asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board's demands for premiums for electricity connections to crofters and other consumers in the Highlands, he will now require the Board to regard these costs as capital charges to be met by the Board and written off over a period of years.

It is for the Board to decide how much of the cost of connection they can meet in each case; my right hon. Friend is informed that the Board's share of the cost is already regarded as a capital charge and written off over a period of years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of new houses built by the development corporation at East Kilbride, and the total number of their occupants; why there is still no fire station; and when it will be built.

The number of new houses built by the East Kilbride Development Corporation is 4,512 and the total number of their occupants is 15,200. The provision of efficient fire services in East Kilbride is the responsibility of the Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Joint Committee. The erection of a new fire station has been delayed by difficulties in connection with the acquisition of a site.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made with the proposal of Her Majesty's Government to establish a pool of administrative and technical officers to be drawn upon at will by Commonwealth countries; and when it is intended to announce the terms of service for such officers.

I have been asked to reply.As indicated in Command 9768, the creation of a pool of administrative and technical officers must wait evidence that there is a substantial demand for their services and that regular employment for them can be foreseen for a number of years. It is intended to test this demand by improving the existing arrangements by which members of the Home and Overseas Civil Service can be made available to Commonwealth countries without prejudice to their pension rights. Legislation will be necessary, and it is hoped to introduce a Bill in due course. The terms of service of such officers would be determined individually in relation to their present terms of service.

asked the Prime Minister why the Mid-Ocean Club was chosen as the venue of his meeting with President Eisenhower.

I have been asked to reply.The Mid-Ocean Club was chosen as it is the most suitable building in Bermuda by reason of its position and accommodation for this conference.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Reichsmarks in the possession of his Department have been converted into revalued German currency since 1948; and at what rate of exchange.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for War why men of the Royal Scots Fusiliers serving in Malaya are not receiving their mail regularly.

I have found no evidence of general delay in the delivery of mail to this battalion, but I am writing to my hon. and gallant Friend about the particular case which he brought to my notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet received the observations of the directors of Hide and Company on the statement of facts presented to him by the shareholders committed in support of the application for an inquiry into the affairs of the company by more than 3,000 shareholders; and if he is yet in a position to appoint inspectors.

Yes, and my right hon. Friend is appointing inspectors whose names he hopes to announce within a few days. This is likely to be a complicated inquiry and it may take some time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of cognac imported into this country from France during 1956; the quantity and value of Scotch whisky admitted into France as a permitted import during the same period; and the value of Scotch whisky as a permitted import into France for 1957.

In 1956, 774 thousand proof gallons of brandy valued at £3·9 million were imported from France; details of imports of cognac, as such, are not available. United Kingdom exports of whisky to France certified as Scotch or Irish amounted to 197 thousand proof gallons valued at £554,433 in 1956 and were much in excess of the negotiated quota. It is not the normal practice to reveal publicly the details of individual quotas negotiated with other countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what trade restrictions are applied to North Vietnam; and if he will publish trade figures, for imports and exports, over the last five years with North Vietnam.

Trade with North Vietnam is subject to the same restrictions, and for the same reasons, as trade with China. Statistics of trade with North Vietnam are not separately recorded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions apply to the importation into this country of petroleum and petroleum products.

Imports of petroleum and most petroleum products are on open general licence except from the dollar area, the Soviet bloc, Japan and Korea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what imports from Western Europe are at present subjected to quota or quantitative restrictions; to what extent there have been relaxations or abolition of such restrictions during the past 12 months; and whether any are contemplated in the near future.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Mr. D. Price) on 21st February. No further changes have been made or are contemplated at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the cause of the delays in the adjudication section of the Stamp Office; and whether he is aware that these delays cause difficulty and hardship in many cases;(2) what is the average length of time required to secure the stamping of a deed in the adjudication section of the Stamp Office; what is the quickest time and what is the longest time taken within the last year; and whether he will take all necessary steps to expedite the whole procedure;(3) what is the size of the staff employed in the adjudication section of the Stamp Office; how many experienced staff have left during the last 12 months; to what extent there has been abnormal sick leave during the last six months; and what arrangements are made for the training of new staff to deal with the type of documents presented for adjudication.

