asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will arrange for an immediate inquiry to take place regarding the disposal of sewage by the Hythe Borough Council and the Elham Rural District Council; and if, in particular, he will state what was the condition of the main sewers on 7th February, 1958.

My right hon. Friend has no information before him which suggests that an inquiry is called for and I can only suggest that my hon. and gallant Friend should approach the local authority on the second part of his Question as they alone can give this information.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what recent progress has been made in devising an antidote to the pollution of the River Trent caused by synthetic detergents, in view of the dangers to navigation personnel employed on the canalised section of the river.

The first Report of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents was published last week and I am sending the hon. Member a copy. This indicates that manufacturers are investigating the production of synthetic detergents of a kind which give less trouble at sewage works.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will authorise the Rural District Council of Upton upon Severn to invite tenders for the construction of a temporary water supply to the parish of Welland.

The rural district council's proposal for a temporary supply to this parish reached the Department on 6th February. The council has been authorised to invite tenders.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs to what extent, in the course of his appeal to all local authorities to limit their expenditure in accordance with Government financial policy, he has asked the Liverpol Corporation to limit their project affecting Treweryn in North Wales.

My recent circular asked that all local authorities, in considering their budgets for 1958–59, should ensure that all possible economies were achieved. Parliament last year accepted that there was a genuine and urgent need for supplying more water for Liverpool and granted the Corporation powers to construct, and to borrow money for, the Tryweryn scheme. It is now for the Corporation to consider its plans in the light of my appeal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the rôle of local authorities on the termination of the management of the new towns by the existing development corporation.

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add at present to the statement he made in the House on 29th July last

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that so far as possible Welsh roofing slates are used in local authority building.

It must be for each local authority to choose the materials it will use for its houses. No objection will be taken by my Department to any local authority in England or Wales incurring additional first cost by using Welsh slates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what provision he is making in central London for rehousing the 1,000 people who will lose their homes as a result of the National Library Scheme; and when it is proposed to commence building.

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works that no date has been fixed for beginning the British Museum Library scheme. The problem referred to in the first part of the Question therefore does not at present arise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the total interest charge on the cost of building a two-bedroomed house by a local authority in 1951; and what was the figure for 1957.

Taking the average cost in tenders approved during the last quarter of 1951 and 1957 and supposing the money had been raised for sixty years at the Public Works Loan Board rate prevailing at the end of each quarter, the figures would be £1,918 and £4,284 respectively. But since the end of 1952 local authorities have not, in fact, been required to borrow at the current interest rate for the full period of sixty years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many people were on local authority housing lists, housing authority by housing authority, requiring accommodation suitable for the elderly, to the most convenient date; and how many have been accommodated in the last twelve months, to the most suitable date, housing authority by housing authority.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central on 21st January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish a short pamphlet warning tenants of the dangers involved in entering into tenancies of low-rated properties and advising them of the precautions they should take.

If the hon. Member will let me know more precisely what he has in mind, I will consider it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will call for a return from the various housing authorities of the number of families who are liable to eviction in October, 1958, under the Rent Act, 1957; and to what extent these authorities will be able to assist in rehousing these families before October. 1958.

No one can tell how many tenants, if any, will be liable to eviction. There is plenty of time still for agreements to be concluded between landlords and tenants before any notice to quit can take effect.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware that Ilford Council has issued a statement that it is unable to assist in any way 200 families who have received notice of eviction in October; and whether he will make a special financial grant available to this council to enable it to assist in the rehousing of these 200 families.

I have received a letter from the council. I understand that it wishes to make representations about its difficulties in lending money to decontrolled tenants for house purchase. When I receive these representations, I may be able to suggest some means of helping the council in these difficulties.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will set up an interdepartmental committee to examine the problems arising from homeless families and make recommendations.

I have been asked to reply.I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion in consultation with the Ministers concerned.

asked the Prime Minister what changes he has to announce in the composition of the Balfour Memorial Committee.

