asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what reply he has given to the proposals of the Electrical Sign Manufacturers' Association for relaxing the present control on illuminated signs without detriment to amenity or public safety which were submitted to him on 9th July, 1957; and whether he will make a statement.

The Association were told that their proposals would be taken into consideration in the drafting of the new Regulations. This was done. My right hon. Friend's provisional view was that he could not accept their main proposal for relaxing control over illuminated signs on business premises, but that local planning authorities ought to be given wider discretion than they had at present to allow illuminated signs in areas of special control. Draft Regulations based on this view have been circulated to the Association and other bodies, and their comments are now being considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the total number of applications for planning permission made to the local planning authority in each of the last three years, respectively, in the areas of the Brentwood Urban District Council and Basildon Urban District Council, respectively; and how many of each were approved.

Local planning authorities do not provide my right hon. Friend with figures of the planning applications they deal with, and he regrets, therefore, that he is not in a position to give this information.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now bring forward legislation to amend Section 111 of the Local Government Act, 1948, so as to put the payment of travelling and subsistence allowances to members of local valuation panels and other public bodies on a more reasonable basis.

As my right hon. Friend informed my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Sir H. Channon) on 17th December, he is considering a number of suggestions for amendment of Part VI of the Local Government Act, 1948. I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give the names of the local authorities in the London and Greater London area which have written to him to express their support and opposition, respectively, to the Rent Act, 1957.

I have received a manifesto from the St. Pancras Metropolitan Borough Council condemning the Act and all its works, and urging restoration of rents to pre-Rent Act level. Six other authorities have expressed concern about the decontrol provisions. They are the Metropolitan Borough Councils of Camberwell, Fulham, Lewisham and Paddington; and the Boroughs of Uxbridge and Willesden.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what discussions he had with the Trades Union Congress either prior to or during the passage of the Rent Act, 1957; and what views they expressed in regard to this measure.

There was an exchange of letters between the Trades Union Congress and my predecessor. There were no other discussions.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that, in areas such as West Ham, which suffered severe damage in the last war, there are still thousands of applicants on the urgent priority waiting list for housing accommodation; and whether, as the West Ham Council's problem of housing these applicants will be further aggravated in October next due to the evictions under the Rent Act, 1957, he will take some action to assist the West Ham Council to overcome their special housing problem.

I have no reason to suppose that the number of decontrolled tenants likely to seek fresh accommodation will have any significant effect on the housing position in West Ham.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that in the third quarter of 1951 the average tender price of a three-bedroom council house was £1,403, that the total cost of interest and repayment charges, assuming a loan raised over 60 years at the rate of interest charged by the Public Works Loan Board at the end of the relevant quarter was £3,033 12s., and that by the third quarter of 1956 these figures had increased to £1,487 and £5,103 18s. 7d., respectively; and what would be the relative figures for the third and fourth quarters of 1957, respectively.

For the third quarter of 1957 the figures were £1,489 and £6,144 16s. 1d.; but the local authority was not bound to borrow at the current interest rate for the full period of 60 years. Figures for the fourth quarter are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now summon representatives of the people of Cyprus to London for talks about the future of the island.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are his plans for the development of self-governing institutions in Cyprus.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) on 19th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make an interim statement on the present position in Cyprus, and the Government's future proposals.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 27th March to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to open discussions with representatives of the Cypriot people about the future of their country.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) on 19th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many detainees there were in Cyprus on 1st January last; how many of these have been released since that date how many of these have been rearrested and detained again; and how many fresh detentions have been made in the same period.

In 1st January, there were 676 persons in detention in Cyprus. Since then 68 have been released. None of those released since 1st January has been re-arrested and detained again. Eight new detention orders have been made in the period since the 1st January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consult the Governor of Cyprus about the rescinding of Emergency Regulations in Cyprus, especially those allowing imprisonment without trial.

