asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what initiative has been taken or is contemplated to ensure that the United Nations Report on events in Hungary in late 1956 shall be debated in the General Assembly.

The President of the Eleventh Session of the General Assembly has already been requested to reconvene the Assembly as soon as possible for a debate on this report. Her Majesty's Government fully support this request.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now make a statement concerning the proposals for the establishment of a standing United Nations force which were recently discussed by him with an all-party delegation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Croydon, North-East (Vice Admiral Hughes Hallett) and to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick).

asked the Secretary of State for War what time is required to mobilise from the strategic reserve in the United Kingdom a force equivalent to a brigade group with its supporting arms and services and to fit that force for active operations.

A force equivalent to a brigade group with its supporting arms and services is held permanently in fit strength and condition for active operations.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is satisfied that the present system of drawing stores on mobilisation from various depots in different parts of the country is best suited for operations not involving general mobilisation; and if he will make a statement.

Units hold as much of their war equipment as they can. The remainder is stored in depots nearest to the place where each unit will be mobilised. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that these are the most practical arrangements, whether for general mobilisation or for any smaller operations.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is satisfied that when it is necessary to form and mobilise formation headquarters for emergency operations, there is an adequate cadre of fully trained officers and other ranks available to ensure that such headquarters are capable of functioning efficiently before deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Satisfactory arrangements exist. It would not be in the public interest to disclose details.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what arrangements have been made for the future repair and maintenance of vehicles, in view of the proposal to close the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers No. 31 Base Workshops, at Ashford. Middlesex;(2) whether he will reconsider the decision to close the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers No. 31 Base Workshops, at Ashford, Middlesex.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he has decided to close down No. 31 Base Workshops, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Ashford, Middlesex.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement as to the forthcoming closing down of No. 31 Base Workshop, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Ashford, Middlesex; and, in particular, how many ex-Service men and how many disabled persons are on the pay roll.

My right hon. Friend has this morning met representatives of the unions concerned and has agreed to consider their objections to the closing of 31 Base Workshops. The decision that they should be closed results from the reduction of the Army's administrative services. The Army's transport is being cut down and, as my right hon. Friend has told the House, this is bound to mean the closure of some base establishments.Most major repairs of unarmoured vehicles are done by contract arranged through the Ministry of Supply. 31 Base Workshops are the only War Department establishment still doing this work. By next December the number of these vehicles in service will have been so reduced that there would be virtually no repairs to keep the Workshops at Ashford employed. It is not a question of transferring the work; it would disappear.There are 550 staff including 29 disabled and about 300 ex-Service men, mostly from the second world war.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much has been spent during the last three years on improvements and equipment at No. 31 Base Workshops, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Ashford, Middlesex.

£13,600 has been spent during the last three years on new Works Services and £40,000 on maintenance. £8.000 has been spent on new equipment, but the great majority of this will be recovered for use elsewhere when the workshops are closed.

asked the Secretary of State for War what revenue is obtained from the sale of waste materials, such as tins, cans, rags, sacking, paper, and glass salvaged from camps, stations, and depots under his Department.

Waste material is disposed of in various ways and no separate records are kept of the revenue derived from it.

asked the Secretary of State for War what disciplinary action was taken against the men who fainted at the rehearsal for Trooping the Colour.

I understand that some charges have been preferred. The units have dispersed and I have not yet received details.

asked the Secretary of State for War what disciplinary action was taken against the unit commanding officers on the occasion when 35 men fainted at the rehearsal for Trooping the Colour.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for next-of-kin to visit soldiers overseas who are dangerously ill: and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I think that they are very satisfactory and work well. The scheme applicable to all three Services is known as DILFOR. It was started in a limited way in 1945. Under it, if the doctors consider that a visit should be made, next-of-kin are conveyed to the bedside of the patient anywhere in the world, free of charge by the fastest possible means.In a recent case a casualty signal from Singapore was received in the War Office at noon on 28th May. The soldier's mother was notified and brought to London from Cheshire by the following morning. Air bookings, passport formalities and vaccination were arranged for her by the War Office and th Red Cross, and she was on her way to the airport by mid-afternoon haivng been in London for only six hours.I think the House will agree that this case, among many others, reflects great credit upon those responsible, including members of the British Red Cross Society who give us valuable help.

asked the Postmaster-General why there is at present no parcel post between the United Kingdom and the Chinese People's Republic and what action he is taking to make arrangements for it.

