asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has completed his study of the Report of the Royal Air Force survey party upon the possibilities of an air strip on Coetivy Island in the Seychelles.

I can hold out no hope of an early decision on this Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why 2771016 Leading Air-craftman Turner was posted with others to a radio servicing flight in the 2nd Tactical Air Force although it was known that the unit would not be formed for some time; whether he is aware of the consequent unemployment of the men on this unit; and what was done to provide them with useful work.

The delay in forming the unit was not foreseen at the time that L.A.C. Turner and the other airmen concerned were drafted to the 2nd Tactical Air Force. As a result there was not enough work for them to do, but they are now fully employed on duties appropriate to their trade.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the annoyance and irritation caused to private motorists who endeavour to leave or pick up passengers at the international part of London Airport, if he will examine parking arrangements with particular reference to space given to cars of the administration, taxis, private hire and visitors.

Parking arrangements at the airport are under constant examination. There is generally adequate space to meet the needs of private motorists who wish to park for a short time while picking up or seeing off passengers; but if the hon. Member has any specific suggestions, my right hon. Friend will be glad to examine them.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what width of carriageway is taken up by cars parked parallel with the kerb, diagonally and at right angles to it, respectively; and how many cars can be parked per 100 yards of roadway by each method, allowing room for those parked parallel with the kerb to get in and out.

The normal width of carriageway taken up is 6 feet if cars are parked parallel with the kerb, 19½ feet if cars are parked at 45° and 20 feet if cars are parked at right angles. The average number of cars that can be accommodated in 100 yards of roadway is 15 parked parallel with the kerb, 26¼ parked at 45° to the kerb and 40 parked at right angles, but angle parking requires greater space for manoeuvring than parking parallel with the kerb.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the discussions which have taken place with representatives of the Government of the Union of South Africa and of European Governments administering territories in Africa regarding a defence pact for the continent of Africa.

I am not aware of any such discussions.

asked the Minister of Defence what steps he is taking to extend the atomic energy agreement with the United Sates of America to cover exchange of information about the making and use of nuclear warheads.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 20th June, 1955, when he made a statement on the Military and Civil Agreements on Atomic Energy, the Military Agreement, because of the limitations of the United States Atomic Energy Act of 1954, excludes disclosure of information relating directly to the design and fabrication of atomic weapons. He also said on that occasion that the Agreement permitted exchange of information on military aspects, including the development of defence plans and training in the use of and defence against nuclear weapons. The United States law on this matter remains as it was at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the deteriorating situation in the Haud and the reserved area of Somaliland regarding the working of the Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1954: and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government have received reports that Ethiopian officials have been exercising pressure on tribesmen from the Protectorate, while exercising their rights to graze in Ethiopian territory, to declare themselves Ethiopian subjects and to accept Ethiopian nominees as their Sultans. In so doing they have interfered with the tribal organisation of the tribes concerned, and have failed to consult the British Liaison Organisation. These acts contravene the 1954 Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement.Her Majesty's Ambassador to Ethiopia has lodged a strong protest against these activities by Ethiopian officials, and has asked that the Ethiopian Government should issue immediate instructions to remedy the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consideration has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the recent official representations by the Government of Israel that the Arab States are receiving quantities of modern armaments which are being denied to Israel; and what action it is therefore proposed to take to stabilise the armaments position in the Middle East.

All requests for arms supplies from Middle East countries are given due consideration in the light of Her Majesty's Government's general policy as stated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State in reply to the right hon. and learned Gentleman on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that he is receiving adequate information, in accordance with our obligations under the Tripartite Agreement, about the types and quantities of arms being supplied to Egypt and other Middle East countries from Czechoslovak or other Communist sources; and whether he will now give the House details of the information in his possession about what has already been delivered.

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that Her Majesty's Government are generally well informed about these transactions, but he does not think it would serve a useful purpose to state figures which, in the nature of things, cannot be wholly accurate or complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that the balance of arms possessed by Israel and the countries bordering upon Israel is still in favour of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that Israel is in a position to defend herself successfully.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken to make sure that the singers and dancers of the Soviet Army now appearing in this country see British dancing and hear British singers; and to what extent the British Council is responsible for their visit.

The visit of the Soviet Army Ensemble was arranged by the management of the Empress Hall in association with the Soviet Relations Committee of the British Council, as part of a programme of reciprocal visits which include performances by British companies in the U.S.S.R.The eight weeks season which opened on 28th June is strenuous, and the Ensemble's spare time is very limited. An invitation to the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen had to be refused on this account. The programme arranged for members of the Ensemble by the British Council and the Empress Hall includes a visit to a performance of Othello at Stratford-upon-Avon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply has been sent to the French Government about the objections which have been made to Her Majesty's Government about Arab language broadcasts from a radio station in Cyprus.

