asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the concern amongst the shop stewards of the Royal ordnance factories at the Government's intentions with regard to these factories, in the light of the changes in the armament programme; and whether he will make a statement explaining the Government's policy with regard to Royal ordnance factories.

Yes. I recently held a special meeting of the Joint Industrial Council of the Ministry at which representatives from all factories were present. As I informed them, a detailed study is being made of the effect on these factories of the changes in the defence programme and it is my intention to make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Supply the cause of redundancy at his Department's works in Coatbridge; how many workers are affected; and what steps are being taken to find them alternative employment.

Redundancy at the Ministry of Supply vehicle repair depot at Coatbridge, which is managed by a contractor, is due to a reduction in the number of vehicles to be repaired for the Armed Services. Forty-seven workers are affected and I understand that local officers of the Ministry of Labour are doing everything possible to find other jobs for them.

asked the Minister of Supply whether his Department has now found an antidote to the group of poison gases known as nerve-gases or Tabun.

An antidote is available to protect against moderate doses of nerve gases. Considerable progress has been made towards finding an antidote which is effective against more severe doses.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now received suggestions from the British Medical Association concerning prescriptions for multiple packs for patients with long-term illness or disability.

Suggestions were received two weeks ago and are now being considered.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects the transistor type of hearing aids to become available for distribution to children and adults, respectively.

Field trials of the transistor hearing aid designed for the Medical Research Council are not yet completed and I cannot yet forecast when it will become available for distribution.

asked the Minister of Health whether, when the transistor type hearing aids are put into general production, he will allow those who desire to do so to purchase them at cost price without awaiting general distribution to adults.

I have no power to do so; and in any case I regard it as my duty to give priority to medical needs.

asked the Minister of Health when the Burns Centre of the Leeds Regional Board Area, planned to be established at Pinderfields Hospital, is to be completed; what has been the cause of the delay; and when work on this project will commence.

It took some time to find a suitable site for this unit. The Regional Hospital Board now hopes to start work early next year on the provision of new quarters for the thoracic unit at Pinderfields Hospital, and thereafter to adapt the premises vacated for the Burns Unit.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the hospitals at which tonsil and adenoid operations are carried out in the City of

Hospital	Number on waiting list			Waiting time
	—	May, 1956	May, 1957	May, 1956	May, 1957
				Months	Months
Manchester Royal Infirmary.	Children	23	72	3	9
Ancoats Hospital	Males	44	27	15	19
	Females	67	79	15	22
	Children	128	92	3	5½
Manchester Northern Hospital.	Males	13	17	5	7½
	Females	16	24	5	11
	Children	162	42	5½	1½
Victoria Memorial Jewish Hospital.	Males	18	8	11	4
	Females	17	12	4	3
	Children	17	62	3½	5½
Wythenshawe Hospital	Adults	101	109	2–3	2–3
	Children	799	810	11	12
Duchess of York Hospital	Children	365	271	6	6
Withington Hospital	Adults	Nil	Nil	3	4
Booth Hall	General practitioner cases.	510	511	3–13	4–18
	School cases	154	236	3	6
Manchester Ear Hospital	Adults	60	111	4	12
	Children	296	450
		2,790	2,933

asked the Minister of Health what instructions he has issued for the protection of radiographers from radiation hazards.

Radiographers themselves and those under whom they work are trained in protection measures. A code of practice for the protection of all hospital workers exposed to ionising radiations has been prepared by the Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee and will be published shortly.

asked the Paymaster-General what arrangements have been made to have the necessary supplies of coal available in Dagenham to meet sales Manchester; the number on the waiting list; the average waiting period, to the nearest convenient date; and whether he will give the same figures for May, 1956.

The particulars in so far as they are available are as follows:resulting from the special summer reductions in price.

