asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) to what extent the proposed plans for a European Free Trade Area will affect the British film industry;

(2) to what extent, in the negotiations for a European Free Trade Area, consideration has been given to schemes of discriminatory taxation in favour of domestic film production.

I cannot anticipate at this stage of the negotiations how the Free Trade Area may affect the film industry, which presents special problems for most countries. Schemes for discriminatory taxation in favour of domestic film production would not, however, seem consistent with the general principles and objectives of the Free Trade Area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what considerations he took into account in deciding that neither Lanark nor Carluke have a rate of unemployment liable to persist that is high enough to warrant any of the special financial help proposed by the Government for attracting industry.

I could not regard Lanark, where unemployment is below the national average, or Carluke, with less than one hundred registered unemployed, as at present suffering high unemployment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Big Five banks are not permitted under his directions to engage in hire purchase transactions; and if he will make a statement on the situation.

The banks have been made aware throughout the period of credit restriction of the Government's wish that finance for hire purchase should be strictly limited. I do not think that any statement is called for at the present time.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what instructions he has issued concerning the special provision of transport for staffs in London affected by the bus dispute; and to what extent he has required that staff so provided with transport should repay the amount of their normal bus fares.

No instructions have been issued by the Treasury in regard to the special provision of transport during the London bus dispute. Departments are, however, authorised, in the event of any serious dislocation of public transport services, to convey essential staffs to and from work by means of officially provided transport, at no charge to the staff.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will ascertain from local planning authorities the number of applications made to them for new petrol filling stations; and how many were granted during 1956 and 1957, respectively.

Local planning authorities are not required to supply my right hon. Friend with statistics about planning applications, and he does not consider that he would be justified in asking them to do so in respect of applications for petrol filling stations. During 1956, there were 374 appeals against planning refusals for petrol filling stations, of which 82 were allowed. In 1957, there were 572 apepals and 78 were allowed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) what are the chief considerations which local planning authorities have been advised by him to take into account when deciding whether to grant or reject applications for new petrol filling stations;

(2) what steps he has taken to control the growth of petrol filling stations; and with what result.

In dealing with an application for a petrol filling station, a planning authority is required to have regard to the development plan for the area and to any other material considerations. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular which my right hon. Friend recently issued to planning authorities giving some guidance about the considerations likely to arise. These include the type of road; the siting and lay-out of the station; its effect on traffic flow and safety and its effect on amenity.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) how many houses built by the Cwmbran Development Corporation have been sold to private buyers; and whether such houses have been sold freehold or leasehold;

(2) what profit or loss has been made on the sale of houses by Cwmbran Development Corporation to private buyers.

The corporation has sold 17 houses to private buyers; one house was sold freehold, and 16 on 999-year leases. A profit of the order of 6 per cent. has been made on these sales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the reason for the difference in the regulations applying to the Kenya waters of Lake Victoria and other parts of the lake concerning seine fishing and dimensions of nets; and, as these differences make the law difficult to enforce, if he will consider amendments to secure uniformity.

It is true that there are differences in the regulations applied by the Kenya Government and the Governments of Tanganyika and Uganda in these matters. In order to assist the Governments to decide their policies, my right hon. Friend made available to them the assistance of a Principal Scientific Officer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who advised that "the present arrangement is suitable for the fisheries of the respective territories as an interim measure pending better knowledge of the effects of fishing on the stocks." In the circumstances, my right hon. Friend is not disposed to intervene further.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much money has been allocated by the Uganda Government for security, police and

Approximate totals in thousands of pounds — (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Revised Revenue Budget Expenditure Estimate 1957–58 Revised Capital Budget Expenditure Estimate 1957–58 Revenue Budget Expenditure Estimate 1958–59 Capital Budget Expenditure Estimate 1958–59 Provisional Allocation in Three Year Capital Expenditure Forecast 1959–60 Provisional Allocation in that Forecast for 1960–61 Defence 599 146 603 120 109 109 Police 1,227 403 1,316 437 267 243 Prisons 466 421 508 396 40 60 African Housing 95 416 105 275 275 300 African Education and Education (first four totals refer to African Education and last two totals refer to all Education, explanation below) 2,704 356 2,910 221 328 282 Rural Development 411 187 440 169 167 170 NOTES: (1) No allocations for Revenue Budget Expenditure have yet been made for period following 1958–59. (2) Totals for African Education include proportion of Administrative and Common (inter-racial) School costs. Move of Government Educational system to non-racial basis (reflected in 1958–59 Estimates for Education Vote) makes accurate apportionment between races difficult. For 1959–60 and 1960–61 totals are available only for Education as a whole. Education totals for all years exclude Higher Education. (3) Totals for Rural Development include all services coming under that Ministry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are made in Uganda for the distribution of the insecticide known as lindane for the protection of coffee trees.