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the Near East Arab Broadcasting Service in Cyprus. The representations made by the French Government were informal. Their substance has been drawn to the attention of the company which owns the station.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Sierra Leone police are still short of establishment; and what is the deficiency in gazetted officers.

The strength of the other ranks is at present 104 below establishment which has been increased from 1,266 to 1,495 this year. As regards gazetted ranks, there are nine vacancies which I hope to fill shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how rates of pay in the Sierra Leone police compare with those of police forces in other British territories in West Africa.

Exact comparisons are difficult since one must take into account differences in allowances and local circumstances such as Income Tax. By and large, the rates of pay in Sierra Leone do not compare unfavourably with those elsewhere in West Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Sierra Leone police are now adequately equipped with wireless sets and motor transport.

The continuing expansion of the Sierra Leone police force has made necessary additional wireless equipment and motor transport. This has been ordered, but delivery is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the drafting of a new constitution for Cyprus, consideration will be given to the setting up of a Second House with the particular task of safeguarding minorities.

My hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion will, I am sure, be in Lord Radcliffe's mind as one of the matters to be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what moneys have so far been paid out in compensation for the orange trees felled by security forces in the Famagusta area of Cyprus; and what is the total sum involved in the other offers that have been made by Her Majesty's Government and that have not yet been accepted by the owners of the trees.

Compensation of £6,317 has already been paid. Offers totalling £4,324 have been made by the Cyprus Government, but not yet accepted. Offers totalling £3,134 have been rejected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what special legislation has been enacted by the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia following the boycott of shops by the African National Congress, and whether the African members of the Legislative Council and the Europeans representing African interests voted for these Acts.

No special legislation has been passed. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the fact that the Chief Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lim Yew Hock, will be in this country shortly attending the Commonwealth Labour Administration Conference, if he will take this opportunity of reopening with him the discussions on the self-government of Singapore which terminated without agreement in May.

I certainly hope to see Mr. Lim Yew Hock again during his visit and we shall no doubt discuss this matter informally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the student teachers of the Govarnment School at Kuala Lumpur did not receive their May salaries until the end of June; and if he will take steps to ensure that employees of all Government Departments receive their salaries at the proper time.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the fact that fourteen probationer teachers, who became eligible for an increase in salary during May, were not paid until the 27th June. This was due to an error by clerical staff. Ten of them accepted advances early in June against their May salary when it became known to their headmaster that payment had been delayed. Although there was delay on this occasion I am satisfied that this was most unusual and that payments are normally made promptly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the dispute in the tin mining industry of Malaya in which the men are taking strike action one day each week; why this dispute was not referred to the Industrial Court as requested by both sides; why the Labour Department refused the unions' request for an arbitration court to settle the dispute; and, if agreement has not yet been reached, if he will agree to the case going before an arbitration tribunal.

Yes. At the request of both parties, this dispute was referred to the Industrial Court. Reference to arbitration was unnecessary while the dispute was before the Industrial Court, but the employees' union has now withdrawn its agreement to refer the dispute to that Court and has declined to enter into any form of arbitration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how far the Malayan sterling assets held in currency board holdings, funds with Crown Agents, miscellaneous official funds, and funds with United Kingdom banks are in blocked accounts which are realisable when unfrozen or are a part of the general sterling area holding used to finance day by day transactions.

None of these assets—nor indeed those of any Colonial Government—are in blocked accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is being done to improve the system of rice-growing in Sarawak; and whether he will make a statement on Government policy.

Great efforts have been made since the war, and are still being made, to persuade hill padi farmers to adopt the more productive system of wet padi cultivation. Irrigation and drainage works have been installed in selected areas, and mills have been established. Experiments in Brunei on mechanical cultivation are being closely observed. The policy of the Government of Sarawak is to encourage food growing, with particular emphasis on rice. In pursuance of this policy it guarantees a support price for home-grown rice and has set aside funds to provide agricultural credits through a co-operative bank.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the sterling balances of Singapore, the Federation of Malaya and the Borneo area, respectively, referred to collectively in Command No. 9769 as sterling balances of the Malayan area.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 23rd April, 1956, detailed figures for each territory are not published. But there is a considerable amount of published information about the holdings of individual territories. Such information concerning the Malayan and Borneo territories is being assembled and I will send it to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many Ceylonese are employed directly or indirectly at the base at Trincomalee; and what is the estimated annual cost to the British taxpayer of maintaining this base.

Approximately 4,800 Ceylonese are directly employed at the Trincomalee Naval Base itself. 1,000 others are employed by the Admiralty elsewhere in the island. It is not possible to make an accurate estimate of the number of Ceylonese who obtain indirect employment from the activities of the naval base, but it must be very large. The annual cost of maintaining the base and other establishments is approximately £2½m.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many of the 98 admirals in the Royal Navy are on sea-going appointments: how many are engaged on active duties ashore; and how many are not effectively employed.

