asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there are only three telephone booths in the Abbey district of Gorton in Manchester, that one of these, being situated in Abbey Hey Lane Post Office, is not available after 6 p.m. or on Sundays or Wednesday afternoons, that this is a working class district with very few private telephones, and that the resulting inconvenience is considerable and widely felt; and whether he will take steps as a matter of urgency to have at least two more outside telephone booths installed in the district.

I am arranging to replace the kiosk inside the Abbey Hey Post Office by one outside so as to give a 24-hour service, and also to provide a new kiosk. This will, I think, meet existing needs, but the position will be closely watched.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for what he has done, but I hope he will think of putting an extra one in as well.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of subscribers to the telephone service in Stoke-on-Trent; how many share a line; and how many are on the list awaiting a new installation.

The numbers are: 11,422, 2,426 and 769, respectively.

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell me how these figures compare with, say, a year ago, and secondly, if many people have given up their telephones as a result of expecting to pay more for them in future?

If the hon. Gentleman will put down those questions, I will get him the figures.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is satisfied that the Post Office factories are working to capacity; and if he will make a statement.

The primary function of the Factories Department is the repair of telecommunications and other Post Office equipment, and the maximum use is being made of its resources for this purpose.

In view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, can he state why it has been found necessary to dispense with £20,000 worth of plant?

Because it is thought right, particularly in the light of the comments of the Select Committee in 1950, to return to the pre-war position in which Post Office factories devote their attention to repair and not to manufacture, apart, of course, from prototypes.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of men made redundant in the Post Office factories during the last 12 months, and why.

Because of a decrease in toolsetting work, six dilutee toolsetters were declared redundant on that grade. There have been no discharges of staff, and the six men are now employed as telephone mechanics.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that there is certain work which these factories could do in order to retain the services of these people, particularly in view of the fact that there is very often a time-lag in the delivery of certain telecommunications parts from the manufacturers, in view of the demands of the export trade? Will he look at this matter again?

I am certain that the policy is right, particularly as we are engaged on a three-year programme of telephone expansion. There have been no discharges, and none is contemplated.

asked the Postmaster-General the number and names of Her Majesty's telegraph ships at present in commission.

Four. "Monarch", "Alert", and "Ariel" are in commission, and the fourth, "Iris", is at present refitting.

In view of the age of H.M.T.S. "Alert", and in view of the fact that she is a reparation vessel, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it is time to replace this vessel at the earliest opportunity?

Yes, I agree with the hon. Gentleman. We have got to the stage of drawings and specifications, and it is hoped soon to begin the replacement.

asked the Postmaster-General how many Post Office advisory committees exist in England and Wales, and which of these are in Warwickshire.

Fifty-seven, of which two, those in Birmingham and Coventry, are in Warwickshire. Another is to be set up in Rugby.

Will the Minister admit that, even in good Departments like his, there can be misunderstanding, particularly where telephones are concerned? Hence, can I appeal to a good democrat and good publicist like the right hon. Gentleman to press on with these committees, particularly where some mysterious arbiter in a distant county town appears to be the sole arbiter as to who gets or does not get a telephone in the local borough?

I did announce on 21st June that I was proposing to invite and to encourage the establishment of Post Office advisory committees throughout the country, and I am glad to say that Rugby is one of the first areas to act following that announcement.

In constituting the new Post Office advisory committees—a step which is very much welcomed and approved on this side—would the right hon. Gentleman consider appointing people from the local authorities, who will be known to the people and who can disseminate the information throughout the local authority organisation?

In the lettter on this subject which I have sent to head postmasters, I have deliberately and emphatically mentioned the desirability of seeking representation from local authorities as representing the general body of opinion in the area.

asked the Postmaster-General what agreements are in force between his Department and the Sub-Postmasters Federation regarding the maximum number of sub-post offices to be authorised in a locality.

None, Sir.

Even if no formal agreements exist, can my right hon. Friend confirm that when he comes to a decision as to whether or not an additional local sub-post office is necessary, the only considerations that guide him are local consumer requirements? Or does he take into account restrictionist representations by neighbouring sub-post offices which do not want further competition?

I have given the answer "None", and I mean it. My primary concern is with the public facilities and the public convenience in the area, and I want to affirm that this is the prime consideration which affects me.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his arbitrary decision to space sub-post offices—particularly in new housing areas—at not less than a mile apart is causing a good deal of anxiety and dissatisfaction in very many parts of the country, particularly in my own constituency, where about 400 or 500 old-age pensioners have to cross a very busy main road in order to get to the sub-office?

