asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the concern felt in Coventry at the projected cuts in orders given by his Department to the General Electric Company, Coventry; and if he will make a statement about the future position of such orders apart from the one connected with telephone instruments.

The level of orders with all our contractors is at present under review in the light of available capital resources and of stock holdings. Negotiations with the General Electric Company and other Post Office contractors are in progress, and I regret that I am not at present able to make a statement about the future.

Is the Minister aware that that sounds rather like another death knell to Coventry, which has already suffered a great deal in the matter of contracts in other directions? Is he aware, furthermore, that the G.E.C. in Coventry is dependent on the General Post Office and on the export market for its orders? If the General Post Office cuts down its orders, the position will be very serious.

Of course we try to avoid undue disruption in the flow of orders. We will bear in mind the remarks which the hon. Lady has made about this company.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the order for telephone instruments given by his Department to the General Electric Company, Coventry, last December for completion within twelve months has now had this completion period extended to 2½ years; and if he will give the reasons for this change.

A recent review of the stock position made it clear that the projected level of purchases of telephone instruments would be in excess of Post Office needs to meet current demand and estimated future requirements. Much as I regret this, extension of the period of delivery from all our contractors has been unavoidable.

While accepting the hon. Member's regrets, may I ask him whether he realises that whichever end of the stick it is, Coventry is obviously the loser? Is he aware that this firm employs many thousands of people, and that the fact that this order has been extended to 2½ years means that they will be redundant? Is he further aware —and he may not be—that workers at G.E.C. are unlikely to be easily absorbed into other industries in Coventry?

We should regret any serious consequences, such as those to which the hon. Lady refers, flowing from any action on our part, but I am sure she will agree that it is wiser for us to spread these orders over a period rather than to indulge in staccato cancellations of orders.

May I ask the Postmaster-General, through the hon. Member, whether, with other Ministers, he has noticed that the position in Coventry is serious? It concerns the motor car industry, the aircraft industry and now the Post Office. If the Govern- ment mean to make this country worth living in for the workpeople, they must do something about it.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) when the sub-post offices in the Kinson, Northbourne and Redhill areas of Bournemouth were first opened; and how many of these are placed in shops;

Sub-offices were opened in the parish of Kinson which includes the Northbourne and Redhill areas, in 1856, 1892, 1924, 1925, 1932, 1933 and 1951. There are now nine sub-offices in the parish, and all of them are in shops. I cannot say what the population of Kinson was at each of the dates in question, but I understand that in 1851 it was about 900 and that today it is about 34,000.

Bearing in mind the last part of my hon. Friend's Answer, will he not from that appreciate that the population has increased very considerably since these sub-post offices were first installed, and will he recognise that it is not so much the distance between sub-post offices that matters as the increase in population? Will he say whether there is any likelihood of new sub-post offices being provided to meet the needs of the increased population? If he considers that there is no likelihood, will he at least undertake to visit the area?

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his offer of hospitality and, if convenient, I will take an opportunity of paying the visit. We are aware of the effect of this increase in population on the demands on the post offices in the area, but the present feeling is that the demands are pretty well met.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give an assurance that he will maintain the inland letter rate at 2½d. during the present financial year as a measure towards curtailing inflation.

My right hon. Friend is not prepared to anticipate in any way the statement on Post Office finances forecast in his Answer to the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) last week.

That sounds most ominous. Why does not the Assistant Postmaster-General frankly admit that it will not be long before his right hon. Friend imposes a 3d. post, thus making another hole in everybody's purse? Why does he not now come clean right away?

My right hon. Friend has already said that when he has anything to say on Post Office charges he will come to the House and say it at the appropriate time.

asked the Post master-General, in view of the complaints received, if he will inquire into the long delay and, in some cases, the complete failure to deliver mails to Service personnel in Aden.

I regret that while the Suez Canal was closed surface mails for Aden suffered delay. We now have weekly sailings with a sailing time of fourteen days. I am not aware of any instance of complete failure to deliver mail, but if the hon. Member will let me have details of any case I will gladly have inquiry made.

