asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what effect the reduction in grant to the Colony of Kenya will have on the development of trade schools and on the building of a technical institute in Nairobi; and whether he will make a statement on the present position.

The special grant to Kenya is given only to help meet expenditure arising from the emergency, and is not related to projects in the normal budget or development programme.The current development plan to 1960 provides for the conversion or expansion of three technical and trade schools, the building of a fourth, and the creation of a technical institute at Nairobi. The conversion and expansion programme is nearly completed and work is expected to begin on the institute in the financial year beginning in July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans have been detained in Kenya since the emergency began; how many have been released; and how many still remain in detention and works camps, respectively.

Some 77,000 Africans have been detained in the period in question, of whom more than 67,500 had been released by 30th April. At 30th April, 9,322 remained in detention, of whom 5,054 were held in detention camps and 4,268 in works camps.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the expansion of the Hodgson trade school of Lusaka; and when it is expected that work on it will be completed.

Very good progress has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that there is widespread concern about the prison population having increased to about 24,500, the highest number ever reached, and the Borstal population having increased by 359 above the previous year, that at the present quarter sessions held in Leicester 13 persons were placed on probation, five of whom were of no fixed abode or destination, and that there is a consequent increased strain upon the probation service in Leicester and generally; and what steps he will take to make the probation service more desirable for appropriate persons choosing a career and to provide the necessary personnel to deal with the increasing call made upon the service.

I understand that the Leicester probation service has an unfilled vacancy and that a second vacancy will occur at the end of the month. When these posts are filled, however, the case-loads of the six men officers should average well below the sixty regarded as reasonable for an urban area: two of the three women officers have exceptionally light case-loads.Following a recommendation by the Industrial Court in May, 1957, the salaries of probation officers were increased by amounts ranging from 18 per cent. to 8 per cent. This has no doubt helped to make the probation service more attractive, and I am glad to say that there are now in training or due to begin training 195 men and women, much the highest number on record: 70 of them should be ready to enter the service before the end of the year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations in view of the worsening of the relations between two member States of the Commonwealth, India and Pakistan, what steps he proposes to take at the next Commonwealth Conference to bring about some amelioration that may tend to ease the difficulties arising out of the Kashmir dispute.

The proceedings of conferences of Commonwealth Prime Ministers are, by long tradition, secret, and it would be improper for me to speculate about hypothetical discussions at any future meeting. The attitude of Her Majesty's Government on the Kashmir question has been repeatedly stated in this House. It is that Her Majesty's Government have always worked for a settlement by agreement between the parties concerned, and will continue to support efforts to reach agreement which would give effect to the Resolutions of the United Nations.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress is being made in organising trade unions in Swaziland.

Provision exists in the laws of Swaziland for the registration of trade unions. No applications for registration have been received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations the relationship between the Resident Commissioner and the Swaziland National Council.

The Resident Commissioner meets the Swazi National Council, which includes the Paramount Chief, as necessity arises, to discuss matters of importance, and he keeps in close and constant touch with the Inner Council, a Committee of the National Council which deals with routine matters.

asked the Minister of Education the cost of the temporary office accommodation provided for the headmaster of Huish's Grammar School, Taunton, by the erection of a hut in the school playground.

The cost was £1,395.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will state the reasons for closing Wynyard Hall Training College; when this will take place; and what provision he is making to absorb the students at this college by the creation of additional places at other training colleges.

This temporary college of about 100 places is in isolated and unsatisfactory premises which are expensive to run. It will close in 1960 or 1961, when the same number of places has been added at Neville's Cross Training College.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give an outline of the changes made in his Department's plans since it became known that substantial increases in the birth rate took place in 1956 and 1957.

This is one of the factors that I am taking into account in the urgent re-examination of my policy on the supply of teachers on which I am now engaged. As to school building, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave him on 8th May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his visits to Venezuela and Brazil with particular reference to their bearing on the imports to those countries of frozen fish from Aberdeen and to the development of trade in general between those countries and Scotland.

The main purpose of my visits to Venezuela and Brazil was to study the possibilities of increasing our trade in these important markets. I had discussions with Ministers and leaders of commerce and industry in both countries and was much impressed by the widespread interest in developing trade with us and the evident scope for exports from the United Kingdom, including Scotland. I do not think, however, that there is much demand in either country for frozen fish.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now amend the provisions of Statutory Instrument, 1957, No. 430, so as to permit persons seriously disabled through war service to obtain a television set on payment of one month's instalment of the purchase price.

