asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in the cost of living for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking as the basis, January, 1951, being equal to 100.

Yes. I am circulating below figure based on the former Interim Index of Retail Prices and on the current Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made by the National Joint Advisory Committee to develop the intake into apprenticeship of the expected increase in the number of young persons entering employment.

The constituent organisations of the National Joint Advisory Council have established the Industrial Training Council, which is giving immediate attention to the training problems which arise from the increasing number of school leavers.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to provide employment, other than apprentice- ship schemes, for the increasing number of young persons coming on to the labour market.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton) on 18th November.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that about 20 men employed at the Mayfield brickworks, Carluke, in the County of Lanark, have been declared redundant how many of them have now found employment; and what steps he is taking to ease the employment problem in the Carluke area.

Yes. One is known to be in other employment and another five are believed to have found work. Seven are still registered as unemployed and my local officers are doing all that they can to assist them by submitting them to vacancies notified by employers. The area is eligible for assistance under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1958.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of disabled persons registered for employment at employment exchanges at the latest convenient date.

The number of unemployed disabled persons registered at employment exchanges on 20th October, 1958, was 57,237.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number and percentage of persons unemployed at the most recent Ministry count in the Stornoway area; the number in each of the islands of North and South Uist, Barra, and Benbecula; and what recent steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to reduce unemployment and short-time working in the isles.

On 17th November, 1958, 1,958 people were registered as unemployed in Stornoway, representing 32·2 per cent. of the insured employees. On the same date there were 103 registered unemployed living on North Uist, 122 on South Uist, 152 on Barra and 58 on Benbecula. With regard to the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12th November.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls who left school this year in the Stornoway area have registered for employment at his local office; how many of them have been placed in jobs locally and elsewhere by the local office; and how many of those boys his office has placed in apprenticeships.

Forty-three boys and 31 girls who left school this year registered at the local office in Stornoway. Five boys and 16 girls have been placed locally and four boys in other districts. Seven of the boys have been placed in apprenticeships.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many men will be employed at Smith and McLean's Steel Works, Gartcosh, as a result of the official decision to locate part of the steel strip mill there;(2) when an increase in the number of workers can be expected at Smith and McLean's Steel Works, Gartcosh.

As the decision to site a strip mill in Scotland was only recently announced, it is too early to assess the effect on the labour force at Gartcosh.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in unemployment, temporarily stopped and short-time working, for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking as the basis January, 1951, being equal to 100.

The following is the reply:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the approximate fail in average weekly earnings this autumn due to unemployment and short-time working compared with a year ago, in the north-west and in all regions, and separately for those in the major industries.

I regret there is not sufficient information on which to base such calculations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement regarding the future work of the National Advisory Committee on the Employment of Older Men and Women.

This Committee issued two valuable reports which reviewed the problems, set out the lines for future work and received wide publicity. Much remains to be done and my Ministry will continue to take an active interest in this work, but my right hon. Friend thinks that these problems should in future be discussed through the National Joint Advisory Council, on which employers, trade unions and the nationalised industries are represented.A final meeting of the Committee was therefore held last week. It reviewed progress and made some valuable suggestions for the Ministry's future work in association with industry. Stress was laid on the need for further research into problems associated with the employment of older workers, and it was agreed that the Ministry would discuss with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Medical Research Council any additional steps which might be taken to encourage and direct such research.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he is taking or proposes to take to provide work for women in the Newmains, Shotts, Harthill area of Lanarkshire.

I am in constant touch with my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for Scotland who are continuing to bring the area to the attention of industrialists with suitable projects.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that workers who attend Salford and other docks at 7.45 a.m. have, on Thursdays, to wait until 4 p.m. before receiving their previous week's wages, even though there is no work available that day; and if he will ensure payment by the Dock Labour Board shortly after proving attendance at 1 p.m.

This is a matter for the National Dock Labour Board. My right hon. Friend has retained no control over the day-to-day administration of the Dock Labour Scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the rise in the number of boys and girls leaving school in the Mexborough area who are unable to secure employment; and if he will look into this matter with a view to rendering any possible help.

Of the 285 boys and 246 girls who left school this summer, 14 boys and 13 girls are unemployed. The Youth Employment Service will continue to do all it can to place them in employment.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent unemployment has increased in Ayrshire during the three months ended 30th November; and if he will make a statement.

