asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education what steps he intends to take to encourage the teaching of Commonwealth and colonial affairs in the schools.

A short course for teachers on some aspect of Commonwealth or Colonial affairs is run annually by my Department. In addition, my noble Friend will continue to help the Imperial Institute, which does a great deal to stimulate an interest in Commonwealth affairs in the schools. He is at present considering the possibility of arranging for one or more conferences of university and school staffs to foster the teaching of Commonwealth history.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education whether he is aware that the figures of enrolment for evening classes in Sheffield of students aged 21 years and over fell by 828 at the beginning of the current session and by a further 1,059 in January; and whether, in the light of these figures, he will now withdraw or modify Circular 307 so as to enable local authorities to adjust the fees as necessary to maintain enrolments.

There has been a fall in these enrolments, though not to the extent which the hon. Member suggests. My noble Friend considers that the new fee of 10s. a term which, as the hon. Member will be aware, affects mainly non-vocational classes is not unreasonable. The Circular already contains provision for the abatement of fees in cases of hardship.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education to give the number of students enrolled and their age groups in September-October, 1956, in establishments of further education in England and Wales for each of the following types of course, namely, full-time, sandwich, part-time and evening, in science, engineering and craft subjects.

The lastest information available is still that given in the reply to the hon. Member's Question of 12th December last. I hope that most of the figures relating to the subsequent academic year will be available within the next few weeks.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education whether he will retain the permanent Welsh Under-Secretary to his Department in London.

The Government are not yet ready to announce their conclusions on the recommendations of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire on this and other matters.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education how many county local education authorities will have completed the separation of primary and secondary education under the building programmes which the Minister has already approved under the five-year plan.

Projects already included in approved building programmes will raise the number of counties in which rural areas are completely reorganised from five to twenty.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education whether he has yet considered the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, enclosing a memorandum from Sir Ronald Gould, M.A., the General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, on the question of the Government education grant; and whether he will make a statement.

My noble Friend will be ready to discuss the Government's proposals with the National Union of Teachers at an appropriate stage, but I cannot comment on its memorandum within the scope of a Parliamentary Answer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education if he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to comprehensive schools.

Like his predecessor, my noble Friend is prepared to consider on their merits individual proposals for comprehensive schools.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education what steps he is taking to improve the facilities for teaching science in secondary schools.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave today to his other Question on this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what inquiries are being made by his Department about recent developments in the economic extraction of oil from the Albertan Tar Sands in Canada.

The United Kingdom High Commissioner at Ottawa is keeping me fully informed of developments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state what progress has been made in the finding of a cheap and effective method of flame-proofing clothing materials, in accordance with the reply given on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie on 26th April, 1956.

The special committee of the British Standards Institution which is considering the problem of flammability in clothing textiles is collecting information about flame-resistant processes for fabrics. I understand that this information will be included in its Report, which I hope will soon be published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Report by the Monopolies Commission on the supply and exports of electrical and allied machinery and plant.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 7th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to help the burgh of Jedburgh to attract new industry there, in view of the closing of the North British Rayon Mill; and if he will do all in his power to publicise the fact that there is a 10-acre site available with power plant and buildings comprising 270,000 square feet.

Every effort has been made and will continue to be made to interest a new tenant from industry in these premises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has noted that six pottery firms went into liquidation during 1956 and that the labour force in that industry has decreased by 10 per cent.; and what action he is taking which will help the industry to prevent further loss of exports and of sales in the home market.

I am kept well informed about the situation in the domestic pottery industry and am watching it closely. My Department continues to make its export services available to the industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that no British firm tendered for constructional work on the Australian Snowy River scheme; and if he will draw the attention of British industrialists and contractors to such opportunities in the future, by publishing appropriate notices in his Journal, or otherwise.

Yes. The United Kingdom industry was informed of calls for tenders for constructional work on this project by my Department in accordance with what has been and will continue to be normal practice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what different types of wines have been imported into the United Kingdom during each of the last three years, indicating from which countries the different types have come.

I would refer my hon. Friend to pages 68–78 of the 47th Report of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, published last month (Cmnd. 69).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give figures to show what proportion of Scotch whisky exported is immature; and whether the proportion of immature whisky is increasing or decreasing

Official exports statistics do not distinguish between Scotch and other whiskies. The proportion of all whisky exported which is immature has increased from 0·401 per cent. in 1955 to 0·882 per cent. in 1956.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in order that the advantages and disadvantages of the Anglo-Australian Trade Agreement of 26th February may be more easily appreciated, he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the items in Schedule B in a form in which they can be understood without reference to the Australian Customs Tariff, together with the new rates of preference.

