asked the Minister of Defence what is the total area, at the most recent convenient date for computation, of Great Britain occupied and controlled by United States forces.

About 37 square miles.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent it is proposed that this country should co-ordinate research on armaments and rockets along with West Germany, France and Italy.

asked the Minister of Defence whether the United Kingdom was invited to the meeting of German, French and Italian Ministers in Bonn on the standardisation of weapons; and what relationship these discussions bear to the work being done on the same topic in Western European Union, of which Great Britain is a member.

During the past year I have had meetings with the Defence Ministers of France, Germany and Holland, following which bi-lateral studies are being made of ways to coordinate our efforts on weapon research and development. I hope shortly to arrange a meeting for the same purpose with the Defence Minister of Italy.Similar bilateral discussions are taking place between various European Governments within the framework of W.E.U. When sufficient progress has been made, it is hoped to set up appropriate multilateral machinery to bring all these efforts together.The British Government was not invited to be represented at the recent meeting in Bonn, but we welcome this and any other initiative to secure an object which is common to us all.

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in view of the fact that the United States arctic radar screen against bombers, built at a cost of £6,500 millions, has now been found to be useless against ballistic missiles, he will give an assurance that no more of the British taxpayers' money will be spent on the similar screen being built by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Europe.

No. I should perhaps add that the figure of £6,500 million in the Question is very wide of the mark. I understand that the true cost is more like £200 million.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is yet in a position to announce the terms of the agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States of America covering the establishment of intermediate range ballistic missile bases in these islands.

I expect the agreement will be completed very shortly. Meanwhile, the hon. Member will not expect me to make a statement about its contents.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the unemployment in Aberdeen caused by the withdrawal of personnel from Dyce Airfield; and if he will state the number involved, the steps he is taking to find for them alternative employment, and what success he has had in these steps.

Of the 17 men who became redundant, six are known to have found work and six did not seek the help of my Department. Everything possible is being done to submit to vacancies the five men who are still registered as unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent unemployment has recently increased among film technicians; and what action Her Majesty's Government will take to maintain and improve the level of employment in the British film industry.

Separate figures are not available for film technicians. Unemployment among all types of workers engaged on the production and printing of cinematograph films increased by about 20 between November and December, 1957. Preliminary indications suggest that there has been a further increase between December and January. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 28th January.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the number of persons unemployed and on short time in Rochdale, for a stated date, in each of the months from October, 1951, to October, 1957.

Owing to the period over which the statistics are requested, figures for quarterly dates only have been given in the following table:

NUMBERS OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT ROCHDALE EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT THE UNDER-MENTIONED DATES
—	Wholly unemployed	*Temporarily stopped	Total register
15th October, 1951	160	79	239
14th January, 1952	157	102	259
21st April, 1952	462	10,451	10,923
14th July, 1952	602	3,990	4,592
13th October, 1952	571	1,848	2,419
12th January, 1953	662	1,420	2,082
13th April, 1953	399	428	827
13th July, 1953	322	84	406
12th October, 1953	346	38	384
11th January, 1954	285	32	317
12th April, 1954	242	32	274
12th July, 1954	203	318	521
11th October, 1954	194	25	219
10th January, 1955	189	94	283
18th April, 1955	207	792	999
11th July, 1955	223	1,179	1,402
10th October, 1955	240	704	944
16th January, 1956	296	211	507
16th April, 1956	228	120	348
16th July, 1956	249	212	461
15th October, 1956	248	97	345
14th January, 1957	287	52	339
15th April, 1957	268	98	366
15th July, 1957	270	20	290
14th October, 1957	247	48	295
* Complete statistics of the numbers working short-time are not available. The figures headed "temporarily stopped" represent the numbers working short-time or otherwise temporarily suspended from employment who were not at work on the dates in question and were registered at the Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons unemployed in the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil on the latest available date; and what are the prospects of additional employment in that area.

1,057 on 13th January. I understand that a number of local firms hope to be in a position to engage additional workers in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the need to increase efficiency and reduce costs, he will encourage firms which have not already done so to make full use of method and work study.

I attach much importance to the application of work study in undertakings of all kinds. Firms are encouraged by my own, and other Departments, to make full use of work study methods in the promotion of which the British Productivity Council also is actively engaged.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of skilled crafts men who have registered as unemployed in Wales during the past three months; and whether he will make a statement.

