asked the Minister of Education whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures showing the take-up of school meals on each of the

asked the Minister of Education how many grammar schools are not yet equipped with science laboratories up to the standard required by his Department; and what steps are being taken to remedy this to meet the sixth form opportunities which will arise with the bulge.

I cannot say how many grammar schools lack adequate science laboratories, but projects costing some £2 million have been included in the 1958–59 building programme for additional science accommodation for grammar and technical schools. I have recently invited local education authorities to submit proposals for further improvements of this kind so that I can consider their inclusion in the 1959–60 building programme.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools in the County of Northumberland are in buildings below the standard required by his Department; and how many children attend these schools.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) today.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools within the control of his Department are more than 100 dates since 1951 when the price of school meals was increased; and what was the latest figure of school meals taken up by the students concerned.

Yes. The following tables gives the full details:years old; and how many schools are still without adequate wash-bowl and toilet services.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Minister of State to Nigeria.

I am glad to have this opportunity to say how much I was impressed by the evidence I saw on all sides of economic development in Nigeria. There is great goodwill towards this country, and I am sure that there is wide scope for our exporters to expand the already substantial trade in this important market.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce and other business bodies in Aberdeen designed to promote trade between Aberdeen and Russia; what replies he has sent or intends to send; and what are his plans in these matters.

We have received no such representations. As regards the last part of the Question, usual facilities of the Board of Trade are available for businessmen who are interested to develop trade with the Soviet Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the farming net income for the United Kingdom came down from £305 millions for the year 1949–50 to £268½ millions in 1950–51.

Of the difference of £36½ million, £26½ million is attributable to weather conditions. The remaining decline of £10 million was the outcome of a number of conflicting factors on which I am afraid that it is not possible to develop a detailed explanation so long after the event, but amongst them was a rise in the cost of feedingstuffs, fertilisers and agricultural machinery.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give full details of the item described as "Other" in Table C, page 12, Command Paper No. 390, representing farm expenses which have risen from £169 millions to £178½ millions, and farm sales which have risen from £42 millions to £44½ millions.

Two of the largest items of "other expenses" are seeds (£28 million in 1956–57 and £26 million in 1957–58) and imported livestock (£57 million in 1956–57 and £66½ million in 1957–58). The only individually large item in "other sales" is clip wool (£15 million in 1956–57 and £161 million in 1957–58). There are, in addition, 70 to 80 relatively small items included under these heads, such as insurance premiums and the cost of coal and coke on the expenses side, and on the receipts side, revenue from the sales of such miscellaneous commodities as seeds, timber, hides and store pigs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in England and Wales are below 25, 50, 75, and 100 acres, respectively.

In June, 1956, 185,000 agricultural holdings were recorded as being under 25 acres of crops and grass, 235,000 under 50 acres, 270,000 under 75 acres, and 295,000 under 100 acres. Of the 295,000, it is estimated that only about 150,000 were ordinary full-time farms, but I regret I am unable to apportion these among different size groups.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the review of the future work of agricultural executive committees.

I have received a report from my noble Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary who has been studying this matter with the help of an informal committee. I am placing copies of the report in the Library. The committee is convinced, and I am fully in agreement with it, that agricultural executive committees continue to have a vital and constructive job to do in the interests of the industry which they serve. I shall shortly be discussing in detail with county chairmen the recommendations in the report for the future work and organisation of agricultural executive committees. I am also seeking the views of the national organisations representing the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primary outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred in Britain since 1st January, 1958; and what have been the causes of infection where identifiable, the numbers of livestock slaughtered and the compensation payable.

Between 1st January and 14th April, 1958, 24 primary outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease were confirmed in Great Britain. On the evidence available, 16 were attributed to spread from the Continent and seven to infection conveyed in imported meat. The remaining case has not been classified for lack of evidence. The numbers of animals slaughtered in the same period were 9,052 cattle, 2,305 sheep, 7,659 pigs, and nine goats. The total compensation payable is about £820,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number and names of Colonial Governments which have entered into formal agreement with Her Majesty's Government whereby the British Service authorities exercise jurisdiction over civil servants serving abroad for offences against the civil law of the country in which they happen to be serving, in accordance with the recommendations contained in paragraph 12 on page 148 of the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on the Army and Air Force Act. 16th February, 1954.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which member States of the United Nations inhabitants of British Trust Territories have taken up study and training facilities during the academic year 1957–58.

According to available information students from the Trust Territories under United Kingdom administration have during the current academic year taken up awards offered under the United Nations scheme in India and Ethiopia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what special measures are being taken to prevent the escape of political prisoners and detainees in Cyprus;(2) how many political prisoners and detainees have escaped from custody during the emergency in Cyprus.

There have been 27 such escapes, almost all before the end of 1956. Security precautions were strengthened towards the end of 1956. The closure of the camp at Pyla and the removal of all detainees to Camp K should enable security arrangements to be further improved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of persons now detained under emergency powers in Kenya.