The introduction of this service was suggested to the Chinese People's Republic in April. A reply has only just been received, but I hope to be able to announce the introduction of the service early next month.

asked the Postmaster-General how the postal account for the year 1956–57 compares with the previous two years' surplus of £3·4 million and £1·5 million, respectively.

The Postal Service Account for 1956–57 is likely to show a deficit of over £3 million. There was a deficit of £1½ million, not a surplus, in 1955–56.

asked the Postmaster-General how many householders in the borough of Solihull are waiting for a telephone; and by approximately what date does he expect all these installations to be completed.

One thousand, one hundred and fifty-seven. I hope that the majority of these will be connected during the next twelve months; but new plant is needed and I cannot say when all the applications will be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what revenue is obtained from the sale of waste materials such as tins, cans, rags, sacking, paper and glass salvaged from stations, camps and depots under his department.

I regret that a separate figure for material of this kind is not available

asked the Secretary of State for Air, how many squadrons of Beverley aircraft are now in service; and how many he expects to have in service by the end of the year.

Three squadrons of Beverleys are now in service. It is unlikely that any further squadron will be formed this year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, whether he will announce a date for making a start with the Tyne Tunnel.

I cannot yet say when I shall be able to authorise this scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the public anxiety regarding the danger from fast traffic to school children crossing the Fosse Way, between the 29th Division War Memorial in the London Road, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, near Rugby, to the junction with Frankton Lanes; and whether he will inquire into the necessity for a 30 miles-per-hour speed limit for that stretch of road.

I do not think that a speed limit on this stretch of road would be justified, but I will ask the county council whether there are any other measures which might be taken to safeguard children.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why the parking scheme submitted to him by the Westminster City Council was withdrawn; and what action has been taken in regard to the new scheme which has been submitted.

I was advised that because of legal objections taken to the form of the proposed order, it was impossible for me to proceed with it. l hope to receive a fresh application shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what plans he has for building underpasses or flyovers at junctions on Western Avenue in addition to the one with the North Circular Road.

No further proposals for underpasses or fly-overs at junctions on Western Avenue are contemplated at present, but traffic conditions at the various major intersections are being reviewed. This will enable me to decide whether additional grade-separated crossings should be provided in the future.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will issue a list of schemes under the road programme costing over £100,000 which were started in the six months ended 30th June, 1957, with estimated completion date and total cost of each.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much of the 280-miles length of the A.1 trunk road between London and Newcastle he expects will be a dual carriageway by the end of 1959.

I expect that about 70 miles of dual carriageway will be open to traffic by the end of 1959, and that a further 70 miles will then be under construction.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) when he expects to receive the report of the Road Safety Committee on the subject of mo-peds;

The following is the answer:(2) on what date he received a deputation of cycle manufacturers to discuss the subject of mo-peds; what was the nature of the representations they made; and what action he proposes to take.

On the 29th May my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary met a deputation, who suggested that the minimum age for drivers of mo-peds should be 15 years and that they should not be required to pass a driving test or hold a driving licence. I expect to receive in a few weeks a report from the Departmental Committee on Road Safety on these and allied matters, and I will consider carefully the views of the deputation in the light of the Committee's report.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will hold an inquiry into the recent bus accident in Oxford Street, London, W.1, in which eight pedestrians were killed.

I do not think that a further inquiry would bring to light anything not already known about this tragic accident.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what conclusions he has drawn from the information available to him regarding the minimisation of injury to motor-cyclists involved in accidents who were wearing crash helmets at the time of the accident; and how many fatal accidents were attributed to the fact that a crash helmet was not being worn.

Last year the lives of at least 70 motor cyclists would probably have been saved had they been wearing crash helmets when they were involved in accidents. There would also have been a considerable saving of life of pillion passengers.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what grant he is making towards the cost of building a suitable harbour at Greenwich for yachts, motor cruisers and other small pleasure craft on the lower Thames.