Information is available only for dates towards the middle of each month. On 17th November the number registered as unemployed in Ayrshire was 974 higher than on 11th August. There have been the usual seasonal increases in the coastal towns and in other areas the industries mostly affected were iron and steel manufacturing, engineering and the manufacture of explosives. I am glad to say that unemployment has fallen by 893 since 13th October. My local officers are continuing to give all the help they can by submitting those without jobs to vacancies notified by employers.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons in Wales were registered as being in employment at the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with 1951.

Complete figures for 1958 are not yet available, but it is provisionally estimated that the number in employment in Wales at the end of May, 1958, was about 916,000. Precisely comparable figures are not available for 1951, but the increase between that year and 1958 was about 10,000.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons in Wales have been unemployed for two months and six months, respectively; and if he will make a statement about the most recent trend in employment figures in the Principality.

A detailed analysis according to duration of unemployment is not available for any date later than 15th September. At that date there were 8,864 unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Wales who had been continuously on the registers for 8 to 26 weeks and 9,934 who had been on the registers for more than 26 weeks. On 13th October the number registered as unemployed had risen by 3,515 to 38,942. The rise was fairly general, but the seasonal reduction of activity in the hotel and catering, building and contracting and distributive industries, and a decline in shiprepairing accounted for the largest increases in individual areas. November figures are not yet available for Wales as a whole, but preliminary indications are that there will be a small increase.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons in the borough of Barry have been unemployed for two months and six months, respectively; and if he will make a statement about the most recent trend in employment figures in the borough.

A detailed analysis according to duration of unemployment is not available for any date later than 15th September. At that date there were 109 unemployed persons on the registers of the Barry Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office who had been continuously on the registers for 8 to 26 weeks and 107 who had been on the registers for more than 26 weeks. On 17th November there were 744 persons registered as unemployed at these offices, which was 69 more than in October. The rise was largely accounted for by decreased activity in shiprepairing and in building.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the present unemployed in the Birmingham area have been unemployed for more than six months, and 12 months, respectively, as compared with the corresponding figures for the previous year; and what steps are being taken to obtain employment for those who have been unemployed for such long periods.

Detailed analyses according to duration of unemployment are not available for any date later than 15th September. At that date there were 1,256 persons on the registers of employment exchanges in Birmingham who had been continuously on the registers for 6 to 12 months and 443 for more than 12 months. The corresponding figures in September, 1957, were 480 and 251, respectively. My local officers are continuing to do everything possible to submit those without jobs to suitable vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour how many adults are wholly unemployed in the Birmingham area; and how these figures compare with the number of adult vacancies at present unfilled al the latest available date.

At 17th November there were 7,399 men and 2,582 women aged 18 and over registered as wholly unemployed at employment exchanges in Birmingham, and the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at those exchanges were about 1,300 and 750 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of registered unemployed persons in Cardiff at the latest convenient date and the comparable numbers for 1956 and 1957, respectively.

4,306 at 17th November, 1958, compared with 1,954 at 12th November, 1956, and 2,161 at 11th November, 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour how the United Kingdom delegate to the governing body of the International Labour Organisation voted on the recent decision to prepare a comprehensive survey of labour problems in North Africa.

The United Kingdom Government representative welcomed the proposal for this survey, which the governing body approved without taking a vote.

asked the Minister of Labour whether a reply has yet been made to the governing body of the International Labour Organisation, answering their long-standing inquiry as to when full freedom of movement would be restored to trade union officials in Northern Rhodesia; and what are the terms of the reply.

Yes. I am arranging for a copy of the reply to be sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons whose last job was in the steel industry were unemployed at the latest convenient date; and how many still employed in that industry are now working less shifts than 12 months ago.

On 13th October, 1958, 9,918 workers whose last employment was in the iron and steel industry were registered as wholly unemployed. No statistics of shift working are available; but in the week ended 27th September, 1958, 28,231 were on short-time compared with 4,449 in the week ended 28th September, 1957.

asked the Minister of Labour how many school leavers had failed to find jobs at the latest convenient date; and how this figure compares with the corresponding position in 1957.

As I told the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade) on 5th November, it is not possible to identify school leavers separately, but on 13th October, 1958, 4,342 boys and 2,549 girls who were registered as unemployed were recorded as having no previous employment. Most of them probably left school this year. These figures, however, would not include any of this year's school leavers who might have obtained employment but since become unemployed. The corresponding figures for 14th October, 1957, were 1,706 boys and 1,212 girls.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in meeting the request of the staffs of the Royal Bank of Scotland and the British Linen Bank that negotiating machinery be set up mutually acceptable to the banks and the National Union of Bank Employees.

