asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that Indonesian rebels are establishing centres in Singapore; and, as these may become a danger to the peace of the Colony, if he will take steps to liquidate these centres before the tension grows more serious and peace is endangered.

No. The second part of the Question therefore does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether African secondary schools in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland receive a grant for library books; and what was the amount of these grants last year.

pursuant to the reply of his hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary [OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th March, 1958; Vol. 584, c. 70], supplied the following further information:

(a) Northern Rhodesia: The following grants were made in the financial year 1956–57:
	£
Junior Secondary	420
Senior Secondary	125
Higher School Certificate Course at Munali Secondary School	165
	£710

(b) Nyasaland: The following grants were made in 1957:
(i) From Protectorate Funds	£
Blantyre and Zomba Secondary schools	175
10 Junior Secondary streams @ £5 each	50
Dedza Secondary School	50
(ii) From African Development and Welfare Fund*
Dedza Secondary School	300
Mtendere Junior Secondary School	50
Kongwe Junior Secondary School	50
* Financed mainly out of the Agricultural Production and Marketing Board surplus.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the numbers of Africans who are district officers and assistant district officers, respectively, in the separate territories of Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika.

I am obtaining this information from the Territories concerned and as soon as I receive it I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is his intention to announce a date for self government in British Somaliland.

I have nothing at present to add to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) on 18th February and 1st April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farms in Scotland are below 25, 50, 75, and 100 acres, respectively.

The statistics normally collected relate to numbers of agricultural "holdings" and include many small parcels of land not worked as separate farm units as well as part-time and full-time holdings. The numbers of holdings at June, 1956, were as follows: 39,000 below 25 acres of crops and grass; 48,000 below 50 acres; 53,000 below 75 acres; and 58,000 below 100 acres. On the basis of a special analysis of the agricultural returns however it has been estimated that within these figures the number of full-time farms is approximately as follows: 3,600 under 25 acres of crops and grass; 8,200 below 50 acres; 12,600 below 75 acres; and 16,200 below 100 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give up-to-date figures on recruitment to and resig-

NUMBER OF RECRUITS AND RESIGNATIONS OR RETIREMENTS IN THE SCOTTISH POLICE SERVICE BETWEEN NOVEMBER, 1957 AND MARCH, 1958
—			(1)		(2)		(3)		(4)
			Number of Recruits		Number of officers who resigned without receiving a pension		Total number of officers who resigned with less than 30 years' service (including officers shown in Column (2))		Number of officers who retired with full pension (i.e., two thirds of average pensionable pay).
			Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
November, 1957	…	…	68	2	26	—	30	—	8	—
December	…	…	23	4	21	3	26	3	9	—
January, 1958	…	…	81	4	17	1	24	1	12	—
February	…	…	57	1	9	1	11	1	8	—
March	…	…	74	3	20	2	30	2	6	—
Totals	…	…	303	14	93	7	121	7	43	—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the two-week display to be held in the Scottish Council's Trade Display Centre in London, beginning on 14th April, of Aberdeen fresh, frozen, smoked and dehydrated white fish and herring and of the packs and boxes suited for the exports of fish to foreign countries; to which foreign countries invitations to this exhibition have been extended; and which countries have accepted the invitations.

I am keenly interested in this exhibition which was opened yesterday by my noble Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. I understand that invitations have been issued to appropriate commercial representatives of some 34 countries, but a final list of acceptances is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the inquiry ordered by him to be held on 31st March, 1958, into the fatal accident at Dancing Cairns Quarry, Aberdeen, on 2nd March; and

Following is the information requested:what steps he now proposes to take in conjunction with the relevant local authorities and the legal owners of the quarry to prevent a recurrence of this and other accidents which have occurred there.

The Inquiry held on 31st March under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1906, was instructed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. The jury returned a formal verdict that the late Peter Ingram Horne fell from the rock face of the quarry when climbing it and, having sustained severe injuries, died later the same day.As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply which I gave him on 3rd April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of the circular he issued on 14th June, 1957, in which he asked local authorities in Scotland to assist people adversely affected by the Rent Act, 1957, indicating what lead he gave to the local authorities as to the kind of assistance he contemplated; why he asked for no reply to it; and what its result has been in providing such assistance.