No. I am confident that the Governor will make further relaxations of the Emergency Regulations in Cyprus as and when he considers it safe to do so, but the increasing threats of violence and numerous acts of sabotage by Eoka in recent weeks make the present time quite unsuitable for rescinding the Regulations. There are no Emergency Regulations in force in Cyprus allowing imprisonment without trial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Somalis were arrested when a crowd of Somalis stoned the District Commissioner's car containing the honourable Members for Edmonton and South-East Essex at Berbera in 4th March; and what has been the result of the prosecutions.

Eight. They were all convicted on 29th March of rioting, under Section 147 of the Penal Code, and of unlawful assembly, under Section 143 of the Penal Code. One of the accused was sentenced to 18 months rigorous imprisonment on the first charge and three months on the second, and all the others to nine months on the first charge and three months on the second.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the amount of colonial development and welfare funds voted to the Somaliland Protectorate in each of the last five years, the purposes for which it was voted, and the amounts spent in each year.

Colonial development and welfare funds are allocated for expenditure on schemes approved under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, 1940–55, which do not necessarily relate to separate financial years. The total grants so far approved against the Somaliland Protectorate allocation during the current Colonial Development and Welfare period 1955–60 are about £1,500,000. Expenditure so far in the same period is estimated at £720,000. The grants have been made for schemes which fall mainly under the heads of education, agriculture, water supplies, harbour improvement, and health services. Details are given in the return of schemes printed each year as a House of Commons Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what measures he is taking to make the unofficial membership of the Legislative Council of Somaliland Protectorate more representative of the people.

A Commission has been appointed by the Governor to examine the method by which unofficial membership of the Legislative Council can he made more representative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the deteriorating situation in British Somaliland, he will now expedite constitutional changes, economic assistance, and the expansion of educational and health services.

The Governor and his officers are pressing on expeditiously with constitutional, economic, educational and medical development projects. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 29th May, 1957, and to the hon. Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn) on 28th June, 1957, and on 2nd July, 1957. Since those replies were given, much has been accomplished.For example, work on the Berbera Port Improvement Scheme has made considerable progress; a major scheme for dealing with the problem of tuberculosis in the Protectorate has been approved; work on the designing of the new secondary school at Sheikh has been started; work has begun on a large-scale scheme for rural water supplies; and a new intermediate boarding school at Dayala is almost complete; a Commission has been appointed by the Governor to examine the methods by which unofficial membership of the Legislative Council can be made more representative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is now the position concerning integration with Malta and concerning support of the Maltese Government's budgetary plans; and whether he will make a statement on the general situation as regards Malta.

I have nothing to add at this stage to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, South (Sir D. Campbell) on the 25th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he suggested the development of social services in Malta on the basis of percentage grants from Her Majesty's Government.

The offer of percentage grants was part of specially devised arrangements and intended as an earnest of Her Majesty's Government's intention to play their part in assisting the progressive improvement of social services and living standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been made to set up a re-settlement bureau or otherwise assist the re-employment of those officers of the Eastern and Western Regions of Nigeria who will be retiring under the arrangements made for self-government.

I regret that I am as yet unable to add to the reply of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Balfour) on 25th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what will be the number of Africans directly elected to the Legislative Council at the forthcoming elections in Uganda; and what arrangements are being made for the representation of the districts not participating in the direct elections.

Excluding representatives from Buganda whose method of election is still under consideration, ten African Representative Members will be directly elected to the Legislative Council in the forthcoming elections. Apart from the District of Karamoja, which has no Representative Member, the representatives from districts not participating in direct elections will be indirectly elected as before.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to be in a position to make a statement on the Report from the International Labour Organisation expert dealing with the question of unemployment and underemployment in British Guiana.

The report was made to the British Guiana Government, who are studying it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the amount of new investment from outside interests in British Guiana during the last six months; and what effect such investment has had upon reducing unemployment in British Guiana.

Figures for the last six months are not available. The estimate of private investment in 1957 from outside interests is £7 million. The ultimate effect of this upon the employment situation cannot yet be assessed, but it is estimated that the construction and exploratory work involved has produced employment for over 2,000 people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he will give the number of children of school-leaving age, this year, in British Guiana; and what opportunities are likely to be afforded to these young people to take up employment in that country on leaving school.