Information is not readily available on the number of craftsmen who have registered as unemployed over the past three months. On 9th December, 1957, 696 men in the principal building occupations were wholly unemployed compared with 458 on 16th September. This increase was partly due to seasonal causes. At the same date in December, 241 men were wholly unemployed in the main shipbuilding and engineering occupations compared with 228 in September.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons there were in Lincolnshire at the end of December, 1957, 1956, and 1955, respectively.

The unemployment count is taken about the middle of each month. At 13th January there were 7,390 unemployed persons on the registers of employment exchanges in Lincolnshire, compared with 6,029 at 14th January, 1957, and 3,662 at 16th January, 1956.

asked the Minister of Labour if all the men and women who registered as unemployed as a result of the closing of the margarine factory in Keadby, Lincolnshire, have now been placed in employment.

No. Two men and eight women are still registered at the Scunthorpe Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the figures on the strength of the Factory Inspectorate in the Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories for 1956, if he will give up-to-date figures of the numbers of inspectors employed and the number of vacancies; if he will make a statement on the current trends of recruitment and resignations; and if he will describe the steps he is taking to improve the situation.

On 3rd February, 1958, the number of inspectors employed in the Factory Inspectorate was 394 and 15 were awaiting appointment; there were 33 vacancies. The number of resignations in 1957 was nine, as compared with 17 in 1956.In the General Inspectorate the present recruitment position is not unsatisfactory, and it is hoped to fill the three vacancies in the Medical Branch from an open competition which will be held shortly. In the Engineering and Chemical Branch, some of the additional posts have been filled by promotion from the General Inspectorate. For others, applications have been invited from suitably qualified candidates employed by other Government Departments, and if vacancies remain after candidates from this source have been interviewed, an open competition will be advertised.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed registered in the radio industry at the latest convenient date.

At 9th December, 1957, the total numbers registered as unemployed were 1,520 in the wireless apparatus and gramophone industry and 306 in the wireless valves and electric lamps industry. Preliminary indications suggest that there has been a substantial increase in unemployment in January, and I will let the hon. Member have the figures shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed registered at the Feltham and Hounslow employment exchanges at the latest convenient date.

At 13th January, 1958, there were 113 men and 42 women registered as unemployed at Feltham Employment Exchange and 226 men and 112 women at Hounslow Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were un-employed at each of the Falmouth, Redruth and Camborne employment ex changes, Cornwall, at the last official count; and what percentage these figures were of the totals of insured persons.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN THE SALFORD AREA AT THE UNDER-MENTIONED DATES
Industry	14th January, 1957	9th December, 1957	13th January, 1958
Port Transport, etc.	32	28	41
Building and Civil Engineering Contracting	172	123	220
Non-Electrical Engineering	78	62	79
Electrical Goods Manufacture	43	32	45
Clothing (including Footwear)	87	92	80
Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing	61	38	64
Manufacture of Motor Vehicles and Cycles	10	353	154
Cotton Spinning, Doubling, etc.	32	56	68
Sea Transport	46	39	70
Distributive Trades	126	111	147
Local Government Service	40	43	57
Other Industries and Services	649	506	599
Total all Industries and Services	1,376	1,483	1,624

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers have become redundant as a result of the closures of the old steel, sheet and tinplate works in west South Wales which have been closed down since 1st January, 1957.

Since 1st January, 1957, the number of persons employed in the old steel, sheet and tinplate works in

986 at Falmouth, 536 at Redruth and 351 at Camborne at 13th January. At Falmouth the percentage unemployed was 9·7. For Redruth and Camborne combined the percentage was 5·7. It is not possible to compute separate percentage rates for Redruth and Camborne.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he will state the latest number of unemployed in Salford and the figures for the preceding month and at the same date a year earlier;(2) if he will state, separately, the latest number of unemployed in Salford in the docks, building, engineering, clothing and other main industries, with the comparative figures for the preceding month and at the same date a year earlier.

The following is the reply:west South Wales has decreased by approximately 5,000.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the possibility of further discharges of workmen from the Malta dockyard; and if he will give an assurance that consultation with the trade union concerned will take place before any further action is taken to reduce staff.

A small number of workmen will be discharged between now and the end of March as the trade union concerned already knows. The union is also aware of the best forecast we can make of the level of Admiralty employment in Malta in the longer term. I can assure the hon. Member that the union will be kept in touch with further developments on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War what courses of instruction are being given in the Army on the texts of the Geneva Conventions, 1949.

