asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of youths, up to 20 years of age, registered as unemployed in the burgh of Clydebank; and what steps he is taking to place these youths in suitable employment.

On 17th November, 168 young men under 21 were unemployed in Clydebank. The local employment exchange and youth employment office are doing all they can to place them in suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the growing concern in Sheffield over the increasing unemployment and short-time working in the steel and allied industries in the city; and whether he will inform the House of the latest figures available for Sheffield in both categories.

On 17th November, there were 438 unemployed people who had last worked in iron and steel manufacture and 2,003 registered as temporarily stopped from these industries. Reports from employers suggest that nearly 4,000 iron and steel workers are on short-time, losing one shift weekly. These figures represent a slight decrease since September.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider arranging a joint meeting of employers and trade unions to consider increasing the number of apprenticeships in the building and engineering industry.

No. It is for each individual industry itself to determine its future intake of apprentices, but I hope that, as recommended by the Report "Training for Skill", industries will consider the need to take advantage of the increasing number of school leavers in the next few years.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 567 registered as unemployed at the Crook Employment Exchange, include the figures from the juvenile employment office; and what percentage increase is being paid out in this connection at the latest convenient date and twelve months previously.

The figures included 32 juveniles registered at the youth employment office. The total amount of unemployment benefit and National Assistance paid at Crook Employment Exchange and the youth employment office during the week ended 24th October, 1958, showed an increase of 148 per cent. over the amount paid in the corresponding week last year. This increase was due in part to the higher weekly rates of benefit and National Assistance which came into force early this year.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in October there were 1,811 registered unemployed in the county borough of West Ham, with only 514 notified unfilled vacancies and that, in addition, there were, and are, a large number of dock-workers unemployed; and what action he proposes to take to ease this growing unemployment problem in West Ham.

Yes. My local offices will continue to do all they can to place the unemployed in suitable vacancies not only in West Ham but in other parts of London.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will express, as a percentage, the number of unemployed, male and female, for the area covered by the Durham City, Spennymoor, and

					November, 1957		November, 1958
Local Office					Males	Females	Males	Females
					Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Durham	…	…	…	…	1·2	0·4	2·3	2·3
Houghton-le-Spring	…	…	…	…	2·4	3·3	3·4	8·3
Bishop Auckland	…	…	…	…	1·7	0·8	4·4	2·6
Crook	…	…	…	…
Spennymoor	…	…	…	…
Shildon	…	…	…	…

asked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of unemployed and the percentage of unemployment, at the latest convenient date and one year earlier, in the constituency of Gorton.

On 17th November, 1958, 1,339 persons were registered as unemployed at Openshaw and Denton Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Offices, which cover a wider area than the Gorton constituency. This compares with 507 a year ago. These offices form part of the Manchester area for which November figures are not yet available. The unemployment rate for Manchester was 2·0 per cent. in October last and 1·2 per cent. in November 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the latest available figure of registered unemployed in the county borough of East Ham, the percentage of unemployment which this represents, and similar figures for twelve months ago.

On 13th October, 681 persons were registered as unemployed at East Ham Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office which cover the main part of the county borough of East Ham. On 14th October, 1957, the number was 341. It is not possible to quote a percentage for a particular area within Greater London.

The following table gives the information. A separate percentage rate of unemployment cannot be given for the Spennymoor Employment Exchange area.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the total numbers registered as temporarily and wholly unemployed on Tyneside showing the main categories affected as at the latest available date compared with twelve months previously.

The following is the information desired:

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES ON TYNESIDE
—	13th October, 1958	14th October, 1957
Shipbuilding and Repairing	1,291	400
Engineering	895	462
Building and Contracting	1,308	660
Transport	1,591	1,073
Distribution	1,084	658
Other industries and services	5,371	3,048
Total—all industries and services	11,540	6,301

The above totals include respectively 119 who were temporarily stopped on 13th October, 1958, and 64 on 14th October, 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will issue a list of all the official and unofficial strikes, walk-outs and lock-outs that have taken place in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry in the last twelve months; and if he will detail their causes together with the number of people concerned.

