asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent constructional work has started on the road improvement schemes on A.5, A.34, A.41, and A.51, listed officially by him on 11th July, 1956; which schemes have not been started; and why.

Of the twenty-two schemes listed, ten have been completed, five are in progress and seven have not yet started. Delays are for various technical and procedural reasons which are in course of being cleared.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent constructional work has started on the major road improvement schemes officially listed by him on 30th May. 1956; which schemes have not been started; and whether he will give the reasons therefor.

Work on all but twelve of the thirty-five schemes listed is now started. The reasons for delay in these were mainly procedural, but they are being pressed on urgently.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why there is delay in the publishing of a draft scheme for the Preston—Birmingham motorway.

:The draft Scheme will be published next week. The discussions with agricultural interests were rather more protracted than was expected.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the position with regard to the provision of a second carriageway on A.34 between Stafford and Strongford Bridge, Part 1.

:The scheme is complete except for minor accommodation works and some work on the verges. It will be open to traffic shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give, in some appropriate method, the meaning of the double white line experiment now being tried out on the London to Maidstone Road, as a large number of motor drivers are ignorant of its meaning and do not respect its safety proposals.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Truro (Mr. G. Wilson) on 3rd April, I am arranging, in conjunction with the motoring organisations, for further publicity to be given to this experiment on the Dover and Portsmouth Roads. The rule for motorists is not to cross the solid white line when it is on their side of the road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that in some provincial omnibuses licensed for public transport the seats are so close together that it is impossible for a well-built person to sit in comfort; and whether he will in future refuse to license vehicles unless sufficient leg-room is provided between the seats.

:The Regulations governing the certification of public service vehicles already provide that there shall be certain minimum distances between seats according to their relative position. If the hon. Member will let me have details of his complaint, I will have them considered in connection with the review of these Regulations which is now taking place.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make available at request copies of the English translation of the Rhine Navigation Convention, referred to in Section 6 of the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, to legal libraries, lawyers and other members of the public.

The authentic languages of the Rhine Navigation Convention are French and German. There is therefore no English text and no official English translation of the Convention exists. Although unofficial translations have been made, I consider that it would be undesirable to make them available on the basis suggested by my hon. Friend, since this might create the impression that the translations had an authenticity and legal significance for which Her Majesty's Government could not vouch.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation approximately how many driving licences have been issued and how many outstanding applications for such licences have been registered in respect of power-aided pedal bicycles; and, apart from knowledge of the Highway Code, if he is satisfied that the tests applied to this type of locomotion are appropriate.

:I regret that this information is not available; driving licences for these vehicles are grouped with other types of motor cycles. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose to our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies that, before proceeding any further with plans for reorganising the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, there should be a conference between the chief North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Powers, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Poland, with the object of unifying Germany by democratic means, within her existing frontiers but outside the rival alliances, and admitting her to the United Nations and to an all-European Treaty based on the Charter and linked with a convention for the reduction, limitation and control of the armaments of Germany and her neighbours and the withdrawal of foreign forces from Germany, Poland and Hungary.

:No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds it is proposed to transfer servicing arrangements for the forces in East Africa to the East Africa High Commission.

:I would refer the hon. Member to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) on 26th March, to which I am at present unable to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the recent conference which took place in Nairobi between officials of his Department, the financial officers of the three East African Governments and the East African High Commission.

:At this conference the East African Governments and Administrations considered ways and means of obtaining loan capital totalling some £118 million in the period 1956–60 needed to help finance their development programme. The conference examined all likely sources of finance, both within and without East Africa, and reached agreement on a provisional loan programme and on the methods to be used in attempting to find the necessary capital. It concluded that there was a reasonable expectation that the apparent deficit could be tolerated between the funds thought to be available and the £118 million required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the Governments of Uganda, Tanganyika, and Kenya to attract agricultural workers from Ruanda Urundi; and what are the rates of pay proposed for these workers.

