asked the Paymaster-General if he will now state when and where it is proposed to site atomic energy generating stations in Wales.

I am not yet in a position to add anything to the reply given by my hon. and learned Friend to the hon. Member for Merioneth on 27th May.

asked the Paymaster-General the average cost per ton at the pit head of the cheapest 5,000,000 and 10.000,000 tons of coal, respectively, raised in the United Kingdom during the last convenient accounting period.

For the year 1956, 42s. 4d. and 44s. respectively.

asked the Paymaster-General the average cost per ton at the pit head of the most expensive 5,000,000 and 10,000,000 tons of coal, respectively, raised in the United Kingdom during the last convenient accounting period; and what was the average cost per ton for all British coal raised in the same period.

For the year 1956, 132s. 9d. and 121s. 10d. respectively; the average for all deep-mined coal was 74s. 5d.

asked the Paymaster-General the average cost per ton unloaded at British ports of coal imported into the United Kingdom during the last convenient accounting period.

In the first five months of 1957, £9 2s. 0d. per ton.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department currently gives to county councils seeking guidance on the desirability of rescinding sheep dipping regulations since there have been no outbreaks of sheep scab in Great Britain for several years and which counties have notified him of intention to rescind or amend dipping regulations so that farmers will be free, if they prefer, to spray rather than dip their sheep.

My right hon. Friend advises local authorities that sheep dipping regulations are a useful precaution against the re-establishment of sheep scab in this country. The Hampshire County Council is the only local authority that has recently notified my Department of its intention to revoke its regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the increase of 7s. 7d. a ton in trawler bunker coal, which came into force on Monday, 1st July, 1957, will cost the British fishing industry about £300,000 extra; that, because the distant water fleet is largely oil-burning, this extra cost will fall largely on the near and middle-water section of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement indicating his plans to enable the industry to off-set these extra burdens.

This would be the annual cost increase if the old coal-burning vessels were not falling in number, as they continue to do. About 70 per cent. of the coal consumed is taken by the near and middle-water fleet, which receives an operating subsidy that is reviewed annually. Subsidy schemes for the forthcoming year taking into account all the factors involved will be laid before the House shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is still satisfied that present methods will lead to the virtual elimination of the rabbit from the United Kingdom.

No, but my right hon. Friend thinks that where occupiers of land are taking the necessary vigorous action, it should be possible to prevent the rabbit from again becoming a major pest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions individuals involved in proceedings before administrative tribunals operated by his Department have had their case heard before a tribunal closed to the Press; and why this course was adopted in the case of Mr. J. M. Davidson, of Swanbridge, Glamorgan.

My right hon. Friend assumes that the hon. Member is referring to the hearing of representations by county agricultural executive committees. All these hearings are held in private, since it was thought when the committees were established that private hearings would lead to a freer exchange of views. The usual procedure was followed for the hearing of representations about the supervision order concerning Mr. Davidson's farming.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not yet produced for specialist study all the documents in the case of Mr. Davidson, of Swanbridge, Glamorgan; and whether he will make a statement.

Inquiries are being made and I will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent local drainage rates have had to bear the burdens caused by the floods of the winter of 1952–53 on the East Coast.

While rates in the drainage districts concerned have on average increased since 1952–53 by 7 per cent., little of this increase is likely to be due to the East Coast floods of 1952–53, since the work of restoring and improving the sea defences was undertaken by river boards with Government grants of 100 per cent. for restoration work and of 85 per cent. for improvement work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total acreage of agricultural land and the total number of agricultural holdings in the south-west region when the County of Dorset is included; and the total acreage of agricultural land and total number of agricultural holdings if Dorset were transferred to the south-east region.

At 4th June, 1956, the total area of agricultural land—including common rough grazings—in the southwestern region was 4,881,146 acres; and the total number of agricultural holdings was 63,900. Excluding Dorset, the figures were 4,389,418 acres and 58,752 holdings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in the Stockton rural district, Darlington rural district and the Sedgefield rural district are still without an electricity supply; what progress has been made in the past year in providing a supply; and what is the expected progress during the current year.