At 31st March, 10,202.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will place in the Library of the House the names of those persons detained under emergency powers who are now on Manda Island in Kenya Colony.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of persons interned under emergency regulations in Kenya who have appealed to the Advisory Committee, the number of cases in which the Advisory Committee has recommended release and the number of cases in which the Governor has failed to act on the committee's recommendation.

By 14th April 2,569 persons had appealed to the Advisory Committees. In 1,088 cases the Committees recommended release; 1,058 persons have been released, including 36 in whose case the recommendation was not immediately acceptable at the time that it was made. In the remaining 30 cases the recommendation is being considered and no decision has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of persons implicated in the Mau Mau movement and who were detained under emergency powers in Kenya, who were released during each of the years 1956 and 1957.

22,904 and 21,308, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of persons implicated in the Mau Mau movement and who were detained under emergency powers, who have been released since October, 1954.

By the 31st March, 66,823 had been released.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies approximately how many Africans have gained their school leaving certificate in Tanganyika; and how many Africans hold senior Government posts.

851 Africans have gained the overseas Cambridge school certificate since its introduction in Tanganyika in 1949. The latest available figures show that 173 Africans hold senior Government posts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are now being made for the election of members of the Legislative Council from Buganda, in view of the opposition of the Lukiko to the direct elections which are to be held elsewhere in the Protectorate later this year.

The Governor has replied to the Lukiko's resolution that he considers it clear that the resolution means that the Lukiko and the Kabaka's Government do not want direct elections in Buganda this year and that he has therefore suspended the arrangements for such elections, after making every effort to give effect to the agreed recommendations in the report by representatives of the Protectorate and Kabaka's Governments.The position is therefore that, unless the Lukiko reviews its attitude towards direct elections, the arrangements for the election of the Buganda representative members of the Legislative Council will continue to be as provided for in the Buganda Agreement, 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans from the Union of South Africa are at present teaching in schools in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

I am consulting, the Governor and will in due course circulate the information available in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the cause of the delay in arranging for the public inquiry into the complaints made to him last January about the discontent and maladministration at the Government Trade Centre, Bukuru, Northern Nigeria; and if he will now state when an inquiry will be held, and by whom, what will be its terms of reference, and what provision will be made for representations at it of the complainants and for the hearing of witnesses.

The complaint made last January related to florin Trade Centre. I understand from the Governor that in his view a public inquiry would serve no useful purpose. I expect to receive very shortly a full report, and I will then write to the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement regarding his proposals for constitutional advance in the Bahamas.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Surbiton (Mr. Nigel Fisher) on 17th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the members of a deputation from the Aldermaston marchers to the Soviet Ambassador on 8th April were asked to give their names to police officers on leaving the Embassy; why they were only informed in subsequent discussion that they could decline to provide this information; and how far this is the practice in the case of visitors to embassies in general and to the Soviet Embassy in particular.

It is the practice of the police to ask for the names of members of deputations visiting certain embassies at which disturbances have occurred on previous occasions. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that there was no implication of compulsion to give the information on the occasion to which the hon. Member refers, and I am discussing the matter with the Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that of Sheffield's 2,100 unemployed 575 are coloured; and, in view of the official announcement that, of the 1,600 unemployed Pakistanis in the East and West Yorkshire Ridings, 1,300 had never been employed in this country and are drawing National Assistance, if he will take steps immediately to reconsider this matter with a view to controlling all immigration in order to safeguard the jobs of workers already in this country.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what further financial assistance he proposes to give to the British Trans-

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service that the figures given in the first part of the Question are roughly correct, though he would not necessarily be prepared to accept the implication in the concluding words of the Question. As regards the control of immigration, I have nothing to add to what the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State said in the debate on the hon. Member for Accrington's Motion on the Adjournment of the House on 3rd April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of recruits, the number of resignations, and the number of retirements, with pension or gratuity, of police officers for each month since October, 1957, showing the counties, cities, and borough forces separately from the Metropolitan force.

The information asked for is given in the following table:Antarctic Expedition in view of the deficit of £30,000 still outstanding.

Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are not at present considering giving further financial assistance to the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. As I informed the hon. Member on the 21st January, they have already made a cash grant of £100,000 to the Expedition. and in addition the Services have given free assistance to the approximate value of £86,000. No request for further assistance has been made, and I understand that the Committee of Management hopes to cover the estimated deficit from its own resources.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement on the constitutional position in the Maldives.