I have been asked to reply.Following on the death of the late right hon. Gentleman the Member for Kelvin-grove, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has decided to appoint the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. J. Stuart) as Chairman of the Balfour Memorial Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Governor of Northern Rhodesia has been advised to certify the Bill introduced in the Legislative Council giving the police further powers to control processions and public meetings; and on what grounds this legislation has been introduced.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Police (Amendment) Ordinance passed by the Legislative Council on 19th November, 1957, and assented to by the Governor on 19th January this year; he will shortly be submitting it to me in the normal way for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure. The Governor was not constitutionally required to "certify" this Ordinance. The object of the Ordinance is to extend the use of power to control processions and assemblies, already given in the principal Ordinance, to public places in the open air as well as public streets, and to define new authorities who may permit processions and assemblies to take place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken to deal with the extensive unemployment among European and African workers on the Copperbelt in Northern Rhodesia.

The employment exchange services for Europeans and Africans at Bancroft, where the problem is likely to be most acute, have been expanded. The Southern Rhodesia Government have offered the co-operation of their employment services for Europeans wishing to seek work there. The Northern Rhodesia Labour Commissioner is in close touch with employers' organisations and leading Africans, including trade union leaders. The Government are making special arrangements to help Africans wishing to return to their rural homes for whom free transport is being provided by the mine management at Bancroft; and all District Commissioners and Native Authorities have been asked to dissuade Africans for the time being from migrating to the Copperbelt in search of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action the Government of Northern Rhodesia are taking consequent upon the financial recommendations of the Conference on African Education in Urban Areas, held in Lusaka, December, 1957, under the chairmanship of Mr. H. Franklin, Minister for Education and Social Services, that school fees should be charged in towns and that a greater proportion of Government revenue should be diverted to African education.

There are a number of detailed points, such as the amount of fees to be charged, the actual date of their introduction, and the machinery for their collection, which need to be considered before the former recommendation can be implemented. The Northern Rhodesian Government are considering these points and, bearing in mind the need to give adequate notice, they hope that it will be possible to start the progressive introduction of a system of charging school fees in urban areas in the financial year 1958–59. The latter recommendation accords with Government policy hitherto but with the drastic fall in copper prices and, in consequence, Government revenue, it is not possible to promise that the proportion of revenue devoted to African education will be further increased.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the numbers of Africans in the Northern Rhodesian Protectorate who are over 21 years of age and have an income of £150 per annum or immovable property valued at £500 or an income of £120 per annum and have attained Form II in secondary education.

The best estimate the Governor of Northern Rhodesia can make is 25,000 men; but if the hon. Member is thinking of the number who will qualify for the special roll proposed in the Federal Government's Electoral Bill he must also take account of about 23,000 wives in addition who do not need a separate income to qualify, and of the literacy requirements which would in turn reduce the estimate to 21,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the recent regulations imposed by the Government of Kenya on the holding of public meetings, what facilities at present exist for Mr. Tom Mboya to address his constituents or other political or trade union meetings.

During the temporary prohibition of African political meetings in Nairobi, Mr. Mboya will not be able to address public political meetings of his constituents in the city. His private business with his constituents, and bona fide trade union meetings held in public, will be unaffected. Whether a permit will be issued for Mr. Mboya to speak as a guest at political meetings outside his constituency remains within the discretion of the authorities issuing permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what steps are being taken to defend the Turakana tribe from the raiding Merille of Ethiopia;(2) what communications he has had from the Governor of Kenya about raids into Kenya territory by armed subjects of the Emperor of Ethiopia.

The Governor has reported each of these raids to me as it occurred and Her Majesty's Ambassador at Addis Ababa has been in close touch with the Ethiopian Government. I hope that a joint Commission of Inquiry may soon be set up to investigate these incidents and consider means of preventing similar trouble in the future.In the meantime the Turkana are being protected by the police, reinforced by the King's African Rifles. There have been no raids since 13th December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the estimated figures of money sent into Hong Kong by overseas Chinese, especially from the United States of America, during 1957; and how much of this is calculated to have gone to Communist China and how much to Nationalist China.

I regret that no figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the estimated figures for refugees entering Hong Kong, either legally or illegally, during last summer and also during the last months of 1957; the highest figures at any one time in 1957; and the natural rate of increase at the present time in the population of Hong Kong.