This is a matter for the North-Eastern Electricity Board which will, I am sure, be glad to provide the hon. Member with the information for which he has asked.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the salary scales of the Forestry Commission are appropriate to the responsibility carried by senior members of the staff and are sufficiently high to attract the desired intake; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. No difficulty has been experienced in recruiting staff adequate in numbers and quality, at salaries which are common to the Civil Service.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will make a statement about the present and future uses of the three Princess flying boats.

The three flying boats are at present in cocoon and without engines; their future is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will make a statement about the development of atomic powered engines for military or civil aircraft.

The Ministry of Supply is undertaking preliminary research work on the application of atomic power to aero engines.

asked the Minister of Health in how many hospitals, and in what areas, in England and Wales, the supply of electricity was cut off for an hour or mare as a result of the storm on 30th June, 1957; and what steps are being taken to provide an alternate supply so that such accidents may be avoided in future.

I have been informed of 25 hospitals in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Kent, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and the West Midlands where this occurred. Alternate supply is available in almost all operating theatres, but I am not satisfied that it would be justifiable to seek to provide alternate sources of supply for hospitals generally.

asked the Minister of Health the amounts spent on maintenance in the year 1956–57 at Withington, Manchester Ear, Wythenshawe, Baguley, Ancoats, Christie, and Crumpsall hospitals, the Manchester Jewish Hospital and the Northern Hospital, in the Manchester region; and whether he will state the amounts allocated for maintenance for the same hospitals in the current financial year.

I understand that the allocations for the current year have not yet been finally determined. Provisional figures for expenditure on maintenance account in the year 1956–57 are:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the concern felt by residents in Manchester following upon disclosures at a recent coroner's inquest that a dying man from the constituency of the hon. Member for Openshaw was refused admittance to three Manchester area hospitals and what action he proposes to take.

I have asked the Board for a full report on this case, and will write to the hon. Member when I have received it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will institute an immediate inquiry into the shortage of beds and staff in hospitals under the control of the Manchester Regional Hospitals Board.

In the first instance, these matters are the responsibility of the Board. I am satisfied that it is fully aware of the position, and that no special inquiry is needed.

asked the Minister of Health how many occupational therapists are employed in mental and mental-deficiency hospitals; and what research is being done to assess the benefit received by mental patients from different types of occupational therapy.

At the end of 1955, the latest date for which figures are available, there were approximately 575 in England and Wales. The Medical Research Council is investigating different methods of occupational therapy and rehabilitation of mentally ill and mentally defective patients.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to commence the building of the hospital at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

This has not yet been decided, as the extent of the need is not yet clear.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the intake of mental illness patients in the Durham County area has gone up within the last two years; and how such figures compare with the rest of the country for the same period.

Admissions to Cherry Knowle and Winterton Hospitals in 1956 exceeded those in 1954 by 15 per cent. and 58 per cent. respectively. For the whole of England and Wales the increase was 17 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health how many mental health clinics there are in Durham County; and from what source the mental health specialists are drawn to carry out examinations at these clinics.

There are twelve hospital clinics, staffed by specialists from the mental hospitals in the area.

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates that the production of British vaccine against poliomyelitis will meet the demands in this country; how many children under ten years of age have been treated; how many are waiting for treatment; and if he will lift the embargo on the importation of poliomyelitis vaccine until immediate needs are satisfied.

There is as yet nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's statement of 15th May except that vaccine has now been issued for a total of over a million children.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in suitable cases, he will make available power-assisted wheelchairs to be used by those responsible for the care of physically handicapped children and adults who are incapable themselves of making use of powered vehicles.

Arrangements are already made to supply power-assisted wheel-chairs in special circumstances where a very severely disabled person is unable to control a power-propelled tricycle and his usual attendant is unable to push an ordinary chair.

asked the Minister of Health what special control measures over the use of tranquilliser drugs he proposes to establish, in view of the recommendations of the United Nations on narcotic drugs.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the recommendation to Governments to keep a careful watch for any abuse of these substances. This is being done. On current information I am satisfied that existing measures are adequate for the present.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors are acting as assistants to general practitioners as at the latest available date; and how many have been in this position for two years or more.

