asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has yet made a decision about putting Ministers and Members of Parliament on the same basis as civil servants as regards compensation for injury received whilst travelling on duty.

An announcement on this will be made shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider ending the formality of customs clearance for outward passengers from the United Kingdom to Jersey.

In the case of outgoing passengers to Jersey and the other Channel Islands the Customs examination is already normally dispensed with, but the carrying ship or aircraft is required to obtain outward clearance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consultation there has been with manufacturers of detergents to reduce the amount of foaming in order to safeguard the sewerage works of local authorities.

This is a matter within the terms of reference of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents, who can be relied on to undertake any necessary consultations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the total cost, shown separately, of water schemes and sewerage schemes in England and Wales that were approved for grant under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts, from the inception of the Acts to 1952, and from 1952 to the latest available date, respectively; and the total grant payable thereon.

The following table gives the information asked for:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what recommendations he is making to local authorities whose house building programmes have been reduced.

None. Each authority has discretion to fix its own housebuilding programme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, having regard to his Department's declared policy regarding the desirability of many more housing improvements and conversions being carried out, what publicising action he proposes to take.

Two leaflets are available, one free and one price 4d., explaining how improvement grants can be obtained. Over half a million of the first and nearly a quarter of a million of the second have been issued. A special display calling attention to improvement grants is being shown at the major agricultural shows this year, and in addition two demonstrations of actual improvements have already been held this year, at Leicester and Bolton. Arrangements are well advanced for a third, at Norwich, and it is hoped that two more will be carried out before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the fact that the number of local authorities who are ceasing house building because of the increase in interest charges has increased since March, he now proposes to reconsider the question of Government assistance to housing authorities.

No. If a local authority considers that it cannot build houses which it ought to build without incurring an unreasonable burden, it can make application for additional assistance under Section 5 of the Housing Subsidies Act, 1956.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech made in Rome by the President of the Board of Trade on 14th June with regard to the policy of Britain of maintaining agricultural imports from the Continent in view of the projected European Free Trade Area at the expense of increased Commonwealth exports represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend took the opportunity when he was in Rome to answer the criticism widely made in Europe of Her Majesty's Government's policy of excluding agriculture from the scope of our proposals for a Free Trade Area. He explained that we could not undertake new arrangements to import more food from Europe at the expense of the Commonwealth. Following my right hon. Friend's Press conference the Italian newspapers gave a very fair account of our position on agriculture, in which the importance of maintaining our arrangements with the Commonwealth were fully and sympathetically referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply has been made to the proposals of the Uganda National Congress for the direct election of the Legislative Council with adult suffrage, unity of the tribes of Uganda with preservation of tribal institutions, the Africanisation of the Civil Service, and greater opportunities for Africans in trade, commerce and industry.

The proposals were not formally submitted to the Protectorate Government and therefore no reply to them was necessary. At the request of the Uganda National Congress, however, a meeting was arranged on 14th June between the Governor and representatives of that organisation at which the Congress proposals for direct elections and for Africanisation of the Civil Service were discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply has been given to the proposals of the mayors of fourteen Cyprus towns calling for a resumption of negotiations between Britain and representatives of the Cypriot people and the repeal of emergency regulations.

If the hon. Member has in mind a resolution of 2nd March last, his description of its contents is not complete. The resolution, after referring to a Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, asked for the release of Archbishop Makarios and his return to Cyprus. with other exiles, for the release of all political detainees, and for the abolition of all emergency measures. The Governor took note of this resolution and a reply was sent to that effect at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the conditions requested by the spokesmen of the thirty-six villages of the Kyrenia district of Cyprus were refused by the Government of Cyprus.

Men from six villages in the Kyrenia district, at the preliminary inquiry to which I understand the hon. Member to refer, sought to lay down a number of conditions before making statements. Some of these could have been accepted, but Crown Counsel conducting the preliminary inquiry was not prepared to agree that advocates should take part in the proceedings since that would have converted them right away into a formal investigation. The Government have since invited the spokesman for the villagers to submit his complaint in writing through an advocate, and anything so received will be fully investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Cypriot painter, Mr. P. Georgiou, has been refused an exit permit to leave Cyprus for a holiday.

Mr. P. Georghiou has been granted an exit permit. The initial refusal was an error through a mistake in identity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how the official members of the Nyasaland Legislative Council voted on the proposals to amend the Constitutions of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland.