Records do not distinguish between refugees and other immigrants. From June to August, 1957, 1,700 more Chinese entered the Colony legally than left it. In the last three months of 1957, the corresponding net increase was 9,100. The highest figure in 1957 was a net increase of 39,200 in one week in April. No estimate can be given of illegal immigration. The natural increase in 1957 was 78,500 in an estimated total population of 2,677,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what replies were given to the Nigerian Parliamentary delegation, which has recently visited Fernando Po, in answer to the accusations against the Spanish authorities of maltreatment made by more than 300 Nigerians who have returned from Fernando Po to Nigeria; and what steps the British Consulate is taking to investigate the matter.

I understand that complaints against employers were made, not by 300 but by about two dozen Nigerian repatriated labourers. The Governor-General of the Spanish territories in the Gulf of Guinea assured the delegation that vigorous action to improve matters would be taken in all substantiated cases. Under the agreed arrangements all specific complaints by Nigerian workers are investigated in collaboration with the Spanish authorities by Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Fernando Po and a Nigerian Labour Officer appointed for the purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many pounds of fruit are imported annually by the Government of Nyasaland; what fruit crops are at present grown by European farmers; and what encouragement is given by the Government to African farmers to grow fruit for commercial purposes.

I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what encouragement or instruction is given by the Government of Nyasaland to African farmers and peasants to practise water control in order to prevent excessive flooding of rice crops.

I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about recent incidents on the frontier of the Aden Protectorate.

Since my hon. Friend's reply on 5th February to a Question from the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) I have received no further reports of any serious incidents in the Dhala sector of the Aden Protectorate frontier. I understand, however, that there have been further attacks in the Beihan sector.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the views of the Northern Rhodesian and Nyasaland African Congresses, respectively, were ascertained, during discussions with the Governors of the territories on constitutional reform.

The views of the two Congresses have been ascertained and are being considered, together with those of other individuals and associations, both African and non-African, in the constitutional discussions which the Governors of the two Protectorates are now holding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount to be spent on new prisons in Uganda during the current financial year; and the annual expenditure on the probation service.

In the current financial year the estimated capital expenditure by the Protectorate and local Governments on new prisons and improvements to existing prisons is nearly £480,000. The estimated recurrent expenditure on probation and after-care services is over £15,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to ensure that political parties in Uganda are fully informed of the registration and other procedures necessary for the direct elections to be held later this year and what efforts are being made by district commissioners to keep in touch with local political leaders to ensure the fullest registration of electors.

An intensive campaign has been launched to publicise elections procedure. This includes extensive touring by Administrative Officers and Chiefs, the distribution of pamphlets and posters in English and vernacular languages, tours by mobile cinemas and special radio programmes. Where local branches of political parties are sufficiently organised they are encouraged to seek help and advice from District Commissioners and are asked to urge their Followers to register.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are taken by the Uganda Government to ensure that the Uganda public know which publications are proscribed.

The proscription of a publication is announced by legal notice in the Protectorate Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the South Pacific Commission which met in Canberra last year considered the question of the formation of a Pacific Territories Federation as the next step toward governmental responsibility and, in view of the growing urge for something more than they now possess, if he will request the South Pacific Commission to consider taking the initiative by calling a conference of all the islands to consider this matter rather than wait for a challenge to come from some or all of these islands.

The purpose of the Inter-governmental Conference which met at Canberra in 1957 was to review the work of the South Pacific Commission, not to consider the political future of the South Pacific territories. The South Pacific Commission is a consultative and advisory body concerned with the economic and social development of the non-selfgoverning South Pacific territories, and would not be an appropriate body to initiate talks on federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement on the future of Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he will make a statement on the future of the Colony of Cyprus.

Since hon. Members tabled their Questions my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has gone to Athens for discussions about Cyprus, and has asked the Governor to join him. The House will, I hope, understand if I do not make any statement today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals he has to provide opportunities for employment in Malta alternative to the naval dockyard.

