asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to clear perishable foodstuffs now piling up at the docks.

I understand that perishable foodstuffs are not now accumulating at the docks, and that substantial quantities of the cargoes which were causing concern have been moved.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1)the number and estimated percentage of farms on which supervision orders have been made in each of the last 10 years, distinguishing new from extended orders;(2)the number of farms in each county on which supervision orders have been made during the last 10 years and in 1956.

This information is being obtained and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the treatment, immediately before slaughter, of livestock, whose carcases are imported into this country, does not always conform to the recommendations of the Working Party of experts set up by the Council of the Western European Union for the treatment of British cattle exported to the Continent; and if he will refuse to allow carcases to be imported from countries where stock are not so treated.

No. The treatment of non-British livestock in other countries is a matter of domestic policy for the Governments concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the chairmen of the disciplinary committees of agricultural marketing boards are required, by law, to be independent, but that they are, in fact, paid by the board who are the prosecutors at meetings of these committees; and what action he is taking in the matter.

The chairmen of the disciplinary committees of agricultural marketing boards are independent persons, as required by the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1949, with legal qualifications and approved by the Minister. I would not agree that their independence is affected by the fact that their fees are paid by the board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not carried out the recommendation of the Arton Wilson Committee that the adjudicating functions of the county agricultural executive committees should be wholly delegated to special panels; and whether, in view of the recommendations of the Franks Committee, he now proposes to do so forthwith, pending further action upon its Report.

When, in reply to the hon. Gentleman's Question on 2nd August, 1956, I announced my decisions on the Wilson Committee's recommendations, I said I was not convinced, by the considerations with which that Committee was concerned, that it was necessary so substantially to change the committee arrangements made under the Agriculture Act, 1947. However, as I then explained, the decisions I then took in no way prejudiced consideration of the recommendations of the Franks Committee. To these I am now giving careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will require the British Broadcasting Corporation to announce outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease during the market report at 6.30 a.m. and the news at 7 a.m., mentioning any markets that are closed in consequence, so that farmers in nearby areas may be saved from the risk involved in moving stock from their farms in affected areas.

There is the closest cooperation between the B.B.C. and my Department for broadcasting announcements of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and the arrangements satisfied the Departmental Committee on Foot and Mouth Disease which reported in 1954. It would be impracticable to include in the broadcast announcement details of the markets that are closed, but farmers are able to obtain this information locally without difficulty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider making the disease known as orf in sheep a notifiable disease, in view of its contagious nature and the spread of the disease in the County of Kent.

Although some cases of orf occur in different parts of the country, including Kent, I do not regard the disease as of sufficient importance to be made notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1950.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what experiments have been made with inoculation or other veterinary methods as an alternative to quarantine for dogs being brought here from abroad; and why no steps have been taken to reduce or abolish quarantine by the use of modern scientific methods.

It has been demonstrated in other countries over many years that while inoculation of dogs is a useful method of control where rabies is endemic it cannot be relied upon to confer complete immunity. An expert committee set up by the World Health Organisation has expressed the view that countries free from rabies should continue to prohibit the import of dogs and cats or to subject them to a long period of quarantine, preferably six months, at the port of entry. I am entirely satisfied, so far as this country is concerned, that to reduce the quarantine period or to rely on inoculation would be an unjustifiable risk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the average production per acre of farms under 100 acres in size for 1939 and at the latest convenient date, and the same information for farms of 300 acres and over.

The available information relates to a small sample of farms covered by the Farm Management Survey which is undertaken by the agricultural economists at the universities. In the size groups nearest to those asked for, analysis of this information shows that in 1954–55 net output per acre on farms of 50 to 100 acres was £29 and on farms of 300 to 500 acres was £25. No comparable analysis is available for 1939.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the Government's views on the principal conclusions and recommendations of the Runciman Committee on Horticultural Marketing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is yet able to make a statement on the Report of the Runciman Committee on Horticultural Marketing.

