asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the substantive Co-operative Societies' officer in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands was sent on a world study tour in 1954; to what extent the work of that officer's department was held up in consequence; and why he was posted to other work some months after his return to the Colony.

I have asked the Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific for this information, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in what circumstances Africans, retailers or farmers, are required to join any co-operative association in order to use the new Depôt and trading centre at Maragua opened by the Kenya Farmers' Association (Cooperative) Limited.

As this information is not available to me, I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what conditions the Rhodesia Chrome Mines Limited have been granted an exclusive prospecting licence to prospect for monazite, rutile, and other minerals on the Lake Nyasa shore areas near Fort Johnston.

I am asking the Governor to supply this information and will write to the hon. Member when I have it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the residential and labour conditions under which Africans are employed in prospecting for uranium-bearing ores in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; and what are their wages.

I am consulting the Governors of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland and will circulate the information when received in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the present position of the Zambesi Valley flooding under the Kariba Scheme with particular reference to the numbers of Northern Rhodesians so far evacuated and the terms of their resettlement.

A progress report on the five months up to 31st May is being tabled during the current meeting of the Northern Rhodesia Legislative Council, and I shall place a copy in the Library. If the hon. Member after reading this report has any further questions, I shall be very ready to obtain the answers. As to the numbers involved, I have still nothing to add to what I stated in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 8th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of African farmers in Northern Rhodesia who have applied for freehold titles to their leasehold farms; under what conditions such applications can be made; and what is the number of African farmers qualified to appeal for an option to obtain title in fee simple to the land.

I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the information when received in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken by the Government of Nigeria to increase the co-operative staff in the Eastern Region of Nigeria.

This is a matter for the Government of the Eastern Region. I am asking the Governor for the information and will write to the hon. Member when I have it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the resignations from the staff of the Nigerian College of Arts. Science and Technology, at Zaria, Northern Nigeria, and the Commission of Inquiry into alleged unrest at the college, what are the findings of the commission.

These are matters for the College Council. I understand that there has been no commission of inquiry but that the Council, with the assistance of a committee, has been examining certain matters concerning the staff.

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.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 8th July, 1957 Vol. 573, c. 12], supplied the following information :I am informed that enrolments were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the terms of the Agreement between the authorities of Fernando Po and the Federal and Regional Nigerian Governments in respect of wages and conditions of employment for Nigerian workers in that area.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a revised Agreement drawn up in July, 1956, to replace the 1954 Agreement. According to my latest information, this later Agreement has not yet been brought into force because certain aspects of it are still under negotiation between the Governor-General of Nigeria and the Governor-General of the Spanish Territories in the Gulf of Guinea. I am asking the Governor-General of Nigeria for further Information and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT when I have it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken in respect of the recommendations advanced by the College Council at Fourah Bay College, particularly in respect of the expansion of sixth form curricula and work at schools, the provision of adequate housing for staff from overseas and the establishment of a teacher training college.

I understand that the Sierra Leone Government are to table a White Paper on these recommendations in the Legislature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decision has been reached by the Government of Tanganyika regarding the lifting of the ban on open air meetings addressed by leaders of the Tanganyika African National Union.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 9th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 184–5] supplied the following additional information:The following are illustrative of the conditions which might be specified in individual permits for public meetings to. be addressed by officers of the Tanganyika African National Union:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the letters which he has received from the doctors in Wormwood Scrubs Prison relative to the treatment of Cypriot prisoners.

The communications were addressed to the Governor.The following are the texts which I give with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.Wormwood Scrubs Prison.8th June, 1957.

asked the Attorney-General the number of summonses issued and orders made, by the county courts in England and Wales for possession of dwelling-houses during each of the last three convenient twelve monthly periods prior to November, 1956.

Records of actions for the possession of dwelling-houses are not maintained separately from records of actions for the possession of other forms of land. For the figures relating to actions for the possession of land generally, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Civil Judicial Statistics.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that the effect of the architecture on the South Bank of the Thames, as seen from the Terrace of the Houses of Parliament, is spoiled by his Department's offices at Lambeth Bridge; and if he will take steps to put upon those offices some façade which will be less out of keeping.

I note the opinion of the hon. and learned Member. As Lambeth Bridge House is only held by my Department on lease. I have no right to alter the structure.

asked the Minister of Works the extent of the accommodation in St. Marylebone still requisitioned by his Department, which, if de-requisitioned, could be used as residential accommodation.