I would assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no form of arbitrary rule for all areas relating to a distance of one mile. As many hon. Members know, I receive, and sympathetically consider, proposals which mean distances between offices of less than a mile. I would say to him that I will consider sympathetically any set of circumstances that he brings to my notice. So far as a general rule is concerned, it has been the practice in the past to consider spacing at more frequent intervals than one mile apart to be impossible, but where there are aggregations of population or other special circumstances, no such rule applies and each case will be considered on its merits.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he will take to protect radio reception from interference caused by television reception.

Where a T.V. set causes interference with sound receivers which are themselves in proper working order, the Post Office offers the owner of the T.V. set all possible advice to help him cure the trouble. The question of designing T.V. sets so as to avoid such interference is primarily a matter for the radio industry. They are alive to the problem and the Post Office is co-operating with them to the full.

While noting what my right hon. Friend has said, may I ask him whether he does not feel that something further could be done to bring home to the owners of television sets their specific obligations not to annoy their neighbours who have radio sets—obligations which they accept with their licences?

My hon. Friend will appreciate that, under the Act of 1949, wireless apparatus is specifically excluded from my powers, but I assure him that we are receiving very real co-operation in this matter from the manufacturers and almost invariably from the owners of television sets.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to reach a decision on the question of the licence fee for ambulance radio services.

Licence fees for mobile radio services are based on the costs of Post Office administration. The fees are higher for ambulances than for police and fire radio services, as the costs of the latter are largely borne by the Home Office. I regret, therefore, that I cannot remove this apparent anomaly by reducing the licence fees for ambulances to the level of the other two services. I am writing to the hon. Member.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that it seems very odd to the layman that the police and fire services, which protect property, can get a licence for £2 a vehicle, while the ambulance service, which exists to save life, has to pay a fee of £3?

I am aware of the anomaly, and I agree with the hon. Member that it may well look odd. From the Post Office point of view, we should, I think, as a general principle relate the charges to the costs incurred by us, and the hon. Member will realise that the costs in respect of the latter group are very much more than in respect of the former group.

When the right hon. Gentleman is considering what fee shall be charged to these services, will he bear in mind that many of them have had to change their frequencies at their own expense as a result of the coming of I.T.A.?

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the decision that there is an incontrovertible statistical association between cigarette smoking and the incidence of lung cancer, whether he will make regulations under Section 4 (4) of the Television Act, 1954, prescribing that there shall be no tobacco advertisements within a quarter of an hour before and after children's programmes.

No, Sir.

In view of what the Minister of Health has said about the connection between smoking and cancer, does not the right hon. Gentleman feel that it really is indefensible that there should be incitement to smoking in close conjunction with children's programmes?

The programme companies have decided not to include advertisements for tobacco in these programmes. That seems to me to be reasonable. To go beyond that, bearing in mind the smoking advertisements in newspapers and on hoardings, would seem to me to be grandmotherly and petty.

Would it not be a contribution to better public relations and to the rather improving standard of advertising practice on commercial television if the programme contractors undertook not to exhibit their advertisements for cigarettes and tobacco in association with the children's programmes? Would it not be a contribution to better public and political relations if they were to give such an undertaking?

The programme companies have decided of their own free will not to include such advertisements in the programmes. What the right hon. Gentleman was suggesting to me was that I should bring an affirmative order before this House to modify the schedule to deal with this other quarter of an hour.

Has my right hon. Friend taken note of a discussion which took place yesterday at the British Medical Association and which seems to be a direct contradiction to the implications in this Question?

It is not strictly my field, but let nothing I say appear to controvert the acknowledged statistical relationship between heavy cigarette smoking and cancer of the lung.

asked the Postmaster-General what technical reasons prevented the Holme Moss transmitter from being used for both the British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Television Authority television services.

The B.B.C. mast at Holme Moss was not designed to carry the additional load of a separate I.T.A. aerial of the required size and its transmission link with apparatus at ground level. The B.B.C. offered to share their aerial with the I.T.A. but this would not have given the Authority the radiated power it required.

While appreciating that there are technical difficulties, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has any persuasive or other powers to make sure that duplication of transmitters will not occur?

As the hon. Gentleman points out, in this case, with the Holme Moss B.B.C. aerial already there, there are serious technical difficulties, but, on the general proposition, as I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane) a little time ago, I am doing my utmost to see that there are not two aerials where one will do.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will examine the cost and all the technical considerations involved in erecting a transmitter in the City of Sheffield for local diffusion of all present and future television services operating in the Yorkshire area.

No, Sir. The question of deciding the best means of overcoming reception difficulties at Sheffield, which the hon. Member no doubt has in mind, is a matter for the broadcasting authorities. At present, they are fully engaged on their main development programmes.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are about 150,000 television licence-holders in this area and that many of them cannot get proper reception? The right hon. Gentleman is, therefore, taking licence money, so to speak, under false pretences. Can this matter be examined? The information would be useful not only to deal with this situation in Sheffield but also for television development on this local basis in other areas.