Since my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. M. Clark Hutchison) on 30th June, further discussions have taken place between the Union and the Central Council of Scottish Bank Staff's Associations with a view to the union becoming a party to the Joint Conciliation Council of the Scottish Banking Industry. The Council is expected to meet shortly to consider this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of unemployed in the 15 Tyneside local authorities on 1st November, 1956, 1957, and 1958; and, of these, how many were unemployed in the building, ship-repairing, and engineering industries, respectively.

The following table gives the information desired.

asked the Minister of Labour how many miners and how many textile workers were unemployed in Wigan during the month of November, 1958.

Fifty-two in the coal mining industry and 843 in the textile industries at 17th November, 1958.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the insured population of Wigan were registered as unemployed for the months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November, 1958.

4·8 per cent. in May, 4·0 in June, 3·9 in July, 6·2 in August, 5·0 in September, 5·4 in October and 5·7 in November.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers declared redundant by the Bristol Aeroplane Company remain unemployed; how long, on average, they have been unemployed; and what are the prospects of absorbing further redundant Bristol Aeroplane Company employees over the next 12 months.

Eighty-seven workers whose last employment was with the company are registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in the Bristol area and at Weston-super-Mare. It is not possible without a great deal of work to say how many were discharged or how long they have been unemployed. Provided the general level of employment in the areas concerned is maintained, there are reasonable prospects of absorbing workers who may be discharged in the future.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what percentage of the immigrants in the United Kingdom are out of work;(2) what percentage of the unemployed among the immigrants in the United Kingdom are from the West Indies.

Statistics are not available about the percentage of unemployment among immigrants in the United Kingdom. A count at employment exchanges during the week beginning 3rd November last showed, however, that some 8,300 coloured workers from the West Indies were then registered as unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state, for the most convenient date in November, the number of wholly unemployed persons on the registers of the Dundee Employment Exchange in respect of duration of unemployment.

The following table gives the information:

asked the Minister of Labour in which areas of Scotland insufficient adult labour is available to do temporary Christmas work in the Post Office.

The information required is as follows. Approximately 15,000 temporary Christmas workers will be required by the Post Office in Scotland. Employment exchanges expect to be able to place approximately 5,000 workers from their registers: the balance being obtained by the Post Office by other means.The Ministry of Labour anticipates that it will be able to meet all the Post Office requirements from adult unemployed workers in the following areas:—

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now take steps to free an qualified teachers of the obliga- tion to undertake National Service in Her Majesty's Armed Forces; and whether he will make a statement.

I cannot add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper) on 27th November, 1958.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider a scheme, as an alternative to National Service in the forces, for teachers who hold a third-class honours degree or a teacher's certificate.

I cannot add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper) on 27th November, 1958.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider the deferment of primary school teachers from National Service for men who complete their training courses next year.

The new and more comprehensive arrangements for indefinite deferment for teachers announced by my right hon. Friend on 27th November were the result of a careful and searching review, and he is not prepared to extend them further.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what proportion of his normal period of engagement a seaman may expect to serve in a sea-going ship of the operational fleet.

Under present conditions it is estimated that the seaman rating who leaves the Navy at the end of his first engagement will have spent about 60 per cent. of his service, after initial training, in seagoing ships of the operational fleet. For a rating who serves until pension age, the corresponding proportion would be about 50 per cent. These figures exclude time in the Reserve Fleet.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what proportion of his service in ranks up to and including lieutenant-commander an executive officer may expect to serve in sea-going ships of the operational fleet.

General List seaman specialists (excluding aviators) are likely to have spent about 60 per cent. of their service up to and including lieutenant-commander's rank in seagoing ships of the operational fleet by the time of promotion to Commander.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what orders for coal for use by the Royal Navy have been placed in foreign countries.

A contract has recently been placed with a British firm for the supply to Malta of about 3,800 tons of large coal from Poland. We ordered it because it was cheaper and there is no surplus of large coal in the United Kingdom. At other overseas establishments coal is obtained from general stocks held locally by contractors. The source of origin of these supplies is not specified by the Admiralty.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what naval protection for United Kingdom trawlers fishing off Iceland will be available throughout the winter months.

Winter arrangements for British trawlers fishing off Iceland have recently been agreed with the fishing industry. Her Majesty's ships will continue to provide protection as necessary.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the committee considering the rating structure of the lower deck has yet made its report; and whether it will be published.

