asked the Secretary of State for War for what reason a 9¼ years' stock of boots and half-soles is maintained; what will be the number of pairs of boots for sale as surplus stock; how they will be disposed of; how long they have been in stock; and what was their cost to his Department.

Until recently stocks were maintained to allow for 4¼ years' issue in peace time with a backing equivalent to 5 years' stock as a reserve for mobilisation. In future we are to reduce the war reserves and also run down our normal stocks to a low level before reordering. At present there are about 1¼ million pairs of boots surplus. About half of them have been in stock for 8 years and the rest for up to 16 years. Their cost was about £2 million. The method of disposal is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply.

asked the Secretary of State for War what political background instruction is given to British troops on being posted to Cyprus.

Before going to Cyprus units are addressed by officers who know the island. A pamphlet produced jointly by the Government of Cyprus and the local Service authorities is issued to all ranks. This pamphlet is now under revision and a new edition will shortly be produced.

asked the Secretary of State for War what facilities he has given to historians and journalists wishing to write books about the Suez operations; and to what extent they have had access to War Office records.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he expects British forces in Germany will be equipped with small arms using the standard North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's.300 ammunition; and to what extent this ammunition is already supplied to British troops in other theatres.

Infantry units in Germany will be issued with F.N. rifles, which use the standard N.A.T.O. round, early next year. Stocks of ammunition have already been sent to Cyprus, Aden and the Far East.

asked the Postmaster- General upon what principles or definition a decision is made as to whether a card contains a conventional greeting, when the postage is 2d., or a message, when the postage is 2½d.; and who makes the decision.

Broadly, the distinction is between messages which give or ask for information and formulas of a conventional kind which do not. "Arrived safely. Weather shocking." costs 2½d. but "Greetings to all in Walton" goes for 2d. The decision is taken by sorting office staff, who are provided with printed official guidance.

asked the Postmaster- General why the postal address of Portobello, Midlothian, is being changed to Edinburgh, 15.

To enable the local postal services to be run more efficiently.

asked the Postmaster-General from what distance from London mail posted by the usual afternoon post can be guaranteed to be delivered by the first post in London suburbs.

Mail from most parts of England and Wales posted by mid-afternoon is due to be delivered in all London suburbs by the first post next day. A few examples of posting times are given below. If my hon. Friend has in

asked the Postmaster-General how much it would cost to restore the second delivery on Saturdays throughout the country.

With present pay and conditions of the staff, about £2 million a year.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to reorganise the telegraph service so as to encourage its wider use.

The Advisory Committee on the Inland Telegraph Service, whose report was published last August, regarded a continuing decline in this service as inevitable, and I believe this conclusion to be right. The Committee did, however, recommend that the use of de luxe Greetings telegrams should be encouraged, and an extended range of these services will be available during next year.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give a list of the Scottish local education authorities who have been approached by the Post Office for permission to exempt school children for Christmas work in the Post Office; how many exemptions have been asked for in each case: and which local authorities have agreed.

The local education authorities who have been approached and the maximum numbers of schoolchildren

asked the Postmaster- General what steps are being taken by his Department, in consultation with the Medical Research Council and the Department for Scientific and Industrial Research, to ascertain fully the dangers arising from civilian applications of radio frequency radiation of forward scatter stations and the measures to be taken to protect the public.

The Post Office, with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and other Government Departments, is co-operating with the Medical Research Council in a study of the possible dangers associated with future developments of this kind, with a view to deciding what practical measures it may be necessary to take to protect the public and operating personnel. The design and location of existing civil types of forward-scatter stations are such that they represent no danger to the public. So far as current military types of forward-scatter stations are concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Air, to him and the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas) on 5th November last.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he has considered the results obtained from the experimental television transmitter at Folkestone; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps he is taking in conjunction with the British Broadcasting Corporation, to improve television reception in Anglesey and the neighbouring areas.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken to increase the strength of very high frequency and television signals in the Forfar area, and to avoid outside interference.

asked the Postmaster- General whether he is now able to say how many low-power satellite stations for television service are to be constructed in Wales; and what is to be their location and the expected coverage.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the poor quality of television reception in many parts of Caernarvonshire; and what steps he is taking to improve it.