:The Kenya Government are not for the time being proceeding with their proposed scheme to recruit a limited number of agricultural workers from Ruanda Urundi. Under long-standing arrangements with the Belgian authorities, some employers in Tanganyika and Uganda recruit labour from Ruandi Urundi on three-year contracts mainly for agricultural work; I am asking the Governors concerned whether any further proposals are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what compensation has been paid for cotton ginneries acquired under the cotton reorganisation scheme in Uganda.

:Compensation amounting to £1,956,474 has been paid by the Uganda Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the increasing hostility of Spain to Gibraltar, if he will make a statement indicating what action is being taken to ensure that industry in Gibraltar is kept moving and to protect the welfare of Gibraltarians.

:Progress is being made with the developments of which I informed the hon. Member in my reply on 7th December, 1955. The housing programme, with assistance from the colonial development and welfare fund, is proceeding according to plan. There has been marked expansion in the tourist industry, and in trade generally. Though Spanish frontier restrictions have continued, the volume of imports into Gibraltar was nearly £2 million more in 1956 than in 1954, with a corresponding increase in public revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African students from Kenya have qualified for the Bar since 1945 under grants from his Department or the Kenya Government.

:Three Kenya African students who received Government grants towards the cost of their training have been called to the Bar since 1945. Of these, one was awarded a scholarship from colonial development and welfare funds and two were financed from Kenya Government funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the result of the appeal by 50 detainees in Mageta Island Camp, Kenya, against the sentence of two years' hard labour passed on them in November last.

:The convictions were set aside by the Supreme Court.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the decision of the newly-elected African members of the Kenya Legislative Council not to accept Ministerial posts and their official declaration that the Lyttelton Constitution is null and void.

:The following is the reply which the Governor of Kenya, with my agreement, has returned to the request of the African members for additional seats in Legislative Council.

I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to reply to your letter of 18th March on the subject of African representation in the Legislative Council.

It is necessary first of all to make it clear that the present Constitution ofthe Colony, including composition of the Legislative Council, is based upon various documents which comprise what is usually known as the Lyttelton Plan. These documents include certain amendments to Letters Patent and Royal Instructions, the Secretary of State's despatches of 15th April, 1954, and the annexures to those despatches. The present Constitutional arrangements are in effect the outcome of an agreement between several parties. There is nothing to prevent their amendment in any way which is acceptable to all parties concerned. But agreement between the parties is essential before any change can be introduced and agreement cannot be achieved without prior discussion and negotiation between those parties.

It is true that the African group in the Legislative Council did not in April, 1954, positively endorse new Constitutional arrangements. All the same two members of that group, with the concurrence of the remainder, participated in the Government then formed as a Minister and as a Parliamentary Secretary respectively. Further, all members of group subsequently adopted the position of parties to new Constitutional arrangements. They took part with Government and with other groups in the Legislative Council in subsequent negotiations for modification of the Constitution. The agreement which resulted took the form of a statement published by all groups in the Legislative Council. Following that agreement a seat in the Council of Ministers was provided for a second African Minister and two new seats were provided for Africans in the Legislative Council; indeed two of the present Members owe their seats to this 1956 Agreement. Moreover, among the Constitutional Agreements reached in 1954 was one for institution of an inquiry into the method of selecting Africans for the Legislative Council and it was as a result of this inquiry that the system of direct elections of Africans which has led to the return of the present African elected Members was adopted. For all these reasons the Government cannot accept the view that African group in the Legislative Council did not adopt or participate in the present Constitutional arrangements or that Africans have not benefited in those arrangements.

The Government is responsible for interests of all communities in Kenya. Its policy is to encourage a common approach among members of these communities to problems of the country. The establishment of a Government in which all races can participate was an example of application of the idea of that common approach. The continuance of a government of this nature remains the settled policy.

In these circumstances your decision not to participate in the Government is a matter of regret and in the opinion of the Government is not in the best interests of the African people, particularly at this moment when the Government will have to discuss important questions affecting Africans.