On 1st July, 1956, there were in England and Wales 1,546 doctors acting as assistants to general practitioners in the National Health Service; 649 of them had been assistants for two years or more, 539 with the same principal.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the death following re-vaccination of William Carser, of 67, Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, certified as due to post-vaccinal encephalitis; and whether he will make representations to the Canadian health authorities with a view to abolishing the vaccination requirements for persons entering Canada from this country.

I am aware of this case. I should not feel justified in making the representations suggested.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he will request the Medical Research Council to study the report of Sir Ronald Fisher, F.R.S., a copy of which has been sent to him, on the statistics concerning the relationship between lung cancer and smoking and to report its conclusions thereupon.

My noble Friend has not yet received this report, by one of the scientific consultants to the Tobacco Manufacturers Standing Committee, but I am sure that the Medical Research Council will give it most careful study.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that African teachers in Northern Rhodesia are not permitted to take part in political activities; and to what extent this is the case in the Colonial Territories of Kenya, Tanganyika and Nyasaland.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 22nd May, 1957; Vol. 570, c. 1231-2], supplied the following further information:It is not the case that African teachers in Northern Rhodesia are not permitted to take part in political activity. The majority, including all teachers now being appointed by Government, are members of the Unified Teaching Service and are debarred only from making use of their position as teachers to further the ends of any political party or to expound their own political views. They are free to stand for election and if elected are given leave of absence to attend council meetings except in the case of election to the central Government when they would have to resign, because parliamentary activities are not compatible with full-time teaching. A minority are not members of the Unified Teaching Service but have remained civil servants and as such are debarred from political activities.In Kenya and Tanganyika teachers in Government service are civil servants and are subject to the usual rules. This means broadly that in Tanganyika they may not belong to or support, in public or private, any political organisation. In Kenya they may not belong to any political association or express their views in public in support of any such association or of political candidates, but they may attend political meetings and exercise their rights of franchise. They may also, with permission, stand as candidates for election to Legislative Council, but must resign if elected. In Tanganyika, however, they have not been qualified for appointment as Representative Members unless they have left Government service. Teachers employed by grant-aided or quasi-official organisations in Kenya are governed by the authority concerned. In Tanganyika the only limitation on non-Government teachers is that, as in Northern Rhodesia, they may not misuse their position as teachers to expound their own political views or further the ends of any political organisation. In Nyasaland, teachers employed in assisted schools run by voluntary agencies are required not to engage in any activity which might interfere with the efficient discharge of their duties, whilst teachers who are in the direct employment of Government are subject to the appropriate African staff regulations. These, broadly speaking, do not forbid a person employed by Government from becoming a member of a political association or from attending public meetings on political subjects or from recording his vote at such meetings or at an election, but they do forbid him to take a more overtly active part in political affairs, e.g., holding office in a political organisation, canvassing in support of political candidates, or—without due official permission—publishing political propaganda. When, in the near future, the Unified African Teaching Service is introduced, teachers employed in assisted schools who enter that Service will be deemed to be guilty of serious misconduct if they use their positions as teachers to further the ends of any political party, or to expound their own political views, or to encourage disrespect for, or disobedience to, Government or the laws.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total membership of the Central and Provincial Labour Advisory Boards, respectively, in Uganda; the number of Africans on each board; on what basis they are nominated or elected; and what is the number of Africans and other trade unionists who are represented on each board, respectively.

I am asking the Governor for this information and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many students, in total, are at present enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology; and how many are enrolled, respectively, in the courses leading to the different qualifications awarded by the college.

I am informed that the total is 549, made up as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the enrolments of first year students in the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology in each of the last five years.

I am obtaining the information from the College authorities and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT when I have it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young prisoners were in open prisons at the end of 1955 and 1956, respectively.

At the end of 1955 there were 24 boys and 2 girls in open prisons; at the end of 1956 there were 17 boys and no girls.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that Form G of the Third Schedule to the Rent Restrictions Regulations, 1957, which tenants require when giving notice to landlords of defects of repair, is not easily obtainable; and whether he will arrange to improve supplies of these forms.

