Ordinance of 1952, giving the numbers sold during 1955 and the average price per head of cattle.

Destocking to limit soil erosion in the Kondoa Irangi District is effected by the Destocking (Kondoa District) Rule, 1952, made under Sections 20 and 23 of the Natural Resources Ordinance, Chapter 259 of the Laws of Tanganyika. Under these rules the maximum numbers of livestock for each village area within the lrangi Chiefdom are fixed: those numbers, which are subject to annual review, are related to the carrying capacity of the land.Wherever the number of livestock in a village area exceeds the prescribed maximum the excess is disposed of by removal to another part of the Chiefdom District or by sale at livestock markets: sales are conducted by public auction with the assistance of market staff employed by the Native Authority.The total number of catle sold at livestock markets in the Irangi Chiefdom during 1955 was 8,930 of which 4,117 were slaughter stock and 4,813 immatures. The average price was £6 2s. 6d. per head for slaughter stock and £1 18s. 6d. per head for immatures. The total number of cattle in the Irangi Chiefdom of Kondoa Irangi District is approximately 87,600.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaths due to chronic bronchitis for each year since 1951.

The figures are:

Year	Number of deaths
1952	21,118
1953	23,375
1954	20,286

asked the Minister of Health what compensation, apart from National Health Insurance benefit, is payable to people who are required to stay away from work because they have been in contact with persons suffering from infectious diseases; how many local authorities have powers to pay compensation in these circumstances; whether he is satisfied with these arrangements; and whether he is aware of the anxiety caused to a number of people who, because their local authority is not empowered to pay compensation, are only able to draw sickness benefit in place of their normal earnings.

There is no general power either to pay compensation or to require a person to cease work in these circumstances: 372 local authorities are known to have powers under local Acts to pay compensation when a person ceases work at the authority's request: I am now considering the position further in consultation with the associations of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the present position with regard to the construction of the Whitchurch by-pass; and when it is anticipated that the work will be completed.

Negotiations for the land required are proceeding and the works will begin as soon as these are completed. If entry to the land can be obtained by the autumn of this year, the works should be completed by the autumn of 1958

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will publish the calculations made by the Road Research Laboratory concerning the traffic improvement schemes for Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch.

Detailed investigations are being made into these schemes, not only by the Road Research Laboratory, but also by the London County Council, who are the highway improvement authority, and other interested bodies. I must await the completion of all these investigations before deciding whether or in what form publication of the results would be worth while.The convenience of traffic is not, of course, the only factor which has to be considered in formulating such schemes.