The committee has produced a report, which is now being studied. It is not intended to publish it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty which of the existing carrier fleet has the following characteristics: Mark 13 arrester gear, steam catapult, fully angled deck, half angled deck, and 984 radar, respectively; and when these will be supplied in the cases where they are not yet fitted.

As stated in paragraph 19 of the Explanatory Statement on the current Navy Estimates, it is intended to have three carriers equipped as stated in the Question. At the moment one carrier only is so equipped.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what progress has been made with the development of gas-turbine propulsion for merchant ships.

Work on development of gas-turbine propulsion for merchant ships is continuing both within the marine engineering industry and by one of the tanker companies. There are still problems to be solved if the gas turbine is to offer all the advantages of other forms of propulsion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the tonnage of vessels ordered by foreign countries from United Kingdom shipbuilding yards; and the tonnage of vessels ordered by United Kingdom shipowners from foreign yards this year.

11,300 gross tons of new merchant shipping have been licensed so far this year for construction in United Kingdom shipbuilding yards for foreign ownership. It is reported that 155,000 gross tons have been ordered by United Kingdom shipowners from foreign yards during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will reconsider his decision to charge fees to Mrs. Peel, Oastler House, Quarry Hill Flats, Leeds, for treatment she received in a British military hospital in Berlin while visiting her daughter and son-in-law, the latter being a member of Her Majesty's forces.

No. The Army cannot provide free hospital treatment for British subjects travelling abroad. In cases of emergency we are glad to help by accepting patients in military hospitals, but we have to make a charge.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the circumstances in which horses held on the establishment of a unit for draught purposes may be used for riding and vice versa; and how far under his regulations it is permissible to use draught horses for riding outside the normal hours of work.

Horses may be used for recreation, on payment and under certain safeguards, provided that there is no interference with their normal work.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the contemplated end of National Service, he will make a statement about the future of the Mobile Defence Corps.

Yes. The Mobile Defence Corps was formed in 1955 as a mobile force trained in Civil Defence techniques to support local Civil Defence organisations and link the civil and military efforts in this field. Most of its members were National Service men in the reserve forces.With the end of part-time training of National Service men, and the prospective end of National Service itself, it has become clear that a Mobile Defence Corps consisting solely of volunteers will not be able to carry out its tasks.In these circumstances I have decided, with regret, that I should advise the Queen that the Corps should be disbanded at the end of February, 1959. To give the essential assistance to Civil Defence, artillery and infantry units of the T.A. will be given advanced training in Civil Defence techniques. One year's camp in every four starting next year will be set aside for the purpose. These duties will be additional to the present fighting rôle of the T.A. units concerned. They will not replace it and will not alter any unit's organisation.I know the House will join with me in paying tribute to the volunteer members of the Mobile Defence Corps. The methods which they have developed will be of great value to the T.A. units which take up the task. They have also engendered a spirit of close co-operation between the Army and Civil Defence authorities and this will be maintained and fostered under the new arrangements.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he will take to prevent interference to reception by television users in the area of the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasting station at Woofferton, which at present is causing annoyance to many people.

The British Broadcasting Corporation has already done a great deal of work at this station to reduce the interference to a minimum. I am sorry to say that there appears to be nothing more that can reasonably be done that would prevent the station from causing some interference at certain times to viewers living very close to the station.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, during a programme called "Snakes and Ladders," screened by Southern Television on 24th November, the programme was interrupted for advertisements between the introduction of a competitor and the beginning of his section of the programme; and, as this is a breach of the Television Act, what action he proposes to take against the Independent Television Authority.

It is the duty of the Authority to secure that the provisions of the Second Schedule to the Television Act are complied with. The Authority informs me that in programmes of the kind mentioned by the hon. Member, it is customary to use only one break for advertising. The natural break most often chosen is before the introduction of a new competitor, but there are others, and the Authority considers the break chosen on this occasion to be a natural one.

asked the Postmaster-General what guidance he has given to the Independent Television Authority about obedience to the rules concerning intervals between advertisements in cases where the programme does not possess obvious natural breaks at the required intervals of time; and to what extent he has agreed that breaks may be artificially created in these cases.

There is no rule that advertisements must be inserted at required intervals of time. The second part of the Question does not arise because under paragraph 3 of the Second Schedule to the Television Act advertisements may not be inserted otherwise than at the beginning or end of a programme or in the natural breaks therein.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, during the screening of a film at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 25th November on Southern Television, a character's speech was interrupted for insertion of advertisements; and, as this constitutes a breach of the Television Act, what action he is taking against the Independent Television Authority.