The Runciman Committee on Horticultural Marketing reported that in its view there was no need for changes of a fundamental character in the present system of marketing and distribution of vegetables, fruit and flowers. It nevertheless saw the need and the opportunity for improvement. The Government accept this broad conclusion.The Committee recommended that a Horticultural Marketing Council should be established to promote and coordinate improvements affecting marketing and distribution. This recommendation has received general support in Great Britain and the Government accept it. Differing views are held on the composition, constitution, powers and financing of the Council and I am inviting the interests concerned to meet my Department with a view to seeing how these can be reconciled.The Committee recommended that the wholesale trade should form an organisation to establish and maintain standards of business practice among salesmen. The Government agree and hope that the trade will take the necessary steps as soon as possible.The Government also accept the recommendation that certain changes should be made in the Horticultural Produce (Sales on Commission)Act, 1926, for the better protection of producers.The Committee hold that a national central market is essential to the efficient marketing of horticultural produce but that improvements are needed to reduce traffic congestion and accelerate the flow of produce. The public authorities and the numerous organisations affected are being consulted on this and the other recommendations. I propose to make a further statement as soon as consultations are complete.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the chief items of miscellaneous food preparations as listed in the Trade and Navigation Accounts, which were imported from the United States of America in the first six months of 1957, together with the value of each.

The total value of the imports from the U.S.A. under this heading was £5,255,609 of which £5,227,564 related to lard.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the chief kinds of fruit and vegetables imported from the United States of America during the first six months of this year, together with the value of each.

The chief items were as follows:

	£
Fresh fruit
Apples	687,271
Grapes (other than hothouse grapes)	158,180
Pears	189,383
Fruit tinned and bottled in syrup	339,258
Dried peas	603,001
Dried beans	1,560,719
Prunes	872,509
Raisins and sultanas	769,561

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional measures he has in mind to further the Government's policy of en couraging the fullest use of our grassland resources.

The Government have made clear in successive Review White Papers that the fullest use of our grassland resources is a chief element in their agricultural policy, and there are a number of schemes, e.g., the drainage and ploughing grants and the fertiliser, liming and silo subsidies which further this objective. They would, however, welcome any other steps that might usefully be taken in this direction, and to that end the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to appoint a Committee of Inquiry on this subject with the following terms of reference:

"To consider methods of further stimulating the better production and use of grass, in conjunction with other green fodder crops, with a view to reducing the cost of production of livestock and livestock products and securing economies in imports of feedingstuffs, and to make recommendations."

The Chairman of the Committee will be Sir Sidney Caine, K.C.M.G.; membership of the Committee will be announced later.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet received a further report from the Humane Traps Advisory Committee.

The Third Report of the Committee has now been received and copies are available in the Vote Office. Since its appointment in 1954, the Committee have examined 174 traps and now recommend three of them for approval for use in rabbit holes and three for use against small ground vermin. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Mr. Roland Dudley and his colleagues on the Committee for the valuable work they have put in on this difficult problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he is aware that European farmers on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro are rain making by means of balloon bomb experiments; that this is inconveniencing some neighbouring farmers; and what advice the Meteorological Department of the East Africa High Commission is giving to these amateur rainmakers.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th June, 1957; Vol. 571, c. 105], supplied the following information:Certain farms in the West Kilimanjaro area were suffering from drought. At the request of the West Kilimanjaro Farmers' Association, an officer of the East African Meteorologolical Department attended a meeting and explained the principles and mechanics of seeding rain clouds with small balloons which are designed to explode and scatter salt into potential rain clouds in order to induce precipitation. Some members of the Association tried out this balloon method in the early part of this year on their own account and were successful in inducing an appreciable increase in rainfall on their farms.It is understood, however, that owing to inexperience the wrong cloud was seeded in one or two instances so that rain fell on the land of a neighbouring farmer at time when his harvesting operations demanded fine weather.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he will state the proportion of cultivated land in Tanganyika which is farmed by Europeans and Africans respectively. The proportion of the territory which is at present under cultivation and the number of African farmers who are growing the main cash crop of Tanganyika sisal.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 949–50], supplied the following information:Farmland in arable, orchard, plantation or pastoral use in Tanganyika is estimated at 45·4 million acres out of a total land area of 219·3 million acres or just over 20 per cent. It is estimated that the proportion of European farmed land to the whole farm area in the territory is about 5 per cent. as against about 94 per cent. farmed by Africans. No statistics are kept of the number of African sisal growers, although it is estimated that at least 100,000 African farmers cut and process sisal grown on their holdings as an adjunct to the increasingly important cash crop, cotton.

