asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that the Government's block grants proposals are detrimental to present educational standards and will restrict the education service where expansion is necessary; and if he will take steps to ensure that as regards education the present system be left unchanged in forthcoming legislation.

No. I think that expansion can be provided for under the proposed general grant as well as under the percentage grant.

asked the Minister of Education what staff are employed in his Department in the statistical section.

One statistician and 43 subordinate staff.

asked the Minister of Education if, owing to the increasing number of children attending the North Cotes Church of England village school who come from the North Cotes Royal Air Force Station, he will take steps immediately to provide the extra accommodation that these additional children require.

I understand that the local education authority will be considering a scheme in the very near future.

asked the Minister of Education if he will confer with the British Transport Commission concerning the desirability of raising to 15 years the age at which scholars are permitted to travel on their services at half price.

Arrangements already exist for children of compulsory school age to travel to and from school at half fares on all the British Transport Commission's railways and London Transport Executive road services.

asked the Minister of Education what recent representations have been made to him regarding Swindon's special needs for school building because of the town's expansion, and regarding the curtailment of minor building projects during 1958–59; and what new action he will take.

Officers of my Department saw representatives of the Wiltshire Local Education Authority and of the Swindon Education Committee last week. I am considering the points they raised.

asked the Minister of Education how many students in 1956–57 taking courses in science, engineering and craft subjects, respectively, were taking courses leading to university degrees, diplomas, professional qualifications, higher national certificates, ordinary national certificates and City and Guilds certificates, respectively; and how the figures compare with 1955–56.

Figures for 1956–57 are not yet available. The following is the information for 1955–56.

—	Engineering (including Craft)		Science
	Fulltime	Part-time day	Fulltime	Part-time day
University Degree (including Preliminary)	1,364	983	2,184	4,351
All National Certificates and Diplomas	2,675	75,735	81	13,862
City and Guilds	181	59,501	—	240
G.C.E.	44	19	658	2,378
Other Examinations (including Professional and College	2,627	3,672	541	2,265

asked the Minister of Education the number of students enrolled, and their age groups, in September-October, 1957, in establishments of further education in England and Wales for each of the following types of course, namely, full time, sandwich, part time in science, engineering and craft

DAY COURSES
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
		Full-time				Part-time Day
		Sandwich		Other
		1954–55	1955–56	1954–55	1955–56	1954–55	1955–56
Engineering	…	1,355	1,762	6,100	6,815	146,221	163,815
Science	…	71	93	3,102	2,871	11,010	11,998

EVENING CLASSES
NUMBER OF ENROLMENTS
					1954–55	1955–56
Mathematics and Natural Sciences:
Mathematics (including Practical Mathematics)	…	…	…	…	288,297	289,642
Biology	…	…	…	…	5,469	5,775
Botany	…	…	…	…	2,087	2,200
Chemistry	…	…	…	…	34,089	33,426
Geology	…	…	…	…	1,322	1,421
Metallurgy (non-ferrous)	…	…	…	…	139	139
Metallurgy (General)	…	…	…	…	6,199	6,886
Nature Study	…	…	…	…	599	560
Physics (including Applied Mathematics)	…	…	…	…	40,677	43,605
Physiology	…	…	…	…	3,464	3,325
Zoology	…	…	…	…	1,795	1,894
General Science	…	…	…	…	45,145	48,073
TOTALS	…	…	…	…	429,282	436,946
Engineering and Allied Industries:
Metal Manufacture	…	…	…	…	5,062	5,063
Engineering	…	…	…	…	202,057	205,472
Electrical and Wireless Engineering	…	…	…	…	68,463	75,917
Aeronautic and Allied Subjects	…	…	…	…	1,176	1,382
Watch, Clock and Instrument Making	…	…	…	…	1,708	1,262
TOTALS	…	…	…	…	278,466	289,096

Notes

1. 1955–56 is the latest year for which information on the number of students is available at present.

2. Information on the ages of students following particular courses is not readily available.

3. Figures for evening classes represent enrolments and not individual students. If, therefore, a student enrols for two classes, he is counted twice. Some students attending evening classes attend day courses also and therefore appear in both tables.

4. Craft students cannot be shown separately from other kinds of engineering students.

asked the Minister of Education what advice was given to the King Edward School, Birmingham, about the Governors' plans to spend £17,000 on a new house for its chief master; what reasons were given for rejecting a nearby house offered for sale

The following is the information:to the Governors; and what accommodation is to be provided in the house as now planned.