To avoid wearying the House with repetition, I will answer these Questions together.Although television and VHF sound coverage is now widespread, I am aware that there are areas of Wales and Scotland as well as of England and Northern Ireland where reception is not satisfactory or not possible at all. Both the B.B.C. and I.T.A. have plans for further improvements and extensions of their television coverages over a period of years, and the B.B.C. also have plans in regard to extension of V.H.F. sound coverage.The B.B.C. say that the experimental low- power satellite transmitter at Folkestone is giving satisfactory service. They hope to provide more of these and other low- power television stations. Each case involves finding a suitable site and an appropriate frequency. The polarisation and power of each of the stations must be carefully worked out to avoid interference with other stations working on the same frequency and I cannot therefore say at this stage what it may be possible to do for particular areas.The I.T.A. inform me that they hope ultimately to build a station in West Wales and some satellite stations along the West Coast of Scotland. Their development plan includes a station in Aberdeenshire which they hope will cover Forfar.It is for the B.B.C. and I.T.A. to determine their own expenditures within their permitted ceilings of capital investment.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, under the powers given to him in the Second Schedule to the Television Act, 1954, he will amend the rules concerning intervals between advertisements in programmes of the Independent Television Authority so as to prevent interruption of serious programmes of half-an-hour's length, by advertisements shown in artificially created breaks in the programme.

No. Under paragraph 3 of the Second Schedule of the Television Act advertisements may only appear at the beginning and end of a programme or in natural breaks in it. The I.T.A. inform me that these provisions are closely observed and firmly enforced. Section 4 (3) of the Act places on the Authority the duty of seeing that this is so.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the continued breaks in the middle of the programmes, "Take Your Pick," "Double Your Money," and "Spot The Tune" conform to the provisions of the Rules for Advertising approved by him under Section 4 of the Television Act, 1954.

The Independent Television Authority, whose duty it is to ensure that the programme contractors conform to the provisions of the Television Act, tell me that they are satisfied that the breaks in the middle of the programmes to which the right hon. Member refers are natural breaks and. as such, conform with paragraph 3 of the Second Schedule. They also observe the rule agreed by my right hon. Friend Hider paragraph 3 (a) of the Second Schedule in regard to the interval which must elapse between any two advertising periods.

asked the Postmaster-General which channels in Band [II he has allocated to the Independent Television Authority for South-East England. North-East Scotland, and the Solway stations, respectively.

Definite allocations have not yet been made, but it is expected that Channel 10 will be used in South-East England, Channel 9 at Aberdeen, and Channel 11 on the Solway.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for a telephone are outstanding in East Lothian; and what is the maximum delay before an applicant can expect to be connected.

Sixteen applications are at present on hand. All will he met within a few weeks.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the total revenue to the Post Office from excess rentals for telephones outside the three- mile radius from post offices in the country; what percentage this is of total telephone rentals; and if he will apply to this problem the principle of equality which is accepted for almost all other Post Office services.

£44,000 or rather less than 1 per cent. of total exchange rentals. The present charges do not cover our costs, and I do not think that the whole of the extra expense should be borne by the generality of telephone subscribers.

asked the Postmaster- General what proportion of private telephone subscribers in the county of Glamorgan and in the borough of Barry. respectively, have a shared-line service at present.

The figures are 39 per cent. in the county of Glamorgan and 55 per cent. in the borough of Barry.

asked the Postmaster- General if he will make a statement about the shared-line telephone service; what proportion of private telephone subscribers in the United Kingdom has a shared service at present; and how soon he hopes to meet the wishes of those who have expressed their desire for a separate service.

Shared service, with which two subscribers are connected by the same line to the Exchange, has greatly helped us to expand the telephone service at a time when capital is limited. About 38 per cent. of private telephone subscribers share their lines, the actual number being over 1 million. I would like everyone to have a choice of shared or separate lines. We do this wherever possible, but so long as there is a shortage of plant we cannot do it in all areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the future of the Malcolm Clubs.

