asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans there are to make the Benue navigable for a longer period.

In 1955, the Federal Government of Nigeria commissioned a Dutch firm of engineering consultants to make a hydrological survey of the Niger and Benue Rivers with a view to improving navigational facilities and extending the shipping season. The survey is estimated to take three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what the extension of the railway from Bukeru through Bornu to Maiduguri is likely to cost; and what plans there are for raising the necessary money.

The estimated cost of the Bornu extension is£20 million, much of which is expected to be met from Nigerian resources. An International Bank Mission has recently examined the project and other possible sources of external finance are also being explored.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is his policy in regard to building new roads and charging tolls on vehicles that use them in territories in Nigeria still under his control.

The Federal Government, which is responsible for trunk roads, considers that toll roads of limited access could not at present be made to link up with the subsidiary road system to provide the economic arteries that Nigeria needs. The Governments of the Northern Region and the Southern Cameroons also consider that toll roads would not at present be practicable. I agree with these views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to establish a central bank in Nigeria.

The Federal Government of Nigeria are now considering the recommendations made by Mr. J. B. Loynes of the Bank of England, in his recently published report on the establishment of a Central Bank of Nigeria and associated matters. I have arranged for a copy of the Report to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in view of the necessity for the future government arrangements for Cyprus to be based upon willing co-operation between the various peoples living there, if he will ensure that the Turkish Cypriot community is adequately consulted and represented.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent thorium, titanium and pyrochlore have been found in Nyasaland; to which companies prospecting licences have been granted: and to what extent these discoveries will assist the economic development of Nyasaland.

It has been known for some time that all three minerals exist in Nyasaland and occurrences so far located are being investigated. I am asking the Governor for more detailed information and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the fact that parts of the British Commonwealth for which Her Majesty's Government are responsible are geographically exceptionally favourable for the use of solar energy, why the United Kingdom is lagging so far behind the United Slates of America in this particular field of research and development.

Some work of potential value to Colonial Territories has been conducted in this country. Several Government scientific institutions including the Tropical Products Institute keep in touch with international developments in this field and have given Colonial Territories advice about them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what percentage of the total expenditure of the Northern Rhodesian Government during the present financial year is allocated to African education; and what were the percentages actually spent in each of the three preceding financial years.

The information is as follows (recurrent expenditure only):

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what franchise qualifications are required in Bermuda; how long they have been in force; and what proposals he has in mind for extending the franchise.

The Parliamentary Election Act, 1945, of Bermuda stipulates the following qualifications from an elector:

"(a) he must be over the age of twenty-one years; and

(b) he must be a British subject; and

(c) he must not be a person subject to legal incapacity within the meaning of subsection (2) of section 2 of this Act [by reason of imprisonment, insanity; or having been convicted of an electoral offence]; and

(d) he must own a freehold estate in land in that parish, being land which, when last assessed for parish purposes, was assessed at sixty pounds or more; and

(e) he must be registered in the parliamentary register of that parish."

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of the shortage of High Court judges; and what action he proposes to take to recommend the appointment of new judges to the High Court.

There is no basic shortage of High Court judges. Several judges have been ill this Term and, as a result, it has been necessary for my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor to recommend the appointment of Commissioners of Assize.

asked the Attorney-General when he intends to extend the provisions of the Legal Aid Scheme to proceedings in the magistrates' courts.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has requested the Law Society to revise their plans and estimates for extending the Legal Aid Scheme to civil proceedings in magistrates' courts. When they are received, he will consider how best to employ any further funds which may become available.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of public disquiet that there should be no legal obligation upon a charitable organisation to account for the sums of money collected by it from the general public; and whether he will introduce legislation imposing such obligation.

My right hon. and learned Friend is not aware of any general public demand for an amendment of the law. In the case of an endowed charity accounts have to be rendered to the Charity Commissioners; in the case of other charities it would be his duty to institute proceedings if there were sufficient evidence of any misappropriation of funds.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation to establish, under the control of the Charity Commissioners, a central pool of undistributed funds raised for specific charitable purposes which could be used for other deserving purposes newly arising.

No. If there appears to have been a general charitable intention on the part of the donors, the Court or the Charity Commissioners has power to make a scheme for applying any undistributed funds cy pres, that is to say, for charitable objects as nearly like as possible to the original one. I am not satisfied that, if there was no such intention, it would necessarily be right to take power by legislation to appropriate the funds for a central pool.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will ask the Lord Chancellor's Law Reform Committee to consider the English law relating to contempt of court.

No. My noble Friend does not consider this a suitable subject for reference to the Committee.

asked the Minister of Works what are the amounts of preservation grants to be made in respect of Longleat House and Scrivelsby Court, respectively.

