asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the development of the quick freezing of fish in Scotland is retarded by the lack of assistance which, under existing law, the White Fish Authority can give to processors in Scotland; and if he will take steps so to alter the law as to enable the White Fish Authority to give the assistance which is essential for the full development of this side of the fishing industry in Scotland.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate said in reply to the hon. Lady the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 4th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that teachers with an ordinary degree of a Scottish university who, in addition, hold the degree of Bachelor of Education with first or second class honours, are leaving teaching posts for posts as industrial or educational psychologists because salaries in these fields are at least £300 per annum higher; and whether he will take steps to rectify this.

Teachers holding the degree of Bachelor of Education from time to time obtain posts in the educational service as administrators or educational psychologists. Such posts are recognised avenues of advancement within the service for which the possession of the degree is a qualification. My right hon. Friend has no evidence of any substantial movement of teachers holding this degree into posts as industrial psychologists.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will issue a warning to landlords against taking unfair advantage of tenants under the Rent Act, 1957.

I would refer the lion. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 4th March on this subject to the hon. Members for Greenock (Dr. Dickson Mabon) and South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet decided to make a compensation payment to a certain individual who met with an accident in Saughton Prison in April, 1957, in a case the circumstances of which have already been sent to him by the hon. Member for Bothwell.

No. As my right hon. Friend has informed the hon. Member, this man's solicitor has been told that liability for damages is not accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the public feeling in Scotland against the present habits of Sunday drinking and the resulting drunkenness, he will now consider an alteration in the present licensing laws.

My right hon. Friend is always prepared to consider proposals for improving the licensing law, but as I informed the hon. Gentleman on 29th October, he can see no immediate prospect of amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that Dancing Cairns Quarry, on the border of the City and County of Aberdeen, constitutes a nuisance within the meaning of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, that this nuisance has caused many deaths and injuries to residents in the locality, and that, on 4th March, a further death occurred there as a result of that nuisance; and, in view of the fact that in July, 1957, he took action to induce Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire County Council to abate the nuisance, but the nuisance still remains, if he will now take further action under his statutory powers, and particularly under Part IX, Sections 146 to 149 of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, to induce the relevant local authorities to abate the nuisance and so prevent further injury and death.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of widespread concern arising from recurring fatal acidents at Dancing Cairns Quarry, Aberdeen, what action he will take under his statutory powers under Sections 146 to 149 of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, to remedy this situation.

My right hon. Friend greatly regrets the fatal accident which occurred on 2nd March. The county council has already arranged to fence the top part of the quarry, and my right hon. Friend has asked it for a further report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his attention has been drawn to the narrow road due to the small bridge at the old Park-head railway station and Duke Street, Glasgow; and what steps are proposed to widen this bridge which restricts traffic and is a danger to pedestrians and the travelling public.

A proposal for widening this bridge has been included as a long-term project in the Glasgow Development Plan. If the corporation, as highway authority, were to give the scheme priority and to apply for grant towards its cost, my right hon. Friend would consider the application in the light of the funds available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will call for a report on the street crossing at Crail Street and Tollcross Road, Glasgow, where there is a school and tramway and omnibus depot, with a view to slowing down traffic and installing traffic signals in order to prevent accidents.

It is for Glasgow Corporation to consider whether any measures should be taken for the regulation of traffic at this junction. If the corporation considers that traffic lights are justified, my right hon. Friend will examine any proposals it may make for their installation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to a plan to build a central police headquarters with living accommodation in place of the out-of-date buildings in central Glasgow.

My right hon. Friend has received no proposals from the police authority for the building of a new police headquarters in Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now come to a decision concerning the appointment of an independent committee to examine and report on financial assistance to students.

The matter is still under consideration, but my right hon. Friend hopes that it will not be very long before he is in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans have been submitted to him by Glasgow Corporation for slum clearance, multiple storey flats, and entire area clearance since the beginning of 1957; and what plans he has approved.

In February, 1957, my right hon. Friend approved proposals for the re-development of the Gorbals. During the period referred to the corporation has submitted proposals under the Planning Acts for the re-development of Pollokshaws and has notified my right hon. Friend of resolutions to clear two small areas under the Housing Acts. The corporation are now discussing with his Department proposals for multistorey flats in the Gorbals and on a site at Blairdardie.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the reason for the failure to clear Duke Street Prison, Glasgow, and use the ground for some useful purpose.

Legal complications have delayed the completion of the sale of the prison to Glasgow corporation, but my right hon. Friend hopes that it will soon be its property.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of tubercular cases in Glasgow, the number who are waiting to be admitted to hospital, and the length of waiting period.