I will make inquiries and write to the hon. Member about house coal supplies at Dagenham.

asked the Paymaster-General, in view of the importance of Wharfedale as an approach to a National Park, why he approved the route of the electricity transmission wires and pylons along the crest of Otley Chevin and down the side of the Wharfe valley to Poole in Wharfedale, what consultations he has had with outside bodies in this connection; and if he will undertake to inform the hon. Member for Ripon in future before similar action is taken in this valley.

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the line which was erected in January this year.The Electricity Board submitted its application for the line through the local planning authority and as that authority approved the proposal, having received no representations against it, the Minister's consent was issued on 3rd April, 1956.Consultation with outside bodies is primarily for the local planning authority which is conversant with the particular interests concerned in each case and the Minister held no such consultations himself in this case. My noble Friend is considering the suggestion in the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give details of the painting carried out on the exterior of The Lodge, Aberangell, by the Forestry Commission in 1943, 1949 and 1951, respectively.

I apologise to my hon. Friend for misleading him in reply to his earlier Question. I understand now that he had in mind the colour-washing of the exterior walls, while I was thinking in terms of the painting of the woodwork. I find that the walls have not been colour-washed completely since 1930.Details of the painting carried out in 1943 are not available. In 1949 the drive gates and curtain walls were painted and in 1951 all the exterior woodwork was painted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision has been made by the Government of Aden for the establishment of modern cotton ginneries.

There are two modern cotton ginneries in the Aden Protectorate, one in Abyan and one at Lahej. The former was provided by the Abyan Board from its own funds, and the latter was financed by a loan from the Abyan Board which itself was initially financed by a loan from Her Majesty's Government. These two ginneries are arequate to handle the entire Protectorate cotton crop. There are no cotton ginneries in Aden Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies haw many persons were employed in 1955–56 by the port authorities and in the cotton ginneries in Aden, of Adenese, Somali and other nationality, respectively.

In 1955–56 the Port Trust and the commercial firms in the port employed 1,111 and 4,360 persons respectively; the racial breakdown is not known. The Abyan ginnery employs about 40 persons, increasing to about 200 in the ginning season; all except three or four technicians are local Protectorate Arabs. Figures are not available for the Lahej ginnery, which is smaller than that at Abyan, but all employees except one or two technicians are local Arabs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the basis of the participation of the Nigerian Government in the exploration and proposed exploitation of oil at Oloibiri in Eastern Nigeria and of oil and gas in the Niger delta and its eastern coastal area by the Shell-B.P. Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.; what are the conditions of the concession given to this company; and what guarantees have been required that the wealth accruing shall be utilised primarily for the welfare of the people of Nigeria and the development of its industry.

I have nothing to add to the replies by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Sydney Irving) on 13th March, 1957, and 8th May, 1957, about the participation of the Governments of Nigeria in these operations.The conditions imposed in the licences are very numerous; among other things they cover the payment of compensation, rents and royalties and the health and safety of workers.The disposal of revenue accruing to the Nigerian Governments is a matter for them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the estimated number of African bricklayers, carpenters and storekeepers in Northern Rhodesia who are earning salaries of£50 a month or more, and of African mine workers who are earning £45 a month or more.

I have consulted the Governor. When I have his reply I will circulate the information asked for in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the estimated amounts of capital transferred from Uganda to India in each of the years 1951 to 1956.

I shall consult the Governor and will pass on to the hon. Member any information that he is able to provide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the deluge of rain that fell upon Hong Kong recently, and indicate the extent of the damage to persons and property, and the nature of the remedial action that is being taken.

I very much regret to say that abnormal rainfall in Hong Kong—more than 27 in. since 20th May—has caused widespread flooding and considerable casualties and damage, especially in Kowloon and the New Territories. Twenty-nine people have died, 55 have been injured, and nine are missing. Nearly 11,000 people have had to leave their homes. Many small houses and huts have collapsed and landslides have seriously interrupted communications. There has been much damage to the land and to irrigation systems and heavy losses of pigs, poultry, and vegetable crops.The cost cannot yet be assessed but will amount to some millions of dollars. The Hong Kong Government and voluntary organisations are providing clothes and meals for the homeless and, in many cases, shelter in schools and other buildings. The Government are also providing loans for farmers. Nearly all the interrupted communications have now been restored. The police, fire brigade, and auxiliaries have responded admirably to the emergency and I would like to pay a special tribute to the invaluable assistance given by the Army and the R.A.F.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish the full text of the correspondence that has recently passed between Archbishop Makarios and Her Majesty's Government.