About 7,000. In rural districts, many join their families in working on subsistence crops and peasant farming, but opportunities in the urban areas are few. As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member's Questions on 20th March, the position should improve as a result of the development programme and of private investment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reasons Mr. Eric Marles, Town Planning Officer and Architect to Nairobi City Council, is being deported from Kenya.

No deportation order has been made against Mr. Marles. When his temporary employment pass expired, he applied for an entry permit giving him authority to stay in Kenya. This was refused because the authorities were not satisfied that his engaging in the employment offered would be of benefit to the inhabitants generally of the Colony. Mr. Marles has since been declared a prohibited immigrant, but is being allowed temporarily to stay in Kenya since he has obtained leave to apply to the Supreme Court for an order of certiorari in respect of the refusal to grant an entry permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the amount which is collected per village in the Kiambu area of Kenya to provide a fund for buying milk for the children; under whose auspices the milk is distributed; and on what basis.

There is no such collection from the villages. Dried milk, supplied mainly by U.N.I.C.E.F., is distributed free under the auspices of the Kenya Government and the Christian Churches in Kenya, on the basis of need. One hundred tons of dried milk are distributed annually in this way in Kiambu district alone.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of Africans in the Kiambu area of Kenya who are engaged in compulsory unpaid communal labour; what hours of work are compulsory; and what other employment is available to labourers for the remaining hours of the day and at what rates of pay.

In accordance with a byelaw of the local African District Council, unpaid communal labour is required of all able-bodied adult males, numbering about 35,000, every Thursday between S a.m. and 1 p.m., except during the three months of the annual coffee-picking season. For the rest of the day in question, those employed return to work at their own farms and village industries or as paid labour on Kikuyu-owned farms, for which the basic wage varies from 45s. to 60s. per month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the Africans elected to the Kenya Legislative Council under the new constitution have indicated their readiness to participate in the election of the twelve additional members by the Legislature and to support African membership of the Executive Council.

None, so far as I am aware. It will be a few weeks before they have an opportunity to indicate their final intention when the elections are held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government's White Paper setting out proposals for changes in the Constitution of Northern Rhodesia will be freely available in the Protectorale so that there will be the fullest possible discussion by the public; and whether he will consider setting up a commission to visit the various provincial councils and other selected organisations to ascertain public opinion upon this matter.

These are at this stage matters primarily for the Government of Northern Rhodesia. That Government have made it clear that the proposals in their White Paper have been published for public discussion and they intend to take steps to ensure that the White Paper is widely available throughout the territory. There are many bodies in Northern Rhodesia through which public opinion can find expression, and I should not myself have thought that the Northern Rhodesian Government would need to set up any new machinery to ascertain public opinion on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Government of Northern Rhodesia guarantees the cost of house building to European immigrants, Asian immigrants and indigenous Africans, respectively.

Under the General Territorial Scheme, Government guarantees 15 per cent. of a 90 per cent. building society loan for a house valued at not more than £3,500; anyone able to satisfy the usual building society requirements of financial soundness is eligible and no criteria of race or length of domicile in the territory apply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for African participation as tenant or co-operative farmers in the Mkushi tobacco farming development scheme in Northern Rhodesia.

None. Africans are, of course, eligible to participate in the scheme on the same conditions as persons of other races.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of the programmes given by the Mauritius broadcasting system is in English and French, respectively; and whether, in view of the fact that English has now become the medium of primary education as from the 4th Standard, he will consider the advisability of increasing the amount of English spoken over the broadcasting system.

The Mauritius Broadcasting and News Service broadcasts for just over 57 hours a week. Of this, approximately 50 per cent. is in the French language and approximately 30 per cent. in English. (The balance is mainly in Hindustani, with some Chinese and Swahili.) The extent of broadcasting in English on the Service is a matter for the Government of Mauritius.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what recommendations of the Childs Economic Survey of Sierra Leone have been carried out; and which have still yet to be implemented.