There were 17,748 on the Glasgow Respiratory Tuberculosis Register at the end of last year. There is no waiting list for hospital treatment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider restricting imports of embroidered articles from Hong Kong.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given on 27th February to her Question about imports of Commonwealth textile goods generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what complaints he has received from British manufacturers and exporters in respect of Japanese and other goods imported into Hong Kong and then exported to the United Kingdom and other markets with false descriptions purporting to indicate their Hong Kong origin.

Two, from manufacturers and traders, with four from other sources. No basis has so far been found for the suggestion of misdescription. One case is still to be investigated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the total value of exports from Northern Ireland in 1938 and 1957, respectively;(2) what was the value of textile exports from Northern Ireland in 1938 and 1957, respectively.

The trade returns relate only to the United Kingdom as a whole. The figures are not, therefore, available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to attract new industry to Bridport, Dorset, in view of the availability of labour in the area.

In view of the claims of other places, special action to attract new industry could not be justified; but the Board of Trade will bear Bridport in mind in any discussions with firms proposing to site suitable new projects in this part of the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what have been the legal and scientific qualifications of the person holding the office of Comptroller of the Patent Office since 1930 up to the present time.

They have been barristers-at-law and have had a university degree or degrees in some branch of science, apart from the present Comptroller-General who does not have specific legal or scientific qualifications.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that under the rules relating to the charging of Purchase Tax footwear made-to-measure for persons with slightly flat feet is chargeable to tax, whereas footwear made-to-measure for persons with a severe degree of flat feet is exempt; what machinery exists to ensure fair discrimination in this matter; and what revenue was received during the last year for which figures are available in respect of Purchase Tax on footwear made-to-measure for persons with slightly flat feet.

Yes. The footwear for severe fiat feet is accepted as being a surgical appliance. The machinery is fully explained in Notice No. 78, issued by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, with which my hon. Friend is no doubt familiar.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that most articles for improving the fuel consumption of stoves and ranges are exempt from Purchase Tax, arrangements may now be made to extend that exemption to grids for attaching to grates to prevent live coals from dropping out, which at present remain chargeable to such tax.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of loans authorised by the Development Areas Treasury Advisory Committee to firms within the North-East Development Area, and the amount repaid to the Treasury.

£1,611,098 and £452,786, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances the Development Areas Treasury Advisory Committee will authorise loans to existing firms and to those wishing to establish themselves in Development Areas.

The circumstances in which loans are made at the present time are conveniently set out in the third Special Report from the Select Committee on Estimates Session 1956–57, Development Areas, at Recommendation (6) on page 5.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received from organisations and persons in Wales calling for a reduction in the Entertainments Duty or its abolition; and what answers he has given.

Nine up to a few days ago. My reply has been that I could not comment on Budgetary matters, but that the representations had been noted in connection with my general review of indirect taxation before the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that six cinemas closed in Liverpool between October and December, 1956, three in 1957, and three more since 1st January, 1958, and that the Entertainments Duty has a detrimental effect on the ability of the film trade to obtain the necessary improvements in smaller cinemas; and, without anticipating his Budget statement, if he will agree to receive a trade deputation on this subject.

I have noted what the hon. Member has said. My hon. and learned Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury has already received a deputation representing all sections of the film industry on my behalf.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the increase of both unemployment and pockets of unemployment; and, where local authorities are prepared to organise schemes to absorb these men, if he will take steps to assist these local authorities to borrow capital at a low rate of interest for this purpose and also encourage them to start such schemes.

The Government are keeping in close touch with these developments; but I could not agree to differential rates of interest on loans from the Public Works Loan Board to particular local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are made to collect Income Tax from members of the United States forces who receive family allowances under the National Insurance Act while serving in the United Kingdom.

Such allowances are normally covered by personal reliefs. Any liability on family allowances would be automatically taken into account in any case where the Income Tax child allowances were claimed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing power of the £ sterling in January, 1946; and what it is today, assuming it to have been 20s. in September, 1943.

Very approximately, 18s. 9d. and 11s. 1d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working parties are now working on the problems of the Free Trade Area; what is their composition; and what subjects are under study.

The negotiations which cover virtually the whole range of commercial and economic relations are confidential, and I do not think it would be appropriate for me to give this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent gold is now being imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Out of total gold bullion imports worth £300 million in 1957, £71 million came from the Soviet Union. Figures of gold imports have no direct relationship with the amount of gold taken into the gold and dollar reserves.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) how many of the disabled persons in Government employment are ex-Service personnel; and how many suffer from congenital disability;(2) how many of the registered disabled persons employed in the Civil Service hold appointments in the ranks of principal, or its equivalent, and above; and how many of these are blind, deaf or substantially physically handicapped.

