asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether with a view to encouraging the widest possible ownership of shares in British industry, he will reduce the present 2 per cent. Stamp Duty charged on holdings of ordinary shares.

My right hon. Friend has noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken to assist the economic development of Mauritius and to provide maintenance and work for the unemployed.

On the questions of economic development and unemployment I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 13th November. Assistance in the form of outdoor relief is given in cases of destitution. A comprehensive scheme for social insurance is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the economic and political situation in British Guiana.

Yes. The past year has seen continuing expansion of investments in industrial spheres. The two large overseas investments of the Demerara Bauxite Company in new alumina plant and of North West Guiana Manganese Mines, have progressed satisfactorily, although the rate of installing alumina plant has been slower than was originally expected because of the world recession in the aluminium industry. During the year, too, there has been offshore prospecting for oil by the Standard Oil Company of California, the results of which are not yet known.As regards local investment in industry, the secondary industries which began in 1957, notably the brewery and the margarine factory, have successfully established themselves, and a chip board factory is under construction. Finance has been found for the necessary installations for bulk loading of sugar.The rice and sugar crops in 1958 are both expected to prove records. The year's recession in aluminium, however, has resulted in the laying-off of workers in the bauxite industry, and this has had an adverse effect on indirect revenue and on revenue from export duty. The position in the middle months of the year was very unpromising, and it looked as if the budget outturn would be very disappointing.The stimulus to the economy from the additional value of rice crops this year, which followed last year's bad harvest, has, however, altered the picture considerably, and the larger production of sugar has also helped. As regards 1959, present indications are that there will be some budgetary difficulties because of reduced world prices of sugar between 1957 and 1958. There are, however, good grounds for believing that the difficulties of 1959 will be temporary ones in view of better prospects for the bauxite industry and increased production of agriculture crops.The development in agricultural land is continuing very quickly; the large scale drainage and irrigation works at Black-bush Polder are ahead of schedule and those at Boerasirie are nearing completion. These, when completed, will do much to increase national income and will help with the problem of under-employment in the Colony. Other land development and communication projects are in an advanced stage of planning but require finance if they are to be implemented. Currency notes in circulation at the 1st of October, 1957, were $16·2 million and at the 1st of October, 1958, $18·13 million.2. The general impression is that the economy remains buoyant and that the very good progress which has been achieved in the last four years will continue, and indeed be accelerated, as the impact of the development programme and overseas investment is increasingly felt. The high birth rate, combined as it is with a high level of unemployment, requires a rapidly expanding economy if the improvement in living standards which has been achieved over the past few years is to be maintained. The British Guiana Government is fully alive to this need for expansion, and a committee set up to advise Ministers on the possibility of encouraging new industries will shortly make its report.3. The assistance which Her Majesty's Government is giving to the Colony by way of loan, which was announced in the House on the 18th July [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 591, cols. 131–133] will enable the current development plan to continue despite the difficulties of the London market, and my right hon. Friend expects to have further talks in London next year with British Guiana Ministers as soon as their further development projects have been examined by economic experts.4. In the political field, I am happy to be able to tell the House that, since the elections last year, the British Guiana Ministers, despite their dissatisfaction with present constitutional arrangements have been co-operating fully with the Governor in the general administration of the Colony. The House will recall that, in my right hon. Friend's statement on 18th July, he spoke of future constitutional developments and referred to the proposal to appoint a local committee to go into the whole question of the form which such developments should take. The Governor has now appointed that committee and I am sure the House will be with me in looking forward with great interest to the views which they put forward.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what has been the result of the consideration by the Central Whitley Council of Kenya, in August last, of the allocation of Government quarters on a non-racial basis.

The question was not discussed at the August meeting because the staff side had not put forward their proposals. They are expected to do so soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, how many civilians from this country have been accepted for recruitment to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes and other welfare services in Cyprus.

150 so far and a further 200 are being recruited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that under the Second Schedule to the British Nationality Act, 1948, an alien may apply for naturalisation after residence in a Colony of one continuous year and an aggregate of four years out of the previous seven; and how many of the 780,000 Chinese refugees now in Hong Kong are already so qualified to apply.

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes." No information is available about the number of Chinese refugees qualified by residence to apply for naturalisation. The total number of people of Chinese race (including refugees) who have applied for naturalisation since 1945 is 1,434. The number of certificates of naturalisation so far granted is 814.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans are registered on the ordinary and special rolls for the territorial elections in Northern Rhodesia and how many Africans are registered in Nyasaland; and what is the proportion of such voters to the total adult African population in each territory.

The present constitutional arrangements for Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland do not include the election of Legislative Councils by voters registered on ordinary and special rolls, and the Question does not therefore arise. But as hon. Members will know, such elections have been proposed for Northern Rhodesia for the future.In anticipation of this change the Legislative Council Ordinance, 1958, passed last month, provides for a central registering officer to prepare an electoral roll for which ordinary and special qualifications have been prescribed. Although registration is proceeding, the stage has not yet been reached when this officer can begin to prepare the roll. In any event, until the other constitutional changes proposed come into effect, no election held can be based on this new roll.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give details of the restrictions on hours of work for women and juveniles to be enforced from 1st January next in Hong Kong factories.

Yes. I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of the regulations referred to in my reply to the right hon. Member on 4th November, which have now been approved by the Hong Kong Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement upon his discussions regarding future constitutional advance for the British Somaliland Protectorate.

Not yet. But I hope to be able to do so before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the percentage of unemployment among the workers of Fiji, and why the two yachts recently built for Government service were not constructed locally to relieve unemployment.

