asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are now waiting for telephones in the Morecambe district; and how this figure compares with a year ago.

One hundred and three, of which 44 are in course of being met. A year ago there were 177 waiting of which 56 were in course of being met.

That represents a little progress. Will my hon. Friend go on with the good work?

Yes, indeed. We have a very big scheme of development on foot, and we will go on doing all we can.

asked the Postmaster-General on what conditions he provides telephone services at racecourses for Press or other special purposes.

Telephones are provided on the standard conditions in the Regulations, to the extent required, and subject to the consent of the owners of the racecourse. The consent of the owner, lessee and occupier is always necessary before a telephone can be installed on any land.

Does not my hon. Friend think it absolutely wrong that telephones and their cables, which are Government property, should be made the medium for quite exorbitant demands? Will he confirm that such demands are in breach of the telephone Regulations?

I am sorry that I cannot give my hon. Friend that assurance, because they are not in breach of any telephone Regulations. The use of the material and cables is governed by the Regulations, and a fee is charged in accordance with those Regulations.

Is not the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that a number of telephones throughout the country are installed on private premises and bear notices outside, saying, "You may telephone from her"? The charges are charges laid down in the Regulations. Does it not seem to be an outrageous thing that these extraordinary charges are proposed to be made for the use of telephones on these racecourses?

I have nothing to add to what the right hon. Gentleman has said about what happens in some cases. As far as the case to which the Question refers is concerned, nothing that is happening is in conflict with the telephone Regulations.

Does my hon. Friend realise that at least 2,500 starting-price bookmakers are asked to pay 4s. a day to get this service, which will help the industry out of which they make a lot of money?

I have nothing whatever to do with starting-price bookmakers.

Does the hon. Member not agree that these charges are not exorbitant when examined upon the basis of a statement made by his hon. Friend? Is it not time that the Government faced their responsibilities and introduced legislation to deal with off-course betting, which would avoid this kind of thing?

That is a much wider point than the one raised in the Question.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will increase the rental charges of telephones installed on race-courses.

It would not be right to introduce a multiplicity of scales for telephone service according to the purpose for which the telephone is used.

Does the hon. Gentleman think it right that a publicly-owned service should be used to exploit the public and profiteer at its expense? If there is any money to be made out of the telephone service, should it not be the Post Office that makes it and not race-course owners who, with the connivance of the Government, are blackmailing people who bet with what is one of our largest national industries?

The duty of the Post Office is to provide telephone services suitable to the needs of the public, and that we do to the best of our ability.

Will my hon. Friend make quite clear to those who may seek to increase telephone charges privately and who, if they do not get their own way, cut off the service without the consent of his Department, that they are in clear breach of the Regulations?

Any interference with the Post Office equipment in connection with telephones is in clear breach of the Regulations.

Will my hon. Friend stand up for the rights of the private citizen who does not want to have a telephone on his premises unless he needs it?

That principle is enshrined in the Regulations.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones are still awaiting service in the Borough of Leyton compared with 1955 and 1951; and what is the present average waiting period before telephones are installed.

There are at present 381 outstanding applications compared with 1,300 in 1955 and 1,650 in 1951. Of those waiting, 131 will be connected shortly. The Leytonstone Exchange is now full and we are going on with providing a new Coppermill Exchange. There will, of course, be some delay for some applicants until this is completed next year.

Whilst expressing appreciation for that reply, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, in fact, switching over to Coppermill Exchange means a further delay? Will he say approximately how long that delay will be?

The provision of the Coppermill Exchange is part of our programme for providing the extra facilities required to meet the demands of the larger number of applicants and is not a delaying factor.

asked the Postmaster-General what percentage of long-distance calls are dialled direct.

Forty-two per cent. of long-distance calls are now dialled by the trunk operator direct to the distant subscriber. We are making plans to enable subscribers to dial trunk calls direct, and the first installation will be opened at Bristol in 1959.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in Western Germany 58 per cent. of the long-distance calls are dialled direct? Does he not think that Great Britain ought to be able to do better than a country which was smashed up almost completely after the war?