My right hon. Friend has given no advice to the Governors of the School, since none of the expenditure will be derived either directly or indirectly from rates or grant.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the postponement, in the present economic crisis, of many projects of national importance, needed by the community as a whole, he will advise the Governors of King Edward School, Birmingham, to postpone their plans for a new house for the chief master.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what official hospitality arrangements were made for the Canadian Trade Mission visiting this country.

A luncheon was given by the Dollar Exports Council on the arrival of the Mission. There was a reception in its honour in Edinburgh and there will be a Government reception at Lancaster House on the eve of its departure. In addition, the Government of Northern Ireland has arranged a dinner for those members of the Mission who will be visiting Belfast.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that cars, destined for export, have been found damaged after delivery to docks in sound condition; and what action he proposes to take to safeguard these important exports.

I have read the Press reports on this subject and am sorry to inform the House that there has recently been some wilful damage at the docks to 21 cars. This is being investigated by the Port of London Authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many adult male wage-earners were free of Income Tax in 1956–57; how many paid only 2s. 3d., 4s. 9d., and 6s. 9d. in the £ sterling, respectively, as their highest rate of tax; and how many paid tax at 8s. 6d. in the £ sterling.

Separate figures for adult male wage-earners are not available. The figures for taxpayers generally are as follow:

NUMBER OF PERSONS WITH INCOMES ABOVE £180 IN 1956–57
Highest rate of Income Tax paid		Estimated number
Nil	…	3,800,000
2/3	…	3,300,000
4/9	…	7,150,000
6/9	…	3,850,000
8/6	…	2,800,000
Total	…	20,900,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the financial savings in administration and collection to the taxpayer which would be achieved by the substitution for the existing Purchase Tax of a turnover tax based on audited accounts as agreed with the tax authorities and therefore collected with negligible cost.

I doubt whether the savings which my hon. Friend has in mind would result from such a change, since traders would have to furnish special statements which would require considerable supervision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much out of the 6s. 9d. per week paid by the workman in National Insurance in 1956–57 carried with it Income Tax relief; and how much tax relief, in total, was given to all contributors in 1956–57 arising out of the contributions.

4s. 4·3d., and about £45 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the total insurance contribution of 9s. 5d. per week to be paid in 1958 will be allowed Income Tax relief.

4s. 11·2d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of contributions paid by the employers under the National Insurance Acts for the year 1956–57; to what extent this item was recognised as a cost of production, thus reducing profits; and what was the loss to the Exchequer, in the shape of Income Tax, distributed Profits Tax, and undistributed Profits Tax.

£304 million for the calendar year 1956. Of this, £215 million was paid by employers in the private trading sector. It is estimated that, if the latter amount did not rank as a trading expense for tax purposes, the additional revenue collectible would be £90 million Income Tax and Surtax and £5 million Profits Tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Departments are excluded from the application of his recent circular laying down that, in making provision for the cost of pay increases, Departments should be governed by the Government's general policy that pay increases are to be offset by reductions in activities.

The circulars which I think the right hon. Gentleman has in mind will apply to all Departments employing the particular grades to which they refer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been made for the joint advertising of Government Premium Bonds with Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum; and with what products it is proposed to promote such joint advertising in the future.

The Government do not arrange joint advertising with commercial advertisers, but is always grateful when as in this instance, free publicity is given to National Savings securities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the figures he gave to the House on 30th October, 1957, of wage increases totalling £900 million referred to the financial year 1956–57 or to the calendar years 1956 and 1957; and what percentage of the estimated total wage bill this £900 million represents.

I am glad to have an opportunity of correcting the statement to which the hon. Member refers. The figure referred to increases in wages and salaries in the calendar year 1956. The £900 million represents 8 per cent. of total wages and salaries for that calendar year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far the discontinuance which he announced on 1st August, 1957, of the practice not to give Surtax directions under Section 245, Income Tax Act, 1952, in the case of a trading company which maintains a rate of dividend accepted as reasonable for periods before June, 1947, is affected by his appeal on 29th October, 1957, for restraint in distribution of profits.

Not at all.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants under 18 years of age are receiving part-time day-release for further education.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Skeffington) yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are attending day-release courses for ordinary national certificate courses, higher national certificate courses, sandwich courses, leading to the Hives Diploma, and university courses in science, engineering, and other subjects, respectively.