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.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 97–8], supplied the following additional information:I can confirm that the terms of the revised Fernando Po Labour Agreement which was drawn up in July 1956 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 not, therefore, in a position at the moment to give details of the terms which may be finally agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of Africans in Nyasaland who have been recruited annually for the years 1955–57 to work in Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and the Union of South Africa, respectively.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 942], supplied the following information:Labourers recruited for:

		Southern Rhodesia	South Africa
1955	…	8,096	12,580
1956	…	11,059	13,980
1957 (Jan. to June)	…	9,246	5,088

No African labour is recruited in Nyasaland by any Northern Rhodesian agency.There is no evidence of a connection between migrant labour and the matrilineal system in Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what is the calorific content of the food ration valued at 4d. a day allotted to agricultural labourers in Nyasaland; and what is the number of industrial firms who provide a free midday meal without a deduction from pay.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th July 1957; Vol. 573, c. 943], supplied the following information:The Governor reports that it has not yet been possible to complete the detailed investigation necessary to enable the required information to be furnished. I will therefore publish the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT after the Recess and meanwhile write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available.

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.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 96], supplied the following further information:The first part of the Question does not arise as no Africans at present hold registered title to agricultural land—though they have done so in the past. Lessees of Crown Land may apply for freehold title, irrespective of race, provided they possess the necessary farming experience and sufficient capital to develop the land. At present, no African farmers are known to possess these qualifications.The question of individual land tenure for Africans, other than land tenure through customary native law, is under examination by the Northern Rhodesia Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the mass arrests of Northern Rhodesian African Congress officers and members on 29th July at Kasama in Northern Province, and that no bail is being allowed; and whether he will make a statement.

I have no information on this. I am asking the Governor about it and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Italians have been granted permits to take up work in Aden in each of the years 1954, 1955, 1956, and the first six months of 1957; and whether he is satisfied that these immigrants are not lessening the opportunities of the local people of Aden from obtaining higher and more responsible jobs.

The number of entry permits granted to Italians was as follows:

1954	…	…	222
1955	…	…	131
1956	…	…	131
1957 (first half)	…	…	19

Some of these persons have now left the Colony but figures are not available.The large number of permits granted in 1954–1956 relate to an exceptional period of building and construction when a large number of skilled workers were required for the refinery and port construction projects.Entry permits for varying periods not exceeding three years to take up employment are granted only for occupations in which it is certified by the Labour Commissioner, with the advice of a panel which includes employers and trade union representatives, that there are not sufficient residents employed or suitable for employment in those occupations. Employers are responding satisfactorily to the advice of the Labour Commissioner that where it can reasonably be done skilled immigrants should train local residents to take over their jobs on expiry of the immigrant's permit.For these reasons I am satisfied that Italian or other immigrants are not lessening opportunities of Adenis securing higher and more responsible jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of overseas civil servants employed in each of the African Colonial Territories and on secondment to the Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland on 31st January in each of the years 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957, respectively.

I regret that the information required is not available and could not be obtained without much research and inquiry from the Governments concerned.The numbers of overseas civil servants serving at the beginning of 1956 in the undermentioned territories were as follows:

Gambia	106
Gold Coast	1,485
Kenya	3,347
Nigeria:
Federal	1,819
Northern Region	1,243
Eastern Region	357
Western Region	468
Northern Rhodesia	1,111
Nyasaland	716
Sierra Leone	383
Somaliland	161
Tanganyika	2,279
Uganda	1,555
Zanzibar	136
On secondment to the Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland	340

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the proposed new constitution for Brunei, including the composition of the Privy Council, the Executive Council and the Legislative Council and the basis of representation of the unofficial members.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Sorensen)on 25th July.I am not yet in a position to make a statement on the detailed constitutional proposals, since some are still under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals are being considered for constitutional association, by federation or other means, between Brunei, Sarawak and North Borneo.

I would refer the hon. Member to the relevant part of the reply given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Sorensen)on 25th July.There are at present no formal or official proposals for closer association before the peoples of the territories, but the subject is naturally one of interest both to the people and the Governments of the Borneo territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what principal commodities the duties of$85,260,790 were levied in Hong Kong in the year 1955–56.

The revenue from duties in the financial year 1955–56 was made up as follows:

	$H.K.
1. Import duty on hydrocarbon oils	22,051,407·03
2. Import duty on liquor	11,190,994·90
3. Import duty on perfumed spirits	447,142·95
4. Import duty on tobacco	37,356,960·27
5. Duty on locally-manufactured liquor	8,813,287·97
6. Duty on proprietary medicines and toilet preparations	3,418,036·44
7. Duty on table waters	1,982,959·94
Total	85,260,789·50

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the main countries of origin of the 274 million square yards of cotton cloth imported into Hong Kong in 1956.

The main countries of origin were Japan (145 million square yards)and China (101 million square yards).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the successful development of the extramural studies by the University College of Makerere in Uganda and Kenya, he will advise the extension of the work of the Extra-Mural Department to Tanganyika also.