The time taken to assess the stamp duty on documents submitted to the adjudication section depends primarily on the nature of the document. Within the last year some cases have been stamped and returned within two days of lodgement. Others involving difficult questions of law or valuation inevitably lead to correspondence and argument lasting many months. There are arrangements for giving priority of attention to urgent cases.The staff engaged on assessment of stamp duty in the adjudication section number 25; five left during the past 12 months and there has been one case of abnormal sick leave. New staff are trained on the work of the section by their seniors and more experienced colleagues.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the extra amount of revenue which the additional 1s. duty on petrol yielded for the months of December, January, and February; and, in view of the increase in the petrol ration, if he will reduce the 1s. in order to help lower the cost of living.

The reply to the first part of the Question is about £22 million. For the second part, the answer is "No"; in the current financial year, the additional 1s. duty will barely restore the revenue to the figure of £340 million included in the 1956 Budget estimate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the Report on Government Action in Wales for the year ended 30th June, 1956, did not contain information on the action taken on the proposals of the Government, as outlined in Command Paper No. 9014 on Rural Wales.

Information was included in this Report about action taken by Departments on various questions referred to in the White Paper to which the hon. Member refers; and a further White Paper (Cmd. 9809) was issued in July, 1956, giving the Government's conclusions on the recommendations made by the Welsh Agricultural Land Sub-Commission in their Mid-Wales Investigation Report. Perhaps the hon. Member would be good enough to let me know any points referred to in the earlier White Paper about which he would like to have further information.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he is taking in view of the comments of the Royal Fine Art Commission on street furniture.

It would be wrong not to acknowledge the improvements which have been made in recent years in the siting and design of street furniture. But I share the Commission's view that much more remains to be done, and I am considering whether there are steps which I could usefully take. I have no doubt that the comments of the Commission will have received wide publicity among those concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now approve, under Section 228 of the Local Government Act, 1933, the proposed expenditure of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council on the publication and delivery to ratepayers of certain information regarding the nature of, and reasons for, the increase in rates in the coming year.

It does not appear that my approval is necessary, and the local authority has been so informed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give the comparative figures for 1954 to 1956 of the number of houses constructed by local authorities with and without a subsidy, respectively; and what comparative reduction has taken place in the number requested by local authorities since the withdrawal of the subsidy and for a convenient comparable period previously.

Figures for dwellings constructed are given in the Housing Returns. For the period 1954 to 1956 all dwellings constructed by local authorities attract subsidy, except for a very small number built for sale or other special purposes. In the four months November, 1956, to February, 1957, inclusive, tenders have been approved for 34,728 dwellings to be constructed by local authorities. For the previous four months the figure was 42,039.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what circulars he has sent to local authorities regarding the rents of subsidised agricultural houses whereby a top limit should be observed.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that, while the provisions of Section 11 of the Housing Act, 1936, will not have been complied with if parts of walls are left standing, there is no obligation upon the owner to remove the rubble, and that a local authority acting under Section 13 of the Act cannot do more than the owner would be compelled to do under the provisions of Section 11; and if he will therefore introduce legislation so that a local authority may be free to clear unfit houses without delay and without fear of surcharge to its members.

Section 13 of the Housing Act, 1936, requires a local authority, when demolishing an unfit house in the owner's default, to sell the materials to defray costs. I am advised that this duty includes the removal and sale of the rubble.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the names of the members of the Employers' Panel of the Industrial Court, the Trade Union Panel of the Industrial Court, the Employers' Panel of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal and the Trade Union Panel of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal.

The following is the list of names:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many safety razor blades have been declared surplus by his Department since 1st January, 1955, and offered for sale at public auctions.

None.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the R.N.C.F., Holton Heath, can be considered as a centre for a materials laboratory, or for the rehousing of research and development establishments which are overcrowded or are otherwise unsuitable.

There are two establishments at Holton Heath. Firstly, the Royal Naval Cordite Factory, which is currently being reduced to care and maintenance. Secondly, the Admiralty Materials Laboratory. My noble Friend is considering the practicability of moving it elsewhere as an economy measure, but this would only be done if the transfer could be achieved without having to undertake extensive new building work. I do not believe the reverse operation of bringing other Admiralty establishments to Holton Heath is practicable without a great deal of expenditure, apart from other practical difficulties.The staff organisations were informed of the proposal to close the Establishment and the Superintendent of the Establishment has since explained the situation to the Staff. Arrangements will be made to inform them of further developments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how the shore establishment of officers compares with those at sea.