We have nothing to be ashamed of in the progress of telephone development in this country. It is my belief that the system we are at present working on and developing will be at least as good as, and in all probability far better than, anything available elsewhere.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that not only in his Answer to this Question, but in other Answers he has given today, he has seemed to take too complacent a view of his duties? The figures I have quoted surely ought to show him that we are not doing as well as some of our competitors.

I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we are by no means complacent. The rate of progress we have achieved is, I think, evidence of that fact.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone service subscribers there are at present in Northern Ireland; how many of these use shared lines; how many outstanding applications there are for the service; and when he expects that these will be met.

There are nearly 70,000 subscribers, of whom some 18,000 are sharing. We are providing additional plant and expect to connect about 7,000 new subscribers this year. At present, 5,100 applications are outstanding, but I cannot say when all these will be met, as this depends on the availability of cables and exchange equipment.

In view of the fact that the people of Northern Ireland are becoming increasingly telephone-conscious, has my hon. Friend considered whether it is not technically possible for more than two subscribers to share a party line and thereby reduce the current waiting?

I will have the proposal contained in that supplementary question examined. I am not sure that it would be altogether as popular as my hon. Friend appears to think to have party lines shared by more than two people.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make a further announcement about birthday greetings telegrams.

I have arranged for the introduction, on 1st April, of a specially designed birthday greetings telegram form, by Mr. David Knight, as an alternative to the standard greetings telegram now in use, and at the same price as the standard greetings telegram. A new design of greetings telegram form for general use, by Miss Barbara Jones, will also be brought into use on 1st April. Copies of the two new forms are being placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) why there is delay in the delivery of mail in Sutton-in-Craven, near Keighley;

Late deliveries in the Sutton-in-Craven area have been due mainly to operational difficulties, now largely being overcome. In addition, I regret there was recently some delay to circulars posted by the Labour Party agent. This was due to a mistaken decision to spread delivery of the circulars over several days. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply sent to the Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council last November and of a further letter sent on 1st March.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is not merely a question of delay to Labour Party circulars, but that it was more serious in view of the fact that it affected a meeting of the Skipton Rural District Council, because there was delay in the delivery of the agendas? Does not the hon. Gentleman think that it would have been far better to have drafted the reply and dealt with the points I raised rather than to have attempted to score a political point? Is he aware that these complaints from the parish council have been made for a long time and that, until these Questions were put down, no steps were being taken to reorganise the postal services in the area? Really, it is not good enough to continue in this way.

I am constantly under some stress to avoid scoring political points off the hon. Gentleman. We have done a great deal to put right what we recognise to be weaknesses in the postal services in the area over a considerable period. It is not quite true to say that nothing has been done. We wrote to the Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council last November and again on 1st March, and we are sending the hon. Gentleman copies of the letters.

That is not good enough. Is the Minister aware that, quite recently, correspondence has been sent between two Yorkshire villages—adding insult to injury—via Colne, in Lancashire? It is not good enough, and something will have to be done about it.

asked the Postmaster-General if plans and specifications have yet been made for a new ship to replace H.M.T.S. "Alert".

Not yet. They are being reconsidered as part of a review, now taking place, of the need to supplement our cable fleet. H.M.T.S. "Alert" was extensively refitted in December, 1955.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this ship was taken from the Germans as war reparations, that it is very old and that the refitting was merely a question of changing it from a coal burner into an oil burner? In order to maintain the fleet at an efficient level, is it not time that something was done to replace this very old ship?

We realise that there are very serious shortcomings about this vessel, but as a result of the refit to which I have referred it now has a Board of Trade certificate, so it clearly must have been nothing but an important refit. We will go on doing the best we can with it.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the new financial arrangement for sub-post offices; and what number of these now exist in England and Wales compared with 1950 and 1939.