The responsibility for ensuring that the programme contractors comply with the Television Act, 1954, rests with the Independent Television Authority. They have not been able to identify a specific interruption as described by the hon. Member and are looking further into this. As soon as I hear, I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange to install a satellite television transmitter in the Scarborough area, as reception in parts of the town is so poor.

The British Board-casting Corporation has plans, subject to technical examination, for further improvements and extensions of its television coverage over a period of years, by means of a number of low-power satellite stations. The Corporation has now submitted their plans to my right hon. Friend. I cannot say at this stage what it may be possible to do for particular areas. The Independent Television Authority has not yet made any plans for the Scarborough area.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent it is the practice of the Post Office to give notice to telephone subscribers of any temporary discontinuance of their service; and whether he is satisfied that such a practice was followed in south Buckinghamshire on the occasions of which particulars have been sent to him.

Our standing instructions provide that subscribers should be notified when it seems likely that there will be interruptions in their telephone service lasting more than 48 hours. We had no reason to expect that the engineering work now in progress in the area would have caused such faults, and I greatly regret the inconvenience that has been caused. We have done our best to put things right, and all the faults were cleared within 48 hours.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will provide more telephone kiosks on the Red House Estate, Sunderland.

Yes. Four sites for new kiosks are being discussed with the Sunderland Corporation, and I hope that the first of these will be installed in the early spring.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones were outstanding in the West Riding of Yorkshire at the latest convenient date; how many were outstanding a year ago; and how many applications were made more than two years ago.

At 30th September, 3,390 applications were outstanding and in addition 3,660 were under enquiry or in course of being met. The figures a year ago were 5,953 and 3,971 respectively. Of the applications at present outstanding, 917 were made more than two years ago. In the twelve months nearly 17,000 telephones were installed.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of applicants waiting for telephone service at the Feltham and Hounslow exchanges.

At the 31st October, 274 applicants were waiting for service on the Feltham exchange in addition, 199 applications were in the course of being met or under inquiry. The figures for Hounslow were 1,711 and 131 respectively. The position at Hounslow will be materially improved when the new Isleworth exchange is opened in the spring of next year.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he has taken to ensure a plentiful supply of threepenny pieces in Bristol, which will be required for the improved telephone services.

The Royal Mint, with which we are in close touch, plan to make increased supplies of threepenny pieces available to the local banks in Bristol. I am assured that there will be adequate supplies in time for the introduction of the new telephone coin boxes in Bristol next summer.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now give a decision on the recommendations of the permanent Pay Research Unit on the pay of technical officers.

The Civil Service Pay Research Unit does not make recommendations but provides facts as a basis for negotiation. Negotiations with the Post Office Engineering Union on the Technical Officer report are continuing, and it would not be appropriate to make an announcement at this stage.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the difficulties and delays caused to tradesmen, he will now restore to Bexhill a second postal delivery on Saturdays.

No. This delivery has not been restored at any town in the country, and I cannot treat Bexhill any differently from other towns. Correspondence formerly delivered by the second post on Saturday is available to people who need it if they call at the post office.

asked the Postmaster-General how many Scottish local education authorities have been approached by the Post Office for permission to exempt school children for Christmas work in the Post Office.

Six.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state the total cost of Greenham Common Airfield apportioned between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and separately, the costs of road diversions and compensation payment to adjoining residents.

The total cost is about£7·75 million, including same£400,000 for roads and road diversions. The United States Air Force share is about£4·25 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the need to obtain a continuous check on radioactive fall-out following atom and hydrogen bomb tests, and an equal urgency to assess its dangerous effects, what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Medical Research Council to use the specially trained members of the Observer Corps towards this end.

As announced by the Prime Minister on 31st October, 1957, arrangements have already been made for the monitoring of radioactive fall-out in the air, water, soil herbage, milk and other foodstuffs and human and animal bones throughout the country. The Royal Observer Corps, which is manned by part-time volunteers, has no responsibility for regular measurements under these arrangements, and its training is not directed towards checking radioactivity at the levels with which the research bodies are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when he expects to reach a decision with regard to Transport Command requirements for freighter aircraft.

I cannot yet make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if discussions between his Department and the Ministry of Defence regarding the future of O.R.339 have now concluded; and with what result.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now announce the amount of authorisations and expenditure on the roads programme planned for each of the years 1959–60 to 1963–64, respectively.

Estimates of authorisations and expenditure on the road programme for 1959–60 will be published in the Civil Estimates in due course. As I have said before I do not intend to announce details of future authorisations and expenditure a long time in advance, but I shall push ahead with the road programme as fast as the resources of the country will allow.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now state the approximate total value of road works to be authorised under the current announced roads programme; and what period will be covered by such authorisations.

