asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education what plans he has for investigating the degree of opportunity for grammar school education for children attending primary schools in rural areas.

My noble Friend does not think that any usetul purpose would be served by an investigation of this kind.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education what are his latest figures of comprehensive schools completed, under construction, and proposed.

On 31st March, 1957, there were 42 comprehensive schools in existence and eight under construction. The provision of 13 more had been approved under Section 13 (4) of the Education Act, 1944.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that companies are advertising for deposits and offering interest rates of over 10 per cent., without having issued a prospectus, as is required for the offer of shares, and without making available copies of their accounts, or specifying for what purpose the money is to be used; and, in view of the doubts as to the soundness of some of these companies, if he will take steps, by promoting suitable legislation or otherwise, to safeguard the public's savings in such concerns.

I am aware that very high rates are being offered and these no doubt cause prudent lenders to make inquiries. I am considering whether any action on my part is called for

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take, as a result of further con -sideration following the interview with members of the Cotton Mission, to control the volume of cheap cotton goods being imported into the United Kingdom from India and the Far East.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies in his answer to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Darwen (Mr. Fletcher-Cooke) on Tuesday showed what difficult problems are involved in this matter. The Government are studying the position, and I am not yet able to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what changes in the conditions of hire-purchase sales he proposes to make.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the terms of reference of the committee he has set up under the chairmanship of Lord Radcliffe.

To inquire into the working of the monetary and credit system and to make recommendations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about recent discussions between the Board of Inland Revenue and the authorities on the Stock Exchange on dealing in cum-dividend and ex-dividend gilt-edged stocks.

Not at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the present annual amounts of subsidies, grants and other payments from public funds to farmers, forest owners, and shipping companies, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member, respectively, to Table V of my memorandum on the Civil Estimates, to Class VIII, Vote 11, and to Class I, Vote 23, Subhead L, of the Civil Estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent a knowledge of the Welsh language is deemed a qualification for the post of chief inspector of Inland Revenue at Cardiff; how many chief inspectors at the Inland Revenue offices at Cardiff at present are in fact Welsh speaking; and if he will make a statement.

There is no chief inspector at Cardiff. One of the four Cardiff tax districts has a Welsh-speaking inspector in charge.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value in terms of purchasing power on 30th June, 1951, and 30th June, 1957, respectively, of a post-war credit of£50 issued in 1943; and what estimate he has made of the value of that post-war credit at 30th June, 1977, if inflation continues at the average rate of the last three years.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, on the basis of the Consumer Price Index adjusted by the Index of Retail Prices, about£35 in June, 1951, and£28 in June, 1957. The answer to the second part is "None."

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the financial surplus or deficits for each country in the sterling area for the year ended 31st March, 1957; and the effect of such figures upon the dollar and gold reserves of the sterling area.

It is not the practice to give details of the balance of payments of other individual sterling area countries. But the balance of payments White Paper contains some information about the sterling and non-sterling transactions of the rest of the sterling area as a whole during 1956 and earlier years insofar as these enter into the balance of payments of this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that an old-age pensioner or other poor person who is having his rent increased by his landlord needs to purchase the Government's guide "The Rent Act and You," price 6d., and in most cases needs to purchase Form G; whether he is aware that the purchaser is thereby having to pay the Purchase Tax on these items; and whether he will therefore make these items available to old-age pensioners free of Purchase Tax.

The booklet is not subject to Purchase Tax. The element of Purchase Tax in the retail price of Form G is not likely to exceed three halfpence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage increases in inflation of the principal European countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, respectively, from 1945 to the last available date, on the basis of information made available to him by the statistical organs of the United Nations Organisation and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

It is impossible to make valid international comparisons of such a general kind. Certain figures of price changes are published in United Nations and O.E.E.C. publications, but these by no means always point to the same conclusion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the percentage increase in industrial production of the principal European countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, respectively, from 1945 to the last available date, on the basis of information made available to him by the statistical organs of the United Nations Organisation and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

Figures of the increase in industrial production in the principal Western European countries and the U.S.A. from 1948 to the first quarter of 1957 are given below. 1948 is the first post-war year for which complete figures are available.