I regret that the information is not available and could not be collected without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many golden sovereigns were produced during the mintage year 1957; how many are in circulation in the United Kingdom; how many have been sold to foreigners and at what price per sovereign; and what is the purpose in producing these coins.

2,072,000 sovereigns were minted during the calendar year 1957. They are not issued for circulation in the United Kingdom but are used, together with those currently being minted, to augment the stocks of sovereigns in the nation's gold reserves. This enables sovereigns to be released for circulation abroad to meet a demand which has given rise to counterfeiting. Sales of sovereigns for this purpose are being made from the Exchange Equalisation Account at current market prices and for dollars or other convertible currency; it is not the practice to give details of the transactions on this account.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what representations he has received from the Warwickshire Clean Air Council to the effect that certain processes which it is his intention to schedule under the Alkali Act should not be scheduled; whether he is satisfied that the Alkali Inspectorate are capable of coping with such processes in the event of their being scheduled under the Alkali Act; and if he will reconsider his decision in this matter.

My right hon. Friend has not had any direct communication from the Warwickshire Clean Air Council, but its memorandum objecting to the scheduling of further works under the Alkali Act has been brought to his notice. He is satisfied, however, that the Alkali Inspectorate will be competent to discharge these additional responsibilities, and proposes shortly to lay the necessary order before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs in how many instances in the geographical County of Warwick the Alkali Inspectorate has failed to solve local problems which the local authority has subsequently solved.

No such cases have been brought to the attention of my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which counties are experiencing difficulties with unapproved caravan sites.

While my right hon. Friend knows of the difficulties over unapproved caravan sites, he is not in a position to give a complete list of counties in which they have been experienced.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will withhold his permission for the proposed development in the north-east corner of Manchester Square until it is possible to obtain the views of the Royal Fine Art Commission on the future of Manchester Square, in view of the fact that Manchester Square is one of the finest of the eighteenth century squares now left in London, and of its architectural merit as a setting for the Wallace Collection in Hertford House.

My permission is not required. It is the London County Council, as local planning authority, which now has under consideration a revised proposal for an office building in the north-west corner of Manchester Square. I understand that the Royal Fine Art Commission has expressed views to the council on the future of Manchester Square, and that in coming to a decision the council will have these views before it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) in view of the delays by the Central Land Board of up to two-and-a-half years in the settlement of claims under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, what steps he is taking to ensure that such delays do not occur in future;(2) what action he proposes to take to remedy the harsh results arising from the provisions of Section 14 (1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, where claims which, through no fault of the claimant, have only recently been settled by the Central Land Board carry no interest after 30th June, 1955.

The Central Land Board is doing all it can, within the limits set by the statutory procedure and the complications inherent in many cases, to dispose of all applications quickly. It has already settled nearly 80,000 applications involving payments of £63¼ million (including interest), and has less than 500 cases outstanding in which payment is expected to be made by the Board. The effect of Section 14 (1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, is that any of these payments made since 30th June, 1955, carried seven years' interest from 1st July, 1948. My right hon. Friend does not consider that amending legislation would be justified.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the number of local authorities doing composting of household refuse and sewage.

Very few treat these materials together, though many authorities utilise them separately.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will include Stoke-on-Trent in the suggested outline schemes to improve the appearance of spoil heaps.

Outline schemes have been suggested as examples to illustrate the improvements which might be made in suitable cases. My right hon. Friend would prefer not to add to these examples before discussing their implications with his noble Friend the Minister of Power and the National Coal Board.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will set up tribunals empowered to hear appeals from tenants in communities of houses or flats in the same ownership who are threatened with eviction, authorising these tribunals to grant short leases at rents in line with the comparable property in the same ownership.

No, I do not think it would be appropriate to set up tribunals for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs to what extent adjacent local authorities have adopted pooling or reciprocal schemes designed to meet the more urgent cases needing rehousing, irrespective of local authority boundaries.

Local authorities are entirely responsible for the selection of their tenants, and they are not required to tell me of any reciprocal or pooling schemes. While I understand that some reciprocal arrangements exist, I doubt whether the pooling of tenancies would be considered practicable by any local authority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the evidence that in many localities temporary accommodation for evicted and homeless families is completely occupied, what advice or recommendations he has given to local authorities to secure further accommodation for this purpose.