The future of Malcolm Clubs has already been under consideration for a year or more. There are at present 11 clubs in Germany, two in the Far East and one in this country.Malcolm Clubs have been in debt to the Air Ministry for some years. This has remained true notwithstanding the fact that since January, 1957, they have received a subsidy of about £30,000 a year from Air Votes to off-set the loss of the concessional Deutschemark rate in Germany. Indeed, the amount of the debt has increased during that period.The Air Council examined the position of Malcolm Clubs in July last and formed the opinion, firstly, that there was little prospect of the Air Ministry debt being repaid within a foreseeable time even allowing for a continued subsidy, and, secondly, that there was, in the nature of things, a risk, which the Air Council could not ignore, that the amount of the debt might further increase. Having given full weight to the value of the welfare services provided by Malcolm Clubs, the Air Council concluded that the situation ought not to be allowed to continue and that the Clubs ought to close. Malcolm Clubs were notified accordingly. I must make it clear that the Air Council reached this decision on the basis solely of their study of the facts and in no sense in response to pressure from any other organisation.Since that time it has been understood that Malcolm Clubs have been seeking financial help from outside sources and my Department has been anxious to do nothing that might prejudice their efforts. I have not, however, been informed of any success in this direction and in these circumstances I consider that the process of closing the Clubs should begin.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what instructions he has issued about demonstrations outside rocket bases; and what consultations have taken place with the civil police to ensure the avoidance of outbreaks of violence.

Demonstrations outside Royal Air Force stations are a matter for the civil police. We naturally consult them in any matter of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is satisfied with the adequacy of the security arrangements in connection with the missile bases in the County of Norfolk; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the arrangements for the installations which have been completed are adequate. I am reviewing the arrangements for sites where installations are being built.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many university air squadrons now exist in the United Kingdom; and what was the strength of each of these squadrons at the latest convenient date.

Seventeen. The strength of each squadron at the beginning of the current academic year, before the selection of new members, was as follows

asked the Prime Minister what official historians have been appointed to write the history of the Second World War; and what subjects have been allocated to them.

I have been asked to reply.The following is the reply:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now state the permitted capital investment programme for 1959–60 for the British Transport Commission and the amount thereof to be allocated to the railway modernisation programme.

The total of the British Transport Commission's investment for 1959 will be rather more than £200 million, and the Commission proposes to allocate well over £170 million of this to the railways.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will state the permitted capital investment programme for the British Transport Commission for 1959–60; and the amounts thereof to be spent on railway modernisation in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

The total of the British Transport Commission's capital investment for 1959 will be rather more than £200 million and the Commission propose to allocate well over £170 million of this to the railways. The modernisation plan is designed to increase the efficiency of the railways according to the demands of traffic, and the Commission's investment programme is made up for Great Britain as a whole and not separately for England, Scotland and Wales. The Commission place orders for equipment to secure the most favourable quality, delivery and price, and it would not be practicable to distinguish the amounts likely to be expended in different parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent Bedford vans converted for private passenger transport and licensed as private cars are subject to the speed limit applicable to vans.

With unimportant exceptions, the only vehicles not subject to a speed limit outside built up areas are those constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their personal effects, having an unladen weight not exceeding 3 tons, and dual purpose vehicles as defined in the Motor Vehicles (Variation of Speed Limit) Regulations, 1956, provided in each case they are adapted to carry not more than seven passengers excluding the driver. All other vehicles constructed or adapted to carry any goods are at all times subject to a speed limit of 30 m.p.h. or less except on motorways. The classification of vehicles for taxation purposes has no relevance to speed limits.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the evidence recently adduced before the Bury St. Edmunds Magistrates' Court, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, he will give an assurance that his Department's road test examiners do not use trick questions and orders when testing applicants for a driving licence; and whether he will make a statement in answer to the letters received by him from the same hon. Member.

am glad to give the assurance for which the hon. Member asks that candidates taking the driving test need have no cause to fear trick questions or orders; both the questions asked and the instructions given by driving examiners are entirely straightforward.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has completed his consideration of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Inland Waterways and Disused Canals; and if he will now issue his findings.

would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 5th November to the right hon. Member for Vauxhall (Mr. G. R. Strauss).

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make known the address of the London Travel Committee in order that other bodies and members of the public with experience of traffic congestion in London may make representations to it.

The Committee has its office in the Ministry at Berkeley Square House, W.1, and letters may be addressed to its Joint Secretary there.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many garages have applied for appointment as authorised examiners under the motor vehicle testing scheme in the towns of Leek, Kidsgrove, Biddulph and Cheadle, in the Leek constituency, St affordshire.