Lectures on this subject are included in the curricula of the Imperial Defence College and the Army Staff College, and it is laid down that periods of instruction in the text of the Conventions should form part of all unit training programmes. The Director of Army Legal Services has recently undertaken a series of lectures for officers in home commands and in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in preparing the new rates of pay for the Army, he will take into consideration the fact that the rates for Regular Army reservists are now at the same level as in 1925; and whether he will consider increasing these rates in view of the changed value of money and the need to encourage recruiting.

As my hon. Friend is aware, Regular Army reservists are not at present required to undertake training but are paid a retainer in recognition of their liability to be called up for service. The rates of reserve pay were reviewed after the war, and no change is at present contemplated.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that there is dissatisfaction in Aberdeen caused by his deprivation, as from 11th January, 1958, of the city and district of its second postal delivery on Saturdays on the grounds that the letters to Dundee from the south travel north by the same train as that which serves Aberdeen, yet Dundee still retains its second Saturday delivery, and that this distinction enables Dundee people to have reply letters delivered in England on Monday morning but deprives Aberdeen people of the same right hitherto accorded to them for many years; and if he will now take steps to restore the second Saturday delivery to Aberdeen.

The second delivery on Saturday was withdrawn in Dundee at the same time as in Aberdeen, and there is no cause for dissatisfaction on the grounds the hon. and learned Member mentions. I should not be justified in restoring the delivery exceptionally in Aberdeen.

asked the Postmaster-General what loans have been made to the Independent Television Authority to enable it to carry out the duty imposed upon it by Section 3 (1) (b) of the Television Act, 1954.

The Question presumably refers to grants under Section 11 of the Television Act, 1954. No such grants have been made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will issue a special greetings telegram for St. Valentine's Day this year.

Yes. A specially commissioned design by Miss Shirley Thompson will be available for greetings telegrams delivered on 14th February. Copies are being placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of persons who received unemployment benefit in Rochdale for each of the years 1951 to 1957, and the total payments made in each of these years.

I regret that information as to the number of persons who received unemployment benefit in Rochdale in these years is not available, nor is the amount of benefit paid there in 1951. The remaining information asked for in this Question, the total payments made since 1951, is as follows:

Period	Amounts
	£
15th December, 1951 to 15th December, 1952	130,616
16th December, 1952 to 11th December, 1953	48,325
12th December, 1953 to 10th December, 1954	17,294
11th December, 1954 to 9th December, 1955	45,046
10th December, 1955 to 14th December, 1956	34,795
15th December, 1956 to 13th December, 1957	28,425

The scales of benefit were increased in May, 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many men who volunteered for three years', instead of two years', National Service, and then went on to Class E paid reserve, are now being transferred from Class E to Class H unpaid reserve.

About 19,000 men who have completed engagements of three or four years Regular service have been transferred from Class E to Class H. It is not the intention that they should be called up for training.

asked the Secretary of State for Air where on the north-east and Yorkshire coasts it is proposed to establish missile bases.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence to the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton) on 22nd January.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will state the total sums expended by the Medical Research Council in each of the last three years for which figures are available, and the relative amounts spent on research into mental disorder.

The total expenditures by the Medical Research Council, together with the corresponding figures for expenditure on research into mental health, were:

—		Total expenditure	Amount spent on research into mental disorders
		£	£
1954–55	…	2,177,247	23,300
1955–56	…	2,480,656	30,000
1956–57	…	2,688,779	58,000

The amounts quoted do not take account of expenditure of a similar order in the fields of neurology and psychology, which are closely allied to psychiatry.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, when the joint researches on the relationship between drink and road accidents which have been carried out since 1952 under the auspices of the Medical Research Council and the Road Research Board, and which have been reported at intervals unofficially in the Press, will be ready for consideration; and whether an official report of them will be published.

It is hoped that a report on the experimental work on the effect of alcohol upon the skill of drivers of motor vehicles will very shortly be available to the Joint Committee appointed by the Medical Research Council and the Road Research Board under whose auspices the work has been carried out. The results of the research will in due course be published.

asked the Minister of Health how many blankets have been sold by his Department during the past two years, to the latest convenient date; and how much money was obtained.

None.

asked the Minister of Health what was the weight of the samples taken from the four tons of Salk vaccine from Canada which had successfully undergone tests by the Medical Research Council before the batch was delivered here; and how many doses the samples represented.

Approximately 4½ kilograms representing 4,500 doses.

asked the Minister of Health whether the yearly records of all the diseases given in the publications of the World Health Organisation cover the period 1st July to 30th June of each year.