I am arranging for the publication in an early issue of the Board of Trade Journal of an explanatory note on the provisions of Article 7 and Schedule B of the United Kingdom-Australia Trade Agreement. Meanwhile, I would refer my hon. Friend to the short descriptions of these goods published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 12th November, 1956, Vol. 560, c. 559–569.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of its effect on Commonwealth trade, whether he is yet in possession of details of the tariff which the Messina countries propose to apply to products of their own colonial territories and to those of countries outside the Common Market area.

No, but we have asked for this information.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the 7th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the National Research Development Corporation.

Yes, and as required by Sections 4 (5) and 10 (5) of the Development of Inventions Act, 1949, I laid these documents before Parliament on 12th March, and the Report will be published on 21st March.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the French Prime Minister.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on Tuesday to the hon. Members for Stechford (Mr. Roy Jenkins) and West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis).

asked the Prime Minister on what date he last received a report from the Medical Research Council on the human hazards from radio- active materials liberated by nuclear weapon tests.

I have nothing to add to my recent replies on this matter which embody the latest advice which I have received from the Medical Research Council.

asked the Prime Minister what arrangements are being made for this country to be represented at the 350th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on Monday to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes). In addition, I understand that you, Mr. Speaker, and the Lord Chancellor have received from the General Assembly of the State of Virginia an invitation to send a Parliamentary delegation of hon. Members of this House and of another place at the end of July, and that you, Sir, and my noble Friend are accepting this invitation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider exempting from Purchase Tax, subject to the necessary safeguard against resale in this country within a certain period, British motor cars bought by foreign diplomats in Great Britain, in order to encourage them to buy British rather than foreign motor cars, and thus promote our export trade and help the motor industry.

An alternative scheme which will meet the point which my hon. Friend has in mind will be brought into effect shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue before the Budget a White Paper, based upon information supplied by all Departments concerned, showing the annual finance required until 1965 to meet the respective capital programmes for coal, oil, gas, atomic energy, iron and steel, railways and roads.

No. The Government are, however, keeping under review the possibility of providing more information about the load of future investment in these sectors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated cost of doubling the earned income allowance, of a reduction of 1s. in the standard rate of Income Tax, and of increasing from £2,000 to £3,000 for the commencement of Surtax payments, respectively; and if he will bear in mind that these are the actions which industry is hoping he will be able to take.

To double earned income relief, making the fraction four-ninths, would cost about £600 million. A reduction of 1s. in the standard rate of Income Tax, with corresponding reductions in the reduced rates, would cost about £270 million. An increase from £2,000 to £3,000 in the starting point for Surtax would cost about £49 million if the rates now charged on successive slices of income above £2,000 were applied to corresponding slices above £3,000. All these costs are for a full year; in the first year the figures would be lower.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to end the anomaly under which barristers on retirement from the Bar are not liable for tax on those fees collected after retirement.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since the Bank Rate was only 2 per cent. for the years between 30th June, 1932, and 8th November, 1951, excepting for a few weeks at the beginning of the war in August, 1939, what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to a reduction of the Bank Rate to something like this low level once conditions allow, and in regard to a low Bank Rate generally when this is attainable; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 7th February to the right hon. Member for Huyton (Mr. H. Wilson).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations the Iron and Steel Holding Realisation Agency held with him before including in their offer for sale of shares in the Steel Company of Wales a scheme for the holding of shares by trustees on behalf of workpeople.

My right hon. Friend was generally aware of this arrangement, but the details were settled by the directors in conjunction with the Agency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether representatives of trade unions will be included among the trustees appointed to hold shares in the Steel Company of Wales, as provided for in the offer for sale made by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency.

No. Lloyds Bank Limited are trustees of the scheme and hold the shares until payment in full is made by the employees. This is a purely business arrangement and no question of discretion arises. When the shares are paid for (within two years) the trustees will have no further interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total dividend which it is anticipated will be paid by the Steel Company of Wales in respect of the year 1956–57 to persons acquiring shares offered for sale by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency; and what was the amount of dividend received by the Agency in respect of the year 1955–56 for the equivalent amount of stock then held by it.

If Income Tax is assumed at 8s. 6d. in the £, the net dividend payable for the company's current year would be £1,380,000 the actual net dividend for 1955–56 was £389,529. In view of the capital reorganisation and the development of the company, the two figures are not comparable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in implementing his policy of increasing petrol companies' incomes to offset higher transport charges, he will reduce the petrol duty by a similar amount in order to avoid pushing the cost of living still higher.