Is the Minister aware that the complaint concerns the loss of some of these mails, which is really very significant? I will take him up on his request to send him some of the details.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that for the past twelve years the hon. Member for West Ham, North has had the daily HANSARD delivered to his home address by the first postal delivery each morning; that for the last few days these HANSARDS have not been delivered until later postal delivery times; what is the reason for this; and whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that the practice operated for twelve years prior to the last few days is still maintained.

I am sorry that the hon. Member should have suffered this inconvenience. His copy of HANSARD ought to be delivered by first post, and we are taking steps to see that delay does not occur in future.

I thank the Minister for that reply. Is he aware that since putting down the Question the matter has been rectified? Can I assume from that that the Post Office will now carry out the excellent example set by the Minister's predecessor when the Labour Government were in power?

We always have to be very careful in considering whether to follow the precedents of our predecessors.

Would not my hon. Friend perhaps have welcomed a letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) on the subject rather than have him spend 30s. by putting down a Question?

We are always interested to hear the hon. Member in this House.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what was the book value of stores to be sold in the 1956–57 estimate; what was the amount received for those stores; and what methods were used for their disposal;

Cash receipts from sales of stores in 1956–57 are estimated at £4| million, including £3,850,000 for used, worn-out and obsolete stores. At the time of sale these stores were carried in the Post Office books at their expected sale value. It would not be possible without undue labour to ascertain what was their book value at any particular stage before they were offered for sale. Apart from new stores sold at cost to other Government Departments, disposal is almost invariably by competitive tender.

What was the nature of the surplus engineering stores valued at £3½ million which were disposed of? Were the tenders advertised, and, if so, to whom?

The stores referred to in the total of £3,850,000 are worn out, obsolete and out-of-date stores, as described in my Answer. The assemblies were advertised as publicly as possible in the areas in which they were to be offered and elsewhere, and the competitive tenders submitted were then considered before acceptance.

asked the Post master-General what proposals he has for omitting the time of receipt stamp on telegrams as part of the proposed changes in Post Office practice.

asked the Postmaster-General what proposals he has for stopping the use of time and date stamps on telegrams.

The time of receipt at the local office is usually written in on the delivered copy of telegrams, but this practice is not invariably followed and consideration is being given to discontinuing it. The time of handing in of a telegram is included in the preamble to the text and shows the recipient how long the telegram has taken to reach him. It is not proposed to alter this arrangement.

asked the Postmaster-General the cost per student per week at Stone and Eastbourne training centres, respectively.

Excluding travelling and cost of providing substitutes, the figures were £18 and £19. respectively, in 1955–56.

asked the Postmaster-General why the value of services rendered by the Post Office, without payment, to the British Museum of Natural History has increased from £880 to£3,000.

The correct estimate for 1957–58 is about £1,300. The figure of £3,000 was arrived at through misunderstanding of a change in practice at the Natural History Museum.

In view of this statement, does not the hon. Member think that this mistake ought to have been found out before it was included in the Civil Estimates? What is wrong?

It would have been corrected before the Civil Estimates were published had it been found out. Now that we have found it out, I am taking this opportunity of making the House aware of this error.

But this figure is stated in the Estimates. There must be something wrong to cause this great variation.

I thought that my original Answer made it clear that the £3,000 was arrived at through a misunderstanding of a change in practice at the Natural History Museum. Now we know about it, and I have informed the hon. Gentleman of the facts.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the later delivery of postal communications bearing 2d. stamps, if he will consider reducing the postal charges for postcards containing brief greetings or acknowledgements and delivered by the later delivery.

No, Sir.

Cannot the hon. Gentleman give a more sympathetic reply to this suggestion of a possible reduction in this expenditure, which falls very heavily on certain classes of persons, particularly in view of the fact that he is considering raising charges in other directions?

The change which the hon. Gentleman proposes would cost the Post Office something in the order of £500,000, which would have to be recovered by alterations in some other charges which would be equally unpopular.

asked the Postmaster-General when it is expected that more Home Service programmes will originate from the regions.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the recent statement bv the B.B.C. that Regional programmes of country-wide appeal will be increasingly included in its main programmes. The B.B.C. informs me that this policy is now in operation and will be developed as opportunity offers.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the problem of the North-East, which seems to have no power at all over programmes which will satisfy listeners in the North-East? Will he consider the matter and see what can be done to give a better service to the North-East?