The eleven ex officio and Official Members all voted in favour of the motion agreeing to the introduction in the Federal Assembly of the Constitutional Amendment Bill, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why it is required that persons applying for positions as labour officers in Nyasaland should have had an education of university standard.

A university degree is not an essential requirement, although it might well be an advantage. Generally speaking it is important that candidates should have a good educational background, experience of industrial relations and personnel matters and administrative ability.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the activities of the Standing Advisory Committee for Medical Research in the British Caribbean.

The functions of the Standing Advisory Committee for Medical Research in the British Caribbean are to advise on the needs for medical research in the region; to advise on the means for ensuring that the results of research are applied in practice; and to keep under review the facilities for inter-territorial collaboration for medical research.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the reasons for the recent strikes at the Roan Antelope and Mufulira Copper Mines in Northern Rhodesia; and what decisions have now been reached on the causes of these disputes.

My right hon. Friend has consulted the Governor and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT when the Governor has replied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the decision of the Northern Rhodesian African Film Censorship Board to abandon the censorship rules drawn up in 1947; and whether he proposes to accept the recommendation of the Board that censorship should be made a federal responsibility.

The Board recently decided that the rules which it had drawn up in 1947 to help it to discharge its duties under the Films Censorship Regulations were out of date, and that it would observe a greater flexibility in applying the Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what legislation has been introduced by the Government of Sierra Leone to prohibit strike action in the essential services.

A Bill to promote the settlement of industrial disputes in essential services was introduced into the late Legislature but was with drawn as a General Election was pending.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the British Colonial Territories keep statistics of British Africans who pass their frontiers on pilgrimages to Mecca and, similarly, on their return; and if he will publish these statistics.

Accurate statistics are not kept.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will provide a comparative statement for all dependent territories of the number of years' education signified by the various standards and gradings, primary, middle, and secondary, respectively, used in the schools.

It is not possible to make a simple comparative statement because nomenclature necessarily varies greatly from one territory to another. This in turn is due to the need for the system of classification into various stages of education to meet local conditions and requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the instructions as regards telephone tapping in the Colonies; what is especially the position concerning this in Malta; and whether he will consider the extent to which agreement reached in this country as a result of current discussions on this subject can be applied to the Colonies.

My right hon. Friend has given no such instructions and the last part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the amounts and conditions of minimum wage rates in each of the Colonial and Trust Territories, respectively; and on what basis are the rates fixed in each case.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave him on 10th December, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what terms he proposes to grant prospecting and operating licences to the Conoco Somal Ltd. (United States) and the Standard Vacuum Oil Co. (United States) for oil mining in Somaliland.

The Government of the Somaliland Protectorate have granted licences to Conoco Somal Ltd. which follow generally the lines of the Colonial model licences, and it is expected that similar licences will be granted shortly to the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is intended to introduce the election of members to the Legislative Council of Somaliland.

The Legislative Council was inaugurated only in May of this year and it is too early to say when the principle of election of members will be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the Government of Somaliland to provide water supplies to implement the promise made by Lord Lloyd in 1956.

The Governor has submitted proposals for the investigation and development of the water supplies of Hargeisa and in the rural areas. A grant of £80,000 has been made from Colonial Development and Welfare funds for the carrying out of the work in Hargeisa under the supervision of a firm of consulting engineers, and authority has been given for up to £35,000 to be spent during 1956–57 on the purchase of equipment and other capital work in connection with rural water supplies. The provision of further finance for rural water supplies is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider, in order to remove continued widespread African doubts about the purpose of the High Commission in East Africa, that the sittings of the Central Legislative Assembly might periodically meet in each of the East African capitals and that the practice of having as Chairman the Governor of Kenya may be altered so that Governors of the other two territories may also occupy the Chair in turn.

It has in fact been the practice of the Central Legislative Assembly to meet from time to time in Uganda and Tanganyika as well as in Kenya, and this practice may well commend itself to the recently enlarged and more representative Assembly. As regards the second part of the Question, there are obvious difficulties in that the Chairman has many continuing functions apart from taking the Chair at the periodic meetings and must be accessible to the Administrator, whose headquarters are in Nairobi. But before I give a final reply I should like to have time to consult the Governors of the East African territories and will write to the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will cause to have reviewed the trade union ordinances of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika insofar as they preclude inter-territorial trade unionism and create inconveniences in negotiations relating to common services in East Africa.