The level of petrol prices is a matter for my noble Friend the Minister of Power. As regards the Duty, my hon. Friend will not expect me to comment, beyond saying that I have noted his suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the relative purchasing value of the salaries of Ministers of the Crown of £5,000 per annum would be if, in addition to the estimated purchasing value of £1,810 per annum today, without taking account of taxation, a recipient of this salary was liable for taxation at the normal rates of taxation on the basis of his being a single man, a married man, and a married man with one, two and three children, respectively, claiming the normal marriage and family reliefs.

The figures are as follows:

——	Net income after tax, 1937–38	Net income after tax, 1956–57	Equivalent purchasing power of 1956–57 net income, compared with 1937
	£	£	£
Single man	3,536	2,673	968
Married, no children	3,556	2,716	983
Married, one child	3,571	2,758	998
Married, two children	3,586	2,801	1,014
Married, three children	3,601	2,843	1,029

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to publish in HANSARD a revised table of figures showing how the relative worth of the salaries of Ministers and junior Ministers in receipt of £3,000, £2,000 and £1,500 would be amended from the figures of £1,086, £724 and £543, respectively, if allowance were made for the additional £500 of these Ministers' Parliamentary salaries at today's value of £310, after allowing for taxation at the normal rates, on the basis

——		Single	Married	Married, one child	Married, two children	Married, three children
		£	£	£	£	£
Ministerial salary £3,000*
Net income after tax, 1937–38	…	2,311	2,331	2,346	2,361	2,376
Net income after tax, 1956–57	…	2,123	2,166	2,208	2,251	2,293
Purchasing power compared with 1937	…	768	784	799	815	830
Ministerial salary £2,000*
Net income after tax, 1937–38	…	1,623	1,643	1,658	1,673	1,688
Net income after tax, 1956–57	…	1,698	1,741	1,783	1,826	1,868
Purchasing power compared with 1937	…	614	630	645	661	676
Ministerial salary £1,500*
Net income after tax, 1937–38	…	1,248	1,268	1,283	1,298	1,313
Net income after tax, 1956–57	…	1,458	1,501	1,543	1,586	1,628
Purchasing power compared with 1937	…	528	543	559	574	589
* The figures for the net income after tax in 1956–57 and for the equivalent purchasing power allow for the £500 of Parliamentary salary in addition to the salary as a Minister. To maintain comparability it has been assumed that no deduction is claimed for expenses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give an approximate estimate of the amount of revenue that the taxpayers would have paid in this financial year had taxes remained at the level they were at the time of the 1950 General Election; and approximately how much less he expects to collect this year in view of the tax reductions made since 1950.

A detailed calculation could not be made without an undue expenditure of time and labour, but at a rough estimate the yield of taxes, both direct and indirect, in the current financial year would have been about £600–£700 million greater if the rates and allowances in force in February, 1950, had remained unchanged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants were moved to other posts, or resigned, on security grounds during 1956; and how many times the advisory appeal tribunal was summoned to consider such cases during that year.

The relevant figures are given in the table below:

During 1956, one civil servant was transferred to non-secret work and one suspended from duty on security grounds; none resigned. The Advisory Appeal Tribunal did not meet in 1956.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of anxieties which Commonwealth producers of primary agricultural crops now feel following the announcement by the Messina countries that they will extend the Common Market arrangements both to their overseas dependencies and to certain foodstuffs; and whether, in the light of this, he still expects to secure the exclusion of food, drink, tobacco and feeding stuffs in return for United Kingdom participation with the Messina Powers in a wider European Free Trade area.

We are in the closest touch with other members of the Commonwealth, and we remain fully determined to safeguard our common interests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make a statement in regard to the amount of recurrent grant to be made available to the universities during the quinquennium 1957–62.