The Uganda Government advises growers on the use of insecticides but does not trade in them. Outside Bugisu District arrangements for the distribution of lindane are in the hands of the trade. The Bugisu Coffee Board purchases insecticides in bulk for distribution to Arabica coffee growers and has recently ordered approximately 7 tons of lindane to control coffee root mealy bug in Bugisu.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what the Government

prisons, African housing, African education and rural development for the years 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, and 1960–61, respectively.

The following is the information:

of Zanzibar is doing to encourage alternative crops to that of cloves.

The Zanzibar Government have long recognised the need to introduce new export crops and also to increase the domestic output of agricultural products which are at present largely imported. Experiments with a large number of crops have been conducted and the agronomy of the more promising ones studied in detail on the various experimental stations and demonstration plots. Some, notably derris, chillies, coffee and citrus fruit, have been demonstrated to the public, planting material has been produced in quantity and every encouragement, including the issue in some cases of free seedlings, given to growers to plant these crops. I hope that greater use will be made in Zanzibar of these services provided by the Government.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects that a television service will be made available to the West Highlands and Islands and especially the western seaboard of Ross and Cromarty.

The British Broadcasting Corporation regret that because of limitations on their capital expenditure, and their existing commitments, they do not expect to be able to start any extension of their television service to the West Highlands and Islands before at least 1960.

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he has received from local authorities and other responsible bodies in the Highlands about the lack of British Broadcasting Corporation television services in the West Highlands and Islands and also the existing poor sound radio reception; if he will list the local authorities in question; and whether he will make a statement.

Representations have been received from the following bodies: Golspie, Rogart and Lairg District Council. Inverness County Council. Mallaig Development Council. Ross & Cromarty County Council. Sutherland County Council. The Burgh of Stornoway. Tiree & Coll District Council.

The B.B.C. have very much in mind the needs of the Western Highlands and Islands, but they do not expect to be able to provide any stations in these areas before at least 1960, owing to limitations on their capital expenditure and to existing commitments.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has considered the request of the Tettenhall Urban District Council, conveyed in their letter of 31st May, for the setting up of a Crown Post Office to serve the rapidly expanding area of the urban district and eliminate delays caused by the present arrangements; and what reply he has made.

Yes. A reply has been sent explaining that the expense involved in providing a Crown Post Office would not be justified in present circumstances. I will let the hon. Member have a copy of this letter.

asked the Minister of Labour how many textile workers in the Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley area are now employed on short time.

According to returns made by employers, 1,700 cotton spinners in this area were on short time in the week ended 24th May, the latest date for which statistics are available.

asked the Minister of Labour, how many men and women, respectively, are now totally unemployed in the Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley area; and what proportion of these are textile workers.

The following table gives the information desired: NUMBERS OF WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE ATHERTON AND TYLDESLEY AND LEIGH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AT 12TH MAY, 1958* Employment Exchange Men Women Total Atherton and Tyldesley: ( a ) All Industries 114 71 185 ( b ) Textile Industries 29 55 84 Leigh: ( a ) All Industries 167 135 302 ( b ) Textile Industries 27 79 106 * Figures for June are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the number of occasions and the dates on which the Hertfordshire Agricultural Advisory Panel held meetings during each of the last three years, respectively.

The Hertfordshire Agricultural Advisory Panel held seven meetings in 1955, six in 1956 and three in 1957. It has so far met twice in 1958. The dates of these meetings were as follows: 1955: 6th January, 17th February, 5th May, 7th July, 28th July, 6th October, 15th December; 1956: 2nd February, 5th April, 7th June, 5th July, 6th September, 1st November; 1957: 17th January, 4th April, 18th July; 1958: 27th March, 5th June.

asked the Secreretary of State for Scotland when the new bridge at Kirkfieldbank will be finished.

I understand that, despite some delay due to slow delivery of the dressed stone with which the new bridge is being faced, Lanarkshire County Council expect that it will be completed before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the shopping centre at Calderwood, and the second phase of the Murray shopping centre at East Kilbride will be finished.

The first phase of the Calderwood neighbourhood shopping centre is expected to be finished by the early summer of 1960; the second phase of the Murray centre should be finished by about November, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the shops in the town centre at East Kilbride have been let and how many remain to be let; and when the town centre will be finished.

Twenty-two shops have been let and seven remain to be let. Completion of the town centre as a whole is a very long-term undertaking.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the future progress of the building of the Forth Road Bridge; and to what extent, in view of the slackening industrial situation, there is a likelihood of an earlier date for completion.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave today to the hon. and gallant Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Sir W. Anstruther-Gray).