This is a matter on which my right hon. Friend would not wish to express an opinion without first consulting the East African Authorities. When he has done so he will get in touch with the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what has been the result of his discussions with the Governor of British Guiana in connection with ensuring that nomination of members of the Legislative Council in British Guiana will represent the intentions of the electorate, as in the case of Malaya and Trinidad.

Discussions with the Governor are not yet completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total amount of aid granted to British Honduras from United Kingdom funds firstly, under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, and secondly, in any other way during the periods 1946–1951 and 1952–1956, respectively; and how much this represents per head of the population.

During the period ending 31st March, 1952, the amount granted from C. D. & W. funds was £1,094,903 and from other sources £504,564. During the second period the amounts were £1,550,172 and £434,991. On the basis of estimated population figures this represented just under £25 per head of the population over the whole of the first period, and about £26 10s. 0d. over the whole of the second.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he will reply to a petition on the subject of leave privilege prior to retirement which was sent to him on the 16th March by Mr. R. Philogene, of Mauritius; and whether he is aware that the delay is causing hardship to an officer who has completed 42 years in Government service.

The petition, together with the Governor's comments, has only recently been received and is now under consideration. A reply will be sent to Mr. Philogene shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the annual burden which will be imposed on the British taxpayer by his latest proposals to Malta; and when he expects to get a final settlement of this question.

I am not yet in a position to publish details of the proposed arrangements which are still under discussion. Nor am I able to say when a final settlement will be reached.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the Public Trustee is investing money awarded to minors by the civil court in undated loans which lose value before repayment date, and then in notifying the minor on attaining his majority suggests the award be left in the purchased security with no protection against further loss of value; and whether, in future, instructions will be given to the Public Trustee to take steps to safeguard the interests of those who are entitled to look to the Public Trustee for protection.

After making inquiries I am satisfied that the Public Trustee follows no such policy.

asked the Attorney-General what amount of money has been invested by the Public Trustee on behalf of minors since October, 1951, in undated loans; what loans have been selected for such investments; and what is the value of the moneys at the time of investment and their value today.

This information could be obtained only by examining some 17,000 trusts administered by the Public Trustee. I do not think the work and expense involved would be justified.

asked the Minister of Works if he will give examples of the highest and lowest rents per square foot paid in London for office accommodation for Government Departments; and what policy he pursues to ensure that the presence of the Government as a bidder in this market is used to reduce the difference of rent between one area and another rather than to increase it.

It would not be in the public interest to give examples of the rents paid.My Department's policy is to make the best possible bargain in each case having regard to the amount of accommodation required, the suitability of the premises and, in the case of a proposal involving the erection of new buildings, the date when they will be ready for occupation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances he exercises powers authorising the intercepting of telephone conversations in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent he authorises the interception of telephone conversations in Scotland.

This power is used in Scotland solely in cases involving the security of the State, or for the purpose of detecting serious crime. It is not the practice to disclose the number or nature of warrants that have been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the loss of fish in the Forth river due to pollution; and what progress is being made by the Forth Purification Board towards cleansing the river from tar and other poisonous products.

Over the years occasional complaints have been received of salmon and sea-trout dying in the tidal parts of the Forth estuary. The Forth River Purification Board's jurisdiction at present extends only to the non-tidal portion of the river but I am discussing with the Board and other interests concerned the possibility of making an order at an early date bringing the tidal waters under the Board's control.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he made to the deputation from the British Medical Council regarding the appointment of a consultant physician to the Bruntsfield Hospital for Women and Children and the Elsie Inglis Memorial Maternity Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in connection with the appointment of a new consultant physician at the Bruntsfield and Elsie Inglis Hospitals in Edinburgh, he will supply the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board with a copy of Circular Letter R.H.B. (49) 132 issued in 1949 by the Minister of Health to regional hospital boards in England and Wales.

I have sent the hon. Member for Leith (Mr. Hoy) a copy of my reply to the British Medical Association. Since the matter is now the subject of an action in the Court of Session, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment, and I do not propose at this juncture to send any circular to the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many organisations, since the beginning of this year, have indicated directly or indirectly, for example, by being represented on a joint committee, to him or to the hospital boards, their desire for a woman consultant physician to be appointed to the Bruntsfield and Elsie Inglis Hospitals, Edinburgh; and how many organisations have indicated their wish for a man to be appointed.