None as yet, but the forms of application and conditions of appointment were made available a little over a week ago.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement regarding the effects upon British shipping of the embargo placed upon vessels flying flags of convenience by trade unionists in this and other countries.

I am not aware that the embargo has had any effect upon British shipping.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the investment in roads and vehicles on a £ sterling per inhabitant per annum basis in the United Kingdom.

Between £13 and £14.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether the Committee on Consolidation of the Highway Law, which he and the Minister of Housing and Local Government set up in. February last, has yet reported.

The Committee has now made its report, which we intend to publish in due course as a White Paper. I am glad to take this opportunity to renew my thanks, and those of my right hon. Friend, to Lord Reading who undertook the Chairmanship of the Committee, and also to express to the other members, who include my hon. Friend the Member for Buckinghamshire, South (Mr. Ronald Bell) and the hon. and learned Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. A. J. Irvine), our gratitude for the care and skill with which, despite the many other calls upon their time, they have dealt with so complex a task.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has considered the report of the London and Home Counties Advisory Committee on the St. Marylebone Borough Council parking scheme; and what action he proposes to take thereon.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress he has made in connection with approving the establishment of a parking scheme for St. Marylebone.

I have now given full consideration to the St. Marylebone Borough Council parking scheme in the light of the objections made to it, the report of Sir Reginald Sharpe who conducted a Public Inquiry, the report of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee and the results of the experiment in North-West Mayfair. I have decided to approve the scheme with some modifications; when these have been settled I will make the necessary Order and Regulations. The St. Marylebone Borough Council are being officially informed of my decision today.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what recent proposals have been submitted to him by the local authority concerning the provision of adequate parking space in Cardiff.

In October. 1957, the Cardiff City Council put forward proposals for a multi-storey car park for about 530 cars in Wood Street; consent to borrow the capital sum involved has been given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government. I understand that this scheme is part of a larger general plan which the Council have under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the Ingatestone by-pass will be completed.

I expect the by-pass to be open to traffic by the end of 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what further plans of major road construction he intends to carry out or authorise in the near future to improve road communications between London and Harwich.

Within the next three financial years we hope to authorise a further seven major schemes of improvement on the main route between London and Harwich.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the redundancies caused by the cuts in the grants made available for maintenance and minor improvements on trunk and classified roads in Caernarvon- shire; and whether, in view of the heavy unemployment in the county, he will restore these cuts.

In allocating funds for next year's maintenance and minor improvement of roads, I shall bear in mind the labour situation in Caernarvon-shire.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if in his consideration and preparation of new road schemes having dual-carriage ways, which encourage high speeds, he will apply the experience gained by the accident record of the Borrowash by-pass and avoid crossing roads and severely limit the access to highways of this type.

Yes. It is our policy on new dual carriageway roads to limit access and to avoid direct crossings, as far as practicable. As the hon. Member knows, we are considering urgently the question of the junctions on the Borrowash by-pass.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many accidents have been reported, how many people have been killed, and how many have been injured on the Borrow- ash by-pass since it was opened on 10th December, 1957.

Thirty-two accidents have been reported, in which three persons were killed, eight seriously injured and fifteen slightly injured.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why in 1957–58 Cornwall was placed forty-fifth out of 48 English county highway authorities in grants for classified roads with £191 per mile, compared with £349 per mile for all such authorities.

Figures of grants made per mile for maintenance and minor improvements on classified roads must be interpreted with caution. They naturally vary according to population, width of roads, volume of traffic, number of heavy vehicles and the proportion of Class III roads compared with Class I and II. In 1957–58 the allocation to Cornwall for this purpose represented 99·7 per cent. of the amount applied for by the Council, compared with an average for the whole country of 96 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the grant for major road improvements which Cornwall County Highway Authority may expect to get in the financial year 1959–60.

We shall be inviting the County Council to submit some schemes in 1959–60, but I cannot say at present how many grants it will be possible to make.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why the preparations for the trunk road improvement scheme, from London Road to Milehouse Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme, will not be completed before 1961; and if he will consult with the local highway authority with a view to speeding up these preparations.