I will convey what the hon. Gentleman says to the broadcasting authorities, but, as he knows better than most, in the Sheffield area to which he refers there are some hollows that make transmission exceedingly difficult. It is geography that has to be faced in this case.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the technical arrangements connected with the installation of the new high frequency wireless and television station in Cumberland have now been completed; when it is proposed to start work on it; and on what date it is hoped to commence transmission from this station.

Preparatory work has already started on the new B.B.C. television station at Sandale, near Carlisle. The permanent transmitters will be ready for service towards the end of 1957, though the B.B.C. hopes to provide a temporary television service before the end of this year. I hope that a V.H.F. sound station at Carlisle will be included in the next stage of the V.H.F. sound programme, which I am now discussing with the B.B.C.

While appreciating the efforts that my right hon. Friend is making in this part of the world, may I ask if he would impart a real sense of urgency into all those members of his Department who are concerned in this work, in order that the long-suffering viewers and listeners in a very neglected area should be given the decent reception to which I know he believes they are really entitled?

My hon. Friend will realise that this is primarily a matter for the B.B.C., and I would say to him that the answer I have given today shows a determined and relatively speedy effort to deal with this local problem.

asked the Postmaster-General what requests for financial aid he has received from the Independent Television Authority; and what action he is taking.

I have received a request from the Authority for a grant under Section 11 of the Television Act. The request is being considered.

Was it not the idea of the Government and the will of Parliament that the I.T.A. should have up to £750,000 a year so as to be independent of commercial interests? Is he not aware that a refusal or unwillingness to give effect to this Section of the Act must be regarded, for the time being anyhow, as a breach of faith, and that it puts the I.T.A. in the hands of advertising interests?

I am aware that Section 11 of the Act empowers me, with the agreement of the Treasury, to make a grant up to £750,000 a year. An application has been received and is now being considered.

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us for what purpose the grant has been sought, how much, and whether it is to be an annual grant or just one grant-in-aid?

Section 11 relates to an annual grant, so that it may be taken that the application is in respect of a sum of money for the current year. The application was for the full sum of money for the current year. The application is in rather general terms, but the right hon. Gentleman can take it that behind it is a desire to affect the balance of the I.T.A. programmes—to improve, in the view of the I.T.A., the balance of such programmes.

Does this reflect the opinion of the I.T.A. that the programme contractors are not providing balanced programmes and are, therefore, contradicting the terms of the Act?

There is no question of a contradiction of the terms of the Act. The application has come from the Independent Television Authority, and the right hon. Gentleman can infer what he likes from that.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this indicates that there is a deficit commercially on I.T.A working, and that that is the reason for the request for this money, or is it wanted merely for fun or for pocket money?

The application which has been received in no way relates to or refers to the general financial position of the programme companies. The case is not put upon any such basis.

asked the Postmaster-General when he anticipates that the Southampton area will be able to receive the Independent Television Authority programme.

The Independent Television Authority informs me that it is unlikely to be able to serve this area before 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the rank of the air member of the Board of Management of Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes; and how much time he spends on the business of that organisation.

A group captain is employed full time.

Is he employed for any length of time—that is to say, long enough for him to get acquainted with the work and to be really useful? Or is he just a group captain occupying the position for a short time in the middle of his other duties?

The present incumbent, understand, has been in the post for about two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is satisfied that there is no negligence at the Horsham St. Faith Royal Air Force Station in the giving of instructions on safety precautions to be observed when carrying out the cleaning of petrol tankers; and whether he will make a statement in connection with the death of Junior Technician Lewis.

I am satisfied that appropriate safety precautions are now in force. The court of inquiry held into Junior Technician Lewis' death established that Lewis and other airmen had been using canister type respirators when inspecting petrol tankers at this station, instead of the remote breathing apparatus prescribed by regulations. On the day of his death Lewis had been given instructions merely to remove the manhole covers, but he entered the tanker before it had been drained and vented, and without a "safety man" standing by with a life-line. In these circumstances, there would have been a serious risk even if he had been wearing a remote breathing apparatus.

I thank the Minister for that Answer, but is he aware that since 1953 a number of airmen have done a similar job unassisted? This appears to have been a practice at this air station, and will he take steps now to see whether or not the N.C.O.s in charge during that period are carrying on their jobs with the same negligence as they showed then? I feel that only then will the parents of young men in the Air Force be assured that the right hon. Gentleman is taking all the precautions necessary

Yes, certainly. Steps have been taken to tighten up the regulations everywhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers of the rank of air vice-marshal and upwards are now serving in the Royal Air Force; and by how many the number will be reduced as a consequence of economies in the Royal Air Force.