A general provision of the kind suggested would be inappropriate. If my hon. Friend has a specific case in mind and will let me have details of it I will see if I can help. My hon. Friend may like to know that there is no statutory control over the terms of hiring of television sets which are over three years old and have been out on hire for at least a year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he now proposes to meet complaints by the New Zealand Government about alleged dumping of butter in the United Kingdom.

I have nothing to add to the Answer which was given to Questions on this subject on 13th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total estimated expenditure on the social services in the year 1958–59 by the Exchequer, the National Insurance Fund and the local authorities, respectively.

I regret that comprehensive figures for 1958–59 are not yet available. Provisional figures for 1957–58 are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated percentage of central Government revenue devoted to current expenditure on the social services in 1958–59.

I regret that figures are not yet available for 1958–59; but in 1957–58 current expenditure on social services was equal to just over 31 per cent. of ordinary revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated percentage of the national income spent by all public authorities on the social services in 1958–59; and the corresponding figures for the years 1951–52, 1956–57, and 1957–58.

I regret that estimates for 1958–59 are not yet available. For each of the years 1951, 1956 and 1957 current and capital expenditure by all public authorities on the social services, expressed as a percentage of the national income, was approximately the same at about 17¾ per cent. Estimates of the national income for financial years are not at present available, and the figures have therefore been given for calendar years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Purchase Tax chargeable on protective helmets designed for use by motor-cyclists, and the anticipated yield in a full year.

The rate is now 5 per cent. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give approximate figures showing the net yield to the Exchequer of Purchase Tax on commercial vehicle chassis for each of the past five years, after allowing for the loss of direct taxes owing to initial and annual depreciation allowances on commercial vehicles.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue he will obtain by the re-introduction of Purchase Tax on boot, shoe, and corset laces and insole socks.

About £50,000 in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated additional cost to the Treasury, for the current and succeeding financial years, of freeing from entertainment tax all cinema seats up to two shillings and arranging that the balance of the proceeds received from the sale of all seats above that figure should be divided as to one-third to the Treasury and two-thirds to the exhibitor.

The answer is £3¾ million in the current financial year and about £4 million in a full year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total number of statutory smallholdings in Norfolk in 1957 and the number of approved applicants on the waiting list; and how these figures compare with 1951.

The total number of statutory smallholdings in Norfolk on 31st March, 1957, was 1,374 of which 734 were full-time holdings. There were 408 applicants on the waiting list. The corresponding figures for 31st March, 1951, were 1,496 holdings, of which 705 were full-time, and 360 applicants. The number of full-time holdings in Norfolk of the standard envisaged in Part IV of the 1947 Act increased from 464 in 1951 to 555 in 1957.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scheme he has in hand for providing additional statutory smallholdings in Norfolk to meet the needs of the approved applicants.

My right hon. Friend has no scheme from the smallholdings authority for providing additional statutory smallholdings in Norfolk currently under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the Isle of Man was excluded from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Order providing a herring fishing subsidy last year.

Section 3 of the White Fish and Herring Industries Act, 1957, under which the Herring Subsidy Schemes, 1957, were made authorises the payment of subsidy only in respect of vessels registered in the United Kingdom landing herring in the United Kingdom. The Scheme cannot therefore be extended to include the Isle of Man. Arrangements were however made to enable the Herring Industry Board to pay 5s. a cran over the economic price for herring landed in the island by United Kingdom vessels for processing at the Board's factory at Peel.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations were made by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man nearly twelve months ago to have the Isle of Man ports included in the Herring Fishing Subsidy Order; and why the Order has not been amended.

When the Herring Subsidy (United Kingdom) Scheme, 1957, was introduced the Isle of Man Government arranged to pay a similar subsidy to Isle of Man vessels landing herrings in the Isle of Man but represented that it should be reimbursed on the same basis as the Herring Industry Board for payments to Isle of Man vessels landing herring for processing at the Board's factory at Peel. The United Kingdom Government considered that the payment of any subsidy to Isle of Man vessels was a matter for the Isle of Man Government but offered to reconsider the matter should the Isle of Man scheme not be re-introduced in 1958. The arrangements for the 1958 season are now being considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that, unless the herring subsidy is extended to the ports of the Isle of Man, the Scottish and Irish boats which in past years have been fishing herring in Manx waters will go to other ports where the subsidy is paid; and if he will take action in this matter.