Schemes of this magnitude take a long time to prepare because of the amount of work involved in drawing up plans, contract documents, etc., as well as acquiring the necessary land and dealing with problems of rehousing. But I do not doubt that the borough council, acting as our agent authority, will complete the work as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what has been the cost of erecting and removing about 100 lamp standards at the two- level intersection of the Preston motorway by-pass with A.59; what steps were taken to test whether the lighting provided by these standards was advantageous or not before they were removed; and whether he will indicate what his future policy will be with regard to the lighting of this particular point.

This lighting scheme was installed in accordance with the general policy for trunk roads, but subsequently I came to the conclusion that it was preferable to experiment initially with no lighting on the motorway and to give further consideration to what policy should be adopted for the future. This is in hand in collaboration with the Road Research Laboratory. The lamp standards will be used elsewhere and the cost of erecting and removing them was about £5,800.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what grant in respect of major road improvements the Norfolk County Council as highway authority may anticipate in the year 1959–60.

I shall be inviting the council to submit some improvement schemes in 1959–60, but I cannot say how many grants it will be possible to make and what their value will be.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many road accidents have taken place on the bridge over the canal at Newbridge, Monmouthshire, for the years 1955, 1956, 1957 and up to the most recent available date in 1958.

The figures are:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent roadworks in Derbyshire will be included in his 856 miles road programme; and where these will be.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 18th November, 1958.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will list the grants which have been notified, as distinct from made, to local authorities for schemes of major road improvement and new construction of classified roads for 1959–60, and for the current financial year.

Grants are not notified in advance to highway authorities in the sense of a promise to make them available in any particular financial year. Where possible, however, highway authorities are given some guidance on when there may be a reasonable chance of including in the road programme schemes which they wish to carry out. It would not, in my view, serve any useful purpose to publish advance lists of grants which may, or may not, be made in particular years.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent the road programme will be expanded in its next phase; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies) on 12th November.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the total sum, to the nearest convenient date, which has been spent on the maintenance and development of the various civil airports in Scotland and England, respectively, since 1945.

The total sum borne on the Vote of my Department between 1945 and 31st March, 1958, on the development of aerodromes administered by the Department in Scotland and England, respectively, is approximately £3·7 million and £34·5 million. Compresenhive information about the corresponding maintenance expenditure is not available, but I estimate that about 20 per cent. relates to aerodromes in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if a decision has yet been reached on the accommodation to be provided in the proposed new hotel at Prestwick Airport and on its cost.

I recognise that a hotel could be an attractive feature of the new Terminal Area, and we are examining the possibility of providing one.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many collisions in the air involving a civil aeroplane have taken place in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, to the last convenient date.

During the five years ending on 30th November, 1958, there were four such accidents; two in 1956 and two in 1958. These collisions did not involve public transport aircraft.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will state the number of occasions during the last three years in which a British civil aircraft has been involved in a collision in the air outside the United Kingdom.

One only. This was the unfortunate accident near Nettuno in Italy on the 22nd October, 1958, in which a B.E.A. Viscount and an Italian military aircraft collided.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation which regulation of his prevents the proprietors of the ferry-boats between Portsmouth and Gosport from providing shelter for the passengers on deck or for the skippers.

None, provided my surveyors are satisfied that in an emergency the safety of the passengers would not thereby be affected.

asked the Minister of Defence how far it is still the intention of Her Majesty's Government to acquire Polaris missiles from the United States of America; and when they are likely to come into service.

The Polaris missile system is still in the development stage. The American authorities are keeping us informed of progress. The question of acquiring this weapon has not yet arisen.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) if he is aware of the anomalies which will arise in regard to pensions for widows if the assessment is made on basic retired pay; and if he will give an assurance that these will be ironed out;(2) if he will give an assurance that under the new code of pensions for widows no widow will receive less than the existing rates;(3) under the proposed new code for widows' pensions, what will be the basis for calculation in relation to the amount paid to a husband at the time of his death; what the widow of an officer under 60 years of age will receive in comparison with that of an officer over that age; and what fraction of the husbands' basic retired pay, excluding any increases subsequently granted, the widow's pension will be.

I can assure my hon. Friend that under the revised Family Pensions' scheme no widow will receive less than the existing rates. The other points will be covered in the announcement on the general scope of the scheme which I hope to make early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Defence what improvement over the existing arrangement is to be introduced in the new pensions code for the widows of officers who die while serving.

