asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the market prices of wheat, barley and oats during September and October this year have compared with those ruling during the same months of last year.

According to the Corn Returns, growers' prices of home-grown wheat and barley were higher in September and the first three weeks of October this year than in September-October, 1955. The price of oats was higher in September this year than in September, 1955, but for the first three weeks of October, 1956, was about the same as last year. The average prices were as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the total numbers of staff in his Department on 1st October, 1955, 1st April, 1956, and 1st October, 1956.

The number of non-industrial staff in post on 1st October, 1955, was 17,111; on 1st April, 1956, 16,575; and on 1st October, 1956, 15,851.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of places are likely to be unfilled in farm institutes during the present year as compared with the previous year.

Nine per cent. of the places at farm institutes are unfilled this year—the same as last year.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the question of the screening of immigrant labour for tuberculosis, with special reference to those entering the United Kingdom for various work periods from the Republic of Ireland and the Commonwealth.

There is no statutory control over the entry into this country of Commonwealth citizens or citizens of the Irish Republic. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service, when Minister of Health, informed the House in May, 1954, that the Standing Tuberculosis Advisory Committee had advised that tuberculosis in immigrants did not constitute a serious menace to the health of this country. He had therefore decided, in consultation with his right hon. Friends concerned, that the establishment of a health check sufficiently thorough to ensure that tuberculous persons from abroad were denied entry to the United Kingdom would involve the imposition of fresh restrictions quite out of proportion to the danger. I am not aware of any evidence that since that time the position has changed for the worse nor of any reason to modify my right hon. Friend's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what countries accepting United Kingdom and Colonial immigrant labour insist on screening for tuberculosis either at port of exit or entry or both.

I regret that this information is not immediately available, but if the hon. Member is interested in any particular country or countries, I shall be glad to obtain it for him.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consultations our representatives at the United Nations Organisation had with the delegates from Canada and Australia on the question of the Suez dispute before deciding to exercise the veto.

The United Kingdom Representative on the Security Council has, throughout the discussions in the Security Council on Middle Eastern affairs, kept in the closest contact with his Australian colleague, who is the only other Commonwealth representative on the Security Council. In accordance with usual practice he has also been in touch with other Commonwealth delegations, including that of Canada. The decision to vote against two resolutions in the Security Council on 31st October was taken on instructions from the United Kingdom Government.

asked the Sec retary of State for Foreign Affairs the present policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the exercise of the veto at the Security Council.

The exercise of the veto is provided for by the United Nations Charter. Its use depends on the circumstances of the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what form the Hungarian Government have appealed to the United Nations for an immediate discussion of the situation arising from their withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact ; what action Her Majesty's Government are taking in view of the breach of the Yalta Agreement and the Hungarian Peace Treaty constituted by the continued presence on Hungarian territory of Soviet armed forces; the latest reports received by Her Majesty's Government from Hungary; and, in particular, what reports he has received about the movement and strength of Soviet armed forces.

I have nothing to add to the statement which I made this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken with France and other metropolitan European Powers to co-ordinate economic development in Africa.

The importance of co-operation with other Powers in this field is fully recognised by Her Majesty's Government. Arrangements exist for consultation and co-operation with France and other interested countries on economic questions in Africa, through a variety of channels including direct consultations, co-operation in the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation and co-operation on technical matters in the Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa South of the Sahara.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on which occasions during the past three months he has advised the Israeli Government against making an armed attack on Egypt.

Her Majesty's Government's representations to the Israeli Government have in the main been concerned with the possibility of Israeli attacks upon Jordan, but as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 30th October, when the news was received of Israel mobilisation, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Tel Aviv was instructed to make inquiries of the Israel Foreign Minister and to urge restraint.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British subjects are at present imprisoned by Colonel Nasser upon espionage and other charges; the last information he has as to their present whereabouts; and what foreign Power is now charged with arranging for their defence and guarding their interests.

Ten British subjects are known to be under arrest by the Egyptian authorities. Four are charged with espionage and were recently reported to be comfortably accommodated in Cairo. No information is available about the reasons for the arrest of the other six, or their place of detention. The Swiss Government have assumed responsibility for the protection of British interests in Egypt. This will include arrangements for the defence of the arrested men.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has yet considered an application from the Central Electricity Authority for his approval to proposals for increases in the pensions of ex-local authority pensioners for whom the Authority has become liable under the Electricity Act. 1947.

No. My right hon. Friend has not yet received an application.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what maximum retail price he has fixed for the sale of thermalite in the southern area of the gas industry.

I understand that the North Western Gas Board is proposing to market a solid smokeless fuel under this name during the coming winter, but they have not yet asked me to determine a maximum retail price.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the case of Mr. Charles Mason, who underwent national service in New Zealand in 1952 under the provisions of the New Zealand Military Training Act, 1949, and who, having returned to this country, has now received papers to undergo National Service; and whether, in the circumstances, he will be prepared to defer Mr. Mason's call-up.

Whole-time service in the Armed Forces of a Commonwealth country is taken into account when determining the period of full-time service that a man may be required to perform under the National Service Acts.Mr. Mason has so far failed to produce documentary evidence of any whole-time military service in New Zealand, and unless he does so he will be called up next year for the full period of two years whole-time service. As he is an agricultural worker his call-up is at present suspended until the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the Royal Air Force airlift of medical supplies and food for the relief of suffering in Hungary.