The present agreed arrangements for the Government of the Colony will continue in spite of your decision to refrain from participation in the Government. Paragraph 8 of Command Paper which formed the annexure to Secretary of State's despatch 15th April. 1954, provided that if any of the Unofficial Members of the Council of Ministers resigned or otherwise vacated his office the Governor would nominate another person of the same race to take his place; and that if no such person considered suitable by the Governor were available it would be open for Governor to nominate an Official. It follows that in the circumstances created by your refusal to take part in the Government the Governor can make use of these provisions.

The Government is prepared to enter into discussion at any time on proposals for Constitutional changes. The Government does not believe that Constitutional change is either impossible or undesirable. But it does consider that in any circumstances and whatever Constitutional arrangements might be it would be necessary to enter into full discussions with all groups jointly before any changes were made. In present circumstances a change made without agreement of all groups in the Legislative Council would be a breach of policy and therefore cannot be contemplated. The Government attaches great importance to agreements made with groups in the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the participation and advice of the African population in Kenya is considered by the Government and Legislative Council in the planning of the consolidation of African land holdings into economic units.

:Until consolidation is demanded by the people themselves, Government action is confined to pointing out the defects of existing systems of cultivation, the benefits of consolidation and secure tenure, and to pilot schemes in areas where there is general enthusiasm.When it is decided to start consolidation the Native Land Tenure Rules, 1956, are applied to the area, under which committees of local Africans carry out the entire process in accordance with customary law. Where a committee can reach no decision on private right-holding the matter is referred to an all-African arbitration board appointed by the Provincial Commissioner under the Rules.The function of the Legislative Council as such has been to pass the necessary legal measures complementary to the Native Land Trust Rules. The African members of the Council supported these measures unanimously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the political situation in British Honduras.

:At the General Election last month the People's United Party secured all nine of the seats for elected members in the Legislative Assembly, and are thus assured of an overall majority. As a result of the split in the People's United Party to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 31st October last, the People's United Party contested the election under new leaders. The other parties, none of which has secured representation in the Assembly, are the Honduras Independent Party and the National Party; and there were also certain Independent candidates.The first meeting of the Legislative Assembly will take place on 12th April, and the Governor will then make appointments to his Executive Council, to which six members are to be elected by the Legislative Assembly from amongst its members.The Governor has been assured by the leaders of the People's United Party that they are anxious to give him the fullest co-operation in the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is being done to extend and improve the lines of communication in British Guiana; and, in view of the poor highways in British Guiana, if he will give special consideration to this with increased financial aid.

:The development programme for 1956–60 includes provision for spending nearly £3 million on extending or improving several major roads and for building a road to the interior. The programme is being assisted from C.D. & W. funds. The main difficulties are technical, rather than financial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the importance of giving greater concentration in extracting more of the main species of timber in British Guiana with the object of assisting the economy of the country; and what action is being taken.

:I am aware that the economy of the Colony will best be served by full utilisation of its forest resources. The Government is encouraging the extraction of as many species as possible in addition to crabwood and greenheart. Much depends on market demands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is being done to intensify the geological survey in British Guiana.

:Surveys are continuously in progress with substantial assistance from C.D. & W. funds. Four thousand square miles were geologically mapped during 1956. Schemes have been approved involving further expenditure of £437,000 up to 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the terms of the latest document received by the Government of Malaya from the insurgents suggesting conditions for terminating hostilities; and what is the policy of the Malayan Government in regard to these proposals.

:An undated cyclostyled letter purporting to come from the Central Committee of the Malayan Communist Party, which recently came into the Government's hands, offers to re-open negotiations to end the emergency, but does not say on what terms. The policy of the Government of Malaya remains unchanged. They are prepared to offer the Communists terms which would guarantee peace and security, but not terms which would give them the opportunity to carry out subversive activities. They are not prepared to talk to the Communists unless the latter first make clear that they will accept the Government's terms for complete surrender.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the amount spent on the police force in Singapore for the years 1955–56 and 1956–57, respectively; and what proportion of the total budget for each year these amounts represent.