Non-industrial civil servants are attending day release courses as follows:

Ordinary or higher national certificate courses	1,880
University courses	104

A further 54 are attending sandwich courses leading to the Hives Diploma.The above figures do not include apprentices undergoing training.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the interruption of production and short-time working which normally exist among Birmingham manufacturers of consumer goods during January, February and March each year due to uncertainty about Purchase Tax changes, what action he will take to prevent any further increase in unemployment during the first quarter of 1958 due to his policy of dearer money.

The Government's monetary policy is an essential part of its measures to protect employment against the danger from continued inflation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the dollar value of the £ sterling in terms of internal purchasing power in the United States of America as at 30th November, 1957; and what, in terms of this figure, is the real value of the present travel allowance of £100;(2) what he estimates would be the annual cost in dollars of removing the present restriction on the exchange of the £ sterling for dollars for the purpose of travel in the United States of America.

It is impossible to compare with any precision the internal purchasing power of money in different countries, and such comparisons are not relevant to the amount of foreign exchange we can afford for travel abroad. I cannot estimate the cost of removing all restrictions on travel in the U.S.A.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has noted that of 115 graduates as Doctors of Philosophy in physics at the University of Oxford, who have qualified since 1945, about 25 have settled in the United States of America; and what steps he has in mind for preventing this form of migration.

I have been unable to identify these precise figures. The Advisory Council on Scientific Policy, which recently made a careful assessment of the available information on emigration of scientists and engineers, reported that it found little evidence that an undue proportion of our better students are leaving the United Kingdom; but in accordance with its recommendations the trend of emigration is being carefully watched. As regards its other suggestions, I cannot add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 26th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of contributions paid by employers to company superannuation schemes in 1956; what was the total loss to the Exchequer due to tax relief to the employees and to the loss of profits arising from such schemes, respectively; and what was the average percentage of tax relief to the employees on the contributions they paid.

Complete and up-to-date statistics of employers' contributions to superannuation schemes for their employees are not available. It is estimated that the contributions paid by companies are about £200 million a year attracting tax relief of about £90 million. The total tax relief to employees on their contributions to the same schemes is estimated at about £10 million. The average rate at which employees get tax relief on their contributions is about 2s. 6d. in the £.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what, expressed in percentages, are the changes in the current retail average prices of bread and flour, compared with November, 1955.

The National Food Survey shows that the average retail price of bread has increased by about 43 per cent., or by 14 per cent. when allowance is made for the subsidy on bread in 1955. The average retail price of flour (which was not subsidised) increased about 10 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that most people believe that they are receiving 1 lb. and 2 lb. of bread when they purchase a small and large loaf, whereas they are only receiving 14 ozs. and 28 ozs.; and if he will introduce legislation to enforce the restoration of these loaves to their usual weight prior to 1946.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence to support the suggestion contained in the first part of the Question, the answer to the second part is "No."

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the deterioration in the potato situation, if he will now make a statement on the decisions reached in respect to future policy because of the urgency of the matter.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hillsborough (Mr. Darling) on 2nd December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the recent salary increase for cartographic draughtsmen will have on the establishment of his Department.

The complement of the Ordnance Survey will be reduced by 200.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many grants and of what total amount, have been made in Wales, in respect of improvements under the Agriculture Act, 1957; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many applications for improvement grants under the Agriculture Act, 1957, have been received from Wales and from the County of Glamorgan, respectively; what proportion has been granted in each case; and how these proportions compare with the proportion granted in the rest of the United Kingdom.

By the end of October, no grant had yet been paid. Out of 2,131 applications received in Wales and Monmouthshire 70 had been approved at an estimated cost of £41,701; 280 more were ready for approval on production of satisfactory plans, specifications and tenders, and 219 had been rejected or withdrawn. About half of the farms concerned had been inspected.In the County of Glamorgan by the same date, 182 applications had been received. Of these 5 had been approved, that is 2·7 per cent. as compared with 3·3 per cent. in Wales and Monmouth and 8·3 per cent. in the rest of the United Kingdom.The response to the Farm Improvement Scheme in Wales and Monmouthshire has been great having regard to the fact that most of the area of the Principality was previously eligible for improvement schemes under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts, of which good use has been made. The administration of these schemes is a heavy task and the Ministry's technical staff have been working under extreme pressure in recent months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the increased numbers of grey squirrels; and whether he proposes to continue the existing price per tail.