The main recomdations of the Childs Report related to increased agricultural production, both for export and domestic consumption, and an extensive improvement in communications, and much work has been done in these fields by the Sierra Leone Government in the nine years since the Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which organisations were represented at the conference on urban problems at Ndola in February; and what were the numbers of Africans who attended from Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia, Swaziland, Basutoland, and Bechuanaland, respectively.

This was an intergovernmental conference at official level. It was attended by three officials from the Colonial Office, by the Director of the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute, and by delegations nominated by the Governments of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda, Zanzibar, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and by observers nominated by the Governments of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia, and of Swaziland. Apart from two sociologists, these delegations consisted of central and local government officials directly concerned with urban problems. They did not include any Africans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is the practice of his Department that an officer of the Colonial Service, at the end of his period of probation, must be confirmed in his appointment unless his probationary appointment is terminated or extended.

An officer should not be confirmed in his appointment unless he is considered suitable in all respects for permanent appointment. If the officer is not confirmed on the expiration of his probationary period and his probationary appointment is not terminated, he continues to serve for extended probationary service until he is confirmed or until his probationary appointment is terminated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether consideration has yet been given to the future of United Kingdom financial assistance for colonial development after the expiry of the present Colonial Development and Welfare Act on 31st March, 1960.

As the House knows, the present Colonial Development and Welfare Act expires on the 31st March, 1960. Her Majesty's Government are sure that it would be the wish of both sides of the House that we should continue to help Colonial Governments with finance for their development plans after that date. More detailed work will have to be done before Her Majesty's Government can reach firm conclusions about the shape and content of future assistance.I hope that it will be possible to introduce the necessary legislation during the 1958–59 Session and to provide in accordance with precedent for an overlap between the new and existing Acts. Meanwhile, I propose to tell Colonial Governments that they may proceed on the assumption that the period in which the £220 million provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of 1940–1955 may be spent will be extended by legislation beyond the 31st March. 1960.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he is aware that firms specialising in the eradication of fungal decay and beetle attack in building timbers frequently recommend unnecessarily extensive work and, in some cases, unduly expensive treatment where none is required; and whether he will take steps to bring these undesirable practices to the notice of the public in a suitable bulletin from the Forest Products Research Laboratory.

It is not the function of the Forest Products Research Laboratory to assess the extent and nature of any such trade practices. The Laboratory issues a comprehensive bulletin on Dry Rot, obtainable from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, price 2s., and also free leaflets on Dry Rot and several insect pests of building timbers. These publications describe in full the nature of the pests and the most effective and economical remedial and preventative measures.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the appointment of a scientific attaché at the British Embassy, Moscow.

This matter is still under consideration, and I am not yet able to make any further statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, how far arrangements are in operation to enable translations and extracts from Russian scientific papers made by both the United States of America and Great Britain to be interchanged.

At present the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is purchasing copies of the majority of translations of Russian scientific literature produced in the U.S.A. Discussions are in progress between representatives of the U.S. National Science Foundation and the D.S.I.R. with a view to improving the present arrangements for the interchange of translations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have replied to his request to assist those who will be evicted under the Rent Act; whether, in view of these replies, he is now able to state the exact number of houses, families and persons in Scotland, indicating old-age pensioners separately, affected by the decontrol provisions of the Act during the next 12 and 24 months, respectively; and what further provision he, or through his Department, local authorities in Scotland will make for those who will be evicted.

The circular in which local authorities were asked to do everything they could to assist people affected by the Rent Act was issued on 14th June, 1957, and did not ask for any reply. As regards the remainder of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member on 11th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the technical education building programme on which it is proposed to spend £10½ million.

The following are the details:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase day-release education; and to what extent the position is improving.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to hon. Member for Motherwell (Mr. Lawson) on 17th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet replied to the letter which Glasgow Corporation sent him last month about a review of the rents of houses belonging to the Corporation; and what are the terms of his reply.