The following letter from Archbishop Makarios addressed to the Prime Minister was handed to Her Majesty's Ambassador, Athens, by Mr. Rossides on 28th May:Sir.As the spiritual and elected national leader of the Greek people of Cyprus I wish to invite attention to the following: The General Assembly of the United Nations in its Plenary Session of the 26th February, 1957, adopted Resolution No. 1013 in the following terms, namely:The General Assembly, having considered the question of Cyprus, believing that the solution of this problem requires an atmosphere of peace and freedom of expression, expresses the earnest desire that a peaceful democratic and just solution will be found in accord with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and the hope that negotiations will be resumed and continued to this end.2. Following upon that Resolution, the people of Cyprus reacted by signal contribution towards the establishment of a peaceful atmosphere in the Island showing their willingness to comply with the above Resolution; to this end the resistance movement of its own accord ceased all operations declaring a truce as from 14th March, 1957. To which they have since faithfully and strictly adhered.3. The British Administration of Cyprus, however, have failed to take any corresponding action in order to create the atmosphere of peace and freedom of expression, as required by the said Resolution. It has on the contrary kept the emergency measures in full force and application: military operations are being conducted on a major scale, arrests and imprisonments without trial or charge continue undiminished, while methods of unspeakable torture are being employed in increased measure.4. The Resolution of the United Nations in its purport clearly intends commensurate moves from both sides towards the creation of the said atmosphere. It, therefore, becomes incumbent upon the Cyprus Administration to terminate all emergency measures, which, in addition to their oppressive character and the grave suffering involved, impede freedom of expression, and by prohibiting my presence in Cyprus prevent a necessary personal contact with the Cypriot people I represent.5. It is my desire to do my best in order that effect is given to the aforesaid Resolution of the United Nations. I, therefore, wish to make it clear that in an effort to solve the problem in a spirit of good will and mutual understanding and on the conditions provided by that Resolution, as referred to in paragraph 4 hereof, I am ready and willing to take part on behalf of the people of Cyprus in bilateral talks, on a basis of the application of self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.I remain. Sir,Praying for God's blessing on you,Makarios.Archbishop and Ethnarch of Cyprus.On the 30th May, Her Majesty's Ambassador conveyed the following reply:On 28th May you handed me a letter from Archbishop Makarios addressed to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom which you informed me would be published on 30th May. This was duly forwarded to its destination. I am instructed to make the following observations in reply:1. The attitude of H.M. Government to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding the Cyprus question was described at the time by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Commander Noble, an extract from whose statement is enclosed.2. H.M. Government cannot accept the Archbishop's allegations that they have failed to take any action to create an "atmosphere of peace". On the contrary they have given irrefutable proof of their desire to achieve a satisfactory solution of the Cyprus question and to bring about, for this purpose, a better atmosphere for conciliation. They have accepted the constructive proposals for self-government contained in Lord Radcliffe's Report. They have ordered the release of Archbishop Makarios from detention. In Cyprus, emergency regulations have been relaxed or withdrawn in all cases where this could safely be done and it has been made clear that there will be further relaxations as conditions permit. H.M. Government have also stated that they are willing to accept the good offices of an impartial conciliator between the Three member Governments concerned, in the person of the Secretary-General of N.A.T.O.3. H.M. Government regret that there has been no corresponding contribution by the Archbishop towards an improvement in the atmosphere. Since his release from detention he has made a number of public statements in which he is reported to have rejected the proposals for self-government in Cyprus put forward by H.M. Government on 19th December last, to have refused the right of participation by the Turkish Cypriots in effective discussion of the future of Cyprus, and to have made his own participation in discussions conditional on the grant of permission for his return to Cyprus, without being willing unequivocally to dissociate himself from terrorism in the Island. These statements have certainly not improved the prospects of an agreed settlement.4. As long as the threat of renewed terrorism remains, the Government of Cyprus would be failing in its duty if it discontinued efforts to seek out and apprehend known malefactors who are still at large and have not chosen to avail themselves of the published offer of safe conduct. Should terrorism in Cyprus be renewed, the Archbishop would, by his refusal to denounce the use of violence for political ends, bear heavy responsibility before world opinion for any subsequent loss of life. In the existing situation it would be incompatible with the responsibilities of the Government of Cyprus, as also with the requirement of an atmosphere of peace and freedom of expression specified in the U.N. resolution, to permit the Archbishop's return to Cyprus.5. With regard to the last paragraph of the Archbishop's letter, H.M. Government have always made it clear that they are anxious that this problem should be solved "in the spirit of good will and mutual understanding". At the same time they cannot accept his proposal that the future of Cyprus should be decided by bilateral talks between him and themselves. Other and wider interests have a right to be consulted. As they have said before, they will be glad to consider the views of any individuals or communities in Cyprus. including the Archbishop, on the proposals for self-government which were put forward in Lord Radcliffe's Report. As to self-determination, their position was explained in the statement by the Colonial Secretary on 19th December, 1956.6. Since it is understood that the Archbishop's letter will be published in the Afternoon of 30th May, this communication will be given to the Press at the same time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the present method of granting financial aid for new buildings for universities is no longer appropriate with modern methods of construction, in that it prevents such buildings being completed at the earliest possible moment and makes the amount of building, for the money expended, less than could be achieved if more up-to-date methods of payment were followed; and if he will consider modernising the procedure.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to his Question of 21st March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider before his next Budget introducing the necessary legislation to ensure that all betting taxes are fairly and evenly shared between all betting sports, and abolish the present system of a higher tax on greyhound racing than that paid by betting on horse racing.