The extension of the work of the Extra-Mural Department to Tanganyika is a matter for the Government of Tanganyika in consultation with the authorities at Makerere College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding his meetings with the delegation of Kenya African elected members, with particular reference to their request for increased African representation.

I cannot usefully add to the statement which I made in reply to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway)on 1st August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many times, for what periods, and at what places, curfews have been enforced in Cyprus since E.O.K.A. instructed its supporters to end acts of violence; and how many Cypriots have been arrested under the Emergency Regulations or for security reasons since that date.

I have asked the Governor for the information and will send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a further statement on the financial assistance to be given by Her Majesty's Government to the West Indies after it becomes an independent member of the Commonwealth.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government in this respect remains in accordance with the statement contained in my address to the 1956 Conference on British Caribbean Federation. The relevant passage from the Report of the Conference, Cmd. 9733, is as follows:

"Self-government meant something more than the formal relinquishment by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of constitutional powers of control. It meant that a country must be able to stand on its own feet economically and financially, that it could finance its own administration and was able and prepared to assume responsibility for its own defence, and its own international relations to the extent that either was involved at its geographical or international standing. On the other hand, in these days, no country was independent in the sense of being entirely self-contained and self-sufficient. Mutual help was one of the great principles of the Commonwealth, and there was no reason why one member or group of members should not help other members with their economic development, perhaps on the lines of the Colombo Plan. Nor would self-government preclude arrangements for intra-Commonwealth commerce, of which the Commonwealth sugar agreement was an example. Unlike the situation where a state relied for its existence on outside help, there was nothing derogatory to a country's dignity in accepting the help of other partners to improve its economic situation and develop its resources to the general advantage of the partnership. The Commonwealth was an association of free nations, each of which was independent in the sense outlined."

I regret that in addressing the House on the 26th July on the draft West Indies (Federation)Order in Council, I may have misled the House on the subject of Her Majesty's Government's financial undertaking towards Federation.Under the British Caribbean Federation Act, 1956, I am enabled to make to the Federal Government the following:

asked the Minister of Defence if he will give consideration to publishing a list of buildings or land, belonging to any of the three Services, which will become redundant owing to the reductions in the Armed Forces, giving ample notice, so that public authorities and responsible institutions or associations will have the opportunity of acquiring them before they are otherwise disposed of.

The Service Departments will inform the local planning authorities of all land and property which is no longer needed for Government purposes. There will also be adequate advertisement and notice of surplus property to be sold on the open market.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education what would be the estimated net saving if educational divisional executives were to be abolished; and what would be the estimated net saving if the number of existing committees were to be reduced by half.

On the information available, it is difficult to make any reliable estimate of net saving. If divisional administration were abolished everywhere, including the excepted districts, and nothing were substituted, the net saving in administrative costs, which would not necessarily be realised immediately, might be of the order of £1 million a year. The answer to the second part of the Question would depend on various factors and, in particular, on the process by which the number of divisional executives was reduced by half.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the United Kingdom delegate to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations voted on 24th July on the resolution approving full political rights for women and equal pay for equal work; and how the other delegates voted.

The United Kingdom representative abstained on both resolutions. The Economic and Social Council adopted the first by fifteen votes to none with two abstentions, the other abstention being that of the Netherlands representative; and the second by thirteen votes to none with four abstentions, namely the United Kingdom, Canada, Greece and the Netherlands.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how the United Kingdom delegate to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations voted on 30th July on the recommendation to the General Assembly to proceed with the establishment of a Special United Nations Fund for economic development in underdeveloped countries; and how the other delegates voted.

The United Kingdom representative voted against the resolution, which was taken on 31st July. So did the representatives of Canada and the United States. The other fifteen members of the Economic and Social Council voted for the resolution.The United Kingdom representative voted in favour of an amendment which, if it had been adopted, would have urged the General Assembly to consider what further steps might facilitate agreement, including the possibility of asking Governments of States members of the United Nations to reconsider their views. The representatives of Canada, the United States of America and China also supported this amendment, which was, how ever, defeated by eleven votes against the three abstentions.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to find a bed for a mental patient, Miss Maddocks, of 26, Stanley Street, Macclesfield, at present being cared for by her mother aged 78 years, as referred to in previous correspondence with his Department.