Of the 98 flag officers, 71 are of the Executive branch, of whom 14 are sea-going. Fifty-two are on active duties ashore, and five are awaiting appointments. The remaining 27 are officers of flag rank in the professional and technical branches, all of whom serve on shore.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what duties attach to the post of Admiral, Royal Yachts.

The Flag Officer, Royal Yachts, administers the Royal Yacht Service, and is in command of Her Majesty's Yacht "Britannia".

asked the Postmaster-General why Mrs. D. Merton, 29, Sandon Street, Liverpool, 8, who was given 10 days' notice of termination of service with the Post Office after 10 years' employment as a part-time night telephonist, has not, four months after such termination, received the gratuity for which, as she was told, application was being made.

A warrant for the gratuity due to Mrs. Merton was sent to her on the 12th April. In view of her statement that it did not reach her, a duplicate has been delivered to her by hand.

asked the Postmaster-General what Civil Service classifications and salaries he proposes to apply to the staffs engaged upon the organisation and sale of Premium Bonds.

In the main, the Post Office will employ members of the general service executive and clerical grades in the central office, and members of the Post Office manipulative grades at Crown Post Offices. Pay will be at the rates prevailing for the several grades concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will break down in terms of offices, equipment, salaries, advertising, etc., the £1 million provided in the Post Office Supplementary Estimate for Premium Bonds.

The right hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The amount included in the Supplementary Estimate in respect of Premium Savings Bonds is in fact £225,000, and this relates solely to the estimated cost this year of the headquarters staff at Lytham St. Annes.

asked the Postmaster-General what consideration he has given to the possibility of issuing distinctive stamps for the different parts of the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the issue of stamps of special interest to Wales.

Her Majesty The Queen has graciously approved in principle the issue of new stamps in the 2½d., 4d., and ls. 3d. denominations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a 2½d. stamp in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The basic design of the stamps will remain unchanged. The head of Her Majesty will continue to be the dominant feature. The border will bear symbols or designs appropriate to the places I have mentioned. I propose to invite committees representative of cultural and artistic interests in these areas to advise on detailed designs for me to submit to Her Majesty for approval. The new stamps will be on sale only in the areas which they represent, but they will be valid for postage and revenue purposes throughout the British Isles.

asked the Postmaster-General the practice of the Post Office when requested by a landlord to remove a telephone installation situated in part of the premises occupied by a tenant, regardless of the wishes of the tenant and even though the tenant is the subscriber; whether he is aware that landlords are requesting the Post Office to remove telephones in retaliation against tenants who get a local authority to serve a notice of disrepair; and what action he proposes to take to put a stop to such victimisation of tenants.

Two such cases have come to my notice recently. I am studying the problem in the light of the Telegraph Act, 1863, and will write to my hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, as a result of the opening of the new station at Crystal Palace television reception in the Hastings area is only very slightly improved; and upon what date it is planned to double the present kilowatt power to 120 kilowatts and to raise the Crystal Palace aerial a further 200 feet which will bring good reception to practically all the Hastings area.

Yes. 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 Secretary of State for War what further information he has regarding the fate of the two British Service men, Lance-Corporal Harry Gordon Hill and Private Ronald Shilton.

I regret that I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on 5th June.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give more specific assurance about the Government's future policy on the guaranteed price for fat cattle having regard to paragraph 17 of the Annual Review White Paper.

I am now able to say that the standard price for fat cattle for the fatstock year beginning 25th March, 1957, will not be less than the present standard price of 151s. per live cwt.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many grants have been made in Hayes and Harlington for clothing, and how many to supplement rent during the last year by the local office of the National Assistance Board.

The National Assistance Board regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what further progress has been made with research into the possible connection between lung cancer and atmospheric pollution.

Epidemiological studies over the last three years have established that the incidence of cancer of the lung is higher among those who live in towns than among those who live in the country. Although the reasons for this have not been definitely established, atmospheric pollution and cigarette smoking are thought to be two possible contributory factors. The rate of cigarette smoking is generally greater in urban than in rural areas; the incidence of lung cancer in men who are heavy smokers does not differ greatly in the two types of area, but among men who smoke few or no cigarettes a greater incidence has been found in those who live in towns. It is therefore thought that some other factor must be present, and 3:4 benzpyrene, which is known to be carcinogenic for animals, has been demonstrated in samples of atmospheric pollution collected in a number of British cities. Research is continuing on the relationship of both atmospheric pollution and smoking to lung cancer and has been greatly increased in volume during the past twelve months.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of admissions to mental hospitals in 1954 and 1955; how many of these, and what percentage, were voluntary patients on admission to hospital; and what further number and percentage became voluntary patients before discharge after being admitted as certified patients.

The figures are as follows for England and Wales: