asked the Postmaster-General whether he will amend Post Office rules in order that receipts may be given for payments made at a post office in respect of cash-on-delivery parcels scheduled for later delivery, in view of the fact that, while in normal circumstances a cash-on-delivery parcel constitutes a receipt for the money paid, in the case of prior payment at the post office the addressee is without the parcel or a receipt for moneys paid, as has recently happened in Brighton.

Yes. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to this point. A new rule authorising the giving of a receipt in these cases is being issued to all offices.

asked the Postmaster-General the percentage of each denomination of stamp in issue to the total number of stamps issued.

In 1956 the percentages were as follows:

½d. value	…	…	7·77 per cent.
1d. value	…	…	6·70 per cent.
1½d. value	…	…	8·72 per cent.
2d. value	…	…	28·00 per cent.
2½d. value	…	…	38·00 per cent.
3d. value	…	…	1·27 per cent.
4d. value	…	…	1·51 per cent.
5d. value	…	…	0·81 per cent.
6d. value	…	…	1·78 per cent.
7d. value	…	…	0·31 per cent.
8d. value	…	…	0·62 per cent.
9d. value	…	…	0·45 per cent.
10d. value	…	…	0·56 per cent.
11d. value	…	…	0·20 per cent.
1s. value	…	…	1·84 per cent.
1s. 3d. value	…	…	0·61 per cent.
1s. 6d. value	…	…	0·52 per cent.
2s. 6d. value	…	…	0·20 per cent.
5s. value	…	…	008 per cent.
10s. value	…	…	0·04 per cent.
£1 value	…	…	0·01 per cent.

asked the Post master-General if he is aware that the principles on which a universal postal system was created are threatened in Stroma, Caithness, where a service once a week is proposed instead of three times a week, on the ground that a better service is not justified for so little return; and if he will make a statement.

The principles of a universal postal system are not threatened; but the cost of getting the mail from the mainland to the sixteen people remaining in Stroma is about 1s. 7d. an item, and this has made it necessary to review the service. No conclusions have yet been reached and, as I have promised, I will write to my hon. Friend before any change is made.

asked the Postmaster-General why draw tickets for the Wallasey Conservative Association are being sold at certain post offices in Wallasey; and if he will grant the same facilities to the Wallasey Labour Party.

The sales at this sub post office were made in contravention of Post Office rules and have been stopped. The same rules prevent me from meeting the request in the last part of the Question.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the fall in income suffered by some sub-postmasters; and what steps he proposes to take to meet the situation.

The pay of individual sub-postmasters rises and falls as a result of three-yearly reviews of the level of business at each office. This system has worked well for many years and I do not propose to change it.Since 1st December, 1956, two pay increases have been given; overall these have added £980,000 to the yearly pay of sub-postmasters.

asked the Postmaster-General why letters posted in Brentford and Chiswick at 6 p.m. are not delivered in the W.1 postal district of London by the first post the following morning.

Letters posted in certain, but not all, boxes in Brentford and Chiswick at 6 p.m., and indeed later, are due to be delivered in the W.1 postal district of London by the first post on the following weekday. I am writing to my hon. Friend to explain the position in more detail.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones were still outstanding in Brentford and Chiswick at the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with the outstanding total at the corresponding date last year.

Four hundred and thirty-one applications were outstanding on the 30th September, 1957, including 91 which were under inquiry or in course of being met. Twelve months earlier the figure was 401, but during this period 569 telephones were installed.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications there are outstanding for the installation of telephones in Sunderland at the most recent convenient date; how this figure compares with twelve months ago; and how many of these refer to business premises.

At 30th November, 1957, there were 251 outstanding applications of which 53 were for business applicants. At 30th September, 1956, the corresponding figures were 522 and 167 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent Royal Air Force aeroplanes on patrol duty normally carry atom or hydrogen bombs.

It is essential to the maintenance of an effective deterrent that aircraft should be in a position to take immediate action and that ground and air crews should be thoroughly versed in the handling of nuclear weapons on the ground and in flight.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what action he is taking to see that Royal Air Force personnel at El Adem British Forces Post Office 56 are receiving a supply of food of sufficient variety to prevent the need for com plaints, details of which have been sent to him.