:Actual police expenditure for 1955 was approximately £2,650,000 and represented 11·46 per cent. of Singapore's total expenditure for that year. Certified figures are not available for 1956, but the police budget for that year and for 1957 is approximately £3 million. This represents, respectively, 10·91 per cent. and 9·96 per cent. of the Colony's budget for those two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what qualifications are required for senior posts in the Civil Service in Singapore; and what opportunities are available in the Colony for the attainment of such qualifications.

:For direct entry into the Administrative Service in Singapore, an honours degree or its equivalent is required. Promotion to senior posts is based on experience and merit, and no further academic qualifications are required. An honours degree can be got at the University of Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the Singapore Conference.

:I hope that the agreed Report of the Conference will be signed tomorrow morning. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the length of the working week at the Cyprus Mines Corporation; and how this compares with the hours of work in comparable employment in the island.

:Forty-eight hours, of which eight are paid at overtime rates. The working week at other mines and large quarries varies between 44 and 46 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will inquire into the practices obtaining to prevent workers at the Cyprus Mines Corporation who so desire being represented by their trade union; and if he will make a statement.

:It is the policy of the Cyprus Government to encourage the formation of trade unions and the creation of collective bargaining machinery. But the Cyprus Mines Corporation does not recognise any trade union and the Government have no power to intervene. The Corporation has, however, established consultative committees to which the workers' representatives are elected by secret ballot.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Cypriot Greeks have migrated to Greece, the United Kingdom and Comonwealth and the United States of America, respectively, during the past year and in each previous calendar year since 1945.

There are no figures before 1952. From 1952 to 1956, the only figures are for total Cypriot emigration. For 1956 separate figures are available for Greek Cypriot emigration.The figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many E.O.K.A. terrorists have responded to his offer of safe conduct from Cyprus;(2) how long his offer of safe conduct to E.O.K.A. terrorists will remain open;(3) what has been the response of Colonel Grivas to his offer of safe conduct from Cyprus.

No terrorists have so far taken advantage of the safe conduct offer, and no response to this offer has been made by Grivas. No term has yet been set to the duration of the offer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give an assurance that the state of emergency in Cyprus will continue so long as the Governor considers it necessary for the safety of British subjects.

Yes. I have already made it clear that the Emergency Regulations will be relaxed only as and when conditions make it safe to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the next steps he proposes to take in the pacification of the Island of Cyprus.

I gave the hon. Gentleman a full reply to a Question by him on this point after my statement on 28th March. Since then, certain relaxations of the Emergency Regulations have been made, and some other steps taken by the Governor with a view to creating conditions favourable to a peaceful settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the comparative peace in Cyprus since the release of Archbishop Makarios, if he will now follow this by summoning a constructive, representative and authoritative peace conference on the relevant subjects in Cyprus or London.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to a Question on this point after my statement on 28th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Sierra Leone House of Representatives decided, on Wednesday 27th March, 1957, to debar from becoming candidates persons who have been convicted for an offence in a court of law or have been debarred from following their professions; and, in view of the fact that persons with records of public service whose offences have arisen from patriotic motives will, in consequence, be excluded from this representative body, if he will take steps to ensure that this decision be rescinded or amended before the general election in Sierra Leone.

I am aware that the Legislative Council of Sierra Leone rejected by 16 votes to 3 a Motion seeking to secure reconsideration of the provisions on this subject which appear in the Sierra Leone (House of Representatives) Order in Council, 1956. I do not think it would be right to override that vote. This is primarily a matter for the people of Sierra Leone themselves, and if after the impending general election a different view were expressed in the new House of Representatives, I would be prepared to consider it afresh.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what dates have been proposed by the Government and Legislature of Sierra Leone for the introduction of universal adult suffrage.