The problems of the North-East are continually in my mind. Programme content is a matter for the B.B.C.

But will the right hon. Gentleman get them out of his mind and get them resolved? Why should we be treated in this scurvy fashion?

I would not dare to treat the right hon. Gentleman in a scurvy fashion.

This is a very sore point with the North-East. Does not my right hon. Friend think that we ought to have two Home regional programmes to make up for having to share a wavelength with Northern Ireland, thus cutting our share in half?

The Northern Ireland portion of the programmes which are broadcast in the North-East is less than 10 per cent, of the 115 hours a week broadcasting for the area.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of licences issued to holders of wireless sets in Northern Ireland.

The answer is 256,566 at 31st March, 1957. The licences for sound only numbered 193,218, and for television and sound 63,348.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of licences issued to holders of wireless sets in the geographical counties of Durham and Northumberland.

The answer is 606,615 at 31st March, 1957. The licences for sound only numbered 349,529, and for television and sound 257,086.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it rather ridiculous that although the larger proportion of licence holders is in the North-East—compared with Northern Ireland—time and time again there are more programmes for Irish listeners than for the North-East region? Will he pay attention to the Radio Times to see what type of programme the North-East is getting? If he feels that we are getting a raw deal, will he make sure that at some time we shall have our own wavelength?

I cannot promise the region its own wavelength for the simple reason that that is a question of international agreement, but the allocation of programme time and content is a matter for the B.B.C. I repeat what I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward), that less than 10 per cent, of the programmes heard in the North-East are from Northern Ireland and that more than 90 per cent, are from the Home Service or the regional service.

Do not the right hon. Gentleman's figures indicate that it is time something was done about the North-East Coast? Right hon. Gentlemen have repeatedly said that they will do something about it. Can the Postmaster-General press the B.B.C. to reallocate the wavelengths allotted to Britain so that the North-East can get something better?

The B.B.C. is not in a position to re-allocate wavelengths. This matter has been continuing for many years, and the real answer, as I have explained, is V.H.F. The North-East has its own V.H.F. programme with nothing from Northern Ireland on it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that people in Northern Ireland are no more anxious to share a wavelength with England than the people in the North-East want to share a wavelength with Northern Ireland? The people in Northern Ireland are also aware of the difficulty in which the Postmaster-General finds himself and are anxious that V.H.F. should be the answer to the problem.

Do not the figures the right hon. Gentleman gave in answer to Questions Nos. 12 and 13 show that these two areas have the largest numbers of listeners, and is it not disgraceful that twelve years after the war we should still be without a wavelength?

Your fault.

With regard to the parrot cry of the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward), will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that this arrangement was started by the Conservative Caretaker Government?

It is not a question of the number of listeners but of the number of medium wavelengths available, which are restricted. The party opposite were not able to do anything about it when they were in power. This is a technical problem concerning the limitation of wavelengths available, but the present distribution gives us the best we can get. The North-East has excellent reception for 115 hours a week, less than 10 per cent, of which comes from Northern Ireland. Any other choice—and this faced hon. Members opposite—would mean that others in the country, many hundreds of thousands, would get nothing at all, or very bad reception for many hours.

Give them the dates.

We all thought years ago that V.H.F. was the answer to the problem. As it has turned out, it is not the answer, and the B.B.C. should be moved from its stubborn position and made to re-allocate wavelengths in the country.

I am sorry that the right hon. Gentleman's previous thinking has proved to be wrong.

asked the Postmaster-General if the Independent Television Authority has now reached a decision about the showing of sixteen propaganda films at a cost of £160,000 by the Institute of Directors.

The I.T.A. has not yet come to a conclusion about the new proposals.

Is the Minister aware that the Institute's prospectus states:

" We have been described—not inaccurately —as the bosses' trade union ";

I prefer to wait and see what the films are like when they are made. How on earth can anyone make a judgment on films which have not been made?