No residential accommodation is held on requisition in St. Marylebone. My Department, however, holds 99 houses in Regent's Park Terraces under a special arrangement with the Crown Estate Commission, and leased accommodation in Montagu Mansions which should be vacated before the current lease expires in June, 1960.

asked the Minister of Works the estimated cost of installing an air conditioning system in the Members' Library.

A rough estimate of the cost of air conditioning all the rooms,

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement about access to Westminster Hall during the welcome to delegates of the American Bar Association on Wednesday, 24th July.

Westminster Hall will be closed to the general public on 22nd, 23rd and 24th July. Hon. Members will, however, have access and be able to show visitors through Westminster Hall except on the morning of 24th when the ceremony is held.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the present incidence of poliomyelitis in Scotland, indicating the respective ages of the persons afflicted, the duration of their illness, their location, and progress towards recovery.

In the four weeks ended 6th July, there were nineteen provisional notifications of poliomyelitis in Scotland. The following is a statement showing the detailed information available about these notifications.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has recently received regarding the procedure for legal aid in civil and criminal cases in Scotland; and what steps he intends to take in the matter.

A statutory scheme varying committee appointed by the Law Society of Scotland has been reviewing the arrangements for the provision of legal aid in civil cases and has submitted a report which I am now studying. As regards legal aid in criminal cases, I have had certain representations from the Law Society which I am considering with my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many visits were made by domiciliary consultants of the National Health Service in 1952 and 1956; and in how many of these visits, respectively, the general practitioner was also in attendance.

30,882 visits were made in 1952 and 34,963 in 1956. Figures relating to the second part of the Question are not available, but it is normal professional practice for general practitioners to be present if possible at these visits.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Section 4 pay-beds were available in all hospitals under his control in each of the years 1955 and 1956; and what percentage of these beds were occupied for each of these years.

The following is the answer:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients were waiting admission to hospital beds at any convenient date in 1955 and 1956.

At 30th September, 1955, there were 46,727 patients on hospital waiting lists in Scotland. At 30th September, 1956, there were 46,596.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the inhabitants of Torridon, Wester Ross, can expect to get a supply of electricity.

This is a matter for the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, with whom, I understand, my hon. Friend has already been in correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now indicate his intentions regarding a solution of the red deer problem in Scotland.

I am not in a position to say whether or when the Government may be able to introduce legislation to deal with the problem of red deer in Scotland, but I have invited representatives of the bodies who submitted a joint report containing proposals on this subject to meet my noble Friend the Minister of State for Scottish Affairs on Wednesday, 7th August, in order to discuss the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many murders known to the police took place in Scotland in the month of June, 1957.

One case of murder made known to the police was reported to me in June, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now approved the detailed proposals of the Angus Education Authority for the erection of demountable classrooms in Arbroath; and when these classrooms will be available for use.

Proposals for the erection of demountable classrooms in the grounds of Arbroath High School which were received towards the end of June will be approved at an early date. It is expected that the classrooms will be available for use by the autumn of 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what year it is proposed to start work on the new junior secondary school in Arbroath.

I understand it is the aim of the Education Authority that work on the erection of the new Junior Secondary School in Arbroath will start in 1959.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a new£5 note is liable to be mistaken for the£1 notes issued by some of the Scottish banks; and if he will therefore withdraw his approval of the new issue.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that, despite all difficulties, Her Majesty's Government will continue with the price plateau policy in order to restore sound currency which successive Governments have failed to do since 1939.

The objective of the Government is to achieve stable prices, but these cannot be attained unless increased incomes are matched by increased output.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the future of the balances held in London by other Commonwealth countries was discussed at the recent Commonwealth Conference; and what policy in regard to this was agreed.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Final Communique issued after the meeting. The sterling balances held in London by Commonwealth countries are and will continue to be freely at the disposal of their owners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are proposed to achieve a closer common financial and economic policy within the Commonwealth.

By holding meetings of Prime Ministers and Finance Ministers as successful as those which we now have.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what proportion of the blocked accounts in the United Kingdom of former British residents and institutions in Egypt have been released.

I regret that the information is not available but, as my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary indicated in his reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Haltemprice (Major Wall) on 16th May, there are normally no difficulties in releasing sums held on an account in the name of a British subject or institution.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the shortage of water which has been suffered during the recent dry weather in parts of the rural district of Epping and Ongar in Essex, formerly in the Ongar rural district; and whether he will consult the local authorities concerned and the Herts and Essex Water Company to see what improvement can be recommended.