My Department yesterday sent the following reply to Glasgow Corporation:31st

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total Exchequer subsidy, in respect of houses for persons employed in agriculture, paid to the county council of the County of Lanark each year since 1951, and the number of houses to which it has applied in each year.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many of the tenants of houses of the Lanark County Council which attract a special subsidy to facilitate the housing of agricultural workers are themselves employed in agriculture;(2) what steps he is prepared to take to ensure that any local authority drawing a special housing subsidy to facilitate the accommodation of agricultural workers does not apply this subsidy to houses tenanted by persons whose employment is outwith the agricultural industry.

The statutes enact a wide definition of agriculture for purposes of the special subsidy. Moreover, the requirements are met if a number of houses equal to the number attracting the special subsidy are reserved for the agricultural population except in so far as the demand for such housing accommodation in the district can be satisfied without this reservation. A triennial certificate is required from the local authority that the statutory requirements are being observed. Subject to these requirements, the letting of the houses is a matter for the local authority. I have no information on the precise occupations of the individual tenants, and I have no reason to think that any special steps are necessary beyond the normal audit procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in which schools Russian is now taught, and to what levels; and what are the total numbers of pupils and teachers concerned.

Russian is being taught to the level of the Scottish Leaving Certificate Examination (Higher or Lower paper) at Glasgow High School, Boroughmuir Secondary School, Daniel Stewart's College, George Watson's Boys' College and George Heriot's School and to "O" level in the General Certificate of Education Examination at Fettes College. The class in Glasgow High School includes pupils from five other Glasgow schools—the Academy, Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School, St. Aloysius College, Strathbungo Senior Secondary School, and Whitehill Senior Secondary School. In all, 78 pupils are being taught by five teachers.

asked the Minister of Works whether, since the Carey Street, West, automatic electric lift in the Royal Courts of Justice has only failed twice since it was installed, he will state the reason for a service suspended notice having been exhibited on the lift during the day on a number of occasions; and if, in the circumstances, he will consider entering into a contract with the makers of the lift for its servicing by them.

This notice is exhibited whenever routine maintenance work is being done to the lift by Ministry of Works engineers. There is no need to enter into a servicing contract with the lift makers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the date on which he had negotiations with a foreign chemical firm about the establishment of a new works in Wales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will indicate the site and nature of the industry reluctant to come to Wales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what application he has received from a foreign chemical firm to build a factory in west South Wales;(2) in what part of Wales proposals have been made by a foreign chemical firm to build a factory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the present position of negotiations for the establishment of a chemical works at Glynllifon Park, Caernarvon.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which chemical company has inquired about sites in Carmarthenshire and in Wales, respectively.

As the House is aware, Ashburton Chemicals, a British subsidiary of a foreign chemical firm, has been considering for some time the possibility of setting up a factory in Caernarvonshire. The Board of Trade will continue in close touch with this firm to do all it can to overcome the remaining difficulties in the way of completing the arrangements for the factory. One other chemical firm is known to the Board of Trade to be at present actively considering sites in other parts of Wales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will consult the National Coal Board about the use of his powers under the Distribution of Industry Act for the purpose of levelling the old tips at Pontlothyn, Glamorgan, to permit of the establishment of a new industry;(2) if he will consult the National Coal Board about the use of his powers under the Distribution of Industry Act for the purpose of clearing the site of the derelict Senghenydd Colliery in South Wales;(3) if he will use his powers under the Distribution of Industry Act to clear any industrial sites that may become vacant as a result of Government policy.

I am ready to consider using my powers under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, in those parts of the Development Areas where unemployment is high and industrial development is being hindered by lack of suitable sites or available factory space.But until I have firm evidence that industrial development in South Wales is being held up by lack of suitable sites, I should not be justified in using my powers in either of the two cases mentioned; indeed, there is a vacant Government factory at Cymmer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms have made inquiries for industrial sites in the Welsh Development Areas during the last twelve months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms have made inquiries for industrial sites in Wales during the last twelve months.

My Department has received about 50 inquiries for industrial sites and premises in Wales in the last twelve months. Most of the inquiries relate to the South Wales Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage firms to establish factories in North Wales.

My regional controllers are on the watch for industrialists who might go to North West Wales and the Controller for the Midlands has recently visited the area to see for himself what the opportunities are.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how far the Government's policy of curtailing capital expenditure has limited industrial expansion in Wales during the last two years.