Two grants totalling£4,500 have been made for Longleat. A grant of£5,000 has been made for the gatehouse of Scrivelsby Court.

asked the Minister of Works how much litter was collected from Hyde Park during the last summer; and how this compares with previous years.

I have no record of the amount of litter left in Hyde Park during the summer as a whole. Over the Easter, Whitsuntide and August Bank Holiday week-ends this year about 9½tons of litter were collected in Hyde Park; the corresponding figure for last year was 7½tons and for 1955 8¼ tons.

asked the Minister of Works if he will reconsider his decision to terminate the national apprenticeship scheme in the electrical contracting industry.

I have made no such decision. This scheme operates under an industrial agreement and can be terminated only by the parties to the agreement.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will place the Government-held buildings in Ashley Street and Benacre Street, Birmingham, which have recently been vacated by the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, at the disposal of the local authority for the purpose of relieving the housing shortage until they are again required by the Government.

The site is owned by the Birmingham Corporation and the lease to the Ministry of Works provides for demolition of the existing buildings on surrender of the land. Apart from some buildings on a small portion of the site which are being retained for Government purposes until 1962 by agreement with the Corporation, the work of demolition is in hand and the site will be surrendered to the Corporation in March next.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will amend the Pre-Packed Foods (Weights and Measures Marketing) Order, 1950, so that it will prescribe minimum sizes for letters and figures.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the agreement on iron and steel tariffs between the United Kingdom and the European Coal and Steel Community.

Under an agreement signed on 25th November and laid before the House today, the United Kingdom duties on the main iron and steel products are to be reduced to 10 per cent., with alternative specific rates; the countries of the European Coal and Steel Community will, for their part, introduce new rates which, in some cases, will mean substantial reductions. Our obligations under the agreement become effective when all the signatory countries have ratified, and the necessary Orders to give effect to the new United Kingdom duties will then be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why, in his reply of 23rd August to the letter he received from Messrs. Brander and Cruickshank, Advocates of Aberdeen, acting for the Scottish Inshore White Fish Producers Association Ltd., giving reasons why the Fisheries Acts relating to Scotland should be consolidated and improved, he neither agreed to promote the consolidation of those Acts nor gave reasons against such consolidation; and if he will now take steps to promote such consolidation.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 18th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Home Department will complete its study of proposals put forward by Lanark County Council for improvements to Cartland Bridge; and when he anticipates that work will begin.

Lanark County Council has suggested that this bridge could be improved by the provision of cantilevered footpaths. This suggestion presents considerable technical difficulty and is still being examined. I will write to the hon. Member about the matter as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that a motor car struck the parapet of Cander Bridge, Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, on 17th November and was flung down the 70-foot gulley beneath; and what was the cause of the accident.

I am informed that there is no evidence which would enable any definite conclusion to be drawn as to the cause of this accident.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the fact that a wide range of non-perfumed toilet preparations only pay Purchase Tax at 30 per cent., whereas similar preparations, if perfumed, are liable to tax at 90 per cent., what experts are employed by the Customs and Excise authorities to determine whether any particular preparation is or is not perfumed; and what are their qualifications for that work.

The Government Chemist.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds it has been decided that a memorial card or card expressing sympathy shall be regarded as within the scope of provisions for greetings cards and therefore liable to Purchase Tax at 30 per cent. or 90 per cent.; and whether this matter may now be reconsidered.

On trade advice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the administrative cost of collecting Purchase Tax for each of the past five years; how this compares with the yield of the tax in those years; and what has been the number of staff employed for the same period.

Separate figures for the expenditure incurred in administering and collecting each particular kind of tax are not kept because it has been found impracticable to make a dissection of their individual cost sufficiently accurate to be of any real value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in framing his Budget next year, he will consider the claim of owners and operators of hotels and boarding houses, that the manufactured goods of all kinds used in their establishments are the tools of their trade; and if he will relieve them of Purchase Tax, subject to such persons proving that they are paying correct trade union rates and conditions to their employees, are following the appropriate wages board recommendations, or are willing to enter into such agreements with the trade unions concerned.

I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce a further Pensions Increase Bill to improve the lot of retired Post Office workers.

No. There are no grounds for giving retired Post Office workers special treatment in this respect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, since the middle of 1954, some 1,200 company-owned petrol stations have been built at an average cost of£25,000 each, and that this total sum of£30 million is equivalent to an additional 2d. per gallon on the petrol sold during the same period; and what amount of this£30 million was allowed by the Treasury for tax purposes.

I cannot endorse the figures in the first part of the Question, and the information required by the second part is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the decrease in forward orders from the United States of America and the Continent and in many industries in Britain; and what action he proposes to take to safeguard full employment against the risk of the credit squeeze turning a minor recession into a major slump.

Future orders are not the only guide to economic trends. Too long order books may be just as bad for an economy as too short order books. The Government's primary aim at present must be to secure price stability.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pictures belonging to the National Gallery are now stored out of public view.