The following table gives an analysis of the stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the twelve months ended 31st October, 1958. The preparation of a list of the individual stoppages detailing their causes would in-

SHIPBUILDING AND SHIP-REPAIRING STOPPAGES BEGINNING IN THE PERIOD 1ST NOVEMBER, 1957–31ST OCTOBER, 1958
(provisional figures)
Principal cause of dispute leading to a Stoppage of work	Number of stoppages beginning in period	Number of workers directly involved in these stoppages	Number of working days lost by all workers involved in these stoppages (1)
Wages:—
Claim for increase	32	2,523	255,324
Other wage disputes	9	1,322	4,721
All wage disputes	41	3,845	260,045
Demarcation disputes	16	1,843	30,035
Other disputes about the employment of particular classes or persons (2)	19	2,337	22,209
Other working arrangements, rules and discipline	8	1,224	2,313
Trade Union status (3)	5	524	1,744
TOTAL	89	9,773	316,346
(1) Including days lost by those indirectly involved, i.e., thrown out of work at the establishments where the stoppages occurred, but not themselves parties to the dispute.
(2) This category includes, e.g., disputes arising from employment of certain officials; for reinstatement of discharged or suspended employee(s). It includes one stoppage which began in October 1958, and is still in progress; working days lost in October, only are included in this total.
(3) This category includes, e.g., refusal of trade union members to work with non-unionists.

The figure of 255,324 working days lost in stoppages due to disputes about claims for wage increases includes 235,900 working days lost in a single stoppage at Belfast. The figure of 30,035 days lost in stoppages arising out of demarcation disputes includes 24,000 working days lost in a single stoppage at Birkenhead. The figure of 22,209 working days lost in stoppages due to other disputes about employment of particular classes OT persons includes 15,701 working days lost in a single dispute at Falmouth.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the new uniforms and bluettes will be volve a considerable amount of work and cannot be undertaken.The statistics maintained by my Department do not distinguish between strikes, "walk-outs" and lock-outs nor between those which are "official" and "unofficial". They exclude stoppages involving fewer than ten workers, and those which lasted less than one day, unless the aggregate number of working days lost exceed 100.ready for issue to the Women's Royal Naval Service.

We will be issuing a new type of diagonal serge suit and new pattern overalls to the Women's Royal Naval Service early in the New Year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why lot 7, representing 117 tons 10 cwt. of bronze propellers, was withdrawn from a recent sale of Admiralty surplus; and when it is intended to offer this lot by public auction or public tender.

After the invitations to tender were issued on 31st March, 1958, it was found that seven bronze propellers weighing approximately 117½ tons had been inadvertently included as lot 7 when, in fact, they had already been sold in November, 1957. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the proposed rents of new houses at Weymouth and Portland which are being built to house Admiralty employees who are due for transfer from the torpedo experimental establishment at Greenock.

These houses will be provided by the local authorities, and the rent to be charged is a matter for them. Since the houses are to be built at our request, their building is not to be subsidised, and the rents must be assessed accordingly. I understand that at Portland the average rent, inclusive of rates, will be about £3 6s., and at Weymouth about £2 14s. Married men transferred from Greenock to Portland will be eligible for excess rent allowances in accordance with regulations that apply throughout the Government service.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the concern expressed by his Department's employees in Greenock at the lack of housing accommodation being provided for those employees who are due for transfer to Portland in 1959; and if he will make a statement.

We are negotiating with the Portland and Weymouth Councils for the provision of houses for men to be transferred from Greenock. Proposals in an advanced state include the provision of 30 houses in the Portland area and 10 houses in the Weymouth area; we have asked the men from Greenock in which area they would rather live, and will negotiate for the provision of further houses accordingly. With the co-operation of these two councils for which we are very grateful, I see no reason to doubt that a sufficient number of houses can be provided.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make a statement on the progress being made on the research and development of nuclear propulsion for ships.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South on 4th November, a contract for the purchase of American nuclear submarine machinery is currently under negotiation. At the same time good progress is being made with the limited amount of hull redesign which would be necessary to accommodate this machinery in H.M.S. "Dreadnought". As regards reactor systems for merchant shipping, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton-on-Tees by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1st May.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what progress is being made with regard to the acquiring of "Polaris".

The position remains as stated in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 23rd April last.

asked the Parliamentary Secreatry to the Admiralty if he is aware of continued criticism by shipbuilders of delivery of special qualities of steel plate; and what action he will take to expedite such delivery.

I am aware that special qualities of steel may give rise to supply difficulties whereas ordinary qualities are in ample supply. However, no instance of such difficulty has been brought to my attention in recent months. If the hon. Member has any specific case in mind I will see whether it would be possible to help.

asked the Secretary of State for War what consultations the Deputy Director of Staff Duties had with elected Members of the Kenya Legislative Council with regard to the increase in the strategic reserve of British troops in Kenya, during the visit in October of the War Office team.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of Army vehicles which are liable to use public roads are fitted with direction indicators.