Award 326 of the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal increased the net pay at most sub-offices by 3 per cent. with effect from 1st December last; there has been no other change. There are about 19,850 sub-offices in England and Wales compared with 19,480 in 1950 and 20,146 in 1939.

Does the hon. Gentleman anticipate that there will be a further reduction in years to come in the number of sub-post offices? In regard to the financial arrangements, has there not been a certain amount of disappointment expressed about the amount granted to sub-postmasters and is there to be any reconsideration of the matter?

This is the result of an award by the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal. So far as I know, no disappointment has been expressed, although it would not be surprising if there were varying views held about whether 3 per cent. was adequate. In reply to the question about the number of sub-post offices, they remain at a level which enables us within existing rules to satisfy the needs of the varying areas of the country.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider compiling and making available a coding system such as exists for commercial cables with a view to enabling inexpensive coded domestic messages to be sent; and if he will give an estimate of the extent to which the present minimum charge could then be reduced for such brief messages drawn from the official code.

A coded domestic inland telegram would not cost less to handle than an ordinary telegram sent at the minimum charge. There could, therefore, be no reduction in the present minimum charge which is, in any case, below cost.

How is it that, in fact, commercial codes exist which obviously must have some financial advantage? Why cannot there be domestic codes?

Commercial codes have a dual advantage in that they may save money on the length of the message and also are secret in their contents. Those are commercial considerations which do not apply in the case of domestic users.

asked the Postmaster-General how far postal orders of higher value that £ 2 have reduced the demand for money orders.

Since the introduction of the new postal orders, sales of money orders in the value bracket affected have fallen by about one quarter.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the pay of sub-postmasters depends upon the sale of money orders and that, if the sale of money orders drops, their pay is correspondingly reduced? What is he doing to recompense these miserably under-paid, but, nevertheless, very useful public servants?

Our duty is primarily to the public, and if the service we offer in the new postal orders is convenient to the public, we must nevertheless accept that kind of difficulty. We are not unaware of the needs of those who run our sub-post offices.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now able to state when the very high frequency station at Row-ridge will be completed.

The B.B.C. informs me that it hopes that the station will be completed within the next two or three months.

I congratulate the Minister and his Department upon their great achievements in providing V.H.F. coverage for nearly the whole of Britain, but is he aware that South Hampshire is usually at the end of the queue for radio improvements? Is he further aware that it has very bad medium-band reception and will welcome this new station as a source of new high quality radio reception?

All those who are taking part in the major feat of providing V.H.F. reception for this country will be obliged to the hon. Member for what he has said.

asked the Postmaster General when the North-East will be allocated a wavelength separately from Northern Ireland.

As regards a medium wavelength, I am afraid there is nothing that I can usefully add to what my right hon. Friend said following the hon. Gentleman's Question of 20th March. The North-East, of course, already has a wavelength separate from Northern Ireland in the V.H.F. service.

Is the hon. Member aware that when this arrangement was made in 1945 it was explained by the B.B.C. that it was a necessary measure, although it deplored it, and that it was only temporary? That was twelve years ago. Since then we have been asked to share a wave-length with an area whose interests and culture are quite different from ours. Is the Minister aware that the people of the North-East now regard this matter as an abomination because they are paying for something which they are not getting?

I have had the opportunity of replying to some of the points made by the hon. Member in a recent Adjournment debate. We are aware that the position is less satisfactory than the people in the North of England would like, but it is the best we can do with the resources available.

asked the PostmasterGeneral if he will give an estimate of the number of people who have very high frequency wireless sets in the North-East.

No statistics are available which would enable me to make such an estimate.

Is the hon. Member using this very high frequency facility as an excuse for not giving us our own wave-length? If so, may I ask him how far he is in conflict with the Government, in view of the fact that V.H.F. equipment is found only in new sets and that the hire-purchase restrictions placed upon them mean that people cannot afford to buy them? I suggest that the Minister might be able to do something more in regard to the medium wavelength.