833 are now in the Reference Section, of which over 300 are awaiting loan through the Arts Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what expenses Her Majesty's Government have incurred during the last ten years on renting buildings in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Washington, and New York for office accommodation outside the Embassy Consulate, or High Commissioner's offices.

None in Berlin or Buenos Aires.£ 109,000 in Washington (for the British Joint Services Mission) and£569,000 in New York (for the British Information Services and the United Kingdom Delegation to the United; Nations).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, on an appeal made to him under Section 268 of the Public Health Act, 1875, he is prepared to arrange for further inspection to be made of Thornton Avenue, Macclesfield, following the recent development charge made against Mr. C. Fairhurst, 67, Congleton Road, Macclesfield, referred to in correspondence with his Department, with particular reference to the Private Street Works Act, 1892, and with a view to reconsideration of the said charge.

The time allowed by the Act for an appeal expired some time ago. I therefore have no power to intervene.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent it is his policy to discourage local authorities from making grants under Section 132 of the Local Government Act, 1948; and what were his reasons for refusing his consent to a grant of£300 from St. Pancras Borough Council to Unity Theatre.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has refused his consent to the St. Pancras Borough Council's proposal to make a grant to Unity Theatre under Section 132 of the Local Government Act; and what is his policy towards local authorities' encouragement of the arts.

Unless it wishes to borrow money for the purpose, a local authority does not require my consent to make a payment under Section 132 of the Local Government Act, 1948. But I understand that the borough council were advised that this Section was not wide enough in its terms to enable them to make a grant in this particular case. The application which the council made to me was for my consent to a payment of£300 under Section 136 of the Act. I refused this application because it does not seem to me desirable that a contribution should be made out of the rates towards the expenses of a body whose activities have the appearance of being not without party-political purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many notices have been received under Section 30 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, involving demolitions of buildings; how many buildings were involved since January, 1956; how many of these buildings fell within his Department's categories Grade II^* and Grade I; and how many buildings were preserved as the result of him using his default powers under Section 100 (2).

Nine hundred and thirty-eight notices have been received since 1st July, 1951. Notices received since 1st January, 1956, affected 436 buildings, of which four are in Grade I; I cannot give a precise figure for the number in Grade II^*. Twenty-three buildings are covered by preservation orders made by my predecessors or myself.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if the survey conducted by his regional officers in coal-mining areas to assess what has already been done to rid the areas of spoil heaps and what more can be done, has now been completed; and what action he intends to take on their suggestions.

A survey is being made of a number of spoil heaps to see what measures might be taken to improve their appearance and usefulness. This has not yet been completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) how many of the development plans which have been submitted to him in accordance with Part II of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, from planning authorities in Wales and Monmouthshire have been approved; and how many are awaiting approval;(2) how many development plans have been submitted to him in accordance with Part II of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, from planning authorities in Wales and Monmouthshire.

Eighteen development plans have been submitted by local planning authorities in Wales and Monmouthshire. Seven have been approved and eleven are awaiting approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent Her Majesty's Theatre will be affected by the redevelopment of the Carlton Hotel site; whether any application for planning permission involving Her Majesty's Theatre has yet reached him in accordance with the undertaking given by his predecessor concerning the preservation of London theatres; and if he will give an assurance that Her Majesty's will be preserved as a theatre.

The theatre will not be affected by the present redevelopment of the Carlton Hotel site. Under present arrangements I understand that the New Zealand Government hope to obtain possession of the theatre site in 1970 when the current lease expires, but so far as I am aware no plans have yet been formulated for any developments thereafter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that many houses and flats in our cities have been untenanted for three months, serving no useful purpose as vacant property and paying no rates; and what financial assistance he will give to local authorities which decide to purchase these properties.

Local authorities do not need financial assistance to acquire houses, unless the houses are to be improved or converted. Grants for these purposes are already available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given local authorities about continuing the improvement grants for the modernisation of farm cottages and similar property; and if he expects the amount of work done to be maintained in the coming year.

I think this is a matter which must be left to local authorities to determine for themselves when they consider how best to make provision, in present circumstances, for the various housing needs of their areas. I have recently drawn their attention to the importance of making grants for schemes of conversion which will produce additional accommodation. At this stage I can make no estimate of the likely volume of improvement work next year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that landlords in the Dearne Valley division are issuing notices of increase of rent to one and one-third times the gross value of dwellings in respect of which certificates of disrepair have been issued; and what steps he proposes to take to call the attention of those concerned to the invalidity of such notices at present.