It is impossible to identify the effect, if any, of credit restrictions on industrial expansion in Wales. But the area of new industrial space in Wales for which location approval was given by the Board of Trade in 1956 and 1957 was 73 per cent. higher than in 1954 and 1955.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new industries have been introduced into South Wales in the last year.

Four new firms started production in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area in 1957.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will advise industrialists or local people in the area to set up light industries in the mid-Wales towns as a measure to combat the depopulation of some of the nearby rural areas; and what proposals he has had from the Welsh Board of Industry to do this;(2) whether he will press upon the Welsh Board of Industry to advise him as to suitable areas in mid-Wales to receive industrialists interested in products of afforestation and chemicals which may be of benefit to the agricultural industry.

Yes. I am bringing these areas to the notice of industrialists proposing to set up suitable small undertakings. It is encouraging that the Board of Trade have been able to interest a few small firms in these places and we will continue our efforts.I have had no specific proposals for projects from the Welsh Board for Industry which is well aware of the efforts my Department has been and is making. I shall, however, bring the hon. Member's interest in suitable development of these areas to the Board's notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that industrial firms have expressed their refusal to settle in Wales, because of political considerations, what plans Her Majesty's Government have for encouraging the growth of industry in areas where unemployment is marked.

Where there is marked unemployment within a Development Area I am ready to use the powers under the Distribution of Industry Acts. There is no doubt that a declaration by the Labour Party that nationalisation in any form will not appear in their programme would stimulate confidence in both British and foreign firms to extend their industrial capacity in the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the foreign chemical firm, which recently felt unable to establish a factory in Wales, intended to base its chemical production on oil or coal;(2) whether the foreign chemical firm, which recently made inquiries with a view to setting up production in Wales, intended to supply chemicals to the British home market, the export market, or both.

This firm's intentions have been discussed in confidence with the Board of Trade, and I should not regard it as desirable to reveal them at this stage, but I can say that the intention is to export as well as manufacture for the home market.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he proposes to increase the tourist trade in Scotland; and if he is satisfied that facilities for dealing with it in respect of hotels, hostels, roads, and so on are adequate.

The Scottish Tourist Board and the British Travel and Holidays Association are continuing the publicity campaigns which have resulted in a steady increase in Scotland's tourist trade since the war. Where public services are inadequate for this growing traffic, improvement is taking place with the help of Government grants, and I hope that local interests concerned will also do what they can to improve hotel accommodation and other amenities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will urge The British chemical industry to increase production so as to render unnecessary the establishment of foreign chemical firms in the United Kingdom.

No. We welcome, in general, foreign investment in industry. In the last ten years the production of the chemical industry has almost doubled in volume. This record speaks for itself.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he is aware that, unless a trade agreement with East Germany is signed within the next few weeks, the East Germans will divert their cotton yarn business to countries with which they have trade agreements, and that they will expand their own industry for making yarns; and, as this will adversely affect the already under-employed British textile industry, what action he proposes to take to expedite the signing of this trade agreement;(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Federation of British Industries regarding trade with Eastern Germany.

Cotton yarn is exported to Eastern Germany under barter deals. I have no information to suggest that the East Germans intend to stop these deals. The informal trade talks to which the hon. Member refers are in the hands of the Federation of British Industries, and their officials are of course in regular contact with the Board of Trade.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware of the loss to national efficiency which results from the fact that at the present time oil or solid fuel boilers and water heaters, non-electric floor polishers, non-electric clothes airers and cupboards, and paraffin oil stoves and radiators are exempt from Purchase Tax, whereas electric storage and immersion heaters, electric floor polishers, electric drying cabinets and electric fires and radiators are chargeable to Purchase Tax at 60 per cent.; and whether he will review at the earliest possible opportunity the 60 per cent. Purchase Tax rate at present charged on labour-saving and efficient household equipment;

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the reasons advanced by the Governor of the Bank of England in support of his recommendation for a reduction in the Bank Rate from 7 to 6 per cent.