By circular I have reminded local authorities of their powers to make advances for house purchase, and I hope they will use them to the fullest extent possible. I have also suggested to authorities other ways in which they can give special help to old people who are the most likely to find difficulty in getting the accommodation they need. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the relevant circulars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the peoples of British Colonies, notably in West Africa, shall not have their freedom curtailed to buy the cheapest and basic goods offered to them, and that there shall be no action taken to compel them to buy British, irrespective of price and quality.

This remains the policy of the United Kingdom Government and no such action will be taken. For balance of payments reasons some restrictions are placed by Colonial Governments on imports of nonessentials from certain sources. It is of course our hope that British goods will compete successfully on their own merits in colonial markets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when work is expected to begin on the construction of a new mental hospital in Cyprus.

As I informed the hon. Member on 3rd December, the Cyprus Government intend to make as early a start as possible. A mental health expert from this country is to visit the island at the end of this month to advise the Cyprus Government on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of Africans, Asians and Europeans, respectively, in Kenya, who will qualify for the annual personal tax under the Personal Tax Ordinance, 1957, under each category of income.

I am asking the Governor of Kenya if he can supply this information and will circulate a further reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is proposed to purchase cattle from Africa farmers at the meat canning factory at Athi River, Kenya; and what special conditions will be imposed.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 3rd February, 1958; Vol. 581, c. 140], supplied the following further information:No special conditions will be imposed on cattle from African areas.

asked the Minister of Works, as a view of the fact that the River Longford is specially canalised for providing water for the ornamental lakes at Hampton Court, what steps he is taking to clear the obstructions in the culverts, pipes and sluices associated with these works.

Continuous maintenance of the culverts, pipes and sluices is carried out by my Department in the sections of the river for which I am responsible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how, in the event of the closure of the Royal Naval Air Station, Eglinton, he proposes to dispose of 80 Admiralty houses in the area.

Some time will be required to establish how many of the married quarters at the Royal Naval Air Station, Eglinton, will become surplus to naval requirements. The disposal of any which are found to be surplus will be arranged in close consultation with the Northern Ireland Government.

asked the Minister of Education what has been the expenditure of local authorities on education expressed as a percentage of the national income, in 1947, 1951, 1956 and 1957.

The expenditure of local education authorities in England and Wales was 2·04, 2·28, 2·70 and 2·88 per cent. of the national income in 1947, 1951, 1956 and 1957, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the nationality of Attilio Messina, against whom it was found impossible to enforce the deportation order made against him on the ground that the Italian Government refused to recognise him as an Italian national; what steps he is taking to ensure that this convicted procurer registers and reports regularly to the Metropolitan Police as an alien; whether Scotland Yard is aware of his present address; and what watch is being kept on his activities.

The nationality of Attilio Messina must be regarded as doubtful. He is required to report regularly to the Police, who are fully alive to their responsibilities in the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour, having regard to the conclusions arrived at in the Cohen Report on prices, productivity and incomes, and the fears expressed by the workers of the country that the Report will be the means of increasing unemployment and be used to influence arbitration bodies, what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to allay these fears.

The Report is addressed to the community at large, not to the Government. Those who read it will realise that the main threat to levels of employment and standards of life springs from inadequate recognition of the hard economic facts set out so clearly in the Report.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade workers are registered as unemployed in the Basildon new town area; and how many have been registered as unemployed for more than two weeks.

Figures are not available for Basildon new town, but people from Basildon register at the Pit-sea Employment Exchange where, on 17th February, 84 men and boys whose last employment was in the building and civil engineering industries were registered as unemployed. Information about duration of unemployment is not available for individual industries.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men he estimates will be employed in the scheme to produce gas from low grade coal to be set up near Ballingry, Fife; and whether he will make a statement.

I understand that when this scheme is fully completed it is probable that between 200 and 250 workers will be permanently employed.

asked the Secretary of State for War what areas of Dartmoor National Park come within his control; what are their acreages; and to what extent civilians are excluded from these areas.

The War Department controls or uses the following areas within the Dartmoor National Park: Okehampton Camp (128 acres); Plasterdown Camp (70 acres); Okehampton Ranges (16,350 acres); Willsworthy Ranges (3,450 acres); Ripon Tor Rifle Range (322 acres); Ringmoor Down (4,420 acres); Roborough Down (740 acres); Merrivale East (4,160 acres).The camps at Okehampton and Plasterdown are closed to the public at all times. The ranges at Okehampton, Willsworthy and Ripon Tor are closed to the public during firing operations. Public access to the Ringmoor, Roborough and Merrivale East areas is not restricted by military use. The Merrivale East area will shortly be given up.