Ninety-eight. I cannot yet say what the future establishment will be.

Is the right hon. Gentleman taking care to see that the Air Force is not top-heavy with these high ranks and that the numbers are in proportion to those of other ranks in the Air Force?

Yes, certainly.

Will the Minister insist that his senior officers in the Air Ministry make themselves responsible for cutting down their staffs and do not rely on bringing in the Director of Works Study, who appears to be inclined to act as a very expensive scapegoat for the senior officers not doing a job which should be theirs?

I will bear the hon. Gentleman's point in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how often Leuchars Aerodrome has been made available for civil aircraft during the last 12 months; and whether he will state the conditions under which civil aircraft are allowed to use this aerodrome.

The airfield is normally available to civil aircraft in emergency for diversions. No such diversions have been required in the last twelve months, but two civil charter flights were specially authorised to use the airfield. It is now temporarily out of flying use.

Can I take it from that reply that my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider sympathetically any requests which he may receive either from B.E.A. or from civil companies?

Yes, certainly. No firm request has, I understand, been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many married men of the Royal Air Force stationed at Habbaniya have still to be provided with married quarters.

There are 63 officers and airmen on the waiting list at present.

How long does the Minister think it will be before they are allocated married quarters? There is a good deal of dissatisfaction in the area. If we are to assist the Iraqi Government, we should impose upon them the obligation of looking after our married people in the same way as we try to look after them ourselves.

As I pointed out to the hon. Gentleman, I think last week, the position is a good deal better since the agreement with Iraq, but there is a shortage of married quarters in all the stations in the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what changes have been made in his arrangements for the air trooping of the families of Service men as a result of the findings of the inquiry into the crash of the Scottish Aviation's York aircraft in Malta last February.

None, Sir.

Does not the Minister intend to make permanent the temporary ban imposed on the use of these old York aircraft for air trooping? Did not this inquiry disclose that the aircraft was not only overloaded but, quite clearly—as many people had suspected for a long time—was incapable of performing effectively if one engine failed on take-off?

I cannot agree with the hon. Gentleman's reading of the report. I think the report shows that the primary cause of the accident was a pilot error. As the hon. Gentleman knows, another court of inquiry is considering another accident, and I will make my decision when I have the report of that court of inquiry.

But, until then, does the temporary ban still continue?

Yes, certainly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he proposes to take to improve road communications for which he is responsible in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The reconstruction of Doncaster Mill Bridge has been authorised, and our more immediate plans for roads for which my right hon. Friend is the highway authority include the construction of by-passes at Wetherby, Allerton Station (Hopperton) and Doncaster, as well as a number of smaller schemes.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this is not the type of facilities that we would like in the West Riding? Is he further aware that the connection with the Great North Road is, indeed, a very bad one, and that the whole of the West Riding, with its prolific industrial area, has winding and twisting roads right up to the Great North Road? Is he prepared to give some consideration to bringing about some improvement in the industrial areas of the West Riding?

I have already indicated a number of large schemes which we have in mind; we also have a number of smaller schemes. Really, that part of the country is getting a very fair proportion of the money that is available.

Would my right hon. Friend push along with the east-west trunk road so that the industrial West Riding may have better access to the Great North Road?

We are trying to take all these roads in the order best suited to facilitate the movement of traffic.

Can the Minister give any idea how long it will be before these various bridges go up, because we want to prevent the diversion of heavy traffic as much as possible?

As regards this particular bridge, we have received the tenders and they are under consideration at the present time.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what consultation he has had with the West Riding County Council for the provision of a motor road to link the West Riding with the Great North Road at a convenient point.

Some preliminary survey work has been done on the Sheffield—Leeds motorway and on the Lancashire—Yorkshire motorway. I have been in close touch with the county council throughout, and both roads are included in the county development plan.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what limitation there has been on the capital expenditure allowed for preliminary work on the proposed by-pass road at Doncaster; and to what extent this has delayed the start of the physical work.

None, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why, if there has been no limitation in finance for the preliminary work, and it now being 18 months since his predecessor made a promise that this by-pass was a very necessary improvement, nothing has happened up to now?

Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will be kind enough to await the answer I am making later, when I will give a fuller statement on that topic.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to give an assurance that it remains the policy of his Department to carry on the work on the Doncaster by-pass road in accordance with the undertaking given by his predecessor to a delegation from Yorkshire; and if the original time-table still holds good.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the estimated expenditure for the year 1956–57 on the Doncaster by-bass road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what the preliminary expenses are on the Doncaster by-bass road to date; what contracts have been entered into for future work; and what is their value.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many persons are engaged on the work of the Doncaster by-bass road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made with the preliminary stages of the proposed Doncaster by-bass road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the increasing congestion of road traffic through the county borough of Doncaster; and what steps are being taken to expedite the proposed by-bass road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when a start will be made on the physical work of the Doncaster by-bass road.