The days of my being in conflict with the Government came to an end when I came to the Front Bench. The quality of the Government improved to such an extent at that time. The fact is that because of the difficulties of medium wave broadcasting, with which we are all familiar, the only way out is by extending and relying more upon the use of V.H.F. broadcasting and receiving.

In view of the Minister's remark that the days when he was in conflict with the Government ended when he came to the Front Bench, will he have another look at himself and see if he cannot enter into conflict once more with his colleagues on behalf of this common justice claim by the people of the North-East? Very high frequency transmission is not the answer in this area. Will he again consider the question of a separate wavelength? [Interruption.] For twelve years the North-East has endured difficulties——

Order. The hon. Member is now making statements. He is not asking a question.

Is the Minister aware of the difficulty, and of the intense feeling which exists among people in the North-East, with regard to this shared wave-length? Will he not now rearrange the wavelengths so as to allow some other area to share, and let the North-East have a fair do?

As a number of later Questions make various suggestions about alternative sharing arrangements, I think that I should deal with them when they come up.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will introduce a lower wireless licence fee for listeners in the North-East of England and in Northern Ireland, in view of the fact that they are required to share a single regional programme.

No, Sir.

Is it not unjust that the people of the North-East and Northern Ireland should have to pay the same licence fee as people in other regions when half the time they have to switch off the Home Service because—as far as we are concerned—the programme from Northern Ireland is incomprehensible.

The broadcasting receiving licence covers the installation and use of wireless receiving apparatus. It is not related in any way either to the amount of use that the individual makes of his set or to the quality of the reception. We try to get the quality as good as it can be all over the country.

Would my hon. Friend say what volume of complaint has been received from Northern Ireland, or are listeners there more tolerant about other people's cultures?

I think that it would be unwise for me to enter into a discussion on the relative tolerance of different parts of Britain.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to convene an international conference so that another wavelength may be made available for the North-East of England.

None, Sir. As explained to the hon. Member for Durham (Mr. Grey) on 20th March, it is highly improbable that an extra medium wave-length would be forthcoming from such a conference. At the 1948 conference we got one less than we asked for, and since then the number of medium wave transmitters in Europe has doubled.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman to reconsider this matter? I am sure that there would be a way out of the problem if there were an international conference to reconsider the whole matter. It is twelve years since the war and there is a chance that someone might give us a wavelength to ease our burden.

I will bear in mind what the hon. Gentleman says.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date the decision was made to link together the British Broadcasting Corporation's broadcasts from the North-East of England and Northern Ireland; and on what date the arrangement came into force.

The arrangement for North-East England and Northern Ireland to share a wavelength was decided on at the end of the war. It came into effect on 29th July, 1945, when the Regional services were resumed.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the long-suffering people in the North-East have very little interest in "News of the North" and that many of them used to enjoy "News of the North" more when they sat with their headphones on tickling the cat's whisker in order that they might hear the local news rather than the programmes that they are now being asked to endure?

We are very much aware of all this, as I think I have already indicated, and it is our belief that a separate wavelength on the V.H.F. service will provide the answer to all the problems.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the long-suffering people in the North-East are not going to suffer very much longer and that if he is not careful they will stage a revolt against the Government which might force them to resign? Will he be good enough to say what is the intellectual affinity between Northern Ireland and the North-East of England, because, so far as I know, there is none?

I am sure that those responsible will take due notice of the threats embodied in the earlier part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. I do not propose at this stage to embark on a discussion on the intellectual affinity that may exist between any two parts of the United Kingdom.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that both his predecessors in office and himself have relied on V.H.F. to solve these problems, and is it not obvious by now that it is no solution of the problems? In view of this experience, will he have consultation with the B.B.C. with a view to trying to make some rearrangement in the medium wave band?

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will look at this with the greatest possible care, but I cannot hold out a lot of hope of any solution other than along V.H.F. lines.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the replies to all the Questions that I have asked, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Postmaster-General how long he expects the Northern Ireland Regional station will continue to operate on a shared wavelength.