I have called for a report from the Command and will write to the hon. Lady.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) whether he is aware of the anxiety of the public concerning the dangers of using the Belisha crossing at the junction of Amroth Road and Cowbridge Road, Cardiff; and whether he will make a statement on the action proposed in this matter;

I am aware of the anxiety resulting from the recent fatal accident which occurred during road works. The zebra crossing has now been replaced, with a slight improvement in siting. I do not think that the installation of light signals at this junction would be justified on traffic grounds.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will state the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise, respectively, that have happened on Cowbridge Road, West Cardiff, during the past twelve months.

During the twelve months ended 11th November, 1957, 58 accidents involving personal injury occurred in

TRUNK ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
Scheme			Estimated Cost	Progress
			£
A.48	Ddawan Bridge, Cowbridge: Construction of new 18 ft. span bridge	…	22,000	Nearing completion
A.48	Redhill to Stormy Down: Construction of second 24 ft. carriageway	…	237,000	Work expected to start early in 1958
A.48	Pyle Hill: Reconstruction of carriageway to 33 ft.	…	96,000	Work well in hand
A.48	Neath By-pass (Part II): New road from Earlswood to Lonlas	…	1,750,000	Work well in hand

CLASSIFIED ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
Scheme			Estimated Cost	Progress
A.48	Llamsanlet to Lonlas (inc. Wychtree Bridges): Widening and new bridges	…	395,000	Work expected to be completed in 1959
A.483	Swansea East Side Approach (B.4290) (part): Dualling with two new bridges	…	857,000	Work well in hand on first three sections.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the Ross Spur and "Heads-of-the-Valleys" road projects, designed to improve communications from the Midlands to South Wales; and Cowbridge Road, West Cardiff. Two persons were killed, 24 seriously injured and 38 slightly injured.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the progress of road communication improvements between Cardiff and Swansea, with particular reference to the problem of by-passing Aberavon.

I shall give an early place in my road programme to the Port Talbot by-pass the preparatory work for which is being completed as quickly as possible. The following is a list of the other major road schemes now in hand between Cardiff and Swansea:if he will give an assurance that both these projects will be dealt with as matters of urgency.

Work is expected to start on the Ross Spur early in 1958 and I am giving high priority in my programme to the new "Heads-of-the-Valleys" road.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what will be the length of the Channel ports motor way after the completion of the Medway by-pass.

I am investigating the possibility of extending the Medway Motor Road eastwards to by-pass Canterbury.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that another death has taken place on road A.47 at Costessey in Norfolk; if, in view of this fact, he will re-examine and expedite the lighting and road widening arrangements proposed in respect of this length of road and investigate the possibility of a cycle track; and if he will also consider the imposition of a 30 miles-per-hour speed limit for a trial period of 12 months.

The responsibility for providing street lighting rests with the Forehoe and Henstead Rural District Council and if it wishes to make an application to us for a contribution towards the cost we will be prepared to consider it. The widening already carried out to the west of Norwich will be continued as soon as we can include it in our programme, but the provision of cycle tracks on this length of road would not be justified. As regards the speed limit, I have asked for an up-to-date accident record; as soon as I have studied this I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent, in view of the congestion at Hammersmith since the opening of parts of the Cromwell Road extension, reconsideration has been given to the building of a fly-over there.

This matter is under active consideration by the London County Council and Hammersmith Borough Council, and I hope to hear from them shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has now been able to consider the petition, signed by over 9,000 Yiewsley and West Drayton citizens, regarding the urgent need to deal with the danger to pedestrians caused by the present structure of the railway bridge at Yiewsley over road A408; and when the road authority will begin on the necessary improvements to avoid this danger.

We have considered this petition and will certainly bear in mind the claims of this bridge in planning the major improvement programme for next year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the public nuisance caused by heavy lorries using Pentre Street, Cardiff, at all hours of the day and night; and whether he will take steps to close this area to heavy traffic.

In the first instance this is a matter for the Cardiff City Council, which is the responsible highway authority.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many directions of a general character have been given to the British Transport Commission on matters affecting the national interest under Section 4 (1) of the Transport Act.

Two.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what consultations he has had with the trade unions representing the engineering employees of the operators at Croydon Airport about their future in the event of the airport's closure resulting in their present employers being unable to offer future employment.