Thirty-two and none, respectively. The alternative to an appointment limited to women has not of course been an appointment limited to men, but an appointment open to both men and women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that at the bottom of the Dancing Cairn's Quarry, of which he has notice that there is shared jurisdiction and responsibility between two local authorities, namely Aberdeen Town Council and Aberdeenshire County Council, there is a lareg lake of odourous liquid over 100 feet deep, and that this lake, particularly in hot weather, is a public danger by breeding insects and in other ways; and if he will forthwith take emergency measures to deal with these dangers.

I have no powers to intervene in this matter, but I am informed that Aberdeenshire County Council has invited Aberdeen Corporation and the proprietors of the quarry to discuss with them what action can be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in future returns of housing statistics a table will be included showing the numbers of one, two, three, four and five-apartment houses built in each year since 1945.

A table showing the number of houses of different sizes approved each year will be published in the Housing Return for the quarter ending 30th September, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what request he recently received from the Herring Board to give help to Scottish fishermen during a period of exceptional difficulty; and what was the nature of his reply.

The Herring Industry Board requested the restoration of the oil and meal subsidy at certain west coast ports in addition to the present direct subsidy. The Government were unable to agree because they considered that the herring and white fish subsidies should remain broadly equivalent for boats of similar classes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities in Scotland discharge raw sewage into the sea, lochs and estuaries; how many so discharge partially treated sewage; and which authorities dispose of sewage in these ways.

I regret that the detailed information asked for is not available. It is estimated, however, that sewerage systems serving about one-third of the population of Scotland are at present discharging raw sewage; the discharges of raw sewage are mainly to tidal waters.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet received a report from the Advisory Council on Education in Scotland on measures to meet the increasing demand for teachers for secondary education.

I have received an Interim Report which I hope to present to Parliament on 3rd July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's investigation to ascertain the weight and measurements of the average woman in the United Kingdom; how long it has taken; what has been the cost; when it was initiated; and what it was expected to learn from it.

No such investigation has been carried out by, or on behalf of, the Board of Trade. My hon. Friend may be referring to a technical survey carried out by the Joint Clothing Council, now in liquidation, which is shortly to be published by the Stationery Office. The cost was met from funds contributed by the clothing industry to the former Development Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will appoint a committee to inquire into the growing practice of issuing non-voting ordinary shares.

No. Naturally my right hon. Friend is watching the position, but he does not think that there is a case for the Government to appoint a committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women, were employed in the factories administered by the North Eastern Trading Estates, Limited, on the latest available date.

At February, 1957, 22,239 men and boys and 29,233 women and girls, making a total of 51,472, were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women, were employed in the factories in Sunderland administered by the North Eastern Trading Estates. Limited, on the latest available date.

At February, 1957, 2,521 men and boys and 2,917 women and girls, making a total of 5,438, were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Corporation of Dundee regarding the closing of the local Board of Trade office; and what reply he has made.

I am arranging for copies of the correspondence to be sent to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that certain hire-purchase finance companies are paying as high as 40 per cent. of their charges to motor dealers for introducing the business thus putting up unnecessarily the cost of this type of business; and if he will appoint a committee to investigate and to recommend how such abuses can be remedied, by legislation or otherwise.

I am aware that there has recently been an increase in the level of commission, in some cases to the figure quoted by my hon. Friend, but I am not aware that this had led to any general increase in hire-purchase charges. We do not consider that a Government Committee is called for, and we advise prospective hirers to study their agreements before signing them in order to see what they are being charged for credit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to make further progress in the liberalisation of imports.

The Government have decided to remove the import controls on a large number of commodities used in industry. This will mainly affect imports from Canada, the United States and other countries in the dollar area. A detailed announcement is being made, copies of which are being placed in the Library today, listing the commodities involved, but the broad effect will be that, except in the case of leather for which the dollar quota will be substantially increased, the remaining import controls on the basic raw materials of industry and on metal semimanufactures will be removed on 1st August.The controls will also be removed from certain agricultural products mainly used in manufacture and from certain chemicals. In most of these cases the main benefit to importers will be that they will be relieved of paper work but in others they will gain from increased competition among suppliers and easier access to the sources of supply which suit them best. Some switching to dollar supplies is likely but it should not be large, and the net cost of additional imports is not expected to exceed £3 million.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if oil is still escaping from the tanker "Stoney Point" in the English Channel; how big is the film that has formed on the surface of the sea; if there is any way of breaking it up before it reaches the coastline; and what advice he will give to seaside resorts about methods of disposal.