I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will give particulars of the proposed closure of certain local offices of the collector of taxes.

The Board of Inland Revenue has decided, in the interests of economy and efficiency, to close 57 of the 325 local offices at present maintained by the collectors of taxes and merge the areas covered by these offices with others. There will be an ultimate saving of about £60,000 in salary costs alone.The proposals do not affect the service to the public provided by local offices of H.M. Inspectors of Taxes, who deal with the calculation of tax liabilities including individuals' liabilities under P.A.Y.E. and are the offices principally concerned with the inquiries of taxpayers.The offices to be closed are at:

Bideford.	Folkestone.
Blackwood.	Frome.
Brecon.	Gravesend.
Bridgend.	Grays.
Bridlington.	Great Yarmouth.
Buxton.	Hertford.
Chippenham.	Hexham.
Colwyn Bay	Huntingdon.
Dewsbury.	Keighley.
Dover.	Kendal.
East Dereham.	Leigh (Lancs.).
Enniskillen.	Lewes.
Evesham.	Llanelly.

London 28 (Greenwich, Deptford and Charlton).London 38 (Finchley and parts of Highgate).London 45 (Limehouse, Shadwell and Wapping).

Loughborough.	Rugby.
Louth.	Selby.
Ludlow.	Sittingbourne.
Macclesfield.	Skipton.
Melton Mowbray.	South Shields.
Morpeth.	Spalding.
North Shields.	Sudbury
Northwich.	Truro.
Plymouth B.	Wellingborough.
Portmadoc.	Wells.
Portsmouth B.	Welshpool.
Retford.	West Hartlepool
Ripon.	Woodford.
Rotherham.	Workington.

All necessary information will be given locally at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for War what reduction in establishment or in permanent or temporary staff he has ordered for Donnington Combined Ordnance Depot, Wellington, Shropshire.

None, save for recent minor adjustments involving a net reduction of one clerical post, but the establishment of this depot will in due course be reviewed in the light of the work-load under the new defence policy.