I cannot foresee any change in the present arrangement regarding the shared medium wavelength. The V.H.F. station at Divis has its own wavelength.

As the Northern Ireland Region was originally allocated a separate wavelength over thirty years ago and now has to share it with the North-Eastern Region, will not my hon. Friend agree that as Ulster listeners are getting only half a wavelength for their money they should not be called upon to pay more than half fees for their wireless licences?

I think I should draw the attention of the House to the fact that out of all the hours of broadcasting in any one week only between nine and ten hours belong to the Northern Ireland Region and between nine and ten belong to the Northern Region. It seems to me to be as good an arrangement as we can get in the time available.

asked the Postmaster-General what discussions he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the abandonment of the Third Programme wavelength.

None, Sir.

Has the hon. Member not heard the disturbing rumours floating around, which appear to have originated in Broadcasting House, about the future of this programme? Is he aware that the disappearance of what is a unique broadcasting venture would be resented by very many people, including more than 130 hon. Members of all parties in the House who have signed a Motion to that effect?

I am aware of the feelings which exist, and I am in no doubt that the B.B.C. is also aware of them and that its attention will, in due time, be drawn to the Motion on the Order Paper. The fact is that the B.B.C. issued a statement on 31st January announcing that it was having another look at the whole system of sound broadcasting. Nothing more than that has happened, and it would be presumptuous of us to enter upon a discussion of what is likely to happen to any programme until the B.B.C. tells us the results of its review.

In view of the kites now being flown about this matter, will the B.B.C. be reminded of its obligations under the Charter, as this is one of the unique features of British broadcasting which is admired all over the world? Will he see that the B.B.C. bears that fact in mind?

I am quite sure that the B.B.C. is aware of the feelings which exist, both inside and outside the House, and also that it will take them into consideration when it makes an announcement about the results of its review.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange for Droitwich, Postwick, Lisnagarvey and Londonderry to broadcast on 276 metres so that Stagshaw and Scarborough may have the exclusive use of 261 metres.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for one of the West Region's medium wavelengths to be transferred to the North-East of England.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for the Welsh and Scottish Regions to share a wavelength during the next twelve years so that a wavelength may be thereby released for the North-East of England.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make arrangements for Stagshaw to broadcast on 276 metres, by arranging for the Midland and Welsh Regions to share on 341 metres.

No, Sir. Stagshaw and Scarborough sharing with Lisnagarvey and Londonderry is the best arrangement that can be made in the general interest.

That Answer was not unexpected. But is the hon. Gentleman aware that just over half the licence holders in the two major counties of the North-East are demanding a return of their wavelength, and, in view of this persistent agitation and the lowering of the standard of the programme in that part of the country, will he not reconsider this matter?

What I have to say on this point covers all these Questions, that any rearrangement of the medium wave-length available to us would result in a large number of people being subjected to less than perfect reception. Taking the national interest as a whole and aiming at the greatest advantage for the greatest number of people, this is the best arrangement that can be made.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we all realise that it is desirable to have this mush over the Irish Sea. but cannot we have a Welsh and Scottish mush for a change?

In my hon. Friend's resistance to the proposal in Question No. 34, will he be sustained by the recollection that the separate language and culture of Wales has been recognised by the provision of a separate Broadcasting Council and separate broadcasting facilities for Wales?

We try to take all these factors into consideration.

Would it not be a good idea, so far as we are concerned, to have a rearrangement for a limited period? I am not, like my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey), going to be so cruel as to suggest twelve years, but I would suggest that if it happened that everyone had to "enjoy" this abomination for a few more months there would be such a campaign against it that we would have our own wavelength back?

It is perfectly well recognised that there are difficulties in any two stations sharing a wavelength of this kind. In order to meet them, we are facing a problem which is common to the countries of the whole of Europe. We are developing V.H.F. broadcasting, as other countries are, and we are in front of most of them. I hope that the people of the North-East will live to thank the B.B.C. and the Post Office for what they are doing in that respect.