Yes, and I am in touch with the council and the water company on the subject.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proposals he has received concerning a water supply for Stockend and Edge areas in Gloucestershire; when he expects to give his consent; and when the work is expected to proceed.

Proposals have been received for Edge but not as yet for Stockend. Both villages are now to be dealt with in one scheme, and I am at present awaiting particulars from the water board. If these are satisfactory, I expect to authorise an early start on the work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in respect of which local authorities in Wales he has evidence of failure in their responsibilities for the provision of water supplies; whether he will ask the respective county councils to institute inquiries; and what action he has taken to declare any authorities to be in default under the Water Supplies Acts.

Unless the hon. Member presses me, I am reluctant to give names, especially as I am hopeful of progress being made before long; but I cannot help feeling regret that there are much-needed water schemes which have been under discussion for well over five years without yet being agreed by the local authorities concerned. The county councils have been in touch with the discussions throughout. I have not yet declared any authority in default under the Water Acts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will indicate the number of water supply schemes which have been deferred because of the restrictions on capital expenditure, with their estimated costs, for each of the counties in Wales.

Ten schemes designed to supply a total of 123 properties with water at a cost of£142,077 have been deferred. The following are the figures for each county:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many parishes in the counties of Brecon, Caernarvon, Cardigan, Merioneth, Montgomery and Radnor are without a piped water supply.

The numbers of parishes in each county that are entirely without a public piped water supply are:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what record is kept in his Department of people living or camping in disused mines and similar places; whether he is satisfied that medical officers of health have wide enough powers to inspect these places and ensure, not only that the health of the people concerned is not affected by such living conditions, but that the people in the district are not subjected to such nuisances as unpleasant smells, dirt and debris arising from such occupation; and if he will make a statement.

No such record is kept. I am quite satisfied that local authorities and their officers have adequate powers to safeguard public health. It would not normally be necessary for an authority to intervene unless a person's actions constituted a threat to the health of others.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what applications to carry out village sewerage schemes he has received and sanctioned during 1956 and 1957 from the Swaffham Rural District Council and the Mitford and Launditch Rural District Council; and what has been the estimated cost of such schemes.

Schemes estimated to cost£65,000 have been submitted by Swaffham Rural District Council and are the subject of correspondence between the Council and my Department. None has yet been sanctioned, but work was started during the period on two parish schemes costing£16,000 which had been submitted earlier.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have intimated to him that they are ceasing to build council houses except for slum clearance.

My Department do not keep a classified record of the information received from local authorities about their intentions in regard to future house-building. Such a record would in any event be of limited value, since few authorities inform me of their intentions, and, also intentions change.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will include a public health inspector in the Clean Air Council.

The constitution of the Council has been completed, but I will bear in mind the claims of the public health inspectors when I have occasion to consider any fresh appointments.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether it is his policy to continue specific grants for approved local government expenditure authorised by the National Parks Act, 1949.

Yes, the specific grants under the Act of 1949 will continue unchanged.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish the names of the members of the Acton, Ealing and District Rent Tribunal; the dates on which they were appointed; and the qualifications for their appointments.

The following is the reply:

Chairman : Mr. S. Webb-Johnson, C.I.E., 0.B E., E.D., LL.B., Solicitor; formerly a legal adviser to the Government of India; formerly chairman of a pensions appeal tribunal; appointed 1st October. 1953.

Reserve Chairman : Mr. F. J. Taylor; staff representative, London Transport Executive; member, Acton Trades Council; formerly member, Acton Borough Council, and Secretary, Acton Ward Labour Party; appointed 2nd September, 1946.

Member : Mr A. H. Smith; member, Local Valuation Panel; formerly member, Hayes and Harlington U.D.C., and chairman, Hayes Trades Council; appointed 7th October, 1946.

Reserve Member : Mr. N. Lipman; solicitor; acts as Poor Man's Lawyer, appointed 1st May, 1954.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the policy of his Department regarding the institution of limited experiments with skyscrapers in the Greater London area and in the major provincial cities; and if he will make a statement.