The Bank of England's reasons have been fully set out by the Governor in a speech made on 26th March last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer for the year 1957–58 of tax allowances for insurance and superannuation.

For insured persons' contributions to National Insurance about £45 million, to occupational pension schemes about £25 million, and for life assurance premiums about £40 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the weekly contributions for national insurance and health could be reduced if such contributions ceased to rank for tax relief.

By about a shilling in the case of a male employee over 18 on the assumption that the extra revenue was devoted to the National Insurance Fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it a condition of future grants to the Arts Council of Great Britain that there shall be a more equitable distribution of those grants to the various parts of the United Kingdom, including a larger allocation to the Welsh Committee of the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement.

I think the distribution of the grant should continue to be the responsibility of the Arts Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will relax the restrictions on the borrowing of capital by firms proposing to establish industries in areas having a high incidence of unemployment.

In considering applications for consent to raise finance for new industries, the Capital Issues Committee already takes account of local employment conditions.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the requirements which must be satisfied by overseas, visitors in purchasing motor cars without payment of Purchase Tax; and to what extent they may be used or driven in this country by persons other than the actual purchaser.

In brief, the conditions are, as follows. A visitor must satisfy the Customs that he intends to depart within a year. The car must be purchased from the manufacturer, who must export the car on the visitor's departure or within one year, whichever is the earlier. No objection is taken to the car being driven by the visitor's wife (or husband) or a chauffeur and, occasionally, by other people.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which universities have a faculty or readership or lecturership in public health; and which of these carries out research into the problems of pollution, whether of inland or coastal waters.

The universities which have faculties, readerships or lectureships in public health are—Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Wales, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St. Andrews.The University of Bristol is carrying out special researches on drinking water; research in the other universities is mostly concentrated on other public health problems. The body mainly concerned with research into the problems of water pollution is the Public Health Laboratory Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons of British nationality in receipt of State pensions, but living abroad, are subject to British Income Tax on these pensions; and, of the number so subject, how many are ex-members of Her Majesty's Forces, or widows of ex-members of Her Majesty's Forces.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Purchase Tax on television cathode ray tubes has to be paid not only when these are included in new television sets, but even on replacements; and, as most items of replacement of parts are tax free, whether he will arrange for television cathode ray tubes for replacement to be tax free, and thus obviate the present position where an owner of a television set is liable to a recurring Purchase Tax every 1½ to two years.

If the tubes are supplied as free replacements under the manufacturer's guarantee tax is not, in practice, charged. In reply to the rest of the Question, I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish details of the amounts of the net inward long-term investment for each year since 1945.

I regret that reliable figures of net inward long-term investment year by year are not available from existing sources of information.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many accidents have taken place on the Western Avenue, from the Northolt roundabout to the Oxford road junction, over the most recent two-year period.

133 accidents involving personal injury took place in the two years ended 31st December, 1957, on Western Avenue between its intersection with West End Road at the Northolt roundabout and the roundabout at the Oxford Road junction.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is his estimate of the cost of the proposed overhead road from Chiswick to Slough; and how long it will be before this road can be used.

Roughly £11 million, which includes the cost of the whole road to Slough as well as the overhead portion, about 1½ miles. The work will be carried out as rapidly as possible, but I cannot say how long it will take until the statutory procedures and other preliminary work have been completed.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will estimate the number of months the present delays, due to the Strand widening, are expected to continue.

I understand that the road improvement will proceed as soon as the adjoining re-development is sufficiently advanced. The London County Council expects this to be in July and the work to be completed early in 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the objections made by the Uxbridge Borough Council and by the Uxbridge Chamber of Trade that it is unnecessary for traffic reasons and undesirable for other reasons to extend the "no-waiting" restrictions in Uxbridge High Street from 11.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., he will reconsider his decision in that matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a similar Question by him on 19th February.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the unemployment and short-time working in Lincoln, especially in the engineering industry; and whether he will make a statement on the steps being taken to alleviate the situation.