My right hon. Friend is aware that more grey squirrels have been killed this year than in the previous two years. The question of continuing the present bonus is under consideration and I shall write to my hon. Friend about it as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to expedite the implementation in Wales of the provisions of the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, specially designed to meet the particular needs of upland areas in the Principality; and if he will make a statement.

Improvement schemes already approved for roads in Welsh upland areas cover 107 miles at an estimated cost of some £270,000. The Ministry's Welsh Department is doing everything possible to expedite approval of schemes submitted by highway authorities, within the limits imposed by the general economic situation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent advance payments will be made on account of deficiency payments for the cereal year 1957–58 in respect of barley, oats, mixed corn, and rye.

Advance payments on barley, oats, mixed corn and rye have been considered in consultation with the Cereals Deficiency Payments Advisory Committees on which the principal interests concerned with the production and marketing of these crops are represented. The deficiency payment on these crops cannot be calculated until after the end of the cereal year but advance payments may be made if they seem justified. It has been decided to make an advance payment on barley at the rate of £5 per acre, and on oats and mixed corn at the rate of £3 per acre. The average market price of rye is not much below the standard price so an advance payment is not justified.The payments will begin shortly and are expected to total about £20 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total number of students now attending the Royal Technological College of Nairobi; and if he will break these numbers down under the heads of arts, science, and technology, giving the numbers, in particular, of those taking geology and engineering, respectively.

I understand from the college authorities that there are 272 students attending the Royal Technical College of whom 36 are studying arts, 52 science and 184 technology; of the latter, 60 are engineering students. Included in the science students are five first-year students taking geology as one subject of three, each to be offered at "A" level in the General Certificate of Education examination.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Asian, African and European students from Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, respectively, are studying in the United Kingdom during the current academic year; and how many of each are receiving official grants.

The following is the information:

STUDENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, 1957–58
Territory	Race	Number of Students	Number Receiving Official Grants*
Kenya	Asians	520	83 (includes 1 CD. & W. Scholarship—U.K. funds)
	Africans	65	26 (includes 1 CD. & W. Scholarship—U.K. funds)
	Europeans	200	54
	Total	785	163†
Uganda	Asians	306	31
	Africans	239	182 (includes 2 CD. & W. Scholarships—U.K. funds)
	Europeans	31	15
	Total	576	228
Tanganyika	Asians	254	10 (includes 1 CD. & W. Scholarship—U.K. funds)
	Africans	40	27
	Europeans	51	1
	Total	345	38
	GRAND TOTAL	1,706	429
* The scholarships awarded to nearly all Africans and to a few Asians cover the full cost of their education in the United Kingdom.
All bursaries awarded to Europeans and to most Asians only partially cover the cost.
† The Kenya Government also grant educational loans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Governments of Trust Territories in Africa are taking steps to provide training facilities for potential African foremen and supervisors in industry, as recommended by the Inter- African Labour Conference recently held in Lusaka.

My reply to the hon. Member on 3rd December also covers the Trust Territories (Tanganyika and the Cameroons) and I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the debate held recently in the Northern Rhodesian Legislative Council upon a motion by Mr. Grant of the Dominion Party, that the Northern Rhodesian African Congress be pro scribed, and that the Chief Secretary, Mr. Hone, denied charges that were alleged against the Congress by Mr. John Roberts, Leader of the European Elected Members; what communication he has had from the Governor-General in this matter; and whether he will make a statement.

I have seen references in the Press to a debate on such a motion in the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia on 27th and 28th November. I have not yet received the Northern Rhodesian daily HANSARD for those days and the Governor has not sent my right hon. Friend any special report. I will gladly send the hon. Member a copy of the HANSARDS as soon as they arrive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the continued unrest in Kono, Kenema and Bo, in Sierra Leone, where action was taken against illicit diamond miners, what proposals have been made to re-establish stability in the area.

Large numbers of people who had no residence in the affected areas or permits to be there under the Tribal Authority Regulations have been removed. Police will remain in the affected areas and proposals are under consideration for increasing the numbers of Administrative Officers there. The Sierra Leone Government is urgently considering improvements in the alluvial diamond mining scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the findings of the Marke Commission on alluvial diamond mining in Sierra Leone charging the Government with negligence and recklessness in the issuing of licences to Africans and others, what compensation is being paid to the 159 persons whose licences have been withdrawn.