Does the hon. Gentleman not think that it would be to the advantage if discussions were entered into with the American Forces Network with a view to the allocation of one of its wavelengths, because I believe that it has three or four at the moment? Could not one of these be obtained for use for the North-East Coast and has that approach been considered?

We have considered that and a number of other approaches. I will deal with the main burden of the hon. Member's supplementary question in reply to Question No. 14.

asked the Postmaster-General how many wireless receiving licences are in force in Northumberland and Durham; and what estimate he has made as to the number of receiving sets involved which are capable of receiving very high frequency broadcasts.

On 31st December, 1956, there were 599,082 current licences. They comprised 363,496 licences for sound only and 235,586 for television and sound. No statistics are available which would enable me to make an estimate of the number of receiving sets which are capable of receiving very high frequency broadcasts in those areas.

Would it not be worth while for the Post Office to make some inquiry about this to find out for itself what number of V.H.F. sets there are available, because one's general impression is that the numbers are, in fact, very small? In view of that, will the hon. Gentleman take some action and not just sit back and do nothing?

We have information that there are about 600,000 V.H.F. sets in use in the country as a whole. The Question relates to those in use in the North-East of England, and it has not been possible to get a breakdown into the different areas of the country as to where the sets are likely to be.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects the detailed survey now being made by the British Broadcasting Corporation of their services in North and North-West Scotland will be completed; and what other steps he is taking to improve the present poor radio reception along the West Coast and Islands of the Highlands.

I expect to have the outcome of the B.B.C.'s survey in the course of the next few months. I cannot usefully consider the problem until I have the B.B.C.'s views.

Whilst thanking my hon. Friend for his Answer—which I am sure will be welcomed in the West Coast of Scotland and the Islands—may I suggest to him that he should consult the Secretary of State for Air with a view, perhaps, to using the technical staff and equipment of the R.A.F., which doubtless will be stationed in the Uists and Benbecula, with those of the B.B.C. to overcome the difficulties of reception facing the West Coast of Scotland?

I will certainly convey both to the B.B.C. and to those responsible within the Post Office the interesting suggestion my hon. Friend has made.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is yet in a position to reply to the letter sent to him on 20th March by the hon. Member for Maryhill relating to television broadcasts of sporting events.

We have, as promised, sent a copy of the hon. Member's letter to the British Broadcasting Corporation. Otherwise, I cannot add anything to what my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 20th March.

Whilst recognising that the Department of the hon. Gentleman has no responsibility for having the England-Scotland International televised, and while thanking him for forwarding my letter, may I ask if he will get his right hon. Friend to undertake to send a greetings telegram to the Scottish team congratulating it on its victory?

I will put that proposal to ray right hon. Friend.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think it is about time that the Government considered introducing legislation to compel promoters of sporting events to allow of their being televised and broadcast?

All these subjects were fully debated when the Television Bill was going through this House.

asked the Postmaster-General what discussions he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the allocation to regional use of wavelengths 464 metres and 194 metres.

None, Sir.

Will my hon. Friend use his influence to secure that these wavelengths continue, either nationally or regionally, to be available for Third Programme type of material which to many people provides a refreshing oasis of culture in a great desert of so-called entertainment?

I have no doubt that that is precisely the kind of consideration which the B.B.C. has in mind in the examination it is now making of its sound broadcasting services.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why it was decided that training in current affairs should no longer be compulsory in the Royal Air Force unless commanding officers consider this to be necessary; and in what proportion of the Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom and on the Continent of Europe this compulsion is exercised.

The earlier scheme of compulsory instruction for airmen in their first or second year of service proved impossible to work without loss of operational efficiency, and was modified on the recommendation of the R.A.F. Education Advisory Committee. Under the arrangements introduced last January instruction is to be provided for all officers and airmen, but I cannot yet say how far it may be found necessary to make attendance at the lectures compulsory.