I know the great urgency of this scheme. The preliminary survey is now done, and I am publishing tomorrow the draft scheme for fixing the line of the by-bass. I must then, as the Statute provides, allow some months for the lodging and consideration of objections. As soon as the line is fixed, the process of land acquisition can start, and at the same time the detailed engineering plans be worked out. The time taken to acquire the land depends largely on the number of objections.

All this preparatory work on this major by-bass, with its 15 miles of dual carriageways costing some £5 million, is being pressed forward as fast as possible. No construction work can start until it is finished and the contracts let. The only expenditure in 1956–57 can therefore be on preparatory work. £4,000 has already been spent on this.

Will the Minister place a copy of the plans in the Library, so that those of us from Yorkshire who are interested may see them, together with the schedule of the time-table, with the approximate cost of each stage of the work?

I will certainly put any information I can in the Library showing what is being done on this most important work.

Will the Minister say why it has taken so long to prepare the plans, when 18 months ago we were informed by the appropriate surveyor that all the preliminary work could be completed within 12 months?

I think the local authorities and hon. and right hon. Members interested will remember that this Doncaster by-bass was included in the large number of schemes announced in the House by my predecessor. He told all concerned, I think, that it was hoped to authorise this scheme in the series of schemes for the period 1956–60. The scheme is not behind-hand. As I think the right hon. Gentleman knows, the by-bass has had to be completely re-drawn because all the pre-war plans have now been made abortive by building development. I do not think an excessive time has been taken in this re-drawing.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he is wholly convinced that the original time-table will be carried through?

I have not said, anything to indicate that it will not be.

Will the right hon. Gentleman press on with this scheme as fast as possible? Is he aware that the situation on the North Road, north of Doncaster, is rapidly becoming intolerable, and that there are queues every Saturday, that last Saturday in particular there was a queue nearly four miles long, and at Whitsuntide there was a queue nearly five miles long which lasted from lunchtime until early evening? Will the Minister bear in mind that this is becoming worse week by week, and will he attend to the matter as quickly as possible?

That is exactly what I said in my Answer.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that cars are being parked in a single line on one side of Harley Street, London, W.1, and in a double line on the other side; and if he will authorise the diagonal parking of cars on one side which would accommodate more cars and take up less of the roadway.

I am aware of the excessive parking in Harley Street, but my hon. Friend's suggestion would not improve matters. I think it will be as well to await the outcome of the special survey of parking facilities in inner London, now in progress.

Is my hon. Friend aware that his view is not shared by the residents in that street, the view being that it would undoubtedly improve matters, and is he aware that there is very great delay because, whenever a car has to stop there, the whole of the street is blocked as a result?

In considering parking questions such as this, there are three considerations which have to be taken into account: the number of cars which can be parked, the reduction of the width of the carriageway which is brought about by the parking, and the interference with traffic as cars park and move out. My hon. Friend's suggestion would result in a reduction from 10 to 8¾ in the number of cars which could be parked in 100 feet, it would take 19½ feet off the carriage way instead of 15 feet, and it would be more obstructive to passing traffic.

In other words, it is not a very good idea.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what are his proposals for the construction of a motorway between Manchester and London.

The construction of the first section of the London—Yorkshire motorway, with a spur to Dunchurch, for Birmingham, will be followed at a later date by a further motorway between the north of Birmingham and the Preston by-bass, which will pass quite close to Manchester. In addition, A.45 between Dunchurch and Birmingham will be brought up to dual carriageway standard throughout.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I heard a little of his answer? Is he further aware that, on average, it now takes at least one hour longer to drive from Manchester to London than before the war?

In dealing with this traffic from Manchester to London, would not the Minister agree that the provision of roads leading to the new bridge across the Trent at Nottingham would really give substantial help?

I could build all sorts of roads everywhere, all of which would make a contribution to relieving traffic problems, but what I have to do is to get the right kind of priorities which will help the traffic most quickly and get it flowing faster than it is today.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what work will be carried out this year to widen and straighten roads A5 between Atherstone and Gailey, A51 between Lichfield and Stone, A34 between Stone and Manchester, A41 between Westonunder-Lizard and Whitchurch and A49 between Whitchurch and Tarporley, respectively.

On these stretches of road, except A.49, some 22 schemes costing sonie £1,145,000 are in progress or are due to start this year. Two further schemes on A.34 costing £822,000 will probably he authorised this year, but are unlikely to start until next. I will circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, although his statement will be received with some satisfaction by users of those roads, they are still really nothing but winding country lanes and quite unfit for modern traffic conditions?

