asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he authorised a speech by Captain W. J. Munn, of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, alleging that the cuts in the armed services are due to slackness on the part of the British worker and what action he proposes to take to prevent a repetition of statements of this kind by serving officers.

The statement to which my hon. Friend refers was made not in a speech but in answer to questions following a speech about the activities of the Royal Naval College, which Captain Munn made at a local luncheon. My noble Friend does not consider that this episode calls for any elaboration of the existing instructions which lay down that Admiralty approval is to be obtained for any public statement on official matters.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the Army Council will reach a decision on the application of the wife of an officer, whose name has been sent to him, to recover by deduction from his retired pay arrears of maintenance unpaid since before 1954.

A decision has now been reached. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War why grants payable to the widowed mothers of National Service men are at a lower rate than the scales of the National Assistance Board and if he will take steps to revise the basis of assessment to mitigate the resulting hardship when a widow's son is called up.

National Service grants are not related to scales of National Assistance. They may be larger or smaller. They are assessed according to the financial help given by a soldier to his dependant before he is called up.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the record of the York and Lancaster Regiment and the place which it holds in the affections and loyalties of the people of Sheffield, he will give an assurance that this regiment will not lose its identity as a result of any reorganisation of the Army.

I hope to make a statement about Army reorganisation next week. Until then I cannot say what is to be the future of particular regiments.

asked the Secretary of State for War what progress has been made in the development of Army aviation which he has announced and what effect this will have on the Glider Pilot Regiment.

In March, I said that the Army would take over responsibility for its own light aircraft and helicopters. Arrangements have now been made.The duties to be undertaken include reconnaissance, artillery observation, traffic control in operational conditions, communications, some casualty collection and the carriage of urgently needed light stores.These duties will be given to a separate Army formation, and a new corps, to be called the Army Air Corps, will be formed on 1st September, 1957. It will be a comparatively small body, largely specialists and technicians, attached from other Arms and specially trained.The basic unit of the Army Air Corps will be the flight, one of which would normally be part of an Army brigade group, but this organisation will be flexible and may be modified with experience and according to local requirements, especially overseas. Flights will normally specialise in either reconnaissance or liaison duties.First line and second line servicing will for the first time be done by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, but we shall continue to rely upon the Royal Air Force for major repairs and overhauls and for the provisioning of aircraft and specialist equipment, as well as for the training of selected members of R.E.M E. to tit them for their new duties. I am most grateful to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Air, for this continued help.A number of the pilots now flying military light aircraft are members of the Glider Pilot Regiment. They assumed this duty in 1950 when the use of gliders was discontinued. Now that the character of Army aviation is changing, it is appropriate to absorb the Glider Pilot Regiment into the new corps and the regiment itself will be disbanded on 1st September. This is a step we must take with very much regret and with the deepest gratitude for the services given by this fine regiment during the war in Sicily, Normandy. Holland and on the Rhine.The traditions of the Glider Pilot Regiment, together with those of the air observation post flights which have hitherto been manned with conspicuous success by the Royal Artillery but are now to be absorbed into the new organisation, will give the best possible foundation for the Army Air Corps.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the initial cost to his Department of the making of 35 millimetre road safety films distributed through the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

My Department bears the net cost of the road safety film service of 16 and 35 millimetre films which is provided by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. This was approximately £2,100 in 1955–56 and £3,300 in 1956–57. The films themselves are not made by my Department but are acquired by the Society from many different sources, and the cost of copies varies considerably.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what authorities he co-ordinates in discharging his special responsibilities for London traffic and what are their respective spheres of responsibility.

The principal authorities with responsibilities affecting traffic in London are, in addition to my right hon. Friend, the police, the Metropolitan boroughs and the London County Council but other bodies, such as the London Transport Executive and the organisations representing vehicle interests are intimately concerned. There is also the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee representative of all these interests which we have a statutory obligation to consult before carrying out the duties laid on us by the London Traffic Act, 1924.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he intends to bring Section 33 of the Road Traffic Act, 1956, relating to the prohibition of certain types of traffic on roads of special amenity value, into force.

We hope to bring this Section into force before the Christmas Recess.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will introduce legislation to provide that instructors employed by motoring schools should hold certificates of proficiency, or otherwise prove their competence to teach car-driving.