As the circular is a long one dealing with the Rent Act as a whole I am sending the hon. and learned Member a copy and am placing a copy in the Library. I did not consider it necessary to give detailed advice but I asked local authorities to do everything they could within their powers to assist people who might be affected by the Rent Act. The nature of the circular did not call for a reply but I have no reason to think that local authorities are not keeping my request in mind.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will agree to meet an all-party deputation of Members of Parliament to discuss the difficulties resulting from the eviction notices now being issued under the Rent Act, 1957.

No. I think the House will wish to await the Second Reading of the Landlord and Tenant Bill.

asked the Prime Minister on what date he made an approach to the United States and Soviet Governments suggesting a date and place for a possible Summit Conference; and what was the nature of the replies he has received.

The date and place of a Summit Conference will, I hope, be fixed at a preparatory meeting of Foreign Ministers.I trust that discussion leading to a Foreign Ministers' meeting may soon begin in Moscow, as was suggested by the three Western Governments.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether in view of the fact that council houses have been built by the community for those who need them, and that the community pays part of their rent, he will take steps to ensure that no council house tenant whose family income exceeds £30 a week should continue to live in such subsidised accommodation after October, 1958, thus providing homes for those who will need them, owing to eviction by landlords who want possession, or because they cannot pay new and higher rents under the operation of the Rent Act, 1957.

Local authorities are entrusted by Parliament with the selection of their own tenants. But I agree with my hon. and gallant Friend that subsidies should not be used to benefit people who do not need them, and that tenants of council houses who can afford a full rent ought to be charged that. My predecessor and I have consistently encouraged local authorities to adopt differential rent schemes, under which subsidies can be used only to help those who need them. I am glad to say that a large and growing number are doing so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the total cost during the past five years of appeals against the payment of road-frontage charges by householders; and, in view of the fact that these charges constitute a heavy burden upon householders, particularly the occupiers of corner houses, and that the roads are used by the whole community and not only by the individual householder, what steps he will take to remove this burden.

Particulars of the costs incurred in connection with these appeals are not available.In regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Carlisle (Dr. D. Johnson), on 1st April.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that the London County Council has asked boroughs to supply figures showing how many homeless they expect owing to tenants having been evicted in consequence of the provisions of the Rent Act, 1957; that the London County Council will have no room for the evicted persons when the time comes; and whether he will ask the London County Council for the result of its inquiries so that this may be taken into consideration when the proposed new legislation is introduced by him.

I am sure the council will send me the results if it thinks fit. But, as I have said before, it is not practicable to make any precise estimate today of what the position will be six months hence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of land in England and Wales, respectively, are owned by his Department; and under what authority this land was acquired.

On 1st April my Department held the freehold or long leasehold interest in 186,896 acres, of which 109,188 were in England and 77,708 in Wales. These figures exclude land placed at the disposal of the Forestry Commission. These interests were acquired under various powers, of which the most important numerically are the Forestry Acts and the Agriculture Act, 1947. I am sending detailed particulars to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of land in England and Wales, respectively, are occupied by his Department; and under what authority his Department occupied this land.

On 1st April, 13,937 acres in England and 4,213 acres in Wales were occupied by my Department or by the Agricultural Land Commission, The right of occupation was acquired in various ways, mainly under the Agriculture Act, 1947, or from the Ministry of Works. I am sending detailed particulars to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the progress made with regard to research on farm buildings.

I am informed by my noble Friend the Lord President of the Council that the Farm Buildings Research Committee set up a year ago to review and co-ordinate current research on farm buildings and to recommend new or additional research on the subject, is actively engaged on the first part of its task. A comprehensive examination of all the existing literature is being made and information collected on research in progress both in this country and abroad. A special unit has been established to carry out surveys designed to obtain detailed information about existing farm buildings, successful adaptations of old buildings and the most pressing immediate needs of the farmers.

asked the Attorney General whether, in view of the decision in the case of Bassett versus Victoria Wine Company, reported in The Times newspaper on 6th February, 1958, he will initiate legislation which will enable an injured person to base a claim for damages upon a breach of the Pedestrian Crossings Regulations, 1954.

My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor does not consider that legislation is required for this purpose. The plaintiff's claim in the case of Bassett v. Victoria Wine Company was based on common law negligence only. The decision of the Court of Appeal does not therefore seem to my noble Friend to cast any doubt on the correctness of previous decisions about claims based on the Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that one of the causes of the trend towards war arises from misunderstanding by the various nations of their political and commercial differences and conflicts, and that mutual understanding can be facilitated by national interchange of newspapers, if he will take steps before the Summit Conference, through the United Nations Organisation or otherwise, to create an international pool to translate and distribute amongst the Parliaments of Europe, the United States of America and Asia the principal newspapers of the nations concerned so that they shall be kept fully informed of the events and views leading up to, and at, the Summit Conference, and be thus placed in a position to influence public opinion against war.