I hope my hon. Friend did hear the answer to that Question. If it prompts him to read the list of schemes which I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT, a very large number of schemes, costing in total, as I have said, something like £2 million, I think he will not be dissatisfied that we are making some progress.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will now state his plans to improve the road junction at The Angel, Islington, and relieve the traffic congestion there.

My right hon. Friend has been considering a scheme for an improved system of traffic signals here, and he expects to be able to make a grant towards the cost of this work very soon. The London County Council has provided for a roundabout here in the second period of their development plan.

Would the Minister bear in mind that merely to improve the traffic signals will not solve the problem, and will he remember that it is a matter of the greatest concern, both to the inhabitants of Islington and to all who use this important artery, that something should be done to relieve the appalling traffic congestion which now exists?

The new traffic lights will be of a very much improved kind. There will be a master controller controlling the flow of traffic from the three different roads. We believe that that will bring about an improvement. At the same time, we are in negotiation with the Finsbury and Islington Borough Councils about works upon the roads; there has been delay because of the need to consult the statutory undertakers, but we expect that that work will be undertaken shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the increased distance that heavy lorries must travel which have to leave the Great North Road north of Doncaster and finally return to the Great North Road south of Doncaster because of the weight limit allowed over the River Don bridge at Doncaster.

The assessed weight limit for vehicles using the River Don Bridge at Doncaster is 30 tons. The recommended route for vehicles in excess of this limit, up to 80 tons weight, involves an additional distance of about 15 miles.

Is the Minister aware of the serious dislocation which is caused to West Riding trade and commerce? Is he aware that these new routes, as has been said of another part of the country, are often down what can only be termed country lanes and that the position is becoming worse each week? Is the Minister satisfied that the new Doncaster by-pass will give the anticipated relief to trade and commerce of the West Riding?

It was the two considerations first put forward by the hon. Member that induced my right hon. Friend to give the rebuilding of this bridge such priority that it has already been authorised. As regards the second part of his question, we are satisfied that the Doncaster by-pass, when completed, will be able to deal with the traffic problem there.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in framing his regulations regarding parking meters, he will arrange that medical practitioners in the course of their work will be exempted from charges if they park their cars in streets in which parking meters may be installed.

No, Sir. A general exemption of this nature would be contrary to the principles underlying the proposals as to parking in the Road Traffic Bill.

May I thank the Minister for the letter he sent me the other day on this matter and ask him whether it is proposed to retain this inflexible attitude for ambulances and fire-fighting vehicles also? Will not the Minister please consider speaking to the British Medical Association about the whole of this matter?

There is nothing inflexible about my attitude on this matter. The facts are that I have, as I think the hon. Member knows, the powers to make exemptions, so that I am adequately armed with them, but I prefer to wait until I have this detailed survey of the whole of London parking which is coming to me. I think that no one will gain more from that than the doctors if they can move about rather more freely.

This is the second time the right hon. Gentleman has referred to the survey on parking. Can he indicate when the report is likely to be made? Will it be published and presented to the House?

As to the first part of the question, I hope that enough of the survey—which I think the hon. Gentleman, with his expert knowledge, knows is a very complicated operation—will be done to judge its merits in some areas in the early autumn. As to how much longer the total investigation will take, I am not yet in a position to say because it is such a complex operation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that the major highway improvement scheme to Drill Corner, Romford, agreed between the local councils concerned, is awaiting approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

In view of the competing claims of other schemes, I am afraid my right hon. Friend cannot accept this improvement for grant in the current financial year. The Essex County Council was informed of this decision on 15th June and was invited to consider a less expensive scheme involving a smaller roundabout.

Is the Minister not aware that the local councils, who are more directly involved, do not regard the modified scheme as serving the right purpose? Is he not aware that large vehicles going round this roundabout have to reverse to avoid going up on to the pave- ment and that as long as it remains a temporary scheme, no offence is committed if a vehicle passes on the wrong side of the island? In view of these facts, will not the Minister consider the position again and see whether he can allow the new plan to be developed?

My information does not entirely coincide with that which the hon. Member has now given, but in view of what he has said I will make a point of having further inquiries made.

Will my right hon. Friend accept from me that the information given by the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Ledger) is perfectly correct and that the scheme for the smaller roundabout would not in any way cure the traffic congestion? This is a serious matter, which the hon. Member for Romford has in no way exaggerated.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what percentage of accidents on the roads occur in towns and villages, main roads outside towns and secondary roads.

Road accident figures do not draw the exact distinction made by my hon. Friend in his Question, but his two categories correspond fairly closely with roads subject to a speed limit and those not so subject.