The Maldive Islands are a Sultanate and have been under the protection of the Crown since 1887. Their present relationship with the United Kingdom is regulated by an Agreement signed in 1953, the text of which I am circulating below in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Under this agreement the United Kingdom Government are bound to protect the islands from hostile attack and Maldivian external relations are conducted by the United Kingdom or in accordance with their advice. The United Kingdom Government also have the right after consultation with the Maldivian Government to such facilities for Her Majesty's forces as they may determine to be required for the defence of the Maldives or of any part of the Commonwealth, and the Maldivian Government are pledged to afford every assistance. The Agreement provides that the United Kingdom Government shall refrain from interference in Maldivian internal affairs.AGREEMENT BETWEEN HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE MALDIVE ISLANDS.Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Maldive Islands.Considering that by letters of the 16th and 23rd December. 1887, exchanged between the Governor of Ceylon on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Victoria and His Highness the Sultan of the Maldive Islands, an agreement was made for the protection of the Maldive Islands by Her Majesty, that provision was made for the continued protection of the Maldive Islands by His Majesty King George the Sixth by an agreement signed at Male on the 24th April. 1948, between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and His Highness the Sultan of the Maldive Islands, and that by a constitution made by the will of the people of the Maldive Islands, which came into operation on the 1st January, 1953, the Maldive Islands have become a Republic.Desiring to enter into a new agreement for the protection of the Maldive Islands.Have agreed as follows:—

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will take steps to place in the Library in future OFFICIAL REPORTS of all debates which take place in Dominion Parliaments.

As the hon. Member is aware, the OFFICIAL REPORTS from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa have been received for many years. Those from the newer countries of the Commonwealth are in most cases available in London and can he obtained for hon. Members on request by the Librarian. If it were the wish of the House that OFFICIAL REPORTS Of the Parliaments of all other members of the Commonwealth should be received as a matter of course, my noble Friend would be glad to consider approaching the authorities concerned. The question of whether arrangements can be made for storage, staffing and upkeep would of course be a matter for decision by the appropriate Committee of the House.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he is aware that aeroplanes from the Union of South Africa are landing for refuelling in Basutoland Protectorate; what talks he has held with the South African Defence Minister in this matter; and for what purpose the aeroplanes are flying over the Protectorate.

No public refuelling facilities exist anywhere in Basutoland, though small private and chartered aircraft entering the Colony for business or pleasure do occasionally refuel by local arrangement. In regard to the second part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. P. Williams) on 21st November, 1957. On two occasions Union military aircraft have flown over Basutoland after seeking permission. Both occasions were routine flights and the shortest course lay across the Territory.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what negotiations have taken place for the sale of the aircraft carriers H.M.S. "Warrior" and H.M.S. "Magnificent" to South American Powers.

It is not in the public interest to disclose negotiations of this character.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will give details of the costs incurred in refitting H.M.S. "Warrior" with an angled flight-deck and other modern equipment during her refit in Devonport Dockyard, completed at the end of 1956.

Approximately £830,000.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many tank landing craft have been laid down to replace the existing war-built vessels of the L.C.T.(8) type.

None. The future of these craft is under consideration and it seems likely that they will have to make way for an improved design to meet the changing needs of amphibious warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for War with what weapons, including personal weapons, the officers and men of the 1st Battalion Cameronians. 1st Battalion The Buffs, 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers, 1st Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, and 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment are armed.

They have light machine guns, Mark 4 rifles, revolvers, anti-tank weapons and mortars.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent there has been an increase of radioactivity over the United Kingdom in the last month and how this increase compares with the increase in the same period in each of the last two years.

With regard to the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave on Tuesday to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler).With regard to the second part of the Question, such short term increases of activity of comparable magnitude have been observed before, but there is nothing to suggest that these increases occur at regular calendar intervals. I must make it clear that the levels of activity return to about the normal background values after a few weeks.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will state the approximate number of thermonuclear or hydrogen tests conducted by the Governments

asked the Postmaster-General the number of villages of approximately 500 inhabitants or less of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, respectively, during each of the years 1953 to 31st March. 1958, inclusive.

I would refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on Thursday, 3rd April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a list of schemes in the road programme costing over £100,000 which were started in the year ended 31st March, 1958, together with the present estimated completion date and total cost of each.

The following is a list of the schemes referred to:in England and Wales which have sub-post offices.

I am sorry the information is not available, and it could not be obtained without disproportionate expenditure.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Burghfield.

This factory is being retained as a Royal Ordnance Factory and there are no developments affecting it which call for a statement at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to the Capital Issues Committee about projects for development in areas with more than the average rate of unemployment.

I have written the following letter to the Chairman of the Capital Issues Committee:Dear Lord Kennet,In reviewing the Government's credit policy for the purposes of the 1958 Budget, I have come to the conclusion that an intensification of disinflationary measures is not needed, but that the moment has not yet come for any General relaxations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the trade interests concerned with greetings cards, calendars and postcards have yet made any representations to him as to the date from which the tax reductions on these articles should operate; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The representative trade bodies concerned have all asked that these reductions should be operative as soon as possible and provision is accordingly being made to bring them into effect on Monday next. 21st April.