About 8 per cent.; but all new vehicles being made for the use of the Army will be fitted with direction indicators.

asked the Postmaster-General when television coverage will be made available for mid-Wales.

The B.B.C. have plans, subject to technical examination, for further improvements and extensions of their television coverage over a period of years, by means of a number of low-power satellite stations. I cannot say at this stage what it may be possible to do for particular areas. The I.T.A. has not yet made any plans for mid-Wales.

asked the Postmaster-General what interval must elapse between any two periods of advertisements in programmes of the Independent Television Authority, under the rules agreed upon by the Authority and himself.

The rule is that however short the time may be between any natural breaks in a programme the interval between any two consecutive periods given over to advertisements shall in no circumstances be less than three minutes. This rule, however, is bound up with others relating to the permissible amount of advertising and they must all be taken together.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the anxiety of cinema interests at the prospect of the setting up of a second commercial television channel; what applications he has received for permission to set up such a channel; and what reply he proposes to make.

I have recently received representations from one of the trade associations concerned with the exhibition of cinematograph films expressing grave concern at the possibility of any additional television entertainment, and particularly of any additional commercial programme. The I.T.A. has sought consent to provide a second commercial television programme, and I have received other proposals for commercial television services. As I told the House, however, in July, any additional television programmes involve major questions of policy, and when the Government have decided what is best to be done the House will be told before anyone else.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of vans operated by his Department are fitted with direction indicators.

Ninety-nine point nine per cent.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in the light of the agreement reached in principle at the Trade and Economic Conference at Montreal, he will make a statement regarding the future development of Commonwealth communications.

The 7th General Report of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Board has just become available, and copies have been placed in the Libraries. As well as describing the steady development of telecommunication services in the Commonwealth, the Report refers to the continuing success of the transatlantic telephone cable. Telephone traffic across the Atlantic has shown a striking increase since this cable was opened in September, 1956. In two years the traffic between the United Kingdom and Canada has more than trebled, and that between the United Kingdom and the United States has more than doubled. A new cable between the United Kingdom and Canada will be laid in 1961; and I look forward to the progressive development, in co-operation with other Commonwealth countries, of telephone cables linking the countries of the Commonwealth on the lines agreed at the Trade and Economic Conference at Montreal.

asked the Postmaster-General why members of the public are charged a search fee of 6d. when collecting their letters from a post office on Saturday afternoons, having regard to there being no deliveries on Saturday afternoon, and that such collection of letters by the public must be of assistance to the Post Office.

Because staff have to be kept on duty specially to trace and pick out letters which would otherwise be included at little or no extra cost in Monday's general deliveries.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone lines on the Kenilworth exchange are at present being shared by two or more subscribers; how many applications for telephones on the Kenilworth exchange are at present outstanding; and when a full and effective telephone service will be provided for all existing and potential subscribers to this exchange.

291 lines are at present shared, each by two partners, 298 applicants are waiting for service, 32 of which are in course of being provided. New equipment and cables are needed in this district before we can meet all outstanding applications, but I hope that about half of them will be met next summer, when new plant will be ready for service. The remaining applicants await the completion of a new automatic exchange which we hope to have in service late in 1961 or early the following year.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the equipment for an automatic telephone exchange at Ewhurst, Surrey, has been waiting for installation for a considerable time and cannot be fitted because of the action of the Hambledon Rural District Council; and if he will take steps to see that this expensive equipment is put into operation as early as possible.

The original plan was to provide a timber building, as is usual for this size of automatic exchange, but Hambledon Rural District Council, supported by the Surrey County Council, did not regard this as in keeping with the traditional development of the district. We have accepted their view, and we are going to provide a brick building instead. This change of plan has meant some delay, but I expect that the new automatic exchange will be ready in about a year's time.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent the Royal Observer Corps monitoring stations are working in conjunction with the Medical Research Council in studying the amount of radioactive fall-out over the British Isles; what regular monitoring is being carried out; and if he will issue an annual report or statement on the work and results of these 1,500 stations.