A number of tall buildings have received planning approval in London and in some of the major provincial cities. Others are under consideration. The factors that have to be taken into account are relationship of the building to neighbouring buildings or open spaces, the effect on skylines, the ratio of floor-space to the site, the impact on traffic and the provision to be made for off-street parking. If all these matters can be satisfactorily resolved, I see no objection to a tall building in the right place.If by sky-scrapers my hon. Friend has in mind buildings very much taller than anything that has yet been approved, I think we have to approach the matter with caution. The factors to which I have already referred would apply, and the difficulty of securing a satisfactory result would increase with the height of the building. But I would not rule out even a very tall building in principle.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in how many instances in the last fifty years English local authorities have succeeded in obtaining land in Scotland under powers contained in Private Parliamentary Acts; and how many Private Parliamentary Bills affecting land in Scotland have been introduced by English local authorities in the same period.

I am afraid that no record of this has been kept, and the information is not therefore available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what powers under his regulations the Senior Alkali Inspector has to prevent air pollution by electricity power stations.

None at present. The question whether further classes of works, including power stations, should be brought within the scope of the Alkali Act has been the subject of a recent public inquiry, and I will reach a decision in due course. When my noble Friend the Minister of Power gives his consent to the construction of a new power station or the extension of an existing one, he normally requires the use of the most efficient methods reasonably practicable for the elimination of smoke and grit.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many authorities are unable to obtain qualified persons to carry out the functions of air pollution officers.

There is a shortage of public health inspectors, who normally undertake air pollution duties, but I understand that there was a marked rise in recruitment last year. I regret that I cannot say how many authorities have vacancies unfilled at the present time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has completed his consideration of the possible revision of allowances made to councillors for time lost from work; and what conclusions he has reached.

The amounts which may be paid were increased by Regulations which I laid before Parliament on 27th June and which came into operation on the first of this month.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent there has been an increase in the pollution of rivers by sewage in recent years.

It is impossible to estimate to what extent the pollution of rivers is due to sewage as distinct from other effluents. As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 25th June, the overall pollution is, although still serious, decreasing.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take the initiative in approaching the Government in Madagascar with a view to examining the possibilities of immigration from Mauritius.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply I gave on 3rd July to the hon. Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn). I shall be glad to keep the hon. Member similarly informed of developments.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware of the feeling of uncertainty among the staff of the naval. military and air bases at Singapore as a result of the contemplated defence cuts; and if he will give an assurance that there is no intention at present of dismissing large numbers of men, and that when reductions take place every effort will be made to reabsorb the men in other occupations or to give adequate compensation.

The new defence policy is still being worked out in detail, and I cannot yet say what its effect will be on the level of employment provided by the Services at Singapore. Should reductions on a substantial scale prove to be necessary, Her Majesty's Government will consult the Singapore Government with a view to minimising hardship.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what communication he has had from the African Affairs Board of the Federal Government of Rhodesia and Nyasaland regarding the proposals in the Federal Constitution Amendment Bill regarding the future election of African members.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders known to the police took place in England and Wales in the month of June, 1957.

I regret that the figure is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of Hungarian refugees who applied for permanent jobs as coalminers in the British Isles have been prevented from taking up such jobs by the action of local lodges of the National Union of Mineworkers.

I regret that this information is not available.I am informed by the National Coal Board that 420 Hungarians are employed in coalmining and ancillary occupations, and that a further 1,686 refugees are in training centres.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why a locum tenens, if he can prove employment, even if it be only part-time, and provided he has paid the necessary contributions, is not entitled on injury to Industrial Injuries Benefits payable under regulations made by him.

Entitlement to benefit under the Industrial Injuries Acts depends upon the injured person having been insured under those Acts and having sustained an industrial accident, and there is no condition requiring the payment of a particular number of contributions. Insurability under the Industrial Injuries Acts of a locum tenens normally depends upon the employment being under a contract of service. Where, however, the employment is one in which the practitioner is wholly or mainly engaged and is remunerated by salary, regulations provide that it shall be insurable notwithstanding that it is not under a contract of service. Whether an employment is or is not under a contract of service depends upon the nature of the arrangement made between the persons concerned.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what conditions must be fulfilled under his regulations by a locum tenens before he can be regarded as an employed person for insurance purposes.

To be treated as an employed person under the National Insurance Acts a locum tenens must either be employed under a contract of service and render services in that employment in a particular week for at least four hours, or, where there is no contract of service, must be wholly or mainly engaged in the employment and remunerated by salary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the continued concern which is being caused to apple growers in this country by the volume of imports of apples from overseas, especially from Canada and Italy, and the discouraging effect this is having on United Kingdom growers: and if he will reassure the United Kingdom growers that their interests will be adequately protected by the Government.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to similar Questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on the 11th July.