The Sierra Leone Government accept universal adult suffrage as the goal to which Sierra Leone should move. They take the view, which Her Majesty's Government share, that for practical reasons progress must be by stages. A wide franchise is being introduced for the elections for the new House of Representatives, due to take place next month. This will result in virtually all taxpayers being enfranchised, together with some women. Until experience has shown how this advance works, it would be premature to make any firm commitment for the timing of the next stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in which of the projects in Nigeria, assisted financially by the Eastern Region Finance Corporation, Ministers in the Regional Government have or had a financial interest; who are the Ministers concerned; and what is the extent of their interest.

I have asked for this information and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT when I have it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to publish the interim recommendations of the Economic Commission which visited Malta last year under Sir George Schuster; what have been the reasons for the delay; and why Mr. Mintoff has stated that they must not be published without a simultaneous comment from the Maltese Government.

The Commission's interim report, which dealt with the Maltese Budget for 1956–57, is being published today along with their final report covering 1957–58. The delay in publication of the former was due to a number of factors, including the wish of the two Governments to publish both reports together. Her Majesty's Government are much indebted to the two Commissioners, Sir George Schuster and Sir William Scott, for these reports, which provided a basis for reaching agreement with the Maltese Government on financial aid for the two years they covered. As regards the third part of the Question. I know of no such statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the representation provided for Africans in 1950 on the Fort Jameson Town Management Board of Northern Rhodesia is still maintained; and what is the number of Africans who attend Board meetings and the method of selection of members of the Board.

I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will consider grant aiding the establishment of an institution for further education of Africans in Northern Rhodesia as proposed by the General President of the Northern Rhodesian Trades Union Congress and Railway African Workers' Union on 7th March, 1957.

I am informed by the Governor that Mr. Dixon Konkola recently suggested to him that he should approach bodies such as the mining companies to establish an inter-racial college to develop into a University of Northern Rhodesia. The Governor informed him that such higher education was the responsibility of the Federal Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to state the names of the seven people, all without political interests, who have been refused passports in Jamaica, though they have not been to gaol, and the reasons in each case for such refusal.

The Governor of Jamaica has refused to grant passports to six persons with criminal records. The details are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, under Section 17 of the Jamaica Constabulary Law, a policeman can arrest a person for any offence, that this provision is frequently abused by the police, and that persons are frequently arrested and jailed for minor breaches of the traffic laws; and whether he will take steps to secure the amendment of this provision.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to Section 18 of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Law, which empowers a constable to arrest without warrant any person found committing any offence punishable upon indictment or summary conviction and take him forthwith before a justice for inquiry into the circumstances of the alleged offence. I do not accept that this power has been frequently abused. There are safeguards against abuse in particular, under Section 39 of the Law a constable who exercises the power maliciously or without reasonable or probable cause is liable to civil action for damages and for false imprisonment. Amendment of the Law is a matter for the Jamaica Government, and I can see no sufficient reason to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of students from the Colonial Territories who are studying law, medicine, engineering, agriculture, science and other subjects, respectively, in the United Kingdom

At the 1st January, 1957, there were in the United Kingdom the following numbers of students from the Colonial Territories studying the subjects mentioned by the hon. Member:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1) if he will consider giving a bonus to workers in Her Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, for their loyalty in remaining at work when all other shipbuilding workers were on strike.(2) if he will give an assurance that the workers in Her Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, will get the benefit of any wage increases granted to other workers in the shipbuilding industry.

:The wages of Admiralty industrial employees are negotiated on the Shipbuilding Trades Joint Council, and any wage movements in the shipbuilding industry and other comparable industries are necessarily taken into account by that Council in accordance with the Fair Wages Resolution of this House. This disposes of the point mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend in his second question.Because the Shipbuilding Trades Joint Council, a body quite separate from the Shipbuilding Employers Federation and the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Trades Union is the body on which Dockyard rates of wages are negotiated, and because the Shipbuilding Trades Joint Council had currently under consideration a claim from the Trade Union Side, the workers in the Royal Dockyards were not directly affected by the dead-lock which had been reached in the private shipyards. They were not affected by the decision of the Confederation to call out on strike the workers in the private shipyards.I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the Admiralty fully appreciate the loyalty of their staff, which is the result of many years of harmonious industrial relations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will consider transferring the building of nuclear ships for the Royal Navy to Her Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, bearing in mind that their construction is less likely to be affected by strikes.