None.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of licensed goods vehicles operated by petrol and diesel engines, respectively, by number and percentages.

The latest figures available are for licences current during the quarter ended 30th September, 1956. They are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of licensed public service vehicles operated by petrol and diesel engines, respectively, and the percentages of the total each represents.

The latest figures available are for the quarter ended 30th September, 1956. They are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he is proposing to grant licences to private companies to operate scheduled air services to certain countries in Africa in view of the fact that his proposal is contrary to the provisions of the Civil Aviation Acts; and if he will make a statement.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the services which the operators of the existing Colonial Coach services to Africa will be permitted to operate under the new arrangements which I announced on 26th June in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey). It is intended that these services will, like other scheduled services provided by independent companies, be operated under Associate arrangements approved by me under Section 15 of the Air Corporations Act. 1949.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if it was with his agreement, in accordance with Section 4 (2) of the Transport Act, 1947, that the port of Cardiff was excluded from the British Transport Commission plans for improvements in the South Wales ports.

This decision was taken by the Commission themselves, although the Chairman of the Commission informed me of what was proposed.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is yet in a position to make an announcement about the substitution of a garrison of Royal Marines for the present garrison at Bermuda, in view of the disappointment the decision to withdraw the garrison has caused in the Colony, and in view of the value of ceremonial as a tourist attraction.

asked the Minister of Defence whether agreement has now been reached on the replacement of the Army garrison maintained in Bermuda by a Royal Marine garrison.

No, Sir. This forms part of the wider review of the distribution of our forces overseas generally, which is not completed.

asked the Minister of Defence what United Kingdom and local forces are now stationed in British Caribbean territories.

One battalion with supporting administrative units from Britain and one local Regular infantry battalion. There are, in addition, certain local volunteer units. Two frigates operate on cycle in the area.

asked the Minister of Defence the number of psychiatrists employed by the three Services.

There are fifty psychiatrists serving as commissioned officers in the medical branches of the three Services. In addition, the Services employ fifteen civilian consultants, and four part-time civilian psychiatrists.

asked the Minister of Defence if, when the Government is ready to announce its decision on the establishment of new bases in Africa and the Middle East, he will present a White Paper giving the costs and implications of the decisions.

Our policy in regard to the command structure and distribution of forces in the Middle East is now being reviewed. When the policy is decided, I will make a statement to Parliament.

asked the Minister of Defence what conclusions he has reached regarding the future use of Cyprus as a base.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on recruitment of officers and other ranks for the three Services since the White Paper was published.

During the last three months, the rate of recruiting has declined, but it is too early to say whether this represents more than the temporary hesitation which was to be expected after an announcement of such radical changes in our defence policy.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) what he proposes to do about placing further orders at the Birtley, County Durham, Royal Ordnance Factory; and if he will make a statement on the future prospects at this factory;(2) how many unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled employees at the Birtley, County Durham, Royal Ordnance Factory have been declared redundant since May, 1956; and what are the prospects for those still employed.

Since May, 1956, 400 people have been declared redundant at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Birtley. Of these 58 were skilled and 342 non-skilled. I should add that on 19th April, 1956, 350 people were declared redundant and that they were discharged during the following May and June. My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement about the future of the Ordnance factories in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will, in view of the embarrassing position in which people find themselves as the result of performing their duties as citizens and the threats made to them as a consequence, refrain in future from publishing the names of the people who have been directly or indirectly responsible for the detection and capture of criminals.

No such information is published by my Department, and I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the police do not disclose the names of persons who have given them assistance in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that there is a shortage in Scotland of health visitors for the elderly sick; and if he will inquire into the causes of this and take steps to remove them so as to bring the numbers up to requirements of Scotland's national health.

I am glad to say that the number of health visitors in Scotland has now almost reached the figure of 1,200 for Scotland proposed in the Report of the Working Party on Health Visiting. Distribution is not even and there are areas with shortages but these remaining difficulties do not warrant any special inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the introduction of the Ministerial system into the Government of Mauritius, giving the names of the new Ministers and their party affiliations.