The Royal Observer Corps exists to track low flying aircraft and to track and measure radioactive fall-out in the event of air attack. In peace-time it is occupied in training for these tasks. This training does not include the regular measurement of radioactivity in the atmosphere. The last part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the difficulties occasioned to local councils by the fact that their car parks are used as dumps for unwanted vehicles and for selling second-hand vehicles; and if he will take steps to give powers to local authorities to deal with this nuisance.

Under Section 68 of the Public Health Act, 1925, local authorities have power to make byelaws which can prohibit the use of a parking place for or in connection with the sale of vehicles or any other article. Our Department is examining, in consultation with other interested Departments, the need to give local authorities additional powers to deal with vehicles abandoned in car parks and, if such a need is established, the best means of giving those powers.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he now proposes to take to deal with the problem of travel congestion in London.

The Crush Hour Committee has reported progress and has suggested that the problem of road traffic congestion should be considered at the same time as congestion on public transport. I have accepted this suggestion and I have decided to reconstitute the Committee and widen its terms of reference accordingly as I consider that we shall get quicker results by considering the problem as a whole. Mr. Alex Samuels has accepted my invitation to be Chairman of the new body, which will be called the "London Travel Committee". The terms of reference, which I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT, will enable the Committee to attack the whole problem of congestion on the roads and on public transport services in and out of Central London during the rush hours. I am also circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the members who have agreed to serve on the Committee. I have asked the Committee to deal urgently with as many of the complex issues in front of it as it can, and to report to me whenever it feels that governmental action is necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proportion of the automatic train control equipment now under construction or completed, respectively, is in the Greater London area as represented by the Metropolitan Police district.

Of the 1,500 route miles already equipped with Automate Warning Control, 51 miles are in the Greater London area as defined. Of the 193 route miles due for completion by the end of the year, 16 are in the same area. These figures exclude the London Transport railways, all of which are equipped with automatic train stops.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make fresh representations to the Chairman of the British Transport Commission to reconsider some means of alleviating the hardships endured by the British Railways superannuitants, most of whom voted for exemption from the Old Age Pension Scheme in 1911 on the understanding that they would never be worse off financially whereas, after a lifetime of service devoted to the railways, they now find themselves living on less than the bare necessities of life.

I propose to discuss the situation again with the Chairman, but I must make it quite clear that in this matter I must leave the decision to the Commission.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will represent to the Chairman of the British Transport Commission the need for raising the pensions of British Railways superannuitants in view of the hardship being suffered by many of these men.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given today to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Nantwich (Mr. Grant-Ferris).

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that the purchasing power of the pensions of railway super-annuitants who have retired on half pay has not kept pace with the post-war inflation; and what steps he is willing to take to secure an improvement of their lot.

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is "Yes". In reply to the second part, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given today to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Nantwich (Mr. Grant-Ferris).

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proposals for sanctioning advances to the British Transport Commission for capital improvements for the freight traffic and passenger services between Norfolk and the Midlands he has under consideration.

The British Transport Commission's Modernisation Plan provides for improved services between the Eastern Counties and the Midlands, some of which are already in operation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects to make a statement on the public inquiry he held on the proposed East Mill Road, Morpeth, Northumberland.

We are considering the Inspector's report and hope to announce a decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he proposes to take to deal with the bottleneck on York Road, Leeds, near Killingbeck and Seacroft hospitals.

I understand that the Leeds Corporation is preparing a scheme to widen the road to take dual carriageways, and we hope to be able to make a grant towards it in due course.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give details about the junction between the five-mile motorway spur with the Watford by-pass at Aldenham, especially whether northbound traffic going on to the spur will be separated from southbound traffic on the by-pass.

The junction is at present planned as a large ground level roundabout and northbound traffic on to the motorway will weave on the roundabout with southbound traffic on the Watford by-pass.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what estimate he has formed of the increase in traffic along the Watford by-pass when the first section of the new motorway comes into use; and when the by-pass is to be widened and its roundabouts enlarged.

I estimate that traffic along the Watford by-pass may double when the Aldenham spur to the motorway comes into use. Schemes are in preparation for more than doubling the capacity of this route, but I cannot yet say when work will start.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, what decision he has come to about the provision of a "Halt" sign on Summerhill Road at its junction with Corringham Road, Gainsborough.

As my hon. Friend will be aware, there is already a "Slow—Major Road Ahead "sign on Summerhill Road. Additional carriageway markings have recently been put down, and a central refuge is being provided. I have told the local highway authority that I should prefer to study the effects of these measures before deciding whether a "Halt" sign would be justified.