:The primary function of the Royal Dockyards is to repair and maintain the Fleet, and their capacity for building ships is sufficient only for a limited proportion of the Naval building programmes. This capacity will be taken fully into account when orders are considered for the new construction of the future.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the proposed cuts in the Royal Navy, as outlined in the Defence White Paper, he will set up a committee to consider the future policy in regard to Her Majesty's Dockyards.

:No, the review of the whole shore organisation of the Royal Navy known as the "Way Ahead", to which I referred in my speech on 5th March, already covers the policy to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the maximum underwater speed of H.M. Submarine "Explorer"; and how this compares with the underwater speed record.

It would not be in the public interest to state the precise capabilities of this experimental submarine, but she has achieved an underwater speed of more than 25 knots. As there are no accepted standards for making and checking an underwater speed record, we cannot claim that she holds it, but we believe that the speed she has attained makes her a strong contender for the title of the fastest submarine in the world. The lack of accepted standards prevents us from trying for an underwater speed record, to add to the records on the water, in the air, and on land, which Great Britain already holds.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to receive the report of the outside organisation which was commissioned by him to make a special inquiry into the methods of handling mail in Post Office sorting offices.

I have now received the report. It confirms us in the special attention which is being given to the mechanisation of sorting and makes a number of other suggestions which will be the subject of experiment.

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he has received from the British Broadcasting Corporation concerning public opinion in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Belfast regarding the shared wavelength serving those cities.

None: but, as I have said before, I am aware of the feelings that exist, and that is why V.H.F. stations at Pontop Pike and Divis have been provided.

asked the Postmaster-General which other countries have expressed to him their desire to promote an international conference on medium wavelengths.

None.

asked the Postmaster-General what further consideration he has given to the idea of calling an international conference on medium wavelengths.

I have gone into this matter carefully, but there is nothing I can usefully add to what I told the hon. Member on the 20th of March, 1957.

asked the Postmaster-General what the effect of the latest increase in telephone charges has been upon the number of calls made.

The latest increase was the raising of the charge for a local call from a coin-box telephone from 3d. to 4d. on 1st January, 1957. It is not possible to say what effect this has had on the traffic, but the number of all local calls is about 5 per cent. less than a year ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will now make a further statement on the crash on 5th March of the Royal Air Force, Beverley, at Abingdon.

I have now studied the report of the Board of Inquiry into this accident.The Inquiry has confirmed that the flight was correctly authorised, the crew was properly qualified, the passengers were fully briefed and the pilot was justified in taking off in the weather conditions prevailing.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the airbase at Akrotiri is now complete; and whether other airfields are to be built in Cyprus.

Certain work has still to be completed at Akrotiri, but the airfield is fully operational. There is no present intention of constructing other airfields in Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what decisions have been taken on the use of Sealand air base when it is returned to his Department's control by the United States Air Force next June; and how many civilian employees it is estimated will then be required for work there.

No decisions have yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps are a being taken to develop warheads for the guided missiles which we are due to receive from the United States of America.

Detailed arrangements consequent upon any supply of guided missiles from the United States still remain to be worked out.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation to enable him to hold an official referendum of all trade unionists in the United Kingdom on whether they are content to be ordered out on strike, unasked, by their

As I have stated on previous occasions, I am not convinced that a secret strike ballot would help to promote industrial peace. Moreover, the great majority of strikes are unofficial and such legislation would be of little value in these cases.

asked the Minister of Labour (I) how many Remploy factories there are in the Liverpool and Bootle areas; and what is the recruitment area for labour in these factories;(2) how many disabled and able-bodied persons are employed in Remploy factories in the Liverpool and Bootle areas; and if he will state these numbers for the years 1952 to 1956;(3) when the last medical panels were held for recruitment in the Remploy factories in the Liverpool and Bootle areas; and what was the additional disabled and able-bodied labour force recruited into these factories in the year 1956.