Does my right hon. Friend accept the reference to propaganda films?

I do not accept it at all. Two separate issues are involved here. The films themselves have not been made, and no one can pass judgment on them. The I.T.A. was concerned about the descriptive material which accompanied the circular letter which was sent round. Upon that they are now negotiating, and it is a matter between the I.T.A. and the Institute of Directors. So far as the films are concerned, it is clear that nobody can pass judgment on them.

Is the Minister aware that a pilot film has been made; that this was the subject of examination, and that this proposal for sixteen 20-minute films is a continuation of the campaign conducted by this Institute at the last General Election? Is the Minister also aware that the Institute's annual report says so? I ask the Postmaster-General to try to keep propaganda off commercial television.

The right hon. Gentleman is entirely wrong. The pilot film or any other film which has been made is not one which it is intended to show. If the Institute of Directors wish to show the magnificent achievements of British industry in a dispassionate and impartial way, I am sorry that the right hon. Gentleman should wish to preclude the British public from seeing these films.

I beg to give notice—this is something which I have never previously done—that I shall raise this question on the Adjournment.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the Sunday paper item transmitted from the London commercial television station in which the advertiser determines the contents of the programme offends Section 4 (6) and the Second Schedule of the Television Act, 1954, and the Postmaster-General's Rules on Advertising; and what action he proposes to take thereon.

No, Sir. The item referred to is an advertisement. It is not a programme but an advertising feature, and clearly recognisable as such. It does not contravene the Television Act. Therefore the second part of the Question does not arise.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is a 15-minute programme; that it is put forward as a programme item, and that it contravenes his own rules as to the time taken up by advertising matter? In those circumstances, as this is a clear indication of a sponsored programme, will the right hon. Gentleman exercise his authority in the matter?

Many of the statements made by the right hon. Gentleman are wrong. The Postmaster-General has not laid down the amount of advertising necessary, and this particular item is quite clearly an advertising item. Where the right hon. Gentleman has gone wrong is in this: the Act distinguishes between programmes and advertisements. Section 4 (6) deals with programmes, and the Second Schedule deals with advertisements. The Second Schedule says:

"The advertisements must be clearly distinguishable as such and recognisably separate from the rest of the programme."

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor placed in the Library rules as to advertisements and the times between them? If he is not aware of that, he is not fit to hold his job.

The right hon. Gentleman is wrong. Of course I am aware of that, but in his original supplementary the right hon. Gentleman said that these rules were made by the Postmaster-General. They were not; they were laid down by the I.T.A. The only thing this House has said about the length of time of advertising is in paragraph 2 of the Second Schedule, where it says:

"The amount of time given to advertising in the programmes shall not be so great as to detract from the value of the programmes as a medium of entertainment, instruction and information."

rose—

We cannot debate a matter of this intricacy at Question Time.

asked the Postmaster-General what consultations; he has had with the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the wavelength shared between North-Eastern England and Northern Ireland.

asked the Postmaster-General what consultations he has had with the Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation since 1st April, 1957, concerning complaints made by hon. Members from the North-East of England about the sharing of the wavelength.

Full consultation has taken place with the B.B.C. regarding any possible re-arrangement of medium wavelengths which would make it unnecessary for North-East England and Northern Ireland to share. The most recent consultations were in March of this year, following the debate on the Adjournment on 25th February. It was agreed that the present arrangements were the best that could be devised in the general interest, and this was confirmed in a further review which I made in connection with Questions on 10th April from the hon. Members for Newcastle-on-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) and for Durham (Mr. Grey).

While appreciating the right hon. Gentleman's reply to the effect that these consultations have taken place, may I ask him, in view of the melancholy conclusion, if he will resume these conversations and pursue them further?

I do not think there is any point in doing so unless and until we get more medium wavelengths, which is highly improbable.

Is it not a fact that of all the wavelengths this one suffers less than any other from foreign interference?

It is perfectly true. Some of the wavelengths that we operate in this country, particularly in Wales, are subject to a great deal of interference from East Germany, but this particular wavelength, which the North-East enjoys and on which it has 90 per cent, of its own programmes, is the finest we have.