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

I have made no grants for 1959–60 and I shall not be able to announce a full list of the bigger schemes in the current financial year until the end of that year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects that the Report of the Nugent Committee with regard to London traffic needs will be completed; and whether it is his intention to make it available either in full or in some abbreviated form.

I hope to receive the Report of the Nugent Committee on London Roads by next spring. I intend to publish it in full.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the bad road conditions in the village of Butterton, near Leek, and that the river in that area runs for some distance over the road; and whether he will see that some action is taken to improve the condition of the roads in that area for which he is responsible.

We have no responsibilities for the roads in the neighbourhood of Butterton.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what complaints have been made in respect of British ships passing through the Suez Canal; and what are the increased charges now imposed upon British ships compared with the position before it was nationalised by Egypt.

We are not aware of any such complaints. Tolls imposed on British and other ships using the Suez Canal have not been increased since it was nationalised. A voluntary surcharge of 3 per cent. of the transit tolls was introduced by the United Nations on the 15th September, 1958, and is being paid in respect of British ships in accordance with the announcement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary on 1st August, 1958.

asked the Minister of Defence what payments are now made towards the funeral expenses incurred by relatives of men or women who die while serving in Her Majesty's Forces; and whether he will consider making improvements in these payments.

Unless the next of kin prefers to make private arrangements, the Service concerned makes all arrangements for the funeral and bears the full cost.

asked the Minister of Defence how many men will be available in the future all-Regular Army of 165,000 men for overseas stations and the Strategic Reserve.

About 60,000. I am glad of this opportunity to correct an error in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 24th November, 1958 (Col. 153, line 9). The phrase "home stations" should have read "overseas stations".

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether his attention has been called to the results of the survey carried out by the officials of the health department of Chesterfield Rural Council, which has shown that a substantial reduction of housekeeping costs can be achieved in an area where smoke pollution is adequately restricted; and what use he intends to make of this survey.

My right hon. Friend has read with interest a report by the Medical Officer of Health of this survey carried out in Chesterfield rural district; and he will bear in mind the possibility of giving further publicity to this information on a suitable occasion.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the nature of the inquiry which he has ordered into the Runnymede caravan site; and if he will make a statement.

I can assure my hon. Friend that I have not arranged for a public local inquiry into this particular site. I am, however, making inquiries into what the position there is. As announced in my reply yesterday to a Question by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Chertsey (Sir L. Heald), I am also setting in train a general investigation into the problems of caravans used as residential accommodation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decision he has taken regarding the transfer from Swindon of the District Officer for the National Agricultural Advisory Service; and what considerations led him to this decision.

A number of transfers, of which this is one, have been made, following the review recommended by the Wilson Report, simply to ensure that the staff of the National Agricultural Advisory Service are most effectively employed. The services of the National Agricultural Advisory Service will, of course, continue to be available to farmers around Swindon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will indicate the number of farm improvement schemes for Wales that have been received to date, the number approved, the number rejected because the holdings are not considered to be economic, and the detailed amount of expenditure of the schemes approved.

To the 31st October, 1958, the total number of applications received under the Farm Improvement Scheme in Wales and Monmouthshire was 5,639. Of these 2,428 had been approved. 377 applications had been rejected because the land, for the benefit of which the improvements were intended, was not considered capable of yielding a sufficient livelihood to a reasonably skilled occupier, even after improvement.Details of the cost of approved schemes are:

	Estimated Cost
	£
Farm Buildings	1,145,387
Sewage Disposal	6,331
Roads, Bridges, etc.	46,252
Electricity	43,259
Pens and Accommodation for Dipping etc.	6,504
Fencing, Walls and Gates	39,522
Cattle Grids	2,273
Reclamation of Waste Land	733
Shelter Belts	83
Removal of Hedges	8,871
Claying and Marlying	510
Other items	37,517
	£1,337,242

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of vacancies in the police

The sub-divisions of the Metropolitan Police wholly or mainly within the County of Middlesex are 310 officers (male) below their current establishment. The numbers of officers at both Hayes and Harlington are substantially in excess of the current establishment.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the 266 lepers at present in this country are native born citizens of the United Kingdom.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will collect statistics showing how many applicants for National Assistance are receiving additional grants for rent increases under the Rent Act, 1957, during any one week in the near future.

No. The information asked for could not be obtained without undue cost and expenditure of staff time.