My right hon. Friend is consulting the Governor and I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence was given to the Wolfenden Committee by his Department, or by the Metropolitan Police, with regard to part-time prostitutes.

No evidence about part-time prostitutes was given to the Committee by the Home Office. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that there were incidental references to part-time prostitutes in the evidence given by him and his officers, but since the law does not distinguish between whole-time and part-time prostitutes there was no occasion for detailed evidence on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the increasing number of criminal assaults on children and adolescents, if he will convene a special conference of police authorities with the object of introducing ways and means to combat this evil and to give greater security to the children of this country.

Chief officers of Police are in frequent consultation with one another, and I shall ask them to give special consideration to this problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in putting into effect of the recommendations of the Maxwell Committee on Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies.

Five of the seven recommendations were put into effect some time ago; the other two which relate to the provision of prison welfare officers and consequential changes in the rôle of the local aid society welfare officers, are being implemented gradually.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of inmates of Her Majesty's prisons found to be insane or mentally-defective while serving their sentences.

The Answer for the period 1952–56 inclusive is as follows:

PRISONERS FOUND TO BE INSANE
Year		Male	Female	Total
1952	…	116	15	131
1953	…	100	15	115
1954	…	142	19	161
1955	…	129	21	150
1956	…	159	11	170

PRISONERS FOUND TO BE MENTALLY DEFECTIVE
Year		Male	Female	Total
1952	…	57	6	63
1953	…	50	2	52
1954	…	22	2	24
1955	…	30	4	34
1956	…	24	4	28

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Prison Commissioners have considered further the suggestion that a leaflet setting out the rights of a prisoners' family should be available to be sent to his next-of-kin at his option when sentenced to prison.

Yes. The Commissioners are grateful to my hon. Friend for his suggestion and a leaflet is in the course of preparation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the Nash terraces in and around the Regent's Park.

Under the Crown Estate Act, 1956, the Commissioners are responsible for taking decisions subject to any directions which may be given by the responsible Minister.The Government see no reason for any directions to be given to the Commissioners with regard to the decisions just announced in their statement of 28th November and are content for further proposals to be worked out by the Commissioners in consultation with the London County Council as the local planning authority and with the Royal Fine Art Commission. This latter body has warmly welcomed the Commissioner's general approach.

asked the Minister of Labour what part of the Social Survey played in the preparation and carrying out of the inquiry on household expenditure; and whether it is intended to use the Survey in the continuing small-scale inquiry.

The Social Survey of the Central Office of Information took part in consultations about the organisation of the household expenditure inquiry, and as mentioned in the recently published "Report of an Enquiry into Household Expenditure in 1953–54" (para. 21) undertook the interviewing in some areas. About one-third of the interviewing of households and coding of household budgets was undertaken by the Social Survey, which is also carrying out all the field work and coding of the continuing small-scale inquiry. In both these inquiries advantage was taken of the experience derived from a number of experimental surveys carried out by the Social Survey of 1951–52.I am very grateful for all its help.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Guatemala have taken place recently concerning British Honduras.

At the request of the Guatemalan Government conversations were held in March of this year with Senor Jose Luis Mendoza, the Guatemalan representative at the Ghana Independence celebrations, on his way through London. Senor Mendoza proposed that in view of the constant strain on Anglo-Guatemalan relations arising from the long-standing dispute over British Honduras an attempt to resolve it should be made in negotiations which he suggested might begin in June. He was informed in reply that Her Majesty's Government would be prepared to discuss the possibility of improving transit facilities across British Honduras thus facilitating the economic development of the Peten, on the lines indicated as desirable by the Guatemalans themselves in 1954, provided that Guatemala acknowledged the sovereignty of Her Majesty's Government over British Honduras. Senor Mendoza was also informed that elected representatives of the Government of British Honduras and the Governor would have to be present at any discussions held on this basis. Her Majesty's Government's policy in regard to membership of the proposed West Indies Federation was explained to him but it was made clear that there was no question of Her Majesty's Government entering into discussions in regard to a possible change of sovereignty.Her Majesty's Government are still very ready to discuss the possibility of improving transit facilities across British Honduras on the conditions mentioned above. They are, however, not prepared to enter into any discussions concerning the question of sovereignty over the Colony.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects telephone equipment to be installed in Kilmarnock enabling subscribers to dial local area calls and trunk calls, respectively.

I am sorry plans are not yet sufficiently advanced to enable me to make a statement.