asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies under what conditions detainees who have been transferred to rehabilitation centres are to be employed in Kenya; what wages they will be paid and what freedom of movement they will be permitted.

As regards detainees held in "Works Camps" before their release, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) on 5th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number and names of the Colonial Territories which have taken part in drafting a constitution for the Co-operative confederation to be set up by the Co-operative League of the United States of America in the Caribbean area.

I understand that meetings were held in Jamaica last year by the United States organisation referred to, at which a draft constitution for a Co-operative confederation in the Caribbean area was discussed. No colonial Government was officially represented but among those attending were delegates from Jamaica, Trinidad and Dominica. A delegate from British Guiana attended as an observer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reason facilities are denied to African producers to market flue-cured tobacco at Northern Rhodesian tobacco auctions.

There are no tobacco auctions in Northern Rhodesia, so the Question does not arise. I would add that the control of marketing of tobacco is a responsibility of the Federal Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the name of those films which have been declared unsuitable for African audiences by the Northern Rhodesia African Film Censoring Board since 1st January, 1957, to the latest convenient date; how many of these were proscribed after they had been advertised for showing at the multiracial cinema in Lusaka owned by Mr. V. Mistry; what was the longest notice given of this proscription for films already advertised and what was the shortest notice; and if he will make a statement on the Film Censoring Board, its origins, composition, and methods of work.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th April, 1957; Vol. 568, c. 193–4], supplied the following information:—The following six films have been declared unsuitable for African audiences by the Northern Rhodesia Native Film Censorship Board since 1st January, 1957:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what system of unemployment insurance or assistance for persons without adequate means exists in the Seychelles.

There is no system of unemployment insurance, but financial assistance is given in case of need by the Labour and Welfare Officer of the Seychelles Government advised by the Public Assistance Committee. Institutional care is provided for the aged and destitute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) in how many cases heard by the Supreme Court of the Seychelles since December, 1948, a right of appeal to a higher court existed; and in how many cases it was exercised;(2) how many appeals from judgments of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Seychelles have been heard by the Supreme Court of Mauritius and the East African Court of Appeal from December, 1948, to the present date; how many of these judgments have been quashed, reversed, modified or sent back for retrial; and how many have been upheld.

Of 2,518 civil and criminal cases to date there was an absolute right of appeal in 405. Other cases were appealable by leave granted by the trial judge, the appeal court, or Her Majesty in Council. Appeals were lodged in 37 cases, of which 11 are pending.Nineteen cases have been heard by the Mauritius Supreme Court and seven by the East Africa Court of Appeal.The following are the results of the appeals heard by the Mauritius Supreme Court and the East Africa Court of Appeal:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the next annual report of the principal auditor of the accounts of the Seychelles is due.

The Report for 1955 was published on 8th February this year. The Report for 1956 is expected to be ready in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the seditious nature of the Grivas diaries, if he will now arrange for them to be returned to England from Cyprus and handed over to the Attorney-General or the Director of Public Prosecutions.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what communication he has received from Archbishop Makarios regarding his British citizenship.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to ensure that the nomination of members to the Legislative Council in British Guiana will represent the intentions of the electorate as in the case of Malaya and Trinidad.

The Governor of British Guiana is now in England on leave. This is one of the matters I shall be discussing with him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Government of British Guiana will consider the setting up of a Boundary Commission in view of the inequalities of the present electoral boundaries.

The electoral boundaries providing for 14 constituencies which existed prior to 1953 have been reintroduced, since this is considered to be the arrangement best suited to present circumstances.There has been no general demand for the appointment of a Boundary Commission. Such action would involve postponement of the August elections, which would be undesirable as it is important that British Guiana should be given the opportunity of making constitutional progress without delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what British and United States firms, respectively, are negotiating with the Government of Sierra Leone for the extraction of rutile; what similar firms are negotiating with the Governments of Somaliland and Gambia for the extraction of oil, and with those of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland for the discovery of radioactive minerals; to what extent the raw materials of these territories will be used to develop the territories' own industrial potentialities; and what action has been taken by the respective Governments arising from the circular on colonial mining policy issued by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to colonial Governments in 1946.

British Titan Products Limited (British) and Columbia Southern Chemicals (United States) have been negotiating jointly with the Government of Sierra Leone for the extraction of rutile.Conoco Somal Limited (United States) and the Standard Vacuum Oil Company (United States) are negotiating with the Government of Somaliland for the grant of oil prospecting licences, and the terms on which oil mining leases would subsequently be granted.No negotiations with companies about the extraction of oil from the Gambia are taking place.No negotiations for the extraction of radioactive minerals have taken place with the Government of Northern Rhodesia.In Nyasaland, no negotiations are in progress with the Government.Since none of the raw materials referred to has yet been produced in commercial quantities it is not yet possible to say whether, or how far, they will be used to develop the territories' own industrial potentialities. In any case, it does not follow that, because certain minerals are found in a particular territory, the economic interests of that territory are necessarily best served by developing local industries merely in order to make use of those minerals locally. The territory may derive greater economic benefit by marketing all its resources in international trade.The Governments concerned have generally accepted the principles in the White Paper on Colonial Mining Policy (Colonial No. 206), and have taken legislative and administrative action where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the explanation for the high proportion of vacancies to the establishment of doctors, namely, 21·2 per cent., 16·9 per cent., and 12·8 per cent., in British Guiana, Nigeria, and Trinidad, respectively.

The figures of notified vacancies in any territory fluctuate considerably. At present, the figures for British Guiana, Nigeria and Trinidad are relatively high, largely because many of the vacancies have only recently been notified. A further reason is that many of these posts are for doctors with special qualifications, who, in general, take more than the average time to recruit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent there are still vacancies for doctors in the Colonial Territories, after the 300 applications which he receives each year from qualified doctors already in the National Health Service in this country have been appointed to the colonial medical service and allocated their posts.