Percentage increases in industrial production (excluding building) from 1948 to first quarter 1957 (seasonally adjusted)
Belgium	…	…	44*
Denmark	…	…	39
France	…	…	74
Western Germany	…	…	269
Italy	…	…	113*
Netherlands	…	…	87
Norway	…	…	62
Sweden	…	…	33
United Kingdom	…	…	37
U.S.A	…	…	35
*January and February only.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of University Grants Committee grants devoted to engineering and science, respectively, in each year from 1952 onwards and the percentage which these represent of total University Grant Committee grants; and his estimate of the amounts and percentage going for these purposes in the 1957–62 quinquennium and for each year thereof.

The original recurrent grants allocated by the University Grants Committee in the quinquennium 1952–57 were not earmarked for particular subjects, nor are the recurrent grants for the quinquennium 1957–62. During the quinquennium 1952–57 additional recurrent grants were made available to the Committee and allocated by them for the further expansion of technological education. These additional grants were£36,000 for 1953–54,£224,000 for 1954–55,£410,000 for 1955–56 and£570,000 for 1956–57. Account was taken of the expenditure met from these additional grants in determining the recurrent grants for the quinquennium 1957–62.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the University Grants Committee proposed grants allocation for each university for the quinquennium ending 1957; the figures for the last year thereof; and the proposed grants far the 1957–62 quinquennium in total and for each year.

I would refer the right hon. Member to Appendix IV of the Interim Report of the University Grants Committee (Cmnd. 79) which gives the allocation of recurrent grants to each university for the quinquennium 1952–57. There have since been certain changes in the figures for the last academic year of the quinquennium, and the final figures for that year are shown in the Table.The amounts which I propose to provide in recurrent grants for the quinquennium 1957–62 are as follows:—

					£m.
1957–58	…	…	…	…	30·6
1958–59	…	…	…	…	32·3
1959–60	…	…	…	…	34·35
1960–61	…	…	…	…	36·75
1961–62	…	…	…	…	39·5
173?5

These figures do not include provision for the increases in academic salaries announced last March, and additional grants in respeot of these increases will be notified in due course.The allocation of recurrent grant to each university for the academic year 1957–58 is shown in the Table.

Table
—	1956–57	1957–58
	£	£
Birmingham University	1,236,300	1,343,000
Bristol University	891,880	938,000
Cambridge University	1,958,800	2,083.000
Durham University	1,227,460	1,340,000
Exeter University	248,760	263,000
Hull University	263,340	280,000
Leeds University	1,185,900	1,262,000
Leicester University	202,640	229,000
Liverpool University	1,080,140	1,160,000
London University	8,510,800	9,300,000
Manchester University	1,400,040	1,450,000
Manchester College of Science and Technology	500,000	610,000
North Staffordshire University College	183,540	193,000
Nottingham University	565,320	595,000
Oxford University	1,668,020	1,865,000
Reading University	399,540	425,000
Sheffield University	764,780	825,000
Southampton University	299,200	326,000
Wales University	1,323,360	1,418,000
Aberdeen University	624,200	680,000
Edinburgh University	1,375,100	1,480,000
Glasgow University	1,386,500	1,521,000
Glasgow Royal College of Science and Technology	291,960	330,000
St. Andrews University	670,300	694,000
Total, Great Britain.	28,257,880	30,610,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total complement of undergraduates at British universities, subdividing the figure into males and females; and approximately what proportions of each are reading for arts degrees.

The latest figures available are for the academic year 1955–56. I am informed that there were then 72,526 undergraduates, of whom 53,797 were men and 18,729 were women. About 35 per cent. of the men and 62 per cent. of the women were reading for arts degrees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conditions are attached to grants in aid made to national museums and art galleries; and, in making the grants, what right of instruction and direction is reserved.