I propose to review the whole question of the standards of driving tuition when I receive a report from my Departmental Committee on Road Safety, which is at present examining matters related to the improvement of standards of driving, and is expected to cover in its report the question raised by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will consult with the British Transport Commission with a view to its preparing a new plan in accordance with Section 4 (2) of the Transport Act, 1947, for reorganising and developing the ports of South Wales that will include the provision of additional and up-to-date facilities at Cardiff docks.

As the hon. Gentleman knows the Commission has only recently given full consideration to this matter and I do not think there are grounds, in present circumstances, for me to ask them to look at it again.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet been able to look into the purchasing arrangements of the British Transport Commission in accordance with his recent undertaking.

In the first instance I have asked the Chairman of the Commission as a matter of urgency to provide me with a full and detailed report on the allegations made. He has told me that he welcomes an opportunity to put his case to me and will see that the report is in my hands at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what representations he has received regarding the realignment of the Bilston Lane railway bridge in Willenhall, Staffordshire; and what reply he sent.

The Willenhall Urban District Council has suggested to me that this bridge should be re-aligned, but I have told the Council that I can only make a grant at present towards the cost of strengthening the existing bridge and the provision of a footbridge. This work is now in hand.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the need for the completion of the dual carriageway on the East Ham—Barking by-pass and whether he will make a statement on the Government's intentions regarding this stretch of road.

I hope that work on constructing a second carriageway and cycle tracks will be started before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what representations have been made to him by the British Overseas Airways Corporation to be allowed to enter into an associate agreement, under Section 15 of the Air Corporations Act, 1949, with independent companies, in which the independent companies concerned would be allotted 30 per cent. of the estimated tourist traffic from the United Kingdom to Nairobi, Salisbury and Accra and 30 per cent. of the mail and freight carried to those destinations.

Requests to be allowed to enter into associate agreements normally come from the independent companies concerned and not from the Corporations. In the cases to which the hon. Member refers, the policy I announced on 26th June, which applies only to colonial coach routes already established as such, was recommended to me by the Air Transport Advisory Council. I have asked B.O.A.C. to play its part in implementing it and this it will do.

asked the Minister of Defence what consultations he has with the Service Departments before promotions are made to flag rank or its equivalent and on what grounds he gave his consent to the recently-announced naval promotions.

I am consulted by the Service Ministers with regard to a number of the more important appointments. The promotions referred to in the Question were to the rank of rear admiral only and on these I should not normally wish to be consulted.

asked the Minister of Defence what action has been taken to reduce the number of scientists and technicians employed by the defence Departments and to what extent there has been any change in the policy foreshadowed in this respect in Command Paper No. 124.

There has been no change in policy. The number of scientists and technicians employed in the defence Departments has been reduced by 800 since the beginning of this year, and the process will continue.

asked the Minister of Defence, in view of the reduction of Service personnel, if he will state the reduction in civilian staff at the War Office, Admiralty and Air Ministry, respectively.

I am unable to give any figures at this stage but in due course the reductions should be substantial.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people in the County of Glamorgan were unemployed at the

asked the Minister of Labour how many people in the Borough of Barry had been unemployed for more than six months at the latest convenient date to what extent these figures reveal a recent improvement and if he will make a statement.

Seventy-seven at 17th June, a decrease of eleven compared with March, 1957.

On 17th June, 1957, there were 10,001 persons unemployed in the County of Glamorgan as compared with 11,551 in the preceding month. This decrease in numbers unemployed since the winter is, I am glad to say, rather more than can be attributed to seasonal factors alone.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers unemployed in the Kirkcaldy and Leslie areas, respectively how these figures compare with those of the last five years and what was the number of unfilled vacancies in each of the years from 1951 to June, 1957.

The Table below gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in the radio industry at the latest convenient date.

At 17th June, 1957, the total numbers registered as unemployed were 1,031 in the wireless apparatus and gramophone industry and 322 in the wireless valves and electric lamps industry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people in Wales had been unemployed for more than six months at the latest convenient date to what extent this figure represents a recent improvement and if he will make a statement.

Six thousand seven hundred and two at 17th June. This was an increase of 519 compared with March, 1957. An increase of the same proportion occurred in Great Britain as a whole.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons registered at the Feltham and Hounslow Employment Exchanges at the latest convenient date.