Miss Maddocks is high on the waiting list and will be admitted to hospital as soon as a suitable vacancy can be allotted to her.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the conclusion in paragraph 102 of the Report of the Joint Sub-Committee on Welfare Foods that national cod liver oil should continue to be provided for children up to the age of five years because rickets does occasionally occur in this age group, but that there has been a decline in the consumption of such cod liver oil in recent years; and whether he will consider requesting local authorities to examine the possibility of improving the present distribution arrangements as suggested in paragraph 99 of the Report.

This and the other recommendations in the Joint Sub-Committee's Report are already under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware than tenants who raised grounds for objection to increases in rent arising from the Housing, Repairs and Rent Act, 1954, are being discriminated against by the refusal of landlords to offer them a new agreement on their premises being decontrolled; and what steps he has in mind for giving additional protection to this class of tenant.

The provisions of the Rent Act, 1957, encourage landlords of decontrolled properties to make new agreements with the sitting tenants. Tenants who wish to make new agreements must be willing to pay a rent fairly related to the value of the house. Provided that they enter into negotiations with that understanding I would expect agreement to result in most cases, though there are bound to be some in which the parties are unable to agree.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is now in a position to make an announcement regarding the Government's proposals for the introduction of legislation dealing with the anomalies in the law on betting and the taxation thereof.

I have no statement to make on this subject at present. As regards the taxation of betting, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave to his Question on 23rd May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase or decrease there was in the volume of crime in 1956 as compared with 1955; and in which age groups of offenders proceeded against was the increase or decrease most marked.

The provisional figures for 1956 show an increase in the number of indictable offences known to the police in all the major categories.

Offence Group				Indictable offences known to the Police
				1955	1956	Percentage increase
Larceny	…	…	…	295,035	323,561	9·7
Breaking and entering	…	…	…	74,907	85,768	14·5
Receiving	…	…	…	7,016	7,215	2·8
Frauds and false pretences	…	…	…	22,966	23,029	0·3
Sexual offences	…	…	…	17,078	17,103	0·1
Violence against the person	…	…	…	7,884	9,307	18·0
Others	…	…	…	13,199	13,727	4·0
TOTAL	…	…	…	438,085	479,710	9·5

The number of male persons found guilty of indictable offences has increased in all age groups. For females there has been a slight decrease in the older age groups and in total, but the number of juveniles shows a small increase.

Age Group			Males			Females
			1955	1956	Variation Per cent.	1955	1956	Variation Per cent.
Age 8 and under 14	…	…	19,147	20,813	+ 8·7	1,440	1,527	+ 6·0
Age 14 and under 17	…	…	13,517	15,029	+ 11·2	1,409	1,446	+ 2·6
Age 17 and under 21	…	…	11,269	13,425	+ 19·1	1,812	1,757	- 3·0
Age 21 and under 30	…	…	20,244	22,461	+ 11·0	2,448	2,376	- 2·9
Age 30 and over	…	…	29,252	30,226	+ 3·3	6,908	6,814	- 1·4
Total	…	…	93,429	101,954	+ 9·0	14,017	13,920	- 0·7

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that substantial sums in cash have been made available through foreign banks in London by a foreign Power to assist illegal picketing and other forms of illegal and violent action during the recent omnibus strike; and what action he has asked Scotland Yard to take in the matter.

I am making inquiries into the allegation contained in the Question and will write to my hon. and gallant Friend when they are completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will intervene to defer the erection of a petrol station and subsequent road development recently commenced in Blue Bell Lane, Tytherington, Macclesfield, until local residents opposed to the plan have had time to organise a petition and be heard, following an initial appeal to the Minister.

I understand that planning permission for the petrol station has already been given by the Macclesfield Borough Council. I can see no ground on which I could intervene.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people of each sex employed to date in the City and County of Aberdeen, indicating the respective trades affected; and how these figures compare with the corresponding figures for each of the last five years.

I am having the available information extracted and will write to the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the increasing unemployment in the City of Aberdeen and County of Aberdeen: and what steps he is taking to reduce it.

I am aware that unemployment was higher this June than during the corresponding period of recent years. It has, however, been falling since January. My local officers are doing all that they can to reduce it by submitting unemployed workers to vacancies notified to employment exchanges.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress he has made regarding the revision of the safety regulations in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry, and in particular with regard to their extension to cover work-people employed on ships in wet dock.