It is not possible to give percentage figures for unemployment, but the total of unemployed is not serious and present unemployment, which is largely in the building trade, has recently eased due to a large Public Works building programme. The labour force for boat building is small and few suitable craftsmen are available. Only one Government yacht has been built, the order for which was placed outside Fiji in 1956 when local labour was in heavy demand. A second vessel, which is to be used for Public Works Department work and serving the lighthouse, was built in Hong Kong as no facilities exist in the Colony for the construction of its welded steel hull.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he will make a further statement on the work of the Farm Buildings Research Committee.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question on 16th June, 1958. As I then said, a great deal of preliminary work is necessary before the Committee can formulate a programme of research. It is at present engaged on a survey of existing farm buildings and in collating the relevant information on research carried out both in this country and abroad. The Committee is pressing on with these preliminary tasks and good progress has been made. But it will take some time before they are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the inventory value, at the conclusion of the last chargeable accounting period, of the State-owned public house and associated undertakings in Carlisle; what was the estimated market value at that date for all the assets concerned; and what is the future policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to ownership of breweries and public houses.

At the 31st March, 1958, the inventory value of the Carlisle undertaking was £918,474. No estimate has been made of the current market value of the undertaking's assets. Her Majesty's Government have no intention of extending State management to other areas.

asked the Minister of Education what are the numbers of scientific and technical students taking sandwich courses given separately for the various subjects being studied.

I have not yet received all the returns for the 1957–58 session. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I am in a position to give him the information for which he asks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed his consideration of the request made for an investigation into the financial affairs of the Mias Group of Companies, as provided for under the Companies Act; and what is the result of his consideration.

I am still considering the matter. Some depositors have complained to me of delays and failure to return their deposits at the due time. Unpaid creditors have a right under the Companies Act to petition the court for the winding up of the company and can probably best safeguard their own interests in this way. The provisions of the Act for a Board of Trade Investigation do not directly protect the interests of creditors. I am making further inquiries before deciding what we can most usefully do.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what compensation is being paid by his Department to Greek Cypriot employees at Royal Air Force establishments who have been discharged summarily as a result of the Cyprus emergency.

Those directly employed by the Air Ministry will receive one week's or one month's pay in place of notice, according to whether they are paid by the week or the month. Those with seven or more years' service will, in addition, receive two weeks' pay for each year of service.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will institute an independent public inquiry into the treatment of Mr. J. M. Davidson, Swanbridge, Glamorganshire, by the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Housing and Local Government, respectively; and whether, in view of public anxiety concerning this case, he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Barry (Mr. Gower) on Tuesday.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how the number of Europeans, Asians and Africans who have applied to vote in the forthcoming federal elections in each of the territories of Rhodesia and Nyasaland compares with the estimates given by Her Majesty's Government in this House on 25th November. 1957, and 18th February. 1958.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply on this subject which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies, gave on 4th November to the hon. Members for Cardiff. South-East (Mr. Callaghan) and Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what registered co-operative societies exist in Swaziland; and whether the Protectorate Government have yet granted permission for Mr. A. M. J. Nzimande, organising general secretary of the Mgudlu African Co-operative Trading Society, to come to England for study of the co-operative movement.

The following societies axe registered:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether the further studies into the proposal to create a Commonwealth Development Bank which were promised in the Final Act of the Montreal Conference have yet been initiated; when and where they will begin; and whether a statement on behalf of all full Commonwealth Member Governments will be published upon their conclusion.

As I informed the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 13th November, the Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference agreed that these joint studies should take place after decisions had been taken in regard to any expansion of the resources of the International Bank and the International Monetary Fund Arrangements for these joint studies are under consideration. The question of a public statement will doubtless be considered by Commonwealth Governments in due course after the studies are concluded.

asked the Minister of Health what action, in the light of his recent estimate that the Royal Commission will not report until next summer, he proposes to take in respect of the remuneration of doctors and dentists employed in the health service.

In these circumstances, the Government propose to make a further interim increase of 4 per cent. in the current basic remuneration of doctors and dentists in the National Health Service with effect from 1st January, 1959. This interim increase would, of course, be without prejudice to the recommendations of the Royal Commission but I have consulted the Chairman and he has informed me that it will not embarrass the Commission in any way. The method of distributing the additional remuneration will be discussed with the two professions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents, with personal injuries, with and without fatalities, respectively, have occurred since the war at the Braidwood railway bridge in the County of Lanark; and when he will cause a new bridge to be provided.

Since 1st February, 1946, there have been 24 accidents at or near Braidwood Bridge in which nine persons have been injured, none of them fatally. Priority is being given to the reconstruction of bridges carrying the Glasgow—Carlisle road over the main railway line, and I cannot yet say when Braidwood Bridge will be reconstructed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the light of the fatal road accident on the A.74 Carlisle-Glasgow road at Duneatonbrae Road on 10th October, he is satisfied with the road safety precautions in force there.

There is a continuous white line marking on the road at this place and no further precautions seem necessary. I hope, however, to authorise a scheme for the provision of dual carriageways on this length of road within the next two or three years.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress is being made towards the widening of the road and the consequent reconstruction of the railway bridge at Yiewsley; and when he expects work to begin on the removal of this danger spot.

I understand that the Middlesex County Council and the British Transport Commission, who are the authorities concerned, have agreed on an amended scheme to cater for revised requirements by the Commission. I am told that it is still hoped to start work by next June.