As the right hon. Gentleman says that what is required is additional wavelengths, will he say what steps he proposes taking to secure additional wavelengths?

There are no more to have. They are all allocated to foreign countries. We can only obtain an additional wavelength if we take it from another country. If the whole thing were thrown into the melting pot, it is highly probable that we should have less than we have now.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will terminate the appointment of the Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation because of the failure of the Corporation to provide an adequate regional service in the North-East of England.

No, Sir. The appointment of the Director General is a matter for the Corporation.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that we hold both him and the Director General responsible for this regrettable state of affairs in the North-East, and is it not quite obvious to him, as it is to everyone else, that the B.B.C. has dug in its toes and refuses to do anything about it? Does he realise that we are about fed up with this in the North-East and that we want a clean sweep, either of the B.B.C. or the Post Office, or both?

The hon. Gentleman may hold me personally responsible, but by Statute it is not me; it is the responsibility of the Corporation to appoint a Director General. It is not my responsibility and I am only responsible for what I control.

Would my right hon. Friend kindly point out to hon. Gentlemen opposite that it was in 1948 that they surrendered our wavelength to an international convention which was brought into force in 1950, and that if they are fed up, as I am, with a shared wavelength, we are fed up with them for trying to put the blame on us.

My hon. Friend, in her usual trenchant manner, has put her finger on the heart of the problem; I was trying to be tactful.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that 1948 is almost as ancient as the hon. Lady opposite?

Shame. Withdraw.

Do not worry about me.

I withdraw the word "ancient" in preference for the word "antiquated."

I think that it is awfully funny.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to inform the House who is the representative on the Advisory Committee for the North-East and who appointed him and why hon. Members who are associated with the North-East were not consulted in a matter so important?

That is another Question, but I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that the North-East is represented on this Council.

Mr. Mann is the name.

Will not my right hon. Friend confirm that this is a storm in a teacup? If new wavelengths were allocated to Northern Ireland and North-East England in the present circumstances, would they not be subject to continuous and constant interference from foreign stations?

That is true. The North-East of England already has the best medium wavelength in this country.

Whatever has gone on in the past, does the right hon. Gentleman not think it is time to review the position in regard to the allocation of wavelengths in view of the advent of the American Forces Network in Germany, which is itself operating on medium wavelengths? They have increased their number of wavelengths in the last six years, and does he not think that, prima facie, there is a case for reviewing this important matter again, and will he consider doing so?

The only answer to this problem is V.H.F. I am sure that if there were another international meeting on the allocation of medium wavelengths we should come out worse than we are now. It would pay us to keep what we have rather than to have fewer medium wavelengths.

asked the Postmaster-General what technical considerations prevent the sharing of a British Broadcasting Corporation regional programme by any two regions other than the North-East and Northern Ireland.

I would refer the hon. Member to my supplementary reply by my hon. Friend the Assistant Postmaster-General to the hon. Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randall) on 27th March. There is no escaping the fact that any other sharing arrangement would cause greater interference with reception.

We know all about the mush area, but surely Northern Ireland and the North-East of England have shared this wavelength since 1945 and if, as the right hon. Gentleman says, it is impossible to get another medium wavelength, would it not be just and equitable to allow the two other areas to share it? If Scotland and Wales shared it, the mush area would fall over the Irish Sea. If the Western Region has two wavelengths why cannot the two other areas share it for the the next twelve months?

There are two reasons. So far as Wales is concerned, the medium wavelength that it has is subject to a considerable amount of interference from East Germany, which is making it difficult for the Welsh people to listen in at all. The North-East area has the best wavelength of all. If there were a reallocation, the North-East Coast, which has less than 10 per cent, of news and items of interest from Ireland, would not have such good reception. It would mean that many hundreds of thousands of people would have no reception at all.

Is it not a fact that an adequate V.H.F. service is available both to Northern Ireland and North-East England listeners, which is not shared, and carries programmes of local interest?

The answer is V.H.F., and the North-East Coast has its own V.H.F. service which is not shared by Northern Ireland.