No conditions are attached to these grants-in-aid, and no right of instructions or direction is reserved in relation to their expenditure of them; but the accounts are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) if he will set out in tabular form expenditure, as a percentage of the gross national products, on defence, Government administration, roads, education, health, agriculture, housing, total debt charges, transport, social insurance, water supplies, and miscellaneous services for 1926 and 1956, respectively;(2) if he will set out in tabular form the main local government expenditure, as a percentage of the gross national product, on administration, roads, drainage, health, education, debt charges, and other services for 1926 and 1956, respectively;(3) if he will set out in tabular form the total revenue raised, as a percentage of the gross national product, by direct taxes, indirect taxes, taxes on foreign trade, income tax, taxation on profits, social insurance, land tax, death duties, excise duties, and motor licences, giving separate figures for each for 1926 and 1956, respectively;(4) if he will set out in tabular form the local revenue sources as a percentage of gross national product for 1926 and 1956, respectively.

For 1955 I would refer the hon. Member to "National Income and Expenditure, 1956", Tables 37, 39, 40 and 42. (The figures for 1926 are either not available or not available in a comparable form.) The figures for 1956 will be published shortly in "National Income and Expenditure, 1957".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which local authorities have made preliminary slaughterhouse plans following the Government's statement of policy in Command Paper No. 9761.

My right hon. Friend suggested to all local authorities in July, 1956, that pending the introduction of new legislation they might discuss with meat traders preliminary proposals for slaughterhouses in their districts. He has not required them to report to him about these proposals, but I understand that discussions have taken place or are proceeding in a good many places.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the estimated cost to the Treasury if a farmer's own manual labour were allowed to rank for grant in cases where grants are available on the cost of the labour of employees or a contractor.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he has no information on which to make a reliable estimate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the veterinary grounds upon which the importation of meat from Kenya has been prohibited.

The importation of un-cooked beef and mutton from Kenya is prohibited because of the risk of introducing disease, particularly rinderpest. The importation of pig meat is permitted from approved areas of Kenya.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what grounds he will allow or disallow licences for the export of eggs to the Continent; and whether the Government subsidy will be forfeit on such eggs as are exported in the future.

The general intention is to grant licences freely except to countries which are normal Danish or Dutch export markets. The export to these countries of eggs which have benefited from the subsidy on home production will not be allowed, but licences will be issued for hatching and other unsubsidised eggs. There will be no recovery of subsidy on any eggs licensed for export. I hope the detailed arrangements will be announced by the end of the month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take whatever action may be necessary to ensure that when there is a surplus of milk to national requirements, such milk will not be wasted but turned into milk tablets for supply to the under-developed countries, either as a free gift or on a cost payment basis.

No whole milk has been wasted. The recent wastage of skimmed milk occurred because, for a few weeks during the peak period of production, available supplies exceeded the manufacturing capacity. Even if acceptable on other grounds the hon. Member's suggestion would be impracticable unless manufacturing plant were increased to process the surplus skimmed milk. But if done on any scale this would be uneconomic because the plant would lie idle for all but a few weeks in the year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why, in addition to milk products, the Milk Marketing Board at their milk bar in Brighton are selling cheese sandwiches and currant buns in competition with private enterprise firms only two minutes' walk from the building built by the Brighton Corporation for other purposes; and what rent they are paying the Birghton Corporation.

This is a matter for the Milk Marketing Board who are trying to increase the sales of milk and milk products.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the concern felt in Mauritius regarding over-population and underemployment; and whether he will consider sending a commission to make an economic survey of the island and investigate the possibilities for secondary industries.

I am aware of the concern felt in Mauritius regarding these problems. On the question of underemployment, the Government of Mauritius are arranging an expert examination of the pattern of employment in the Colony with the object of ascertaining the facts, including those on seasonal unemployment and under-employment. On the question of an economic survey, I understand that Ministers in Mauritius are about to make a general review of the Colony's development plan up to 1962. Until this review has been completed the appointment of an outside commission would, I think, be premature. If the review reveals the need for such a commission, my right hon. Friend will, of course, be pleased to help in making the necessary arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many qualified nurses from Port Louis, Mauritius, are studying in this country; and what exemptions are given them when they enter for their courses at United Kingdom hospitals.