A preliminary draft of new Regulations under the Factories Acts covering shipbuilding and ship-repairing work in wet docks and harbours, as well as shipbuilding yards and dry docks, has been published. Extensive comments on it have been received from the trade unions, the employers' federation and other interested organisations. These comments have been studied and are being discussed with the organisations concerned. The task is a substantial one involving consideration of much detail but progress will be made as rapidly as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider introducing legislation to set up a court or tribunal to receive claims from all persons suffering damage to themselves or their property, or suffering consequential loss in their business undertakings, as a direct result of violence by strikers, with a view to the trade unions concerned meeting such claims.

No. The use of violence in trade disputes is already specifically prohibited under the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875. It is open to any person who has suffered damage or loss as a consequence to take civil action against the individuals concerned.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the progress made with the issue of his special letter and leaflet explaining entitlements to all war pensioners, the numbers of inquiries received to date from war pensioners who are not sure that they are receiving all to which they are rightly entitled, the numbers of new awards of war pensions authorised in the last two years, and the number of cases in which pension assessments were increased because of previous errors or deterioration in war pensioners' disabilities.

The issue of the special letters and leaflets has now been completed and so far some 14,000 inquiries have been received. During the two years ended 31st March, 1957, nearly 22,000 new awards were made in respect of disablement or death and pension assessments were increased in nearly 11,000 instances.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance in the light of the recently published Report of Sir Oliver Frank's Committee, what further consideration he has given to the representations from the British Legion and other ex-Service organisations regarding the right of appeal against decisions of his Department in connection with certain supplementary allowances.

As my hon. Friend knows, the Report does not deal with this matter. After further consideration I am still of the view, expressed in my letter to my hon. Friend on 5th June, that a system of formal appeals would not be in the interests of war pensioners in that it would deny them the advantages of the present more flexible arrangements under which they can appeal to War Pensions Committees. This system seems to me appropriate in connection with the allowances to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Prime Minister if he will consult with the Ministers responsible for the nationalised industries with a view to preparing legislation for introduction in the next Session of Parliament to enable Members of Parliament to control more adequately their expenditure, in order to prevent waste.

No. While these problems are always before us, I doubt whether legislation is appropriate or necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which of our exporting industries have been most affected adversely by American restrictions on imports over the last two years; how these restrictions compare with any imposed by us over the same period; and whether he will make a statement.

Imports into the United States from the United Kingdom are almost wholly free of quantitative restrictions. During the last two years the United States Government have increased the customs duties on two products of interest to the United Kingdom—bicycles and linen towelling—but reductions have been made in other United States tariffs to compensate for these increases. The United States Government have also introduced a tariff-quota system for wool fabrics, and United Kingdom interests may be affected by the new limitation on imports of oil.Apart from minor adjustments in the size of some quotas, no additional import restrictions have been placed on imports into the United Kingdom from the United States in the last two years and, so far as I am aware, no tariff increase on our side has materially affected the interests of the United States.But import prohibitions and restrictions continue to apply, for balance of payments reasons, over a very wide range of United States imports, and I think that it would be misleading to attempt to compare these actions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the establishment of quotas for the 25 items whose export to China is subject to quantitative restriction for strategic reasons.

The recommendations of the China Committee of the Paris Consultative Group have now been received for nearly all the items, and applicants for licences to export these goods to China will now be told whether licences can be granted to them.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on which road schemes included in lists published on 2nd February 1955, 27th July 1955 and 28th November 1956, work has started; for which authorisation has been given but work not started; and which have not yet been authorised.

The following table shows which of the schemes in England and Wales in the lists referred to have been started or authorised. Scottish schemes are now the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

I. List Published 2nd February, 1955.

A. Schemes in England and Wales which it was proposed to authorise in 1955–56 on trunk roads (each costing over £100,000)and unclassified roads (each costing the Exchequer over £500,000).

(1)Work started as at 30th June, 1957.

• Alconbury Hill to Woolpack Crossroads, Hunts, A.1. (second carriageway).
• Browney Bridge to Farewell Hall, Durham, widening A.1.
• Borrowash By-pass, Derbyshire A.52.
• Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel, Kent and Essex.
• East Retford By-pass (Elkersley By-pass to Five Lane Ends), Notts A.57.
• Elephant and Castle Improvement (Part I)(demolition)A.3.
• Handcross By-pass, Sussex A.23.
• Longton By-pass, Lancs. A.59.
• Neath By-pass (Part 11)Glamorgan A.48.
• Newcastle boundary to Chapel House, Throckley, Northumberland (widening)A.69.
• Oxford boundary to Islip Turn (widening)A.40.
• Page Street to Mill Hill, Middlesex (second carriageway)A.41 /A.1.
• Ryton-on-Dunsmore to Coventry, Warwickshire (second carriageway)A.45.
• Shenstone, Staffs. (widening carriageway for I mile east of A.38)A.5.
• Stamford boundary to Kesteven boundary Rutland (widening)A.1.
• Stratford Road, Shirley, Warwickshire (widening)A.34.
• Western Avenue, second carriageway between Park Royal Station and Greenford Halt (Part II), Middlesex, A.40 (work started on section Greenford to Alperton Lane, Middlesex).