There are Remploy factories at Bootle, St. Helens and Wallasey. Table I below shows the respective recruitment areas for these factories. Table II gives the numbers employed in the factories in February of each year from 1952–57 and the numbers of new workers recruited during 1956. Recruitment panels were last held at Bootle in August, 1954, at St. Helens in February, 1957, and at Wallasey in March, 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) to what extent students and others whose National Service has been deferred are still subject to be called up for National Service if their period of deferment expires in 1958 or 1959;(2) what modified methods or forms of National Service he has considered in substitution for the present form if voluntary recruitment to the desired level proves inadequate by 1960.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the statement on National Service which will be made during the forthcoming debate on defence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what official figures he has of the time spent by the various types of agricultural workers in the performance of their work; and if he will publish them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Information on hours of work is collected in England and Wales by the Ministry's wages inspectors as a regular part of the wages and employment inquiry. The latest available figures relate to the twelve months ending 30th September, 1956, and estimates are given below of the average total hours per week (including overtime) for various classes of regular workers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the guaranteed price for first quality bacon pigs is currently met by subsidy; and what was the comparable figure for the year 1956–57.

There is no separate guaranteed price for first quality bacon pigs, but quality premium payments are made on bacon pigs of specified grades.For 1956–57 the average weekly guarantee payment on the quality premium grade (ignoring adjustments for changes in feed prices and deductions for progeny testing) was 9s. 8d. per score deadweight, representing 19 per cent. of the standard price of 49s. 7d.Owing to (1) the adjustment of the standard price to take account of the higher cost of feed, (2) the change in the guarantee system and (3) the introduction of two quality premium grades, the figures of guarantee payments for the first week of the guarantee year 1957–58 are not strictly comparable with last year's average. They are 15s. 5d. and 14s. 5d. for the two grades, representing respectively 30 per cent. and 28 per cent. of the standard price of 51s. 11d.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now give under detailed heads the pay-

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what percentage of all who enter upon National Insurance are deemed, on an

:My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to give details of the actual payments made under the Agricultural Price Guarantees and Production Grants in the year 1956–57. The estimated expenditure under the detailed heads for which provision was made in the Civil Estimates Class VIII, Votes 2 and 12, is as follows:actuarial basis, to be unlikely to survive the pensionable age.

:On the mortality basis adopted for the first Quinquennial Review of the National Insurance Scheme, the proportion of men entering insurance at the minimum age of 16 who would die before age 65 would be about 25 per cent., and the corresponding proportion of women who would fail to reach age 60 would be about 10 per cent.

asked the Minister of Works, when it is intended to rebuild the temporary staircase leading from the West Front to the Parliamentary Floor; and whether it is proposed to install a lift.

:The rebuilding of this staircase would be very costly, and no money will be available for the work in the near future. The question of installing a lift will be examined nearer the time when the work is likely to start.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has made to the representations of the Educational Institute of Scotland on the subject of increased family and dependants' allowances.

:A reply was sent to the Institute informing it that its letter would have my consideration. The hon. Member will have seen from my Budget statement that one of my proposals for tax relief is designed to benefit parents whose children are receiving full-time education.

asked the Minister of Defence who are the members of the Chiefs of Staff Committee; what are their periods of office; and what are the terms of reference of the Committee.

:The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed as follows:—

• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Dickson, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence (Chairman).
• Admiral of the Fleet the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff.
• Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Dermot Boyle, Chief of the Air Staff.
• Its function is to advise Her Majesty's Government on matters relating to defence. The Chiefs of Staff are not appointed for a fixed period.