I would refer my hon. Friend to columns 196 and 197 of the OFFICIAL REPORT of 5th March. At the present time 30 per cent. of R.N. and R.M officers are serving afloat and 70 per cent. ashore.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that the road sign which is to be placed on the Norman Arch, Deanery Road, Bristol, is not in harmony with the ancient monument which it is intended to protect; and if he will take steps to see that the types of sign placed on ancient monuments are in conformity with the structure to which they are attached, so as to improve and not deface this fine example of Norman masonry.

The Bristol City Council has asked me to confirm an Order prohibiting the use of the arch by large vehicles and has suggested that special signs to this effect should be fixed to the arch itself. I have informed the Council that I should prefer standard signs to be used, and that they should be placed at some distance from the arch itself, where they will have less effect on its appearance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further steps he proposes to take in the United Nations to prevent future experiments in the development of nuclear weapons.

Her Majesty's Government seek to bring about the cessation of experiments in the development of nuclear weapons under proper safeguards and effective international control as part of a comprehensive disarmament agreement. The Anglo-French disarmament plan of March, 1956, provides for the prohibition, at an appropriate stage of disarmament, of the testing, manufacture and use of nuclear weapons. I cannot pre-judge the course of the negotiations in the Disarmament Sub-Committee, but Her Majesty's Government will continue in that body their efforts to secure agreement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further announcement about the appointment of a committee to inquire into agricultural education at the farm institute level.

Yes. My noble Friend the Minister of Education and I have now appointed a committee to review the further education for agriculture provided by local education authorities, with particular reference to the farm institutes, and to make recommendations. Earl De La Warr, G.B.E., has kindly consented to act as chairman, and the other members are:Dr. W. P. Alexander, L.H.D., MA., ED.B., B.Sc., Secretary of the Association of Education Committees.Mr. B. S. Braithwaite, M.A., Chief Education Officer, East Sussex County Council.Mr. S. Brumby, J.P., County Organiser of the National Union of Agricultural Workers.Mr. J. Alban Davies, Treasurer of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.Mr. G. C. Hayter Hames, C.B.E., J.P., Chairman of the Devonshire County Council and a director of Barclay's Bank.Mr. A. R. O. McMillan, Chief Training Officer. Bristol Aeroplane Company.Sir Keith Murray, B.Sc., Ph.D., M.A., B.Litt., Chairman of the University Grants Committee.Mr. C. P. Norbury, Fruit grower in Worcestershire.Mr. E. M. Owens, Farmer and Chairman of the Development and Education Committee of the N.F.U.Mrs. S. Stevens, Chairman of the Oxfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes and a member of the Agriculture and Education Sub-Committees of the National Federation of Women's Institutes.Mr. L. G. Troup, O.B.E., B.Sc., Agricultural Director and Bursar of the Lord Wandsworth College, Hampshire, and one of the liaison officers of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many safety razor blades have been declared surplus by his Depart- ment since 1st January, 1955, and offered for sale at public auction.

None.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education which education authorities possess, through the Schools Medical Service, teams specially trained for the early detection and treatment of spastic children.

Arrangements to ensure early detection and treatment of spastic children rest in the main on co-operation between hospital authorities and local education authorities. The number of cases of cerebral palsy in which diagnosis is made and treatment started before the child reaches school age is increasing, but I cannot say how many local education authorities use special teams for this purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education which of the 15 authorities which do not now employ an intelligence test as part in their procedure in selecting for secondary education previously did so.

Hertfordshire, Gloucester (C.B.), Leicester (C.B.), Southampton and Merionethshire.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education which school building projects in Hertfordshire he will authorise to be brought forward to start in 1957–58 as a result of the expansion of the school building programme for that year.

The following have been authorised: Hatfield, Travellers Lane Junior School, Hemel Hempstead, Warners End Secondary Modern School, and St. Albans, Marshalswick Secondary Modern School.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for motoring offences on the West Cromwell Road extension in the borough of Brentford and Chiswick have been reported since 1st October, 1956; and how many of them involved exceeding the speed limit.

Sixteen, all relating to offences of exceeding the speed limit.