The amount of annual grant to be made available for allocation by the University Grants Committee among the universities towards their recurrent expenditure is normally settled for periods of five years at a time, and I propose to follow this practice. The present settlement expires next July, and I have been considering recommendations made to me by that Committee for grants for the ensuing five years.During the five years which are now ending, rising prices and wages have affected every branch of university expenditure, and though additional grants were made available to finance the review of academic salaries which took place in 1954, universities have had to meet other increases in costs without any other assistance. I am satisfied that some increase in grant is necessary to enable the universities to maintain the present level of activity.When it comes to development, I have had to take account of two conflicting considerations. The first is the growing number of qualified applicants for admission to the universities, and the importance of their output of graduates at a time when the need for highly trained people in business, industry, administration, teaching and research is increasing and when the country's future requires us to keep in the forefront of scientific and technological development. The second is the financial and economic difficulties of the country which call for general restraint.Taking these factors into account, the amounts which I propose to invite Parliament to vote for recurrent grant for the five university years beginning on the 1st August next are as follows:

1957–58	…	…	£30,600,000
1958–59	…	…	£32,300,000
1959–60	…	…	£34,350,000
1960–61	…	…	£36,750,000
1961–62	…	…	£39,500,000

These sums do not include provision for non-recurrent grants towards capital expenditure, and they take no account of the recently announced improvements in academic salaries.An interim report by the University Grants Committee on university development during the years 1952 to 1956 is being published as a White Paper and is available in the Vote Office today.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers of foreign nationalities were registered as employed and how many registered as unemployed at 31st December, 1956, or latest convenient date, at employment exchanges in the United Kingdom.

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons of foreign nationalities and not holding British passports passed through British Customs into the United Kingdom, whether as immigrants, visitors, or for any other purpose whatsoever, during twelve months ended on the latest convenient date or during the calendar year 1956.

Approximately 1,200,000 aliens were granted leave to land in the United Kingdom during 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Szymon Struiewski, a Pole, who was sentenced on 9th March at the Old Bailey to seven years' preventive detention for assault, will be deported as recommended by the Lord Chief Justice and why former recommendations for the deportation of this criminal have not been implemented.

A notice of application for leave to appeal against conviction and sentence has been lodged and the case is therefore sub judice. As regards the last part of the Question, an alien cannot be deported unless there is a country willing to receive him, and hitherto the Polish authorities have not found themselves able to establish this man's Polish citizenship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to publish in HANSARD a detailed list of the roads and route taken by the march of old-age pensioners in the Metropolitan Police district on Tuesday, 26th Fegruary, 1957.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that the march was from Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, along Southampton Row, Vernon Place, Bloomsbury Square, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury Street, Bedford Square, Gower Street, Torrington Place, Tottenham Court Road, Howland Street, New Cavendish Street, Portland Place and Langham Place, to Broadcasting House, and back along the same route to Red Lion Square.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent communication has been received by Her Majesty's Government from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the subject of Hungarian refugees; and whether he will make a statement.

A communication has been received from the High Com6missioner asking that an increased number of Hungarian refugees should be admitted to the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Government propose in reply to draw attention to the fact that about 19,000 Hungarian refugees have now been admitted and that refugees are still being brought here under the arrangement by which the United Kingdom undertook to take 5,000 from Austria to replace those which the Canadian Government are proposing to take from us. The reception and resettlement of the refugees create great difficulties in regard to accommodation and raise a number of administrative problems. Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that the United Kingdom, which is not an immigration country, has made a substantial and effective contribution towards the liquidation of the Hungarian refugee problem, and do not feel able to give any assurance that more refugees can be admitted after effect has been given to the arrangement referred to above. However, a considerable number of the refugees now in the United Kingdom wish to move on to countries other than Canada. If these countries find themselves able to admit these refugees Her Majesty's Government would be prepared to consider the acceptance of an equivalent number from Austria.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will make a statement on his latest proposals for a great increase in university trained men and women who will become technologists and engineers; and what action it is proposed to take on the Scientific Manpower Third International Conference Report held by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation in Vienna during October, 1956.

On the first part of the Question, I cannot at the moment add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 21st November, 1956. Further information on the university programme for the next quinquennium will be made available by the Chancellor of the Exchequer later today in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Carlton (Mr. Pickthorn). As to the second part, various Government Departments are collaborating with O.E.E.C. to whom the report was made, in an examination of the various matters which it raised.

asked the Attorney-General when it is expected that the Restrictive Practices Court will come into operation.

I am not yet in a position to say when the first sittings of the Restrictive Practices Court will be held.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that no commitments in connection with the future of the Suez Canal will be entered into without consultation with British shipping interests.

The views of shipping interests on this subject are well known to my right hon. and learned Friend, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is in constant touch with them. I gladly give an assurance that full account will be taken of these views.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now state the countries oversea, Commonwealth Territories included, with which total or part reciprocal arrangements are in force for health benefits, including dental attention, to be made available gratuitously to participants in, and subscribers to the British National Health Service, including retirement pensioners.