Her Majesty's Government are providing substantial financial assistance towards capital development in order to create conditions favouring the introduction of new industry. They have co-operated closely in the establishment of the Industrial Advisory Committee for Malta under Lord Hives' chairmanship. They are also investigating the possibility of transferring the dockyard to commercial use. All these moves are in furtherance of the objective of the July, 1955, Declaration of reducing dependence on Services' expenditure, introducing new enterprise and avoiding unemployment. As envisaged in that Declaration, however, it is for the Maltese Government and people to work out a long-term development plan and also to make the best possible contribution from their own resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement in amplification of Scottish Home Department Circular No. 9191 indicating to what extent it is Her Majesty's Government's policy that economies should be made in administration by the local authorities or alternatively that their services should be reduced.

Paragraph 3 of the circular appears to me to give local authorities all the guidance they need.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the opposition amongst educationalists in Scotland to the proposals in Circular 334 to local education authorities; and if he will take immediate steps to withdraw it.

The circular in question was not issued by me but by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and was addressed to local education authorities in England and Wales. No corresponding circular was issued to Scottish education authorities, but in Circular No. 9191 I have drawn the attention of all local authorities in Scotland to the need for economy in expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to publish figures of the total estimated population and the total estimated population aged 60 years and over, respectively, in Scotland at 30th June, 1957.

The total estimated population in Scotland at 30th June, 1957, was 5,150,020 and the total estimated population aged 60 years and over was 772,404.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will consider the introduction of legislation to prohibit young persons under the age of 16 years from being in possession of airguns;(2) what evidence he has received regarding danger to the public caused by persons under the age of 16 years using airguns, which might call for an amendment of existing law.

I have received very few representations about the possession or use of airguns by young persons and have no evidence to suggest that legislation on the subject is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will sanction exceptional expenditure by local housing authorities to enable them to provide alternative homes in their own towns and villages for persons evicted under or as a result of the operation of the Rent Act, 1957.

I am always prepared to consider specific housing proposals submitted to me by local authorities, but I have no reason to suppose that exceptional expenditure, such as the hon. and learned Member refers to, will be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement indicating the number of houses, families and persons, indicating separately how many old-age pensioners, in Scotland he estimates will be affected by the decontrol provisions of the Rent Act during the next 12 months and 24 months, respectively; and what provision he or, through his Department, local authorities in Scotland will make for those who will be evicted.

It is estimated that 60,000 houses in Scotland of rateable values over £40 were decontrolled under the Rent Act, 1957, as from 6th July, 1957, but I have no information about the number of families and persons, including old-age pensioners, affected by decontrol.I have no reason to believe that a large number of tenants will be evicted but I have asked local authorities to do everything they can to assist people affected by the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of persons who are liable for eviction under the Rent Act, 1957, in the Parliamentary constituency of Kelvingrove; and how many of these are likely to be rehoused by the authorities concerned before October, 1958.

The tenant of a house decontrolled by the Rent Act, 1957, cannot be required to remove before October, 1958.I have no information about the number of tenants who have received notices to quit under the Act and, in any event, service of a notice to quit does not necessarily mean that the landlord is unwilling to negotiate a renewal of the tenancy. It is open to any tenant who receives notice to approach his landlord and ask him on what terms the tenancy could be renewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the extent of the damage caused to hill and marginal farms by red deer; and how many cases have been brought to the notice of the Agricultural Executive Committees of the seven Highland counties since 1st October, 1956.

I know that deer cause considerable damage in certain districts in Scotland, but I cannot provide an estimate of the amount of damage. Since 1st October, 1956, Agricultural Executive Committees have received forty complaints of damage by deer in the seven crofting counties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will give the number of times, since 1st October, 1956, that the police in the seven Highland counties have intercepted or have had interceptions reported to them of vehicles containing deer carcases thought to have been shot on someone else's property;

I am sorry that the information desired by my hon. Friend is not immediately available, but it is being obtained and I hope to send it to him at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that whereas in England and Wales a local government elector has the right to inspect the minutes of the full proceedings of a local authority on payment of 1s., this right does not exist in Scotland except in the case of the sub-committees of education, welfare, planning and health; and whether he will consider bringing the Scottish position in this respect into line with that of England and Wales.