None. Discussions are still going on with tenants about alternative accommodation and it is premature to assume that there will necessarily be any employment problem.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give a general direction to the British European Airways Corporation not to refuse applications for employment on the sole ground that the applicants are members of trade unions not affiliated with the Trades Union Congress.

No. It is for the Corporation, as a matter of management, to decide on the suitability of applicants for employment.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is now the position with regard to the installation of F.I.D.O. at London Airport.

Further action at London Airport must await results from an experiment with a high-pressure system now being installed at an R.A.F. aerodrome. The trials are expected to begin early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is satisfied that the decision regarding the purchase of a medium-range, high-speed jet aircraft for use by British European Airways will be decided on the merits and technical suitability of the aircraft.

Yes; but it wild be necessary to ensure that the resources, technical and financial, necessary to complete the project quickly and successfully are available.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent the statement of policy contained in the last sentence of paragraph 62, White Paper on Defence, 1957, Command Paper No. 124, has been modified; and whether he will make a statement.

The policy stated in paragraph 62 of the White Paper on Defence has not been modified.

asked the Minister of Defence whether the statement of policy contained in paragraph 61, White Paper on Defence, 1957, Command Paper No. 124, has now been reconsidered; and whether he will make a statement.

The policy stated in paragraph 61 of the White Paper on Defence remains unchanged.

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in view of the need for reaching a decision on the call-up before the end of 1958, he will ask the Committee which is to inquire into the matter of recruitment into the Army to expedite its investigations.

I have asked the Committee to carry out its inquiry without avoidable delay.

asked the Minister of Defence what degree of access to military and other secrets concerned with his Department has been given to his part-time personal assistant, Colonel Kenneth Graham Post, C.B.E.

He receives from time to time such information as I may think desirable.

asked the Minister of Labour why John Hubble, 25, Cedar Road, Chesterton, Newcastle, Stafford shire, who has been informed that he is unfit for service in the Regular Army, is being called up for National Service.

Although Mr. John Hubble did not reach the medical standards required for the branch of the Regular Army for which he volunteered, he has been found fit for National Service and is accordingly being called up.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the names of the members of the Military Service Hardship Committee sitting at Aytoun Street, Manchester; what are their qualifications; and for how long they have served.

The members of the Military Service Hardship Committees for the various districts are selected from panels which are based on the Local Tribunal Panels established under Section 43 of the National Insurance Act, 1946.Membership of hardship committees varies with each sitting. If the hon. Member will let me know which particular sitting of the Manchester Hardship Committee he has in mind, I will make inquiries and write to him.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed within the Chigwell Urban District of Essex at the last convenient date, and at the corresponding date a year earlier.

The available statistics relate to employment exchange areas. Chigwell Urban District is in the area of the Buckhurst Hill Employment Exchange, and the number of unemployed persons on the register of that Exchange was 123 at 11th November, 1957, compared with 107 at 12th November, 1956.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured employees in Crawley in 1951 and at the latest convenient date.

Five thousand four hundred in 1951 and 18,100 in 1956. Figures for 1957 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in Crawley in October of each of the years 1951 to 1957, and at the latest available date; and what percentage these figures represented of the number of insured employees.

The table below gives the information. Percentages of insured employees cannot be given for 1957 as the figure of the insured population is not yet available.

NUMBERS OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT CRAWLEY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
Date	Males	Females	Total	As percentage of insured employees
October 1951	8	22	30	0·6
October, 1952	30	61	91	1·2
October, 1953	27	113	140	1·6
October, 1954	22	141	163	1·3
October, 1955	25	51	76	0·5
October, 1956	30	91	121	0·7
October, 1957	63	127	190
November, 1957	78	174	252

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women who are unemployed because of the closing of the margarine factory at Keadby, Lincolnshire, have registered with his local officer; and how many have been placed in jobs.

Of the 30 women who were discharged on 5th August only four registered at the employment exchange for other employment. One was placed by the exchange and the other three found work in other ways. Of the 40 men and 20 women who will become redundant between 20th and 31st December when the factory will close, 23 men and 19 women have registered for employment. They have good prospects of being placed when they are available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many vacancies have been notified to his Department within a 10-mile radius of Keadby, Lincolnshire.