On a point of order. I should like to ask your advice, Mr. Speaker. How can hon. Members who represent constituencies in the North-East get their grievances redressed? We have been at it for years and we cannot get any satisfaction, either from this public Corporation or from the Ministry. How are we to do it? Can you give us any advice?

I cannot advise the hon. Member on that. It is frequently the case that Members do not get it all their own way. For that state of affairs I am afraid there is no remedy.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will appoint a representative from the North-East of England to the Board of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

No, Sir.

Will the Minister say why not? In view of the fact that Northern Ireland has a representative on the British Broadcasting Corporation and the North-East of England gets the worst service in the whole of the British Isles, is it not time that our voice was heard further, because it is obvious that the B.B.C. takes no notice whatever of the voice of Parliament in this matter?

The hon. Gentleman should know that, with the exception of Governors for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who are individually appointed, if I may so express it, in virtue of their knowledge of the culture, characteristics and affairs of our people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and their close touch with Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish opinion, the B.B.C. Governors are appointed as a collective body and not to represent particular areas or sections of opinion.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that it is now two years since the Members of the Northern Group—Labour Members of this House—

And Tory.

—met Sir Ian Jacob and some of his colleagues to discuss the question of better programmes in the North-East? We were promised some improvements, but very few improvements have occurred since then, and unless we can get representation, or our representations are properly considered, we are bound to ask the right hon. Gentleman these questions.

Representations are considered. The original question was about a representative on the Board. There is a General Advisory Council which is

" for the purpose of advising the Corporation on the business affairs of the Corporation and on all matters which may be of concern to the Corporation or to bodies or persons interested in the broadcasting services of the Corporation."

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what wavelengths will be used for sending out the single programme into which, at certain times in the future, the Home and Light programmes are to be formed;

I am circulating full details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Does the right hon. Gentleman remember that he told me last week that these two wavelengths would be fully utilised? When a joint programme is being sent out, will it be on both the two wavelengths at once?

Yes, Sir, that is so.

If two wavelengths now being used at the same time to send out two distinct programmes and so give the consumer a choice are in future to be used to send out the same programmes at the same time, how can it be said that they are fully utilised?

But this has been going on since 1945. It is not new. When the Home and Light programmes join together they send out on their normal wavelengths. "Music While You Work" goes out on both wavelengths. It has been going out like that for ten or twelve years.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants are on the waiting list for business telephones in Goole; and what is the date of the longest outstanding application.

Fifteen, of which the earliest is dated October, 1955. Next month I hope to provide service for all these applicants and for everyone else in Goole who is now waiting.

Does that include people who are at present on party lines and want separate lines, or are those figures entirely separate from these allocations?

If subscribers now on party lines want to change to exclusive lines, we hope that they will make their requirements known to the telephone manager and we will do what we can to meet them.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will describe the steps he is taking to make clearer the instructions in the telephone booths at London Airport to travellers wishing to telephone to exchanges in the inner London area.

Within the next few days, new instruction cards with a special note of the procedure to be followed for calling inner London exchanges will be placed in the telephone booths at London Airport. Foreign language versions will follow shortly. I hope this will help travellers.

While thanking my hon. Friend for looking into this matter, is he aware that the instructions at present merely explain how to telephone the delightful suburbs of Feltham and Hounslow, not very helpful to overseas visitors? Will he also make sure that the charge of the call to the London area, 9d., is also exhibited in the box?

Yes, we are grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing our attention to this matter and for the suggestions he has made.

Has the Assistant Postmaster-General considered the possibility of posting some of these instructions outside boxes rather than inside boxes, as in places like Paddington, for example, there is often a queue of people waiting for those inside the boxes to get on with the telephoning and to stop reading about how to do it?

That is a very valuable suggestion; but the present Question relates to London Airport.

asked the Postmaster-General the average cost involved in preparing and sending out a telephone bill to a subscriber.

In 1955–56 (the last year for which detailed data are available), the total cost per telephone bill rendered, including the collection of the amounts due, accountancy and overheads, was about 10s.