I understand that there may have been some delay in obtaining these forms, but that supplies are now adequate. The Law Stationers' Association has written to its members and to other firms known to be printing the forms, drawing attention to the importance of maintaining adequate supplies and of meeting demands with the minimum of delay. In addition, the Stationery Office has as an exceptional measure now arranged to sell copies of the prescribed forms at its retail bookshops.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that Form G of the Third Schedule

The price at which the prescribed forms are sold is a matter for the firms which publish them. Form G is a double form, one half to be retained by the tenant. All citizens' advice bureaux have been asked by the National Council of Social Service to obtain sample copies of the forms and to tell people where they can get them.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish in the Official Report the minimum cost in foreign currency of posting letters and postcards, respectively, to Great Britain from each of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation countries, together with the equivalent in pence.

The minimum cost in foreign currency of posting letters and postcards, respectively, to Great Britain from each of the O.E.E.C. countries, together with the equivalent in pence is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General if he will bring up to date Table IX in the Report on Post Office Develop-

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an interim statement concerning the threatened closing down of an industrial undertaking at Prinlaws, near Leslie, Fife.

I am in touch with my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Labour and National Service about this matter, and I have written to the hon. Member today.

Following is the Table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the salary scales now proposed for Scottish technical colleges are not satisfactory to the colleges concerned, that the recommendations and objections of the staff associations have not been given adequate effect or attention, that the machinery of joint consultation between the relevant staffs and their governors is unsatisfactory and ineffective, and that as a result there is dissatisfaction among the staffs; and if he will now investigate these grievances and take immediate steps to remedy them.

The governing bodies of Robert Cordon's Technical College, Aberdeen, Dundee Technical College, the Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh and Paisley Technical College, after considering the recommendations of their staff associations, made proposals for new scales to the associations in April. These have been accepted by the staff of the Heriot-Watt College. The staff associations of the remaining three do not regard them as acceptable and I have carefully considered their criticisms. I am not satisfied that the changes they suggest are justified but I am inviting the governing bodies to discuss the matter with my officials.As regards the question of joint consultation, representatives of the governing bodies and the staff associations met the industrial relations officer of the Ministry of Labour on 2nd July to consider the possibility of setting up joint machinery to negotiate scales before they are submitted for my approval. Two of the governing bodies and three of the staff associations indicated their willingness to participate in such machinery. The representatives of the remaining two governing bodies and one staff association undertook to have the proposal considered further by the bodies they represented. While it would not be proper for me to intervene in this matter which is one for agreement between the governing bodies and the staffs with the help of the Industrial Relations Officer, I certainly hope that the discussions will lead to the setting up of satisfactory negotiating machinery.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he approved the appointment of Mr. A. E. Boucher, Mr. A. L. Cripps, D.S O., Mr. V. R. M. Gattie, C.B.E., Mr. D. J. Keith, Q.C., Mr. J. M. Kennan, B.A., Mr. J. P. Stimson, B.A., and Mr. G. G. Stott, Q.C., as Chairmen of the Disciplinary Committee of the Potato Marketing Board.

Approval to the appointment of the first six of the gentlemen mentioned was given on 10th December, 1955, and to the last named on 6th January, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Provost of Lanark has not yet been informed how the Government's slaughterhouse scheme is progressing and what needs the Lanark slaughterhouse should be designed to meet, and that this is delaying the town council's own plans for its reconstruction; and whether he will communicate with the town council accordingly.

A statement of the Government's policy on slaughterhouses was made in the House on 25th October, 1956, by my predecessor. I have sent a copy of the statement to the Town Clerk, Lanark.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals have been put forward by the Netherlands Government regarding the possibility of the free entry of Dutch tomatoes to the United Kingdom under the projected Free Trade Area plan in any discussion of the Free Trade Area either bilaterally in exchanges with Her Majesty's Government or in the cadre of studies within the Organisation of European Economic Co-operation.

Discussions of the Free Trade Area proposals have not involved consideration of individual horticultural commodities, and no proposals have been made with reference specifically to Dutch tomatoes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions are proceeding with the Roumanian Government concerning a settlement of outstanding British property; when such discussions last took place; and what Government policy is concerning this matter.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he proposes to withdraw the concession permitting learner-drivers to drive unaccompanied.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 3rd July, I am withdrawing this concession as from 1st October next.