I am aware that there has been an increase in short-time working in recent months, although the percentage of workers wholly unemployed continues to be below the national average. My local officers are doing all that is possible to submit workers who are wholly unemployed to vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the increase in short-time working and in unemployment and the additional travelling caused by the closing of employment exchanges, he will reconsider his refusal to pay the omnibus fares of those who have to travel considerable distances to sign on at the employment exchanges.

No. The distance between a claimant's home and the nearest employment exchange is already taken into account in deciding the frequency of his attendance to prove unemployment. If the distance is four miles or less, he is required to attend twice weekly, if it is over four miles but less than six, only once a week, and his attendance is dispensed with altogether if he lives six miles or more away.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what percentage of Royal Navy officers who qualified to apply for voluntary early retirement did in fact do so; and what percentage of those officers appyling were permitted to leave Her Majesty's service.

About 9,000 officers were eligible. I am afraid I cannot give any details about the applications since an undertaking was given that applications for premature retirement would be treated privately, and if unsuccessful, would not be recorded. As has already been stated, some 1,900 officers are being prematurely retired, of whom over 90 per cent. are volunteers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the cost of converting, re-equipping, and refitting the T-Class submarines into the T conversion class has yet exceeded the original cost of these war-built submarines.

Yes, which is in part due to the fall in the purchasing power of the £, but these conversions cost very much less than would their replacement by new construction.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, in view of the statement in the Navy Estimates, 1958–59, that the nuclear submarine is revolutionary in naval warfare, why no second nuclear submarine has been planned; and why the keel of H.M.S. "Dreadnought" has not yet been laid.

It would not be in the public interest to make known this information.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost per gallon agreed with the farmers for the production of milk this year and last year, respectively.

The statistical information agreed with the farmers' unions as a basis for discussion at Annual Reviews does not include figures of costs per gallon for the production of milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a decision has yet been reached concerning the payment this year of the hill sheep subsidy.

After full consideration of all the relevant circumstances and consultation with the interests concerned, the Government have decided that they would not be justified in paying a hill sheep subsidy in the United Kingdom this year. The estimated financial returns to hill sheep farmers in 1957 were generally at a very satisfactory level compared with 1956. The question of the subsidy will be reconsidered next year in the light of the economic conditions prevailing in the hill sheep industry in 1958.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Cuban sugar, black or any other colour, is stored on airfields in East Anglia; what arrangements are in force for storing, inspecting, turning over, distributing and processing sugar stored on airfields; and if he will make a statement.

Some raw sugar is held as part of our strategic stocks of food, but it would not be in the national interest to disclose the quantity. None of this raw sugar is from Cuba; it is all from the Commonwealth. Only a small part of the stock is held under tarpaulins in open storage on airfields in East Anglia or elsewhere. This has for nearly twenty years proved a satisfactory and economical alternative method of storage and raw sugar so stored has always been accepted by refiners.The stocks are inspected regularly by my own officers and, in addition, a sugar trade expert reports on the condition of the sugar every six months to determine if turnover is necessary. When turnover is necessary the stocks are sold at the market price to refiners for refining in the normal way and fresh Commonwealth sugar is added to the strategic stocks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet agreed to the request of the Hairdressers' Registration Council to introduce a Bill for the compulsory registration of hairdressers; and when such a Measure is likely to be submitted for the approval of Parliament.

The Government have not been asked to introduce a Bill on this subject and do not contemplate doing so.

asked the Paymaster-General the total amount of American capital investment in oil refineries erected in Great Britain since January, 1946.

I assume that the right hon. Member is referring to gross capital expenditure on oil refineries erected in this country by subsidiaries of American companies. The figure is about £95 million. As the right hon. Member knows, these companies' capital expenditure is financed very largely by American funds.

asked the Minister of Supply, in view of his sponsorship of their product, what steps he will take to provide alternative space to accommodate plant and workers from the Swindon factory of Messrs. Garrards Engineering, of which the assembly department, packing stores, and despatch department were destroyed by fire on the night of 21st March.

My Department has already met the company's immediate request for storage space and is examining with them the possibility of making further space available for production.