Between the 29th and 31st October Royal Air Force aircraft carried a total of 112 tons of food and medical supplies to Vienna for relief work in Hungary. The supplies were released from British stocks in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the use of the Royal Air Force in the attack on Egypt.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence informed the House on Saturday, the Royal Air Force's first task, in conjunction with the Fleet Air Arm and the French Air Force, was the neutralisation of the Egyptian Air Force, by means of bombing attacks on airfields followed by low level ground attacks. This has now been accomplished. For this operation the Middle East Air Force was temporarily supplemented by some bomber and fighter squadrons from the United Kingdom.The attacks on other military targets, particularly armour, continue.Royal Air Force transport aircraft have during the past few hours dropped parachute troops in the Canal Zone. This operation was preceded by low level attacks on Egyptian anti-aircraft gun posts.All these operations have been carried out with the loss of only one Venom aircraft missing.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, now that flying at the Royal Air Force Station, Hendon, has ceased, he will, in view of its close proximity to the centre of London, retain it as an airfield for aircraft which, because they can take off and land vertically, do not require long runways.

Service flying at Hendon has not yet stopped. The future of the airfield is being examined and I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation about its usefulness for civil flying.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many civilian technical representatives are at present detached from firms and working with Royal Air Force units; and how this figure compares with the numbers in 1955 and 1954.

Eighty. This excludes contractors' working parties and also technical representatives attached to stations at a firm's own request. Comparable figures for 1955 and 1954 are sixty-eight and forty.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much agricultural land has been lost in Great Britain for road works and improvements during the past five years.

The only information readily available is that for 1955 which I gave in answer to a Question by the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash (Sir L. Ropner) on 28th March last. I will try to obtain the further information required but this is bound to take some time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now able to make a statement about the establishment of a broadcasting station in Gibraltar.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st October, 1956, Vol. 558, c. 1422], supplied the following further information:

The service will be a public wireless broadcasting service with a 350 watt transmitter. The cost of the service will be met from local funds but revenue will be obtained from advertising which is to be included under conditions laid down by the Gibraltar Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Malta, regarding financial assistance.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st October, 1956, Vol. 558, c. 148],supplied the following full statement :

The United Kingdom and Maltese Government are grateful to the Economic Commission for the speed with which they have examined the Maltese Budget and the care with which they have framed their recommendations.

2. Her Majesty's Government accept the Maltese Budget proposed by the Economic Commission for 1956–57 and agree to make available from United Kingdom funds the amounts necessary to meet the deficit on that Budget. These amounts will be:

(i) up to £1,731,703 in respect of war damage and reconstruction;

(ii) up to £225,000 in respect of emigration;

(iii) up to £343,000 from colonial development and welfare funds;

(iv) subject to the approval of Parliament and to the conditions in paragraph 3 below, up to £3,361,002 in respect of Grant in Aid of administration.

3. Her Majesty's Government also agree that the balance of the Consolidated Revenue Fund shall be £1,000,000 at the end of 1956–57 and will make such payments, within the amount of grant in aid of £3,361,002 recommended by the Economic Commission, as are necessary to maintain the balance at that figure. The Maltese Government for their part agree to meet from the Fund the cost of any recoverable loans to be advanced in 1956–57, and recognise that Her Majesty's Government are not committed by these arrangements to the maintenance of the balance in the Fund as a permanent part of their financial arrangements with Malta.

4. Her Majesty's Government will stand ready to consider a case for a supplementary grant in aid in respect of certain items mentioned by the Economic Commission in their interim Report and of certain other items to which they have subsequently drawn attention. In considering any such changes in the Budget, the cost of which cannot be met from savings, Her Majesty's Government will consider themselves free to review the question of the level at which the balance of the Consolidated Revenue Fund is to be maintained at the end of the current financial year. They recognise, however, that the Maltese Government cannot bind themselves in advance to accepting a reduction in that balance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement in reply to the representations made to him by the Morriston Chamber of Trade on the problem of redundancy in the tinplate trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is

We shall continue to do what we can to attract suitable new industry to the area. Additional workers will also be required in the new steel works.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the current rate of duty levied by the United Kingdom on imports of cotton yarn and cloth from the German Federal Republic, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg; and the corresponding rates of duty levied by these countries on imports of cotton yarn and cloth from the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, the m.f.n. duty on yarn wholly of cotton is 7½ per cent. and on cloth wholly of cotton, in the piece, and not containing any lace, embroidery, etc., is is 17½ per cent.The following table shows the current rates of duty on cotton yarns and cotton fabrics in the countries referred to.

asked the Minister of Supply what has been his Department's expenditure on the rocket range at Aberporth up to 31st October.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose this information.

asked the Minister of Defence what has been the total defence expenditure in Cyprus since the island became our chief base in the Middle East.

The total expenditure incurred within Cyprus by the Services since 1st December, 1954, when Headquarters Middle East Command began working there, is about £25 million. The figure includes expenditure incurred by the three Service Departments locally in Cyprus on food, rent, works and pay.

asked the Postmaster-General what consideration he has given to the request of the Knowsley Parish Council that the post box, at present at the corner of Belton Road, be moved to the corner of Pennard Avenue and Hillside Avenue.

I am having inquiries made and will write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.