(2)Schemes authorised as at 30th June, 1957

• Allerton Station (Hopperton)West Riding By-pass A.1.
• Catterick By-pass North Riding A.1.
• Lichfield—Burton Road, Staffs, (part)second carriageway A.38.
• Potter Street diversion, Harlow, Essex. A.11.
• Tabernacle Chapel to Llanfair Discoed Arches, Monmouthshire A.48.

C. Schemes in England and Wales which it was proposed to authorise in 1956–57, 1957–58 and 1958–59 (each costing the Exchequer over £500,000).

(i)London Yorkshire Motor Road

• Scheme not yet authorised.

(ii)Trunk Roads

(1)Work started as at 30th June, 1957

• Preston By-pass.
• Northwich By-pass Cheshire, Western Section (completion)A.556.
• Stafford—Stoke Road widening (First Section)A 34.

(2)Schemes authorised as at 30th June, 1957

• Grantham By-pass A.1.
• Oxford Ring Road (Botley to Wolvercot)A.34
• Stafford—Stoke Road widening (Second Section)A.34.
• Western Avenue—Hangar Lane flyover, Middlesex A.40.

(iii)Classified Roads

(1)Work started as at 30th June, 1957

• Barton Bridge, Lancashire A.575.
• Blackwall Tunnel, northern approach road (Demolition)A.102.
• Manchester Outer Ring Road (work started on part of Stratford Eccles By-pass)A.575.
• Notting Hill Gate improvement (Demolition)A.40.

(2)Scheme authorised as at 30th June, 1957.

• City of London redevelopment (Cheapside)

II. List Published 27th July. 1955.

• Additional list of Trunk Road Schemes estimated to cost over £100,000.

(1)Work started as at 30th June, 1957.

• Bury Street to Carterhatch Lane, Middlesex. Second Carriageway A.10.
• Crawley to Handcross, East Sussex A.23 (Part I)
• Gosforth to Gosforth Park, Northumberland. Widening (Completion)A.1.
• Between Leeming By-pass and Catterick By-pass, North Riding of Yorkshire, Widening A.1.
• Meriden By-pass, Warwickshire A.45.
• Norman Cross to Water Newton By-pass, Huntingdonshire A.1.
• Woolpack Cross Roads to Norman Cross, Huntingdonshire (Second Carriageway)A.1.

(2)Schemes authorised as at 30th June, 1957.

• Colsterworth Diversion, Lincolnshire—Kesteven A.1.
• Five Lane Ends to North of Checkerhouse, Notts. A.614.
• London Colney By-pass, Herts. A.6.
• Newbury East/West Relief Road, Berks. A.4.
• Page Street to Finchley Road. Middlesex, Second Carriageway A.41.
• Sandy to A.428 junction, Bedfordshire A.1. Stormy Down to Redhill, Glamorgan Improvement A.48.
• Wethcrby By-pass, West Riding of Yorkshire A.1.

III. List Published 28th November, 1956.

• Large Classified Roads Schemes.

(1)Work started as at 30th June, 1957.

• Plymouth Eastern Approach Road, Gasking Street—St. Andrew's Roundabout.
• Southampton, Inner Ring Road, eastern section.
• Manchester, Western Road, Wythenshawe.
• Roehampton Lane. Wandsworth.
• Leeds. Headrow Extension.
• Portsmouth, Wymering Link Road, Cosham, Hants.
• Halesowen By-pass, Worcestershire.
• Billingham, Saltworks Bridge Diversion. Durham.
• Chris church By-pass, Hants.
• Sheffield, Inner Ring Road (Section 1).
• Swansea. East Side Approach (Section 3)Glam
• Birmingham, Inner Ring Road (Section 1).

(2)Schemes authorised as at 30th June. 1957

• Uxbridge Road. Hillingdon. Middlesex.
• Cambridge, Hills Road railway bridge.
• Talgarth Road, Cromwell Road Extension.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what motorway lengths, with their approximate mileages, he anticipates will be authorised, under construction, or in use, respectively, by 31st March, 1962.