My right hon. Friend understands that the Isle of Man Government are concerned that United Kingdom vessels landing herring in the Isle of Man are not eligible for subsidy apart from the special arrangements made for herring landed for processing at the Herring Industry Board's factory at Peel. The Isle of Man Government have recently represented to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that landings of herring in the Island may therefore be adversely affected and these representations are now being considered.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation his latest estimate of the number and percentage of motor cyclists using protective helmets.

According to estimates made by the Road Research Laboratory, over 500,000, or 47 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what limit is imposed under his regulations, for safety purposes, on the number of persons to be carried in one coach on the underground railway.

No limit is imposed. My requirements ensure that an underground coach is constructed to carry safely as many passengers as can occupy it.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the letter which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Eccles, concerning a National Health Service dentist who has refused treatment to an omnibus driver on the grounds that the omnibus driver is on strike; and what action he will take in this case.

Yes. A dentist who is taking part in the National Health Service is free to accept or refuse any patient, who can then seek treatment from any other dentist taking part. In such a case as that reported, therefore, no question of Ministerial action arises.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of poliomyelitis recorded in 1957 developed within one month, two months and three months of inoculation, respectively; and in how many cases the paralysis was in the inoculated limb.

There are records that poliomyelitis developed in 1957 in 8 (5 paralytic), 5 (2 paralytic) and 6 (3 paralytic) children in the first, second and third months respectively after two injections of poliomyelitis vaccine. In one case, which occurred in the first month, the child had paralysis affecting the inoculated limb. As I indicated during the debate on the supply of poliomyelitis vaccine on 1st May, there are several reasons why poliomyelitis may occur in vaccinated persons. It is not possible to identify the reason with certainty in the individual case.

asked the Minister of Labour how many farm workers have been registered as unemployed in Norfolk during 1958, up to the latest available date; and how this compares with the same period in 1951 and 1955.

As a count of the numbers unemployed is made only in respect of one day in each calendar month it is not possible to say how many farm workers have been registered as unemployed in Norfolk in 1958, but at 14th April there were 1,444 persons whose last employment was in agriculture, on the unemployment registers at employment exchanges and youth employment offices in Norfolk compared with 1,030 at 16th April, 1951, and 572 at 18th April, 1955.

asked the Minister of Labour how much short-time working and unemployment there was in Lincoln on 1st May or the most recent convenient date; and whether he will make a statement on the steps being taken to alleviate the situation.

At 14th April, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 856 persons registered as unemployed at Lincoln Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office, including 136 who were registered as temporarily stopped. The latter figure represents persons working short-time or otherwise temporarily suspended who were not at work on Monday, 14th April and were registering at the Employment Exchange. Complete statistics of short-time working are not available for local areas. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 1st April.

asked the Secretary of State for War in what circumstances the regimental band of the 1st Battalion. Welsh Guards accepted an engagement to play at a soirée to be held in the Junior Carlton Club in aid of the club's General Election fund, which makes grants exclusively to Conservative Party candidates, in contravention of paragraph 1285 (c), Queen's Regulations, 1955, which forbids bands to play at political meetings or entertainments having partisan or controversial aims.

The band was invited to provide an orchestra for a dinner at the Junior Carlton Club. The political character of the function was not at first appreciated by the regimental authorities, but as soon as this was realised the engagement was of course cancelled.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the original cost, and subsequent refitting and maintenance costs, of the nine fast patrol boats of the Proud class.

The original cost was of the order of £60,000 per craft. They were refitted in 1951–52 at an approximate cost of £16,000 per craft. Since then no dockyard maintenance costs have been incurred.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will use the resources of his Department to publicise the fact that whilst tenants of furnished accommodation must be given four weeks' notice to quit, tenants must also give four weeks' notice of their intention to leave.

That four weeks' notice has to be given by the tenant, as well as by the landlord, is mentioned in the "Rent Act and You", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, of which 1¼ million copies have been sold. It has also been explained in talks about the Rent Act broadcast by the B.B.C. While I have no information which suggests that any widespread difficulty is caused by ignorance of this provision, I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving it further publicity by his Question.