As from 1st April, 1959, the widow of an officer who dies while serving will receive one-third of the retired pay which he would have drawn had he been invalided, except in certain cases where the existing scheme is more favourable.

asked the Minister of Defence, under the new pensions code for widows, if the husband commuted part of his retired pay, what proportion of the uncommuted remainder of her husband's retired pay his widow will now receive.

Commutation of part of the husband's pension will have no effect on the widow's pension, which will be related to the husband's pension rate before commutation.

asked the Minister of Defence how the higher rates in the new pensions code for widows will apply to the widows of officers who die after the 1st April, 1959, and how they will apply to the widows of officers who retire after that date, respectively.

This point will be covered in the announcement on the general scope of the new family pension scheme which I hope to make early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Defence what progress is being made with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Allies in the co-ordination of arms production, with particular reference to light submarines, guided missiles, light and medium tanks, supersonic jet aircraft and electronic equipment for radar.

Discussions with our Allies are continuing, and some progress is being made; but in so complicated a matter rapid results could not be expected.

asked the Minister of Defence what changes in the agreement on the testing, supply, maintenance, and operation of the Royal Air Force Thor missiles were agreed by him during his recent visit to the United States of America.

None.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is satisfied that the arrangements for the production of nuclear bombs for the Royal Air Force's V-bombers are such as to ensure adequate stocks of these weapons; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the inaccuracies referred to by his Department in the account of the Suez events in 1956 given by Mr. Randolph Churchill in articles published in the Daily Express on 1st to 5th December.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to Recommendation 184 (1958) of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe concerning the present situation in central and eastern Europe; whether, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, he will make such a declaration as is set out in the Recommendation; and if he will make a statement of the action Her Majesty's Government proposes to take to give effect to the Recommendation.

My right hon. and learned Friend's attention has been drawn to the Recommendation in question. It was considered by the Ministers' Deputies at their meeting from 17th to 20th November, and a decision reached regarding action on it. It would be improper for me to reveal that decision before it has been communicated to the Consultative Assembly.

asked the Minister of Labour how many married women in Accrington are unemployed or on short time but do not register at the employment exchange because they are not insured for unemployment benefit.

The information required is not available to my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of young people under 18 years of age who are unemployed in Cardiff and the comparable numbers for 1956, and 1957, respectively.

On 17th November, 1958, 94 boys and 34 girls; in November, 1957, 26 boys and 20 girls; in November, 1956, 23 boys and 33 girls.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were unemployed in the Thurrock urban district at the last available date.

The available statistics relate to Employment Exchange areas. At 17th November there were 744 unemployed persons on the registers of the Grays, Tilbury and Stanford-le-Hope Employment Exchanges and the Grays Youth Employment Office, which are situated in the Thurrock Urban District.

asked the Minister of Labour how many dock workers were unemployed in Tilbury Dock at the last available date.

The National Dock Labour Board informs me that during the week ending 29th November, 1958, the average daily number of dock workers in the Tilbury Docks for whom no work was available was 143, representing 6·6 per cent. of the number of dock workers registered.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to implement the provisions of the Trading Representations (Disabled Persons) Act which comes into operation on 1st January, 1959.

This Act affects traders who sell or solicit orders for goods by means of postal or door-to-door canvassing and who claim that their business provides employment or assistance for blind or other disabled persons. After 1st January, 1959, the making of such representations will be a punishable offence unless the trader concerned is registered with the Ministry of Labour and National Service under the Act. The Act does not apply to local authorities, to charities registered under the War Charities Act, 1940, or the National Assistance Act, 1948, to certain other non-profit making bodies or to substantially disabled persons dealing only in goods produced, prepared, packed or otherwise made ready for sale by their own labour.Applicants are required by the Act to advertise in advance their intention to apply for registration. Applications received will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and the applicant will be told of the result as soon as possible. After the Act has come into force, members of the public and interested organisations will be able to find out from any Employment Exchange whether a particular trader is registered or not. Complaints about noncompliance with the Act will be investigated by my Department and any necessary action taken.A number of steps have been taken to publicise the requirements of the Act and applications for registration are now being received. I should like to emphasise that anyone likely to be affected by the Act should, if he has not already done so, inquire without delay at any employment exchange, from which further information can be obtained.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Royal Air Force officers and non-commissioned officers who have been prematurely retired have been placed in civilian posts.