On 6th November there were 357 unfilled vacancies for males and 332 for females at the employment exchanges of Scunthorpe and Brigg, which are the only two exchanges within a ten-mile travelling distance of Keadby.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the official proposals recently made by the Canadian Minister for External Affairs in the Canadian Parliament, a copy of which proposals has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Louth; and if he will consult with the United States Government with a view to seeing how soon a fresh approach towards negotiation with Moscow, including top-level talks aimed at preserving peace, can be made.

My right hon. and learned Friend has seen the speech to which the hon. Member refers. The Canadian Minister for External Affairs did not make any specific proposals about the possibility of holding top-level talks. On this subject, I have nothing to add to the statement which my right hon. and learned Friend made in the House on 8th November.I shall arrange to place a copy of this speech in the Library of the House as soon as an authoritative text is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the names of the countries whose representatives voted for, against, or abstained, respectively, on the resolution passed by the Trusteeship Committee of the United Nations last week concerning a policy for self-government for Trust Territories.

The Resolution was adopted by the Fourth (Trusteeship) Committee of the United Nations on 5th December by a show of hands; that is to say, without a roll-call vote. It is not, therefore, possible to give the names of the countries voting for and against the Resolution and abstaining on it. The Resolution was adopted by 44 votes to 15, with 12 abstentions. The United Kingdom voted against the Resolution.

asked the Minister of Supply the functions of the Transport Aircraft Requirement Committee; how many times this committee has met during the past year; and what recommendations it has made, with particular regard to new types of civil aircraft.

The Committee is advisory and its terms of reference are:

"To keep under review the programme for the development and production of transport aircraft in the light of civil and military requirements, actual and potential, and of developments in other countries and to make recommendations as from time to time may be necessary".

On the Committee are representatives of the Ministry pf Supply, Admiralty, Air Ministry, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Treasury, B.O.A.C., B.E.A. and the British Independent Air Transport Association. Since 1st November, 1956, the full committee has met four times and its sub-committees have met six times. It has considered a number of requirements, including the following: a medium/long range jet aircraft for B.O.A.C. which is to be met by the purchase of 35 Vickers VC. 10 aircraft, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on 22nd May; a medium/short range jet aircraft for B.E.A. on which I hope that an early decision will be announced; a supersonic civil transport on which a research study is now being made; the future programme of development of the following projects which at present form part of the civil aircraft development programme—Britannia, Rotodyne, and Orion engine: and an aircraft and an engine project which are not being pursued.The Committee is at present giving consideration to possible requirements for a long-range freighter. In addition it is considering a programme of research and development and is conducting a review of all possible transport requirements of the Services, the Corporations and the independent companies within the next 10 or 15 years and of all projects for the development of transport aircraft which members of the aircraft industry wish to put forward. The co-operation of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors has been sought to ensure that no suitable projects are overlooked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African women are employed in the community development service in Kenya; and in what capacity.

, pursuant to Mr. Profumo's reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th November, 1957; Vol. 577, c. 33], supplied the following information:325 African women are employed full-time and 230 part-time in community development services in Kenya. This does not include voluntary workers or those employed toy the voluntary agenciesThe following table sets but the nature of the work on which these women are employed.

Appointment	No. of African women employed
	Fulltime	Part-time
Community Development Officer	1	—
Community Development Assistant	12	—
Teacher at Jeanes School	5	—
*Divisional Community Development Leader	24	—
*Locational Community Development Leader	225	229
*Training School Teacher	29	—
*Nursery School Teacher	29	1
Total	325	230

NOTE:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in connection with the economic development of British Honduras, consideration has been given recently to the implementation of plans originally put forward by Mr. Hughes-Hallett, then Minister to Guatemala, which included the construction of a deep-sea port at Stann Creek with rail and road connection with the Guatemalan territory of the Peten, which the Guatemalan Government is anxious to develop.

Improvement of communications between the Peten and ports in British Honduras was among the matters which Her Majesty's Government signified their readiness to discuss with the Guatemalan Government in the exchanges to which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs referred in answer to a Question on 5th December by my hon. Friend. The construction of a deep-water pier at Stann Creek is included in the Colony's development plan which I hope to discuss with a delegation from the Colony in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities exist for the training of teachers in the Windward and Leeward Islands.