In 1955, 72 per cent. of the casualties in road accidents occurred on roads subject to a speed limit. The latest figures available giving more detail of the kind asked for relate to 1952, in which year also 72 per cent. of the casualties occurred on roads subject to a speed limit. The 28 per cent. on roads not subject to a speed limit were then made up of 2 per cent. on roads in the Metropolitan Police District; 20 per cent. on trunk, class I and class II roads outside that district; and 6 per cent. on other roads.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether that pattern is a continuing one since the war, or is it changing as the years go by?

Broadly, it is a continuing pattern. If we take the figures for accidents as opposed to casualties in 1955, we find that 76 per cent. of all accidents involving personal injury occurred on roads with speed limits, and that 24 per cent. occurred on roads without speed limits.

Will the right hon. Gentleman resist the temptation to draw false conclusions from these figures? Is he aware that the mere fact that 76 per cent. of accidents occurred on roads with speed limits does not suggest anything in the nature of removing the speed limit, but merely that the speed-limited roads are in centres of denser population where it is more likely that more people are resident?

I think that is an entirely correct deduction to draw from the figures.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make regulations enabling the extension of no parking orders to main streets and main highways with only a short and stated time for delivery before 11 a.m.

Outside the London Traffic Area, the initiative for making orders regulating the waiting of vehicles rests with the local authorities. Inside the London Traffic Area, where waiting restrictions are our responsibility, my right hon. Friend is considering making changes. He has already consulted the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee, who are awaiting the report due in September of the Survey of Parking Facilities of Inner London which is likely to contain recommendations about the hours at which restrictions in that area should begin.

Will my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that he will take a strong line to get rid of as much parking as possible, consistent with the setting down and picking up of passengers and/or goods? Is it not the case that parking is surely one of the major factors leading to congestion?

It is because we recognise this to be the case that we have made provision for dealing with the matter in the Road Traffic Bill.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the dangerous nature of the road A614 from Airmyn and Rawcliffe Station bridge for about half a mile towards Goole; and whether he will take action to improve it.

We are aware of the need to improve this length of road, but I cannot at present say when it will be possible to authorise an improvement scheme. In the meantime, work has recently been completed to provide a better surface on this and an adjoining length.

Is he aware that, in putting down a better surface, he has obliterated the marks which had been placed there by the surveyor with the intention of improving the road instead of putting the new surface on top of the bad substructure? Is he also aware of the fact that the present condition of the road is very unsatisfactory, that it is narrow, that its surface is bad and dangerous, that there is a ditch alongside it, and that even the police in the neighbourhood are asking that something should be done about it?

I am sorry if, after this improvement in the surface, in some respects the result has been unsatisfactory. I will certainly make inquiries into it, in the light of what the hon. Gentleman has said.

In view of the long string of complaints from Yorkshire, and, indeed, from other parts of the country, and the negative answers, on the whole, which have been given to these questions, would the Parliamentary Secretary or the Minister one of these days be good enough to inform the House—perhaps they can do it now—what is the total revenue from motor licences to the so-called Road Fund and how much of it is filched by the Treasury and thereby denied to the roads?

That supplementary question does not arise out of this Question. In any case, the information is available in the papers which have been presented to the House. I have already given a list of major works which are to be undertaken in that part of Yorkshire. In addition, there are a number of others, such as the Finningley by-pass, the North Elmsall diversion, the Tudworth Hall diversion, and the improvement of the junction of A1 with A614. As I happen to have that information available, I thought the right hon. Gentleman might like to have it.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the fact that there are so many schemes urgently necessary now indicates that there must have been much neglect in the past?

It was only when this Government came into office that even a beginning was made.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made in the negotiations between his Department, the British Transport Commission, and the Somerset County Council, as highway authority, for taking over Common Arch Bridge, Chard Junction.

Negotiations have been completed except for the terms of an indemnity clause and some details about land and culverts, on which the county council and the British Transport Commission have not yet reached agreement.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, not all of which I was able to hear, and while also thanking him warmly for the previous help which he has given on this subject, may I ask him if he will please ask the two bodies concerned, the Commission and the county council, to expedite this matter, which has been going on far too long, perhaps three or four years, and will my right hon. Friend please use his best endeavours to stimulate them into getting an agreement?

I am much obliged to my hon. Friend for what he has said, and I will see what can be done in this direction.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps are now being taken to improve the Cromwell Road Extension Scheme so as to avoid bottlenecks at Talgarth Road and at Gunnersbury; and whether the flyover at Hammersmith will now be constructed.