Do we understand from that reply that 10s. per telephone bill is the cost of preparing the account? Is the Minister aware that at a trade union conference recently of Post Office staff it was stated that if there were a reduction in telephone charges there could be quite a lot more revenue for the Post Office? If the people who are doing the work daily have said that, will the Minister consider reducing telephone charges in order to make a bigger profit?

The hon. Gentleman is mixing up his part of the story. The Question deals with the cost of preparing and collecting telephone accounts. I have given the hon. Gentleman the best information I have.

If it costs as much as this to send out the bills, would it not be better to economise by not sending them out at all?

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a further statement on the resumption of driving tests.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is now able to say when there will be a full resumption of driving tests.

The present total strength of 712 driving examiners are now engaged on driving tests. This number will shortly be increased to 750 on the completion of the training of new entrants.

Is there not an enormous backlog of applications for tests? Has the right hon. Gentleman any idea how long it will take to clear it? May it not take several months, lasting well into the summer? In what priority will the right hon. Gentleman deal with it? Will he also consider giving priority to the learner motor cyclists who, until they have passed their tests, cannot take pillion passengers for a ride in the summer months?

There is a backlog, but I am glad to say that it is not so large as the hon. Lady has suggested. I am also glad to say that driving examiners are working overtime and that, as we shall have the largest force of examiners working that the Ministry has ever had, I am confident that we shall clear off the backlog in a reasonably short space of time.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if his attention has been called to the recent frequent calls for helicopter services in the saving of life; and if he will now consider establishing depots around the coast which would supplement the service now being carried out by our lifeboats.

I am well aware of the valuable life-saving work done by the Royal Naval and Royal Air Force helicopters stationed around our coasts. These helicopters already provide a service such as the hon. Member has in mind.

Is the hon. Member aware that during the summer season helicopters are frequently called upon to save people who are in difficulties in punts? Will the Minister take steps to see that some stations are established where these helicopters can render a service in the summer season?

It might be a good thing if I sent the hon. Member a list of the Royal Naval and Royal Air Force stations from which helicopters can operate for the purpose he wants. Perhaps he will consider it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, having regard to the danger on the road and traffic conditions, he will now restore the requirement that a learner driver be accompanied by a qualified driver.

I intend to restore this requirement as soon as learner drivers can get a driving test within a reasonable period.

Does not the Minister agree that the primary considerations ought to be the danger on the road and the congestion of traffic? Do they not constitute an unanswerable argument for the removal of the restriction and for restoring the requirement immediately?

No, not until we have made more progress with driving tests.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how soon he will be able to authorise a beginning on the road improvements at Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when work is to start to implement his plans for relieving traffic congestion at Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner and along Park Lane.

Legislation will be required to provide the necessary powers, and I hope to authorise the improvements as soon as possible after those powers have been obtained.

In view of the urgency of this matter, will the right hon. Gentleman definitely inform us when legislation will be introduced? London is waiting for this.

If London is waiting for it, I am sure that the London County Council will attach the greatest urgency to it, as I know it does; and, of course, it is only with its co-operation that the necessary legislation can be prepared.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress is being made with the new trunk road from Hirwaun to Abergavenny; and when he will be able to announce a date for the start of operations.

The necessary preparatory work is in hand, and I hope that the Brynmawr— Abergavenny section will be authorised this year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet decided in favour of a tunnel or a bridge for the new crossing of the Tyne.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has now received and considered the views of all the interests concerned about the proposed Tyne tunnel or bridge.

I have considered the views of all the interests concerned and, although a bridge would cost much less and provide more space for traffic, I have with some reluctance decided that it would not be an acceptable alternative. I am, therefore, prepared to agree in principle to the construction of a tunnel with one two-lane carriageway.

Now that the decisions have been taken—which is very satisfactory—are we to retain our priority? In view of the urgent need of proper communication between the North and the South of the mouth of the River Tyne, when are we likely to get going on the tunnel? It is most important that we should not have our communications held up any longer. Can my right hon. Friend get along with it very quickly, please?

We will do the best that we can. I have made this announcement today because I know that the matter has been causing anxiety. There have been town-planning difficulties arising from the possibility of a bridge I have at least cleared that out of the way. I will take careful note about what my hon. Friend says about building a tunnel.