Annual Epidemiological and Vital Statistics published by the World Health Organisation cover the calendar year. The report of the Director-General of the Organisation on the functioning of the International Sanitary Regulations which contains certain information concerning the quarantinable diseases relates to the twelve months from 1st July to 30th June.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whom he has appointed to represent the United Kingdom on the Good Offices Committee recently set up by the General Assembly of the United Nations to seek agreement with the Union of South Africa regarding South West Africa; and when the committee will begin its work.

The United Kingdom Government will be represented on the Good Offices Committee on South West Africa by Sir Charles Arden-Clarke. G.C.M.G. The Committee is expected to hold an organisational meeting shortly, but the date for this has not yet been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent Yemeni forces and nationals have been concerned in recent hostile incidents on the frontier of the Aden Protectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement upon the recent border incidents between Yemen and the Aden Protectorate.

Since my right hon. Friend made his last statement on 27th January, there have been further incidents on the Aden Protectorate frontier, involving the firing of guns across the frontier from the Yemen and incursion into Protectorate territory by Yemeni forces, particularly near Sanah in the Dhala area and at Tamara in Beihan. Strong protests have been delivered to the Yemeni authorities, and counter-action against the attacking Yemeni forces has been taken by the State and Government security forces and by R.A.F. aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the report of the Trustram Eve Boundary Commission for Mauritius will be published.

Allowing for the time that will be necessary for the printing of the report and its simultaneous publication in Mauritius and the United Kingdom, I hope it will be possible for it to be published, together with a statement by myself, before the end of the month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the existing rail facilities are adequate to move the accumulating stocks of groundnuts in Northern Nigeria.

A record Nigerian groundnut crop of about 65,000 tons is expected this year, and larger quantities than usual have also to be moved from French territory. The Nigerian Railway Corporation is, however, expecting delivery of new diesel locomotives and extra goods wagons within the next few months, and with the extra capacity thus provided it is hoped to move the bulk of the crop before the start of the next harvest. It seems inevitable that there will be some small accumulation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of clubs newly registered, and the number struck off the register, in England and Wales and in the London Metropolitan Police area, respectively, for the last available annual period and for the comparable annual periods since the abrogation of Defence Order 55C.

Defence Regulation 55C lapsed on 10th December, 1952. The following figures are for the years ended 30th June since that date:

—	New clubs registered	Clubs closed
England and Wales:
1953	869	424
1954	936	522
1955	990	593
1956	918	644
Metropolitan Police District and City of London:
1953	219	140
1954	221	140
1955	222	123
1956	201	169

The number of clubs closed which were struck off the register by order of a court is not available.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will indicate the amount of grants which have been, or will be, paid to each of the local education authorities for areas in Wales and Monmouthshire during the current financial year under Section 101 of the Education Act, 1944.

The payments to local education authorities in Wales and Monmouthshire in 1957–58 under Section 101 of the Education Act, 1944, are as follows:

Local Education Authority	Amount
	£	s.	d.
Anglesey County Council	558	1	6
Breconshire County Council	802	9	7
Caernarvonshire County Council	1,563	14	0
Cardiganshire County Council	662	18	9
Carmarthenshire County Council	1,827	8	4
Denbighshire County Council	1,792	17	0
Flintshire County Council	1,296	16	7
Glamorgan County Council	7,040	17	5
Merionethshire County Council	582	17	8
Monmouthshire County Council	3,395	6	8
Montgomeryshire County Council	878	0	3
Pembrokeshire County Council	1,055	14	7
Radnorshire County Council	553	17	8
Cardiff County Borough Council	3,507	1	9
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council	480	0	0
Newport County Borough Council	1,278	12	10
Swansea County Borough Council	1,680	0	0
Total	28,956	14	7

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why almost new trailers sold by the United States Air Force at Burtonwood and bought by British dealers are, on the orders of his Department, to be broken up for scrap when such scrap is being bought cheaply by foreigners and sold at normal prices in their own country.

The conditions under which these vehicles are offered for sale are prescribed by the United States authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision he proposes to make for meeting the capital requirements of the nationalised industries after 31st March 1958, when the powers to make Exchequer advances expire.

The Government propose shortly to introduce a Bill allowing the present powers to be exercised until the end of August, but only within the limit of money already authorised. This will give time to consider the future of this method of financing these industries in the context of the Government's general policies, and to include any necessary provisions in the Finance Bill.