At 17th June, 1957, there were 53 men and 40 women registered as unemployed at Feltham Employment Exchange and 147 men and 78 women at Hounslow Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the large-scale redundancy which is imminent at the Daimler Works. Coventry and what action he is taking to keep the workers in useful employment.

I understand that the firm is considering reducing its labour force by some 300 men. The Employment Exchange service will be available to help any redundant workers to obtain other employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation working parties on the European Free Trade Area proposals.

Much useful work has been done, and the progress made up to the present time can be regarded as satisfactory.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the authorities of the British Museum on the possibility of storing outside London copies of current books which have to be retained under the Copyright Act, 1911.

There have been discussions at various times but the proposal in the hon. Member's Question presents serious difficulties, some of which were explained to her in an Adjournment debate on 10th April, 1956.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received as to the adequacy of the present Government grant to the British Museum for current and capital expenditure.

The Trustees in 1953 and on the occasion of subsequent annual estimates have indicated ways in which larger sums than have been voted could usefully be employed on current and capital expenditure.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education how many primary and voluntary schools, respectively, are without a piped water supply laid on in the Counties of Merioneth, Montgomery and Radnor and what are the alternative kinds of supply.

No county or voluntary primary or secondary school in Merioneth is without a piped water supply. Eleven county primary and 14 voluntary primary schools in Montgomeryshire and one voluntary primary school in Radnorshire are without such a supply. I understand that, except for one school in Montgomeryshi7e, to which water is carried by bucket, water is supplied to these schools from springs, pumps and wells. No secondary school in these two counties is without a piped water supply.

asked the Minister of Health when the increased contributions towards the cost of the National Health Service provided for under the National Health Service Contributions Bill will become payable.

It is intended that the increased contributions shall begin on 2nd September, 1957 and the revised estimates for the National Health Service recently presented have been framed on that basis.

asked the Postmaster-General if he can now say what he intends to do to mark the forthcoming conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Fourpenny postage stamps sold during the conference, and for a short time afterwards, are to carry the words "46th Parliamentary Conference". Air letter forms bearing a new stamp design depicting Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, which are due to be issued in September, will also be overprinted for a time with this legend. In addition, correspondence posted from the 12th to the 19th September in the Palace of Westminster and at the special Post Office which is to be provided for the conference in Church House will be postmarked with a special date-stamp.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of crans of herring, and their value, landed at Inverness Harbour for the years 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, and 1956–57, respectively.

The quantity and value of herring landings at Inverness between 1953 and 1957 were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet investigated the complaints made in letters by prisoners in Peterhead Prison, which letters have been forwarded to him and if, in view of the gravity and particularity of these charges made from different sources and repeated over long periods, he will take steps to have them investigated at a public inquiry at which inquiry the complainants can adduce evidence and be represented by counsel or near friend as desired.

Almost all of the complaints to which the hon. Member refers have already been fully investigated, and I am satisfied that no public inquiry is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has been able to arrange for an exhibit on rabbit clearance to be displayed within the precincts of the House.

In response to the wishes of the Scottish Standing Committee, I have arranged for the display suggested. It will form part of an exhibit on rabbit clearance by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Agriculture for Scotland in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday, 22nd to Thursday, 25th July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is yet in a position to make a further statement about the application from the National Farmers' Unions for an increase in the tariff on fresh apples and pears.

Her Majesty's Government have been giving careful consideration to the question of the long-term arrangements for imports of apples and pears into the United Kingdom in connection with the National Farmers Unions' application for increased tariff protection. They have reached the conclusion that it will not be practicable in the foreseeable future, in view of our international commitments, to revise the import duties on these products.Meanwhile, quantitative restrictions on the import of a number of goods, including apples and pears, continue to be necessary for balance of payments reasons.When such quota restrictions can no longer be justified on balance of payments grounds the Government will give the interests concerned a full opportunity before the restrictions are removed to discuss what arrangements may then be necessary in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now received the Report of the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offienders on alternatives to short terms of imprisonment.

Yes. The Report has been presented to me and is being published today. I am considering the Council's recommendations, and since some of them will be of particular interest to justices I am sending copies of the report to clerks to justices with a request that they will bring it to the justices' attention.