Subject to certain exceptions, a notice of increase served after a certificate of disrepair has been granted is of no effect while that certificate remains in force, even though the rent is below the rent limit of one and one-third times the gross value. The position is explained in the notes attached to the certificate itself.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he estimates that the number of houses built by local authorities in 1956 will be diminished by the full implementation by all authorities of the recent Ministerial circular asking them to reduce their expenditure on housing by 20 per cent. by the year after next; and what is the average cut in expenditure which was made by these authorities before the circular was sent out.

The number of houses completed in 1956 is given in the published Housing Return. As I told the House on 11th November, I am taking as my aim that in the financial year 1959–60 local authorities and new towns corporations in England and Wales will complete 100,000 houses. By the time the circular was issued, many authorities were already reviewing their housing programmes in the light of higher interest rates, but the interval was too short for any general conclusion to be based on the one without the other.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take the necessary action for the purpose of collating from local authorities details of those local authorities who are within sight of satisfying their local housing need; and if he will publish the results of such investigations in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

No. Every local housing authority has its statutory responsibilities, and the number of houses that each one has under construction or in approved tenders is already collected and published every three months in the Housing Returns.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will consider extending the subsidy of£10 per annum to cover an agreed percentage of two-bedroom houses, provided they are erected on the same site as the one-bedroom type to form part of the same scheme.

No; and in any case this could not be done without legislation.

asked the Minister of Defence what precautions have been agreed to in order to prevent the escape of radioactive and toxic material dangerous to health and life in the event of a United States airplane carrying a hydrogen bomb over British territory crashing and bursting into flame.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today on this subject by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will now publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the recruiting figures for the three Services for October, 1957, set out in the same form as that of the monthly Press release published by his Department; and if he will give the figures for the same month in 1956, set out in the same form.

The latest recruiting figures are shown below:

asked the Minister of Defence if he will define the status in his Department of Colonel Kenneth Graham Post, C.B.E.; and what is the nature of Colonel Post's duties.

Colonel Post holds no official position. He acts as a part-time personal assistant to me.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will institute research into aiding the growth of tomatoes and other vegetables by electricity, in view of the results already obtained using this method in various places abroad.

My noble Friend is glad to say that this has already been done for a number of years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to ensure that the reports of the marketing boards are made available to honourable Members.

My right hon. Friend does not consider it necessary for him to take the steps suggested as the Agricultural Marketing Acts lay on Ministers the duty of reporting annually on the operation of the marketing schemes. The next report should be ready early in 1958.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations which Governments of former Colonial Territories, now emerged to independent status within the Commonwealth, and, with which Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have relevant agreements, have not yet increased Civil Service pensions on bases comparable with, or more favourable than, the provisions of the United Kingdom Pensions (Increase) Act, 1956; and if he will give details of differences in each case.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 29th October. Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have entered into no agreements with the Governments to which he refers which contain provisions for specific pensions increases similar to the provisions of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1956.

asked the Minister at Education whether he will publish a statement showing the number of students who, in each of the last six years, have entered on courses leading to technical qualifications; the number of these who have abandoned the course before its completion; and the number who, at the end of the course, have failed to secure the qualification.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education how many students are now pursuing courses at colleges of advanced technology; and to what extent financial provision for these students is made from public funds and from private industry, respectively.

30,459 students, of whom 5,957 are full-time. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents involving death or injury to persons or vehicles are known to the police to have occurred at Roding Road, Loughton, Essex, at its junction with Oakwood Hill and Valley Hill.

During the past three years one fatal accident and four accidents involving damage only to property have been reported.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the expenditure of the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board.

The scheme of exgratia loans announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 15th July has considerably increased the expenditure of the Board. The scheme is expected to cost between£4½million and£5 million in all, of which some£3½million—£4 million is expected to fall for payment by 31st March, 1958. The moneys already provided for the Board do not cover expenditure of this order and the necessary further Supplementary Estimate will be presented to the House in due course. In the meantime, payments by the Board are

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the latest available figures of persons who, because of industrial injury or disease, are unable to follow their normal occupation, but would be able to work in alternative occupation, and are now unemployed in the division of Chester-le-Street.

Of the 16 unemployed registered disabled persons in the Chester-le-Street division whose disablement results from industrial injury or disease, 15 are unable to follow their normal occupation and are registered for alternative, employment. Two of these were due to start work on 2nd December.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the high figures for unemployment in the North Devon

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the recent change of policy, he will give a list, with dates and details, of all commemorative issues of British postage stamps over the last 35 years.

The following special issues have been made:—area; and what action he is taking to reduce them.

Yes. My local officers are doing everything they can by submitting unemployed people to vacancies notified to them.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the total amount claimed by employees of the Suez Canal contracting companies for loss of personal possessions, excluding bank balances; how much of such total claims has been admitted; and how much has been paid.

:£517,453 was claimed by employees engaged in the United Kingdom. Ex-gratia payments totalling£425,541 have been offered and£425,182 has been paid.