My noble Friend the Minister of State discussed this matter with the Scottish local authority associations on 7th February. The discussions are proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of houses built in the Parliamentary constituency of Kelvingrove for each of the months from October, 1951, until the latest convenient stated date; and what was the average superficial floor space of these houses, and the categories so built.

No houses have been built in the Kelvingrove Division since 1951, as this is a fully built-up area with no vacant land for new building.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any statement to make on the export of unmatured whisky.

No. The memorandum submitted recently on the subject by the Scotch Whisky Association is being studied.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of cinemas that have closed each year during 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957.

The numbers are 63, 52, 93, 224 and 193.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will relieve from the incidence of taxation payments made by employers to their employees in respect of the provision of meals during overtime working in cases where payment for such overtime working is made and is subject to Pay As You Earn.

No: such payments are part of the employee's total remuneration and I see no reason to single them out for special tax relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, whereas mirrors for human domestic use are chargeable to Purchase Tax at 60 per cent., a bird-cage novelty incorporating a mirror but no other feature to identify the article as a plaything for a bird is chargeable at 30 per cent.; whether he will extend this favoured treatment to domestic mirrors at an early date or make arrangements to tax them at the low rate of 5 per cent. like most other domestic furniture; and what would be the approximate cost of the latter concession.

I am afraid my hon. Friend is mistaken. The bird-cage mirrors he mentions would also be taxable at 60 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in the interests of avoiding waste, steps may now be taken to free from Purchase Tax mouse traps, rat traps and fly swatters, at present chargeable at 30 per cent.; and what has been the revenue received from Purchase Tax on mouse traps, rat traps and fly swatters, respectively, during each of the last three years;

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget Statement. As to revenue I would refer him to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. P. Thorneycroft) on 17th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue to holders of post-war credits transferable value certificates, maturing at the appropriate date.

I am satisfied that there would be insuperable objections to the course suggested.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of post-war credits still owing, and the amount that has been repaid.

About £450 million and £290 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue to tenants who have received notice to quit under the Rent Act, 1957, transferable certificates of credit, to the extent of their post-war credits, such certificates to be deposited with building societies as deposits to enable these persons to purchase alternative housing accommodation.

I cannot anticipate my Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what terms Brodick Castle has been offered to the nation.

Brodick Castle has been offered to the Inland Revenue in part satisfaction of Estate Duty under Section 56 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, as amended by Section 49 of the Finance Act, 1946.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual amount of entertainment tax paid by cinemas for the years 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957.

The following are the figures:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will instruct the Inland Revenue to allow subscriptions to rabbit eradication clubs, whose constitution is approved by an Agricultural Minister, to be charged as an expense in estate and farming accounts.

Subscriptions to such clubs may be so charged for tax purposes.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, in view of the progress in the United States of America with research into the possibility of production of a drug to counteract poisoning or death by radiation in the event of a nuclear war or accident, what advance has been made in the United Kingdom in this direction.

The Medical Research Council has for some ten years actively supported work on substances that might protect against the effect of ionising radiations. Substantial progress has been made experimentally but the results are not yet applicable to the treatment of human beings.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give the names of the United Kingdom representatives to the seminar on psychiatric treatment of criminals and delinquents organised by the World Health Organisation at Copenhagen; whether there is Scottish representation; and whether observers are also being sent.

The World Health Organisation allocated four places in this seminar to participants from this country. After consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, I have made the following nominations:

• Dr. Roper, Principal Medical Officer. H.M. Prison, Wakefield.
• Dr. Simpson, Consultant Psychiatrist, H.M. Prison, Wormwood Scrubs.
• Mr. Morrison, Principal Psychologist, H.M Prison, Wormwood Scrubs.
• Dr. Inch, Medical Adviser to the Scottish Prison and Borstal Service.

asked the Minister of Health how the rates of pay of pharmacists in mental hospitals compare with those of pharmacists in general hospitals; and if he will appoint a committee of inquiry to consider the rates of pay and the staffing of all hospital pharmaceutical departments.