1. Multilateral AgreementsA reciprocal agreement is in force between the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for giving medical treatment to indigent persons. A Convention extending this agreement to all members of the Council of Europe is in force between those countries which have ratified it (the United Kingdom, the Irish Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany and Sweden).2.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the 221 ex-gratia awards made under the Government scheme for civilian war injuries sustained during the 1914–18 war are still in payment; and how they compare, in amount, for each specified percentage of disability, with those payable to the same category of pensioners of the Second World War under the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance.

Nineteen. No valid comparison can be made with awards arising from the Second World War which were calculated on a completely different basis.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the financial hardship to parents and relatives of inmates in Rampton and Moss Side Institutions created by the travelling distances between these institutions and the inmates' homes; and what concessionary arrangements he proposes to make in respect of the cost of fares to parents and relatives who wish to visit inmates of these institutions.

The railway authorities have granted a concession by which relatives may obtain travel vouchers from these hospitals which enable them to make the return journey at the cost of a single fare and a half.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to take steps to alter the name of the National Assistance Board to a name more appropriate to its purpose such as the Supplementary Pensions Office.

My right hon. Friend is very doubtful whether any useful purpose would be served by introducing legislation to change the name of the National Assistance Board. In any event, the hon. and learned Gentleman's suggestion would be inappropriate in view of the fact that the Board assists many people other than pensioners.

asked the Paymaster-General what further decision has now been reached in respect to the consideration given to the allocation of petrol to commercial travellers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to a Question on this subject by the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the subsidy on eggs is costing over £1½ million a week; and whether in the interest of the taxpayer he will repeal his Order forbidding producers to sell eggs direct to shops, as such eggs do not attract the subsidy, but do attract the housewife who is prepared to pay a premium for fresh unstamped farm eggs.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." As regards the second part, I intend to remove the restriction on sales, to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, as soon as the present temporary scheme for applying the Agriculture Act guarantee to eggs can be replaced by more permanent arrangements.

asked the Minister of of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the register of producers is not available for inspection at the office of the British Egg Marketing Board in London as required by paragraph 42 of the British Egg Marketing Scheme 1956; and whether he will take action to secure compliance with the Scheme.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the register, which at present consists of the actual application forms for registration, is not available at the registered office of the Board in London. He is informed, however, that it may be inspected and copied at the Board's Registration Office, Milk Marketing Board Buildings, Giggs Hill Green, Thames Ditton, Surrey, and that visits of inspection have, in fact, been made and copies taken.The Board has had to deal with over 300,000 applications for registration and there has not been time to make copies of the application forms, which are required by the returning officer to be retained at Thames Ditton, until completion of the initial poll. In all the circumstances my right hon. Friend does not consider any action by him would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether he is aware that the cost of the egg subsidy for 1956–57, at over £35 million, is over twice as much as originally estimated; whether he is further aware that at the Public Inquiry on the Egg Marketing Scheme held in February, 1956, the National Council for the Reduction of Taxation specifically pointed out that a further burden would be laid on the taxpayer if the scheme was permitted to be implemented; and what steps he proposes taking to ensure greater accuracy in any future estimates dealing with a perishable commodity in a free market subject to the law of supply and demand.

The Answer to each of the first two parts of the Question is "Yes." As regards the last part of the Question, while I shall continue to assemble all possible relevant information, any estimates made are, in the circumstances stated by my hon. and gallant Friend, bound to be subject to large margins of possible error.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what hours he has specified when members of the public may inspect the register of addresses of the offices of agricultural marketing boards which the Minister maintains under the Agricultural Marketing Acts, 1931–1949; and where this register may be inspected.

The register of addresses of agricultural marketing boards may be inspected by members of the public at the Ministry's Library at 3, Whitehall Place, London, S.W.1, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on each day of the week except Saturdays and Sundays.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that, whereas a ship's cat is at liberty to come and go without let or hindrance in any port in the United Kingdom, entirely regardless as to whether it embarked at an infected, suspected or disease-free port in any part of the world, a pet cat imported into the United Kingdom is subject to statutory requirements, and formalities entailing, inter alia, six months quarantine in a kennel at a high charge per week to its owner; and what steps he will take to amend his Regulations to put an end to this anomaly.

A ship's cat like any other cat coming from any country outside the British Isles is required while on board a vessel in port to be confined in an enclosed part of the vessel, unless its landing has been authorised by a licence requiring it to be quarantined for six months on approved premises. The last part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the considerations which caused him to decide not to pay any hill sheep subsidy for the period 1956–57.