Nine Unofficial Members of Executive Council were appointed Ministers on 5th July. Six will hold Portfolios and three act as Ministers without Portfolios. The names of the new Ministers with their party affiliations are set out below:

• Dr. L. A. Celestin, M.C. (Non-Party).
• Mr. J. G. Forget (Labour Party)—Minister of Health and Social Services.
• Dr. C. E. Millien (Labour)—Minister of Labour.
• Mr. A. M. Osman, O.B.E. (Non-Party)—Minister for Agriculture and Land.
• Dr. S. Ramgoolam (Labour)—Ministerial Secretary to the Treasury,
• Mr. P. G. Rault (Labour).
• Mr. A. G. Sauzier (Non-Party)—Minister of Works and Communications.
• Mr. R. Seeneevassen (Labour)—Minister for Education and Institutions.
• Mr. H. R. Vaghjee (Labour).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many interrogators are employed in the Cyprus security forces; what is their remuneration; and how they were recruited.

Twelve. Their remuneration ranges from about £1,450 to £1,750 per annum. Some were recruited in this country through my Department and some in Cyprus, their principal qualification being a good knowledge of modern Greek.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make on Yemeni incursions into the Aden Protectorate; and what steps are under consideration for the demarcation of the frontier between the two territories.

On the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on 3rd July. On the second part, no further steps have been taken for the demarcation of the frontier since the agreement reached at the London Anglo-Yemeni conference in 1951 to appoint a boundary commission to deal with places where the actual position of the frontier was in doubt. This agreement has not been implemented by the Yemen Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in his comprehensive review of taxation with a view to bringing it into line with the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Taxation.

A considerable number of provisions based on the Royal Commission's recommendations have been included in recent Finance Acts and in the Finance Bill now before Parliament. Among them are the provisions of the Finance Bill relating to overseas trade corporations; the provisions of the Finance Act, 1956, regarding retirement annuities for the self-employed and others; and the improvements which have been made in the personal allowances in the last three years in order to relieve the smallest incomes from tax, to give better reliefs to the family, and to extend the range of the earned income relief. I propose to consider other recommendations of the Royal Commission in the coming year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the result of negotiations with the Egyptian Government concerning the sequestration in Egypt of the property of British subjects; and when he expects the negotiations to continue.

Negotiations with Egypt have been suspended, and I cannot yet say when they will be resumed.

asked the Minister of Health what advice he gives to National Health Service doctors in his notes on prescriptions in regard to the prescribing of fortified wines, including port, for convalescent invalids in appropriate cases; and how much port has been so prescribed in recent years.

The National Health Service Act does not provide for the supply, on the prescription of a general practitioner, of preparations which are not drugs or medicines and an independent Advisory Committee has recommended that alcoholic beverages should normally be regarded as foods and not as drugs. Alcoholic beverages may be prescribed for individual patients in hospital as an item of diet where the doctor in charge of the patient considers this desirable on medical grounds. No case has come to my right hon. Friend's notice in which port wine has been prescribed.

asked the Minister of Health. as representing the Lord President of the Council, how many scholarships and fellowships were granted in each of the years 1950 to 1957 for workers studying mental disorders; and how many for workers studying other diseases or disabilities.

The scholarships and fellowships awarded by the Medical Research Council are given in the following table. A number of private trusts also award fellowships for work in the field of mental illness.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) how many amalgamation orders, similar to the County of West Sussex (Kingston Buci Urban District) Order, 1938, have been confirmed by him, or his predecessors; what influence these orders will have upon the proposed national reorganisation of local government proposals; and if he will implement them in advance of such reorganisation;(2) whether -in connection with the County of West Sussex (Kingston Buci Urban District) Order, 1938, which was confirmed, with modifications, under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1933, Section 141, he will be prepared, upon the representations of the three constituent authorities, to fix an appointed day for the implementation of the order, in advance of the proposed national reorganisation of local government;

In 1939 my predecessor, then the Minister of Health, notified the local authorities concerned of his intention to confirm the County of West Sussex (Kingston Buci Urban District) Order, 1938, with modifications. But because of the outbreak of war he did not in fact confirm it. I am writing to my hon. and gallant Friend explaining what happened in greater detail.