Since 1954, facilities have been provided with assistance from Colonial Development and Welfare funds for 32 students to attend two-year residential courses at Erdiston College, Barbados. All the islands in the Windwards and Leewards group participate in this scheme except Antigua which has its own small training college. This provides 30 places of which about half are available to students from the other Leeward Islands. Each territory provides also non-residential part-time training for teachers already in service.

asked the Minister of Education how many independent schools have registered with his Department; what percentage this represents of the total; and if he will make a statement on the information resulting from registration in accordance with Part III of the Education Act, 1944.

1,436 independent schools already recognised by me as efficient are by Order exempted from registration, and under Section 70 of the Education Act, 1944, are deemed to be registered. The proprietors of other independent schools must apply before 31st March next to have their schools registered, and 1,930, or about two-thirds of them, have now made valid applications. I have made the registration of 431 of these schools final. All but 51 of the remainder have been granted provisional registration, and have been, or will shortly be, visited by H.M. Inspectors. Our present experience of the results of registration is limited and I would therefore prefer not to make any general comments.

asked the Minister of Education the total number of children of school age residing within the boundaries of the Knowsley ward and Mersey wards of the County Borough of Bootle which are areas affected by clearance; what percentage of these children are receiving grammar school education at grammar schools either inside Bootle or at other grammar schools; and what is the average national percentage of children receiving grammar school education.

I do not feel justified in asking the Bootle Local Education Authority to undertake the special survey which would be needed to answer the first two parts of the Question. For the last part I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mr. Moss) on 5th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many students holding the certificate of attestation of fitness to enter a university were refused entry in each of the faculties of each Scottish university in the years 1955, 1956, and 1957.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what offences the courts, immediately prior to 1948, were empowered to order corporal punishment; and what were the numbers of each of these offences known to the police in 1956.

The offences for which the superior courts in England and Wales could order corporal punishment before its abolition as a judicial penalty in 1948 were:

Diplomatic Privileges Act, 1708, Section 4—instituting any process which might result in the arrest of, or distraint on the goods of, the Ambassador or Minister of any foreign State; executing any writ or process in connection with the action.

Vagrancy Act, 1824, Section 10—conviction as an incorrigible rogue on second or subsequent offences of, e.g. indecent exposure, sleeping out, failure to support family, on committal to quarter sessions for sentence.

Treason Act, 1842, Section 2—discharging or aiming a firearm at the Sovereign.

Garrotters Act, 1863, Section 1—attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle in order to facilitate the commission of an indictable offence.

Larceny Act, 1916, Section 23 (1)—armed robbery, robbery in company with others, robbery with personal violence.

Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1912, Section 3—procuration, Section 7 (5)—second or subsequent offences of living on the earnings of prostitution or soliciting by males for immoral purposes.

In addition, the superior courts could order boys under 16 to be whipped for the following offences:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the estimated total number of unfit houses in England, Scotland and Wales; how many unfit houses were estimated to be demolished within the first five-year period; how many of this number have been demolished to date; and the estimated number for demolition up to 31st December, 1958.

The returns submitted by local authorities under Section 1 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, gave an estimated total of 847,000 unfit houses in England and Wales. Of these, 375,500 were to be demolished or closed within the first five-year period, 1956 to 1960. Between 1st January, 1956, and 30th September, 1957, 66,670 unfit houses were demolished or closed. The returns did not call for annual programmes, and I cannot therefore give an estimate for 1958. My responsibilities do not extend to Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the occurrence of road accidents at the bridge outside Forth on the Forth-West Calder road, he is satisfied with the safety measures currently in force.

This bridge is on a classified road for which Lanarkshire County Council is the highway authority. I understand that reflector posts have recently been erected to assist traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents involving injury or otherwise have occurred since the war, and in the current year, at the road bridge outside Forth on the West Calder-Forth road.

Between 1st January, 1946, and 30th November, 1957, there have been six accidents, at or near this bridge involving injury to nine persons and three accidents not involving injury. Of these accidents three involving injury to three persons and two not involving injury occurred during 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work will start on building the new fire station at East Kilbride; and when he expects it to be completed.

I understand that the Joint Committee will shortly be submitting detailed proposals for a new fire station but I cannot at this stage forecast when it will be possible to start building or to complete the work.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent serving high-ranking officers in the Army are being permitted to make political speeches; and whether such pronouncements are considered at the War Office before delivery.

Officers are not allowed to make political speeches. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.