As far as I can ascertain there are at present no qualified nurses from Port Louis, Mauritius, in training at hospitals in this country. The General Nursing Council for England and Wales does not grant exemptions to nurses trained in Mauritius.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amount of money has been voted by the Government of Mauritius towards the foundation of the Mauritius Students Unit; what is to be the staff; and what services it will give to students in the United Kingdom.

The Government of Mauritius has voted£4,725 towards the setting up of the Mauritius Students Unit. The staff consists of the supervisor, one welfare officer and three clerical assistants.The main duties of the Unit are:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what income was derived by the Lusaka Town Council from the sale of beer in African beer halls in the years 1954, 1955 and 1956, respectively; and, of this amount, what was spent upon schemes for African welfare.

I am asking the Governor for this information and when I have his reply will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether, with regard to the announcement that the Government of Uganda are to introduce inter-racial education in Government secondary schools next year, he will give some details of the scheme; in which schools it will be introduced first; and what are the plans for extending it.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require that persons emigrating to Commonwealth countries with assisted passages shall not be allowed to leave the country until they have signed statements on oath that they are leaving no debts behind.

No. I do not consider that the course proposed would be appropriate or effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the comment of the Common Serjeant on 8th July when sentencing a Maltese to 21 months' imprisonment at the Old Bailey for living on immoral earnings in relation to the undesirability of the prisoner's presence in the United Kingdom; and whether, in view of this, he will now take steps to prevent such people from entering the country.

Yes, but my hon. Friend's suggestion would involve a general control over the entry of British subjects from the Commonwealth, and on the information available I am not convinced that the extent of the mischief is such as to call for so controversial and far-reaching a measure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted and how many convicted for being under the influence of drink when in charge of a car during, the last twelve months of which he has a record; and, of those convicted, how many were fined and how many imprisoned.

The number of prosecutions in England and Wales in 1955 for the offences of driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drink or drugs was 3,867. The number of convictions was 3,311; sentences of imprisonment were imposed in 209 cases and fines were imposed in 3,059 cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not grant a return visa to a foreigner unless he or she has a passport or travel document for return to his or her own country for a period longer than two months; what is the origin and date of this rule; to what countries it applies; and if in exceptional cases such as that of Miss Huang, details of which have been given to him, he will relax this rule.

The object of the rule, which has been in use for many years, is to enable foreigners, whose departure it might otherwise be difficult to enforce, to be sent out of the country while their papers are still valid. It was originally applied to persons travelling on refugees, stateless or other non-national travel documents, but it was subsequently extended to nationals of Iron Curtain countries. The period was at one time one month, but it was found necessary to increase it to two months. It is possible sometimes to relax the application of the rule, and I have written to my hon. Friend about the case of Miss Huang.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will include the Criminal Lunatics Act, 1800, the Criminal Lunatic Asylums Act, 1860, the Criminal Lunatics Act, 1883, and the Criminal Lunatics Act, 1884, in the revision of mental health legislation on which Her Majesty's Government propose to embark.

I shall consider how far the principles embodied in the legislative proposals which result from the Government's consideration of the report of the Royal Commission on Mental Health can be reflected in the practice and legislation relating to Broadmoor patients. Broadmoor patients do, however, present special problems. They were not, for that reason, included in the Royal Commission's terms of reference, and it would not in my view and as at present advised be appropriate to combine a revision of the law relating to Broadmoor patients with the revision of mental health legislation arising out of the Royal Commission's Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement in respect of the investigations now being made by the Fraud Squad of Scotland Yard into allegations of irregularities in the disposal of Government surplus stocks; what is the period covered by the investigations; what are the main types of goods involved; and which foreign Governments and which British Government Departments are concerned in the investigations.