While welcoming the end of the uncertainty, may I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman can assure us that the tunnel will take its priority, in other words, that it stands next to the Whiteinch project?

The only thing I am prepared to say is that my predecessors made various statements about this project and that I shall endeavour to implement them.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will stop low-flying aircraft using the north-east entry to London Airport.

No, Sir. In westerly wind conditions, all aircraft must approach London Airport from the east. In order to line up for their final approach, a considerable proportion of this traffic must fly over the area to the north-east of the airport.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary must be aware of the intense irritation and annoyance caused to many people in my constituency and neighbouring constituencies, and of the danger that threatens them from low-flying aircraft. Surely he will do something to impress pilots and navigators with the right way to go about landing their aircraft.

The height of the aircraft is dictated by the air traffic control requirements from London Airport and by the approach procedures which are followed. Since these aircraft are using the Watford homing area, it is inevitable that they should fly over the hon. Member's constituency.

Is the Minister aware that the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill stands 600 feet above sea level and that aircraft have been seen flying immediately over it? From the ground they appear just a few feet over it. Does that not suggest that steps should be taken to prevent what might be a very serious and dangerous accident?

If the hon. Gentleman will send me details of that. I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what report he has now received from the Transport Users Consultative Committee regarding the overcrowding and congestion of underground and steam transport conveying passengers to and from Leyton; and to what extent the report indicates that overcrowding has increased or diminished in recent months.

No report has been made to me, but I understand that the London Committee's findings on this question will be considered by the Central Committee at its meeting on 9th July.

Can the Minister do anything to speed this matter up, because as one who has experienced it sometimes himself, I know that the congestion is certainly extremely grievous and causes great hardship to numbers of people passing through the Borough of Leyton?

I know this is a difficult problem, and I shall draw the attention of the Central Committee to what the hon. Member has said.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date he received a letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, concerning matters affecting Mr. L. J. Crickmar's claims; on what date he first communicated with the Governor of Kenya relative to this matter; on what date he received a reply from the Governor to this communication; on what date he sent a further communication to the Governor, and the date of this reply; and when he expect to receive information from the Governor of Kenya enabling him to resolve this matter.

The significant dates are as follows. My right hon. Friend received the hon. Member's letter on 11th March. After the matter had been investigated in the Department, he communicated with the Governor of Kenya on 22nd March and again on the 17th May. My right hon. Friend has now received a reply from the Governor on the basis of which he is writing to the hon. Member.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is a bit too much to expect an hon. Member's constituents to have to wait from 11th March to 22nd May—even now the hon. Member has not received any definite reply, except a formal acknowledgment—and certainly it is his opinion that he would not have received anything at all if he had not put this Question? Will the hon. Gentleman see to it that the Governor of Kenya and other Governors, if it is their fault, send back a reply in less time than just on three months when a case like this is raised?

It is certainly due to no fault of the Governor of Kenya. I think the hon. Member would wish all the matters he raised—no matter how apparently simple they are—to be investigated fully by my right hon. Friend in the Department before local Government, which of course have a great deal of detailed work on their shoulders, are consulted. I think that when he gets the letter he will see that it has required a considerable amount of work and my right hon. Friend wants to give him a thought-out answer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the detainees in Northern Rhodesia expelled from the Copperbelt on 10th September, 1956, have now appeared before the Commissioner Mr. Justice Windham; and how many of these restricted persons have been declared free to return to their homes.

All persons at present subject to restriction orders (not all of whom were detained immediately after the declaration of a State of Emergency on 11th September, 1956) have appeared before the Commissioner; the Governor is now awaiting the Report which the Commissioner is to render to him under Section 8 of the Emergency (Transitional Provisions) Ordinance. The Governor must consider the Commissioner's Report before deciding whether or not to make a substantive restriction order in any particular case.

Is it possible for the hon. Gentleman to tell us when he thinks we may be able to have some statement on this matter?

I am afraid I cannot give the hon. Member a date when that will happen, but if he wishes I will try to keep in touch with him personally by tetter.