No. The results likely to be achieved would not, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, justify the large and costly organisation which an arrangement of this kind would demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the constitution of the International Conference on the Law of the Sea now sitting at Geneva at which Conference the British Government is represented; and if he will indicate the method and number of the delegates of each country there represented, with particular reference to the representation of inland and maritime nations, respectively.

The Conference has been called by the United Nations under a resolution of the General Assembly at its eleventh session in 1957. The following extracts from this resolution indicate the scope of the Conference:

" The General Assembly …

2. Decides, in accordance with the recommendations contained in paragraph 28 of the report of the International Law Commission covering the work of its eighth session, that an international conference of plenipotentiaries should be convoked to examine the law of the sea, taking account not only of the legal but also of the technical, biological, economic and political aspects of the problem, and to embody the results of its work in one or more international conventions or such other instruments as it may deem appropriate;

3. Recommends that the conference should study the question of free access to the sea of land-locked countries, as established by international practice or treaties;

9. Refers to the conference the report of the International Law Commission as the basis for its consideration of the various problems involved in the development and codification of the law of the sea, and also the verbatim records of the relevant debates in the General Assembly, for consideration by the conference in conjunction with the Commission's report."

The method of representation is varied and the number of delegates large. In all, 86 countries are represented. I shall send the hon. and learned Member, as soon as possible, a copy of the official list of delegates.

asked the Minister of Health the number of consultants and of other medical staff, excluding general practitioners and house officers, in whole-time equivalents, in the employ of each regional hospital board on 31st December, 1956.

The information is set out in the table below:

MEDICAL STAFF OF HOSPITALS CONTROLLED BY REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOARDS ON 31ST DECEMBER, 1956. (WHOLE-TIME EQUIVALENT) (1)
Regional Hospital Board			Consultants	Other medical staff (2)
1.	Newcastle	…	332	352
2.	Leeds	…	232	334
3.	Sheffield	…	285	456
4.	East Anglian	…	121	136
5.	N.W. Metropolitan	…	420	641
6.	N.E. Metropolitan	…	317	502
7.	S.E. Metropolitan	…	355	439
8.	S.W. Metropolitan	…	505	770
9.	Oxford	…	134	178
10.	South Western	…	259	330
11.	Welsh	…	234	365
12.	Birmingham	…	400	421
13.	Manchester	…	323	593
14.	Liverpool	…	196	353

NOTES:—(1) The figures include whole-time, part-time and honorary staff.(2) Excluding house officers and general practitioners.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that some of the present unemployment in Scotland has been caused by changes in the Government's defence policy, and that the laying off of the skilled workers concerned is a loss to the productive potentialities of Great Britain; and if he will state his plans to absorb these workers into other productive spheres in Scotland.

The majority of workers discharged as a result of changes in the defence programme have found other employment. I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal on 30th January about the measures taken to ensure that so far as possible cuts in defence production do not result in unemployment. Where sizeable redundancies occur it is the normal practice of my local offices to register the workers concerned in advance of their discharge so that they can be submitted to other vacancies without any intervening interval of unemployment.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether his attention has been drawn to the recommendation of the jury at a recent inquest arising out of a fatal accident resulting from a collision with a stationary lorry parked on the carriageway in hours of darkness, particulars of which have been sent to him; and whether he will reconsider the need for further regulations to ensure the adequate lighting of such vehicles.

I have seen a Press report about the case to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. I have no power to make regulations requiring hand lamps to be carried and placed beside stationary heavy vehicles at night as recommended by the jury, nor do I think that new legislation for this purpose is necessary. The existing requirement that two efficient rear reflectors must be carried in addition to two independently wired rear lamps should, in my view, afford a sufficient safeguard to motorists driving at night within the limits of their headlights.

asked the Minister of Works if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the closest approximate total of the amount nationally spent in the last three consecutive years for which figures are available on the manufacture and handling of the trades allied to the building industry such as cement making, brick making, quarrying, stone cutting, crushed stone work, structural steel, glass work, tile work and terra cotta work, timber, the timber trade, brass work, joinery manufacture, paint and so forth in Great Britain.

No detailed statistics are available but it is estimated very approximately that the total expenditure at current prices on all building materials and fitments delivered to contractors' sites in each of the last three years was £740 million, £840 million and £870 million.