Police investigations into alleged offences are confidential and I am not prepared to disclose information about them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the number of offences known to the police to have been committed within the Chigwell Urban District of Essex by juveniles against persons and property, including buildings belonging to churches, public bodies and private individuals has recently increased; and whether he will make a statement.

I regret that separate figures are not available, but I have no reason to think that the number of those offences committed in Chigwell by juveniles is on the increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders have become known to the police since the Homicide Act came into effect; and what are the numbers for the same period in each of the three preceding years.

The number of murders recorded as known to the police from 21st March, 1957, when the Homicide Act received the Royal Assent, to 31st May, the last date for which figures are available, is 57. In addition, one case of manslaughter was recorded which before the passing of the Homicide Act would have been recorded as murder. It is not possible to divide the figures for March in previous years, but the total numbers for the months March, April and May in the years 1954–1957 were, respectively: 54, 52, 45 and 68 (excluding the case of manslaughter just mentioned). The figures for all four periods include cases recorded as murder but subsequently found not to be murder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bodily injuries have been noticed by medical officers during examinations of Cypriot prisoners at any period during their confinement in Wormwood Scrubs Prison.

On reception, the following notes were made by the medical officer:Prisoner No. 8089

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he is aware that a British minister of religion has recently been refused admission to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; and what representations he has made.

Entry into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is a matter within the responsibility of the Federal Government.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many air pollution officers will be required to make effective the provisions of the Clean Air Act, 1956; and how many of this number are likely to be available.

The number of officers required can only be determined by the individual local authorities, in the light of local circumstances from time to time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the average annual deposit of solid particles per square mile in the Osmaston Ward of Derby. and in the area around the central police station, during the years 1952, 1953 and 1954.

The following is the reply:

DEPOSITED MATTER IN STANDARD GAUGES, EXPRESSED IN TONS PER SQUARE MILE PER ANNUM, 1952–54*
—	1952	1953	1954
Central Police Station	272	225	261
Osmaston Ward	734	722	775
* The values do not necessarily indicate the average deposition over the whole square mile centred at the deposit gauge.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he claims copyright in the wording of Form G; and whether duplicated copies of this form distributed by the North Paddington Labour Party will be regarded as meeting his Regulations made under the Rent Act when used by tenants for the purpose of requesting landlords to undertake repairs.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey (Lady Gammans). there is no copyright in the notices prescribed under the Rent Act and anyone is free to reproduce and distribute them. There is no requirement as to the method of reproduction. The notices must however be in the form prescribed in the Regulations, or in a form substantially to the same effect, and in addition must contain the appropriate notes prescribed in the Regulations.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken by his food inspectors to see whether the milk bars on the Brighton promenade are hygienic; and what has been the result of this investigation.

Responsibility for inspection rests with the town council. and not with my right hon. Friend, but I understand that the premises are periodically inspected and that the occupiers are complying with the council's requirements.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will extend his instructions for the pre-legislative review of certified mental patients to patients detained in private mental hospitals; and what agency will be responsible for the carrying out of such a review.

The Royal Commission did not recommend any review of patients in mental hospitals (as distinct from mental deficiency hospitals) before new legislation.

asked the Paymaster-General what representations he has made to the Iron and Steel Board to keep prices fixed at their present level in the interests of export trade.

None. The Iron and Steel Board is fully aware of the need to maintain British industry's ability to compete in overseas markets.

asked the Pay master-General the estimated yearly amount in tons of fuel oils and petrol expected to be landed at Inverness harbour during th next three years; and approximately what percentage this figure represents of the total amount of fuel oils and petrol used in the Highlands area.

The information is not available in my Department. This type of forecasting is properly the commercial business of the oil companies who are always concerned to ensure that all parts of the country are adequately and economically supplied.

asked the Paymaster-General what storage facilities for oil and petrol already exist or it is intended to construct in the near future in the Inverness Harbour area.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General the date on which the shared wavelength between the Northern Region and Northern Ireland was first used for broadcasting.

On 29th July, 1945, when Regional services were resumed after the war.