My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland took into account the estimated income and expenditure of hill sheep farmers in 1956 (based on returns from a sample of hill farms in England and Wales and Scotland) compared with that for 1955. This showed that the financial returns (excluding subsidy) to hill farmers as a whole in 1956 were at least as favourable as those for the previous year which included a subsidy of 5s. per ewe.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision he is making to ensure that where grants are made over the next ten years for the improvement of farms, and the farms are sold, the increased value will not be appropriated by the vendors.

My right hon. Friend does not consider such provision to be necessary or desirable, even if it were practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce modifications into the fatstock guarantee system in order to encourage production of better quality beef.

Yes. We have been giving much thought to this during the Annual Review and, in agreement with the three farmers' unions, we shall introduce two rates of guarantee for eligible cattle from 25th March, 1957. The higher rate will be for the younger or lighter weight well-fleshed steers and heifers, for which there is now the greatest demand. This rate will be 5s. per live cwt. more than the rate for all other eligible cattle. It is estimated that about 60 per cent. of eligible cattle will qualify for the higher rate of payment. The standard price for fat cattle in 1957–58 will, of course, be announced in the Annual Review White Paper. I am announcing this today so that the necessary preparations can be made in the markets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds a passport has been refused to Mr. Neville Augustus Warren, of Jamaica; and if he is aware that Mr. Warren has twice been fined, but has not served any term of imprisonment.

The Governor's Deputy, Jamaica, informs me that Mr. Warren has not been refused a passport, but received one on 13th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he sent to the memorandum addressed to him on 27th February by members of the Nicosia Bar asking for the early appointment of a Parliamentary Committee to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of Cypriots in Cyprus.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Poole (Captain Pilkington) on 13th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has now received the petition from the Buganda Lukiko asking for discussions between representatives of the Crown and of the Lukiko in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the contents of the petition, and on the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the demands made.

This petition has only just been received and I have not yet had an opportunity to consider it fully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what considerations relating to grant of land to the British Government for defence bases have delayed the final drafting of a mutual assistance and defence treaty between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Malaya; and what conclusions have been reached with regard to the land in question.

Before formally committing itself to provisions about land in the Defence Agreement, the Government of the Federation has had to negotiate appropriate arrangements with the Governments of the States and Settlements, in whom responsibility for land matters is vested under the present Constitution. The need for this was recognised in the treaty negotiations and Her Majesty's Government expect shortly to he informed of the outcome.

asked the Minister of Defence how many tests of nuclear fusion weapons have been reported to him as having been made b3 the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, respectively.

The United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have each announced three series of tests of these weapons. The precise number of weapons tested in each series has not been announced.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to issue a list of schemes under the road programme costing over £100,000, which were started in the six months ended 31st December, 1956, with estimated completion date and total cost of each.

The schemes are:

——	Estimated completion date	Estimated total cost
TUNNEL		£
Dartford/Purfleet Tunnel, Kent-Essex	1962	11,129,000
LONDON AND APPROACHES
Elephant and Castle, Improvement, Part I (Demolition works)	December, 1959	535,000
Notting Hill Gate, Widening, etc.	March, 1960	1,853,000
A1/A.41, Mill Hill to Page Street, Middlesex, second carriageway	December, 1957	265,000
A.10, Great Cambridge Road, Bury Street-Carterhatch Lane, second carriageway	March, 1958	204,000
A.40, Western Avenue, Middlesex, dualling, Alperton Lane-Greenford Railway Bridge	December, 1957	279,000
URBAN SCHEMES
Billingham, Co. Durham, Saltworks Bridge diversion	December, 1958	151,000
Plymouth, Eastern Approach Road, Gasking Street-St. Andrew's roundabout	December, 1958	258,000
Christchurch, Hampshire, By-pass	February, 1959	452,000
Portsmouth, new road (Cosham) connecting London Road (A.3) and Southampton Road	February, 1958	237,000
Sheffield, Inner Ring Road, Section I	November, 1958	191,000
TRUNK ROAD SCHEMES
A.1, Alconbury Hill to Woolpack Crossroads, Hunts., second carriageway	December, 1957	416,000
A.1, Doncaster Mill Bridge, Reconstruction	Spring, 1959	475,000
A.1, Sinderby, North Riding, bridge and approaches	Spring, 1958	203,000
A.52, Borrowash, Derbyshire, By-pass	March, 1958	263,000
A.59, Longton, Lancs., By-pass	September, 1957	491,000
A.556, Northwich, Cheshire, By-pass, Western section	October, 1959	276,000