Full information is riot available regarding the numbers of ex-Royal Air Force officers and non-commissioned officers placed in employment since premature retirements began. On 30th September, 1958, the date of the last quarterly analysis, of 961 officers and 824 non-commissioned officers who had been prematurely retired by that date there were 157 officers and 38 non-commissioned officers registered with my Department as unemployed. Of these, 59 officers and 26 non-commissioned officers had been unemployed for less than six weeks.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of persons registered as unemployed in the last week of November at Leek, Kidsgrove, Cheadle and Biddulph; and how these figures compare with the last week in November, 1957.

The latest available figures relate to 17th November, 1958. At that date the figures were: 200 at Leek, 318 at Kidsgrove, 116 at Cheadle and 166 at Biddulph compared with 136, 235. 63 and 82, respectively, at 11th November, 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to initiate discussions with representatives of employers and employees about legislation to replace the revoked Industrial Disputes Order.

I hope to be able to make a statement on this subject later this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Labour what assessment has been made of the number of railway workers who will be declared redundant as a result of reorganisation of train and traffic workings in Barnsley and district, with particular reference to the closing of Pindar Oaks and Stairfoot marshalling yards.

I understand that 142 railway workers will be affected, and that they will be dealt with under the existing redundancy agreements.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the latest figures for the Hull area of unemployed persons and dockers without jobs, respectively, and the total; what percentage of unemployment these figures represent; and whether this percentage now qualifies Hull being designated a development area for Government financial assistance.

On 17th November, 1958, 6,077 persons were registered as unemployed in the areas of Hull and Hessle representing 4·1 per cent. of the insured employees. In addition the National Dock Labour Board inform me, that in the week ending 29th November, 1958, the daily average number of dock workers proving attendance for whom no work was available in the ports of Hull and Goole was 684, representing 15·1 per cent. of the number of registered dockers. The question whether Hull should be added to the list of places for which financial assistance is available under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, 1958, is for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the average and the highest number of Hull's dock worker., who were without jobs in the four weeks of November; whether the Hull dock register is to be maintained; and what steps the Government intend to take to increase the employment in Hull docks.

During the four weeks ending 29th November, 1958, the daily average number of dock workers for whom no work was available in the Port of Hull was 659; the highest number was 1,106 on Saturday, 15th November. The National Dock Labour Board informs me that no dock workers are being recruited at Hull, and the register is being allowed to run down by natural wastage without replacement.As regards the last part of the Question. employment in the docks is dependent upon the volume of traffic passing through the port. It is for importers and exporters, in co-operation with shipowners, to choose the ports they use, and the Government cannot influence them in favour of a particular port.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of boys and girls, respectively, and the total, who left school in Hull at the end of the summer term, and the numbers who are still out of work.

926 boys and 872 girls, making a total of 1,798, left school at the end of the summer term. Of these, 10 boys and 5 girls were registered as unemployed on 4th December.

asked the Minister of Labour whether a decision has yet been made regarding the call-up of National Service men born in the last quarter of 1939.

It is still not certain whether or not men born in the fourth quarter of 1939 will be required for National Service, but I will make an announcement as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Beaton Committee recommendation for the building of a bridge between North and South Ballachulish is to be carried out.

I regret that I am unable to forecast when this scheme can be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that three persons were killed in an accident at Glassford crossroads, Lanarkshire, on 26th July; and what safety measures are being introduced.

As a result of the investigation to which I referred in the Answer I gave the hon. Member on the 31st July, Lanarkshire County Council have improved the road signs at this junction, and are considering some improvements of the roads themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases in 1957 and in 1958, applications by farmers in Scotland for Hill Cattle subsidy have been refused solely on the ground that the application was not submitted by the 30th June.

Eighty applications were refused on this ground in 1957 and sixty in 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of places in central institutions has been allotted to overseas students in each of the last three years for which information is available.

No specific proportion of places in central institutions is allotted to overseas students, but in session 195758, the first for which statistics of overseas students were obtained, 794 out of 7,198 wholetime students were from overseas.