The motorway programme will be advanced as rapidly as possible and the various schemes will be announced as soon as firm start dates are arranged.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, during his recent tour of the Great North Road, his attention was drawn to the dangerous crossroads at Stanborough; and what action he proposes to remedy the situation.

I am aware of the need to improve this junction, and am considering the best way of doing so.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of reported accidents that have taken place at the Stanborough crossroads on the Great North Road during each of the past five years and during the present year; and what was the number of fatalities and the number of persons injured during the same periods.

The following are the figures:

ACCIDENTS AT OR WITHIN 20 YARDS OF STANBOROUGH CROSSROADS, HERTFORDSHIRE
Year	Accidents involving personal injury	Casualties
		Killed	Injured
1952	4	—	7
1953	4	—	4
1954	7	—	9
1955	3	—	4
1956	4	—	10
1957 (January-June)	2	—	2

Of the 36 injuries only one was serious.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the total amount of authorisations proposed for 1958–59 under the roads programme announced in 1955.

With a new programme in view which also covers the year in question such a figure would not be of any value.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has now received the Report of the Working Party which was appointed to consider plans for a practical scheme for the training and testing of child cyclists; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. I have received the Report and intend to establish a national scheme as soon as possible. Preparations for starting the scheme are in hand and discussions will shortly take place with local authorities and other interested organisations.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement about his efforts to increase the use of the dock facilities of the South Wales Bristol Channel ports, with particular reference to the ports of Barry and Cardiff, and to the progress of his negotiations and the steps being taken to equalise port and rail charges, including local arrangements for their apportionment and payment.

It is for importers and exporters, in co-operation with shipowners, to choose the ports they use. It is not for me to influence them in favour of particular ports, but the British Transport Commission and local interests are doing what they can to encourage the use of the South Wales Bristol Channel ports. The Commission has carried out a number of improvements to these ports and others are in progress. In May of this year new works in hand and plant and equipment on order were valued at nearly £3·5 million. This included the electrification of the Commercial Graving Dock Pumping Station and No. 1 Power Station, Queen Alexandra Dock, Cardiff, and the provision of a new bulk cargo discharging berth at Barry.The possibility of altering the present apportionment of dock charges between shipowners and shippers in the South Wales ports has been thoroughly examined by experts of the Industrial Association of Wales and Monmouthshire, the British Liner Committee and the British Transport Commission. At a meeting on the 8th March last, which my Department arranged between the interests concerned to discuss this matter, the British Liner Committee undertook to inform the shipping lines of the Association's views, but made it clear that they could not commit the lines to any course of action and that the Association would themselves have to pursue the matter directly with the shipping conferences and lines concerned.As regards the level of railway rates, the new procedure which came into force with the Rail Charges Scheme on 1st July will give the British Transport Commission greater freedom in fixing railway rates, and the Chairman of the Commission has said that it is the Commission's intention that no port or group of ports will be given an advantage over others as far as the Commission's transport charges are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men volunteered for service in the Trucial Oman Scouts last year; what percentage were illiterate; how many were undernourished; and what percentage were rejected on medical grounds.

I am making inquiries from the local military authorities and will write to the hon. Member when the information he asks for has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many recruits enlisted in the various Scottish regiments in the first six months of 1957 as compared with the first six months of 1956.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Government have achieved their declared objective of reducing Government expenditure by a minimum of £100 million per annum.

The objective was part of the 1956 Budget, and it achieved a good measure of success. I so informed the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Rankin)on 29th January and added that I proposed thereafter to concentrate my attention on the Estimates for the next year.I have done so: and the 1957 Budget surplus was the outcome of the efforts by my predecessors and recently by myself with the support of our colleagues to keep the level of Government expenditure under control. In the debate on the Economic Situation on 25th July, I informed the House that these efforts will continue and that next year's expenditure will be the subject of the most stringent scrutiny.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to announce the names of the chairman and members of the National Council on Prices, Productivity, and Incomes; and whether the announced terms of reference of this council will permit an investigation as to the effect upon the inflationary spiral of the reduction and abolition of food and housing subsidies, the rebate to surtax payers, the increase in rents and rates, and the abolition of price controls.

I am not yet in a position to announce the names.The Council will be able to investigate any matters which appear to it relevant and consonant with its terms of reference.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make an esti mate of the loss of dollar earnings by this country which may result from the American decision to reduce oil imports.

I regret that no estimate can yet be made since the cuts apply to United States importing firms and it is not known how these cuts will be distributed between the various companies supplying oil to them from overseas.