At Gunnersbury the new road will be carried over Wellesley Road and the Chiswick High Road by a redesigned flyover, and the surface roundabout at the junction of the Great West Road and the Chiswick High Road will be enlarged to about two acres in extent to improve the flow of traffic. I am glad to say that the London County Council has now agreed to widen Talgarth Road, thus removing a major bottleneck in the existing scheme. I have recently discussed with the Council the inclusion of the Hammersmith flyover at this stage. As full provision has now been made for it at a later stage, and as its inclusion now would greatly delay the completion of the whole of the Hammersmith section of the new road, I am satisfied that it is right to press on with the construction of the new roundabout at Hammersmith, leaving the flyover for further examination.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him whether his attention has been drawn to the Traffic Engineering Report on this scheme prepared by Mr. Andren and Mr. Seymer, indicating that a serious traffic bottleneck will be formed if the flyover at Hammersmith is not constructed? Has my right hon. Friend any comments to make on that?

I have read the Report, which was kindly sent to me by the British Road Federation. I have had it examined by my experts. I still think that the decision which I have announced is the best one to get the maximum traffic flow at the earliest possible stage. This does not in any way prejudice the construction of a flyover, which, I think, in the end will undoubtedly be necessary, but it is not necessary to put it into the scheme at this stage.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that, so far as he can contrive it, there will not be too long a delay between the first part of the scheme, which is, of course, necessary, and the flyover at Hammersmith, because Hammersmith will continue, if there is a wide gap between the two schemes, to be one of the worst bottlenecks in that part of the world?

I propose to try to get the road from Cromwell Road to the Bath Road, to give access to London Airport, as fast as I can.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he refused the request of the British Transport Commission to retain 200 service vans as C licence vehicles; and why 140 of these vehicles are to be sold as chattels under Section 6 (1) of Transport Act, 1953.

The request was refused because the Commission wished to keep these vehicles in addition to the number the Transport (Disposal of Road Haulage Property) Bill permits it to keep. The 140 are being sold as chattels under Section 6 (1) because service vehicles have not generally been used to carry traffic and it would, therefore, be undesirable to grant special A licences to the purchasers of these vehicles.

Is this not the craziest of all actions in conjunction with disposal? Does the Minister realise that these vehicles would not compete with commercial road hauliers—they would have C licences—and that his action means that the Commission, having to dispose of these vehicles, must now buy new vehicles to carry its own goods? What is the point of compelling the Commission to sell vehicles at a loss and to purchase new vehicles at a higher price in these days of capital restriction?

The fact is, as the hon. Member quite definitely knows, that, taking the whole operation generally, the Commission has had a very fair and generous deal. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]Oh, yes; it certainly has. There are bound to be these small anomalies before we can finally clear up the process of disposal, which I wish to do as quickly as possible for the sake of the Commission.

How can the Minister say that the Commission has had a fair deal when he whittled down by 7½ per cent. the number of vehicles which the Commission was allowed to keep? When he is deliberately making the Commission dispose of vehicles, which it could use for its own use and which would not enter into competition, with the result that the Commission has to buy new vehicles, how can the right hon. Gentleman justify this crazy bit of business?

The hon. Gentleman, I think, forgets the purpose of the Act, which concerned 7,500 lorries, which is a rather more important matter.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what recent requests he has received from the British Overseas Airways Corporation for sanction to purchase United States jet air liners.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply I gave last week to the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Rankin).

Is the Minister aware that reports have appeared in the Press that the Chairman of B.O.A.C. has applied for Government sanction to spend millions of pounds on eight American jet liners for use by B.O.A.C.? I assume from the Minister's reply that those reports are not correct.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising this matter. It is particularly important that all who work on the airport should know the facts. Perhaps I might recapitulate them. A most careful and detailed technical examination is being undertaken, both of the American aircraft, which are Britain's competitors, and British jet and turboprop aircraft, with a view to meeting the requirements which the new Chairman of B.O.A.C. has now worked out as a result of the technical study which his experts have carried out. Until all these technical examinations are completed, no firm decisions can possibly be taken about the kind of aircraft that will be required.

While one appreciates that a decision of this kind cannot be taken in a hurry, surely it is a fact that under the former Chairman as well as the present Chairman of B.O.A.C. this matter has been considered for months and months, presumably with the Minister. When are we likely to receive a decision on this matter? If it has not been pursued for many months past, surely it ought to have been. If it has not been pursued, what is the reason?

The right hon. Gentleman has asked me the reason, and I will tell him. First, in fairness to the past Chairman and management of B.O.A.C., it must be said that this air business has changed enormously in the past six months. The new big American jet aircraft have come forward and large numbers of orders have been placed. I believe that something like 200 aircraft have been ordered by foreign airlines which compete with B.O.A.C. The first task that I asked the new Chairman to perform was to examine the whole situation in the light of these new developments. That he has now done, and, as a result, we are carrying out this technical assessment of both the new American aircraft, which his competitors will soon be flying—within a measurable number of years—and what the British industry has to offer and what B.O.A.C. has on order. I do not think that any time has been wasted upon this study, on which depends the whole future of the Corporation.