The rates of pay of pharmacists in mental hospitals, other than chief pharmacists, are the same as those for pharmacists in general hospitals.The rates of pay of the chief pharmacists vary in accordance with a points scheme, which takes into account,

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has studied the simple cardboard device, called disque de contrôle de stationnement, used in Paris for regulating the parking of vehicles, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Hastings; and whether he is yet able to make a statement regarding the relative efficiency of this scheme in comparison with that of parking meters.

I have now received a detailed report by Mr. Alex Samuels and a small group of experts who at my request recently studied the parking control disc system in Paris. I agree with their opinion that as a method of parking control for use in our own conditions, and particularly in London, it would be less efficient than parking meters.The disc system does nothing to control where parking may take place, nor, since it makes no direct charge for parking, does it do anything to regulate the demand. The system is more readily evaded, and it is estimated that it would take three times as many people to enforce adequately compared with meters.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he anticipates work will begin on the Sunderland-Carlisle trunk road to bypass the town of Haltwhistle in the county of Northumberland.

The land required for this scheme is being acquired and as soon as I have obtained entry on the outstanding plots I shall be able to put the work in hand.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many road accidents caused by a defect in the hydraulic braking system occurred in Great Britain in the period 1st January to 31st December, 1957, or in such other recent period of twelve months as may be convenient.

I regret that the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many motor cyclists died as the result of head injuries sustained in road accidents in Great Britain between 1st January and 31st December, 1957, or in such other recent period of twelve months as may be convenient; and in how many of these cases the motor cyclist was wearing a crash helmet when he met with the accident.

As I stated in my reply to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. L. Jeger) on 22nd January, the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Colonial citizens, with separate figures for coloured people, and how many foreigners, respectively, were resident in Scotland at 30th June, 1956 and 1957.

The number of foreigners registered with the police in Scotland was 20,777 at 30th June, 1956, and 21,023 at 30th June, 1957. As was explained in the reply to my hon. and gallant Friend on 6th February, it is not possible to give any similar figures of British subjects born in Colonial territories, or any separate estimate for the coloured population of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions on charges of failing to maintain every part of every braking system of a motor vehicle in good and efficient working order took place in Great Britain between 1st January and 31st December, 1957, or in such other recent period of twelve months as may be convenient; in how many of those cases the prosecution followed upon fatal accidents and road accidents involving personal injury, respectively; and in how many cases the braking system involved was hydraulic.

In 1956, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 15,359 prosecutions for offences in connection with the fitting and maintenance of brakes on motor vehicles. No information is available relating these offences to accidents or indicating the types of braking system involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many offences against children were committed in Great Britain during the years 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957, respectively, by former involuntary patients in mental hospitals; and in how many such cases those patients had absconded from the hospital;(2) how many offences against the person were committed in Great Britain during the years 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957, respectively, by former involuntary patients in mental hospitals; and in how many such cases those patients had absconded from the hospital.

I regret that the information asked for is not available

asked the Secretary of State for Air what consultation he has had with the local authorities within whose area plans to establish missile bases are under discussion.

The selection of sites has not yet reached a stage where this is an issue.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many strikes have been called by the General Workers Union during 1957 at the Malta Dockyard; and if he will give the dates when these took place and the duration of each dispute.

Two strikes, each of one hour's duration, were called by the General Workers' Union at the Malta Dockyard during 1957, namely, on 2nd August and 29th November. A third strike, of 2½ hours' duration, was called on 3rd January, 1958.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps his Department took to consult the householders who were affected by recent Post Office cable-laying operations in Goddard Avenue, Swindon; and if he will now call for a report into the obstruction and inconvenience caused.

None directly, though of course the approval of the highway authority was obtained. The works were in a narrow lane at the back of Goddard Avenue, and affected access to eighteen garages. I understand that the contractors consulted in advance two of the occupiers whom they were able to identify.Such works, unfortunately, are bound to cause inconvenience, but we do our best to minimise it. I understand that the contractors ensured at the end of each day that there was access to all the garages, and that during the day the workmen made temporary arrangements to enable cars to go in and out. In one case the occupier could not wait while this was arranged. I am sorry, but I do not think more could have been done to help.