Does my right hon. Friend recall that the Wolfenden Report on National Service stated that the young man of today will not present himself voluntarily to the education officer and that pressure is necessary? Is it not most necessary to adopt some system of compulsory education so that the young man may at least know why he is serving where he is, and, indeed, why he is serving at all?

We have this obligation very much in mind. Unfortunately, the earlier scheme of compulsory education in working hours simply did not work. After a full-scale review, the Education Advisory Committee concluded that the scheme could not be made to work if operational efficiency was not to suffer, the reason being that men in undermanned trades were constantly unable to attend classes because they could not be spared from their work. The new arrangements are a good deal more flexible, and I think that, for that reason, we may hope they will be more effective.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that in the immediate post-war period a great deal of hostility was directed towards the Army Bureau of Current Affairs, chiefly in Conservative circles, which makes the remarks of the hon. Member for Blackley (Mr. E. Johnson) all the more pleasant to hear?

If it is so difficult to do this in the Royal Air Force, can my right hon. Friend tell me why a compulsory system is used in the Army and in the American Forces?

It will, of course, still remain compulsory at some stations, but it is too early to say how many stations will be able to keep it compulsory and how many will not.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there has always been opposition from Regular officers to this kind of education in the Forces? Will he use his influence in getting the matter reconsidered?

I will certainly make a note of the hon. Member's point.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many air chief marshals, air marshals, air vice-marshals, and air commodores, respectively are on the active list of the Royal Air Force and how many of these are employed according to their respective ranks, hold commands, are employed at the Air Ministry, are employed on other staff duties or are not employed on any specific duties.

As the Answer includes a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether there is in the Royal Air Force any squadron leader who commands a squadron, any wing commander who commands a wing, or any flight lieutenant who commands a flight? If the answer is in the negative, will he take steps to have the names of these ranks altered?

asked the Secretary of State for Air what opportunity was given to airmen to purchase surplus safety razor blades before nearly 8,000,000 were offered and sold at public auction sales since 1st January, 1955, at an average price of eight blades a penny.

None, Sir. The blades did not come from Air Ministry stocks, which are limited to a small number of blades needed for survival packs.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the previous Prime Minister set up a high-powered committee to ensure that no goods would be sold by public auction unless they had

Of course there are wing commanders who command wings and flight lieutenants who command flights, although it is not general throughout the Service.

While we are waiting for the figures which are to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT, can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether, in his opinion, there are too many or too few high-ranking officers in the Royal Air Force and at the Air Ministry?

I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that we are having a special review of all air ranks. However, we have to take account of commitments other than our own. We must remember that about 10 per cent. of officers of these ranks are filling posts in, for instance, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Supply, N.A.T.O., and Commonwealth Air Forces.

That is a hypothetical question.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the cost of the recent aerial bombing of the village of Danabar in the Aden Protectorate; and what was the value of the property destroyed thereby.

The direct cost of the operation was about three thousand pounds. The value of the property destroyed was probably rather greater.

While we deplore and regret the occasion which gave cause for the raids, does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that many of us feel that, just because the Government cannot catch the guilty, they have no moral right to punish the innocent? Is he not aware that the village was under the protection of British Forces? Is he not further aware that if he carries on this policy we shall be driven holus-bolus out of the Middle East much quicker than even the Suez affair would have warranted?

I think I had better draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to what was said recently by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. He said:

" It was undertaken after full warning and no lives were lost. It was, in fact, both the most effective and the most humane way of ensuring that the village would not again be used by dissident tribesmen as a base for attack on Government forces."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th February, 1957; Vol. 565, c. 172.]

Does the Minister mean that this humane way of wiping out the homes of people who are under the protection of the British flag is to be continued in other parts of the Commonwealth?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will bear in mind that people from the village had ambushed a patrol of Cameron Highlanders, killed two of them and wounded six.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when the Royal Air Force Canberras stationed in Germany were equipped to carry tactical atomic bombs.

They are in process of being so equipped.