There are generally some 120 to 150 vacancies at any given time, recruitment being roughly balanced by normal wastage and, in some cases, by expansion in territorial establishments.The hon. Member will realise that by no means all the 300 applicants take up appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the 300 applicants from whom he receives applications for appointment to the colonial medical service, from among doctors already in the National Health Service in this country, have their applications rejected.

Of the 300 applicants, approximately 45 are, on the average, rejected. Of the remainder, about half withdraw their applications or decline offers of appointment.As stated in my Written Answer of 3rd April, 1957, to the hon. Member's earlier Question not all of these applicants are employed in the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Mr. E. M. K. Mulira has not been re-admitted to the Lukiko.

Mr. Mulira was expelled from the Lukiko by the Speaker in July, 1956, for walking out while a meeting was in progress without, it was alleged, proper salutation to the throne. Mr. Mulira sought to contest his expulsion in the Protectorate High Court, which ruled that jurisdiction lay with the Principal Court of Buganda. It is open to him to proceed, if he wishes, in the Principal Court, from whose decision on appeal lies to the Judicial Adviser and thence to the High Court on a question of law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the High Court of Uganda has now heard the case of Mr. M. Mugwanya who applied for a writ of mandamus requiring the Katikiro to submit his name to the Kabaka for appointment to the Lukiko; and what is its decision.

Yes. The Court dismissed the application on the ground that before it was heard the Katikiro had already submitted Mr. Mugwanya's name to the Kabaka and that therefore the applicant had achieved his purpose by instituting the proceedings. The Judge awarded costs to the applicant up to 21st January, the date on which he became aware that the Katikiro had submitted his name to, the Kabaka, and directed that thereafter each party should bear his own costs.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, how many of the 4,256 level crossings, referred to in the report by his officers on level crossing protection, lie in the Isle of Ely; how this figure compares with the average for other English counties; and if he will give an assurance that, before deciding on altering the type of gates, he will pay due regard to the public preference for bridges.

There are about 90 public road level crossings in the Isle of Ely. A comparison with the average for other English counties would involve a great deal of research, but on an area basis the Isle of Ely probably has more than the average. I will, of course, bear in mind the convenience of bridges, but the introduction of modern equipment should reduce delays to road traffic at many level crossings where bridges are never likely to be built.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what action he has taken to implement his recent undertaking that landing charges at airports would shortly be increased.

In the course of a debate on 18th March I said that landing charges would have to be considerably increased as soon as discussions were completed with interested parties.Following these discussions I shall, with effect from 1st June, introduce revised scales of landing fees which are estimated to yield an additional £500,000 for a full year. This is an increase of 37 per cent. overall and is distributed among the carriers broadly according to what the traffic can reasonably be expected to bear. The new scales will be promulgated this week through the normal means of a Notice to Airmen.At the same time, increases will be introduced in the much smaller fields of charges for aircraft housing and parking.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take on the revised plan for St. Paul's precincts.

The London County Council has now submitted for my approval an amendment of the County of London Development Plan making new proposals for the area around the Cathedral. Before giving my decisions on these proposals, which are being advertised, I intend to arrange for a public local inquiry into any objections or representations which may be made to me.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the number of applications for grant under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts, 1944 to 1955, received from non-county boroughs and urban districts, respectively, since 1st April, 1950, or other convenient date; the names of the authorities whose applications have been successful; and the aggregate amount of Government grant payable in respect of such successful applications.

The numbers of applications for grant under the 1944–55 Acts received from the councils of non-county boroughs and of urban districts between 1st April, 1950, and 31st March, 1957, were 41 and 101 respectively.The names of the authorities whose applications were successful are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the policy of Her Majesty's Government as to the conditions under which countries not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation are to become associated with the proposed European Free Trade Area.

As is stated in the White Paper (Command 72), Her Majesty's Government's proposal is for a Free Trade Area open to all members of O.E.E.C. who are prepared to accept its obligations.

asked the Paymaster-General if he is now in position to state when the remainder of the emergency surcharge of petrol prices will be removed following further discussions with the oil companies.

A further reduction of 1d. on petrol and ½d. on derv has now been announced by suppliers and dealers after consultation with my noble Friend. The rest of the surcharge will remain under constant review.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will make a statement about reciprocity with Israel in the field of social security.

I am glad to be able to inform the House that, on 29th April, the Israel Ambassador in London and my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs signed a Convention on Social Security between the two countries. Under this Convention, a person who has paid National Insurance contributions in this country and the corresponding contributions in Israel can add these contributions together in order to qualify for benefit in either country. The Convention provides also that a woman who is entitled to a British maternity grant may receive medical treatment in Israel under the same conditions as a woman who is entitled to an Israel maternity grant. The Convention will come into operation when it us ratified.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the criticisms contained in a letter to him which the Scottish Schoolmasters' Association have made of the work of the Advisory Council on Education in dealing with its remit on the supply of teachers for secondary schools; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I cannot accept the suggestions made in the letter from the Association that the Advisory Council is not an appropriate body to consider the remit given to it or that the proceedings of the Council are open to criticism. Early in March the Council sent a general invitation to the interested bodies to submit observations on its remit and later in the month the Council invited the same bodies to comment on certain specific points which had been suggested from various sources and which the Council was considering. I understand that the Council, which is, of course. free to recommend to me any measures it thinks fit, is at present examining the points in the light of the observations it has received and has not yet reached the stage of submitting a report.