To the best of my knowledge the leak has been plugged. The ship is now in or near Antwerp and I have had no reports of pollution during her passage up the English Channel. The film of oil that formed on the surface of the sea while the ship was lying off Falmouth early last week was about six miles in diameter. I regret that I know of no satisfactory way of dealing with oil in the open sea and I am afraid that I can add nothing to what is already known about methods of disposal from the shore.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many ships passed through the Forth and Clyde Canal in each of the past two years, to the nearest convenient date; and what was the tonnage and nature of the freight carried.

The following figures are for the calendar years 1955 and 1956:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what conferences of Commonwealth Ministers for the discussion of specific subjects of community interest were held within the years 1955, 1956 and 1957, respectively.

Meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers took place in January, 1955, and June, 1956, and a further meeting is being held now. Finance Ministers of Commonwealth countries met in September, 1955, and in September, 1956. In addition, Ministers from several Commonwealth countries have attended a number of other conferences, notably meetings of the Colombo Plan Consultative Committee in October, 1955, and December, 1956, the Council of the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty (S.E.A.T.O.) in February, 1955, March, 1956, and March, 1957, and the Suez Canal Conference of August, 1956. The opportunity was taken of the presence of Ministers from a number of Commonwealth countries to discuss matters of common concern at the time of the United Nations General Assembly in 1955 and 1956. Many less formal visits and meetings of individual Ministers from two or more Commonwealth countries take place at frequent intervals.

asked the Minister of Health how many publicly-financed chiropody treatment clinics or services are established in the County of Northumberland, giving if possible the place names and the organisation responsible, together with the fees charged, and the attendance at each clinic at the nearest convenient date.

None, apart from the services which are available to hospital patients and to residents of homes provided under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948—of which I am sending the hon. Member particulars.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken to ensure that regional hospital boards and hospital management committees have a planned programme of maintenance work on hospitals.

When notifying regional hospital boards of the annual allocation to meet revenue expenditure, my right hon. Friend has reminded them of the importance of maintaining hospital buildings in good condition, and he has earmarked sums to be used for this purpose. The programme of work within the region is primarily for the hospital authorities themselves, but I am considering whether there is any general guidance which can usefully be issued on the subject.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that units of the light clothing industry are in existence in the areas of Marylebone, Islington, Camden Town, and immediate areas in London, operating factories in contravention of the 1948 Factory Act, and that by virtue of this they are a source of unfair competition; and whether he will institute an investigation and make a statement.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "No," but if the hon. Member will let me have details of the premises concerned and of the alleged Contraventions of the Factories Acts I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement about the position of crofters in relation to call-up for National Service.

In consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland and after considering views expressed by the Crofters Commission, I have now arranged to give special consideration, within the framework of the existing scheme for the deferment of call-up of agricultural workers, to applications for deferment made by crofters in the area covered by the Crofters (Scotland) Act, 1955. These arrangements recognise the special problems which exist in crofting communities, and will apply to men taking part in the working of crofts either full-time or part-time.A main condition for the grant of deferment will be that the worker concerned cannot be withdrawn without grave injury to the croft or, alternatively, that he is regularly and actively engaged in the working of a croft and in addition is otherwise performing a service that is vital to the crofting community. Where appropriate, allowance will be made for limited temporary absences from the croft to undertake other kinds of work. In all cases it must be established that there is no prospects of suitable alternative labour becoming available in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the pressing need for increasing the number of graduate teachers in secondary schools, he will make arrangements under which a larger number of graduates can claim deferment of call-up for National Service to take up teaching posts.

Yes. After consuItation with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Defence and my noble Friend the Minister of Education, I have decided that men with first or second class honours degrees in an Arts subject who have successfully completed an approved course of teacher training and who take up approved posts in secondary schools will be able to claim indefinite deferment from National Service while they remain so employed. This scheme will come into operation forthwith. Arrangements already exist for the grant of indefinite deferment to first and second class honours graduates in science and mathematics who take up approved teaching posts.In view of the Services' continued need for men with high qualifications I am unable at present to extend deferment to other categories of teachers.