Has not the Secretary of State read the statement attributed to the Royal Air Force Commander-in-Chief in Germany? How much longer will it be necessary for us, in order to find out what has been done in the Royal Air Force, to read in American and Dutch newspapers particulars about the armament and equipment of the Royal Air Force in Germany?

The statement was made by the Commander-in-Chief in reply to a question addressed to him by the Press. I have drawn his attention to the need to avoid making comments of this kind without proper authority.

That is not the point. Will the right hon. Gentleman please look into this? It is the second time within the last couple of months that important information, which we in the House have been denied, has come from American and Dutch journalists concerning the Royal Air Force for which we pay and for which we expect to have responsibility?

I must express my regret to the House about this, and I have drawn the attention of the Commander-in-Chief to it. I had every intention of announcing this as soon as I could.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers of the Technical Branch were in command of Royal Air Force Commands on 1st January, 1953, 1955, and 1957, respectively.

One in 1953 and 1955: none on 1st January, 1957.

Since the numbers have come down, does not this make nonsense of the statements of the Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary of State two weeks ago in this House that increasing recognition was being given in the Royal Air Force today to the Technical Branch, especially in high posts?

As I think the hon. Gentleman knows, the post of Controller of Engineering and Equipment at the Air Ministry is established for an officer of air marshal rank of the Technical Branch. Generally speaking, however, I think that the hon. Gentleman would agree that air rank appointments should be allocated to the best man for the job, with the best experience and qualifications, irrespective of his branch.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what facilities there are in operational commands of the Royal Air Force for the squadron testing of new types of aircraft.

Aircraft entering squadron service are subjected to intensive flying trials. Other squadron trials are arranged as necessary thoughout an aircraft's life.

Will the Secretary of State look at this to see if more testing of new aircraft cannot be done by the Royal Air Force in operational commands, not only in order that the testing itself may be better, but that there may be less delay at the Ministry of Supply stage before the aircraft becomes operational?

Yes, I quite agree with the aims behind the hon. Gentleman's Question. It is most important that they should get these aircraft as quickly as they can, but perhaps the hon. Gentleman does not realise the number of steps which are already taken in this connection—such things as liaison officers at the manufacturers, the Central Fighter Establishment, the Boscombe handling squadron, and so on. And, even when the aircraft gets into squadron service, the aim is to try to fly 1,000 hours as quickly as possible and to send in periodical reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what facilities are available for former members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force fighter squadrons who join fighter control units; and how many so far have been transferred.

The normal training and other facilities of fighter control units are available; there have been 458 transfers so far.

Can my right hon. Friend say if the men who have transferred are to get facilities to do some real work, and useful work?

Yes, Sir. Of course, my hon. and gallant Friend will realise that there is a limit to the kind of useful training that we can provide, but, within the facilities available, we will give all the useful training we can.

asked the Paymaster-General, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will give details of the latest type of atomic power station designed to be ten times more powerful than Calder Hall; how many of these stations are in the current programme of the Atomic Energy Authority; and how many such stations will require to be built before electricity adequate for all needs can be generated without recourse to coal.

The nuclear power stations now being built for the Electricity Authorities are expected to have about four times the electricity output of the first Calder Hall station. A further increase in output as a result of straight-forward engineering development can already be foreseen, and if a number of technical problems can be solved, a station generating about ten times the electrical output of Calder Hall may be feasible, but no such station has yet been designed. The second and third parts of the Question, therefore, do not arise.

Does not my right hon. Friend realise that there is some difference in what he says now and what he told me in an Answer just before Sir John Cockcroft spoke to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee upstairs—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]—as reported in the News Chronicle. That is perfectly in order. Is not my right hon. Friend aware that Sir John Cockcroft is reported in the public Press as having said that within ten years we should have sufficient of the new power to make us free from the need for coal supplies, whereas my right hon. Friend said only two days earlier that we should require a total of 60 million tons extra? I want to know which statement is true.

I think that some reports in the newspapers of what Sir John Cockcroft was supposed to have said were definitely inaccurate, and what I have said this afternoon represents the facts.