As my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 22nd July, 1957, the approximate value of road works to be authorised under the current roads programme will be£240 million for the four years 1958–59 to 1961–62, inclusive.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects that the scheme for trunk road improvement from London Road to Mile-house Lane in Newcastle-under-Lyme will be fully prepared.

I hope the scheme will be ready towards the end of 1961, but if there are unforeseen difficulties in land acquisition or other statutory procedures it may be later.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has yet analysed the reports of the exceptional number of accidents on the Borrowash by-pass since it was opened on 10th December, 1957; what modifications are proposed to be made in order to reduce them; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The accident record has shown the need for some improvement of junctions, and plans are now being examined urgently.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what was the number of killed and what was the number of injured as a consequence of road accidents in the West Riding of Yorkshire, since 1st January, 1958, to the latest convenient date.

Between 1st January and 31st October, 1958, 319 persons were killed and 14,266 injured in road accidents in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation If he will publish details of the recently announced 20-year road plan.

No. I am having studies made of road requirements over the next twenty years, but no detailed programme has yet been drawn up.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet imposed a speed limit upon Ashbourne Road, from Kingsway to the county borough boundary.

As the right hon. Gentleman is aware, we do not think that the 30 m.p.h. limit can properly be applied to this stretch of road. We are not yet in a position to seek the sanction of Parliament to the extension of the 40 m.p.h. limit outside the London Traffic Area.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will send a reply, within the next fortnight, to representations made to him by the Tamar Bridge Joint Committee regarding an early start on the construction of piers and anchorages.

I can make no promises but I will reply as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when it is anticipated that the A.1 will be dual-carriageway throughout its length.

I hope to authorise within the next two financial years all the schemes on A.1 between London and Newcastle which provide for dual carriageways where a single two-lane carriageway now exists. Lengths of single three-lane carriageway will be replaced by dual carriageways as fast as funds will allow.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has now received a reply from the Southampton Corporation to his letter concerning Eastleigh Airport; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

I am circulating below the text of my Department's letter of 3rd October to Southampton Corporation and of the corporation's reply. In the circumstances, there can be no question of proceeding with the construction of a hard runway at Eastleigh Airport, and Viscount aircraft which it had been intended to introduce for the services now operating from there will not be able to use the airport. I shall, however, continue to operate it for the time being while alternative arrangements are being made to serve the traffic. Before disposing of the airport I shall have further consultations with the interested parties, including the airlines and the local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, how many landings and take-offs have taken place at Gatwick Airport since 1st October, 1958; and what are his plans for increasing traffic at this airport.

There have been 966 landings and 953 take-offs at Gatwick since 1st October up to and including 2nd December. Diversions from London Airport have numbered 63, including a Comet airliner and the aircraft carrying Vice-President Nixon, and have shown the value of Gatwick as a bad weather alternate during recent foggy weather. I expect traffic to increase steadily and my Department is at present in consultation with operators who are interested in establishing themselves at Gatwick or in operating further services from there.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that the Bristol City Council has spent considerable sums of money on the development of a municipal airport; and if he will take steps to persuade the British European Airways Corporation to make a regular and fairly full use of this modern airport.

I am aware of the enterprise of the Bristol City Council, but the route pattern of B.E.A. is a matter for the commercial judgment of the Corporation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the evidence given to the Royal Commission on the Reform of London Government proposing a single authority to regulate London traffic, he will set up such an authority to facilitate the flow of traffic.

The setting up of a single central authority to regulate London traffic would require extensive new legislation which would be bound to impinge in many respects on the matters now being considered by the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London. The Government therefore propose to await the Royal Commission's report.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what arrangements will be made by the London Travel Committee to obtain the advice and assistance of authorities and residents in Essex concerned with and having experience of movement to and from central London in the peak hours, in view of the fact that the committee's terms of reference require it to seek the co-operation of other bodies concerned and of the public generally in pursuing the objects for which it was set up.

I must leave it to the Chairman and members of the Committee to decide how best to carry out their work, but I am sure that they will wish to make full use of the advice and assistance of bodies representing the views of the travelling public. I will bring to the Chairman's notice the hon. Member's suggestion.

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, in cases where the relatives prefer to make private arrangements for the funeral; and whether he will consider making improvements on these payments.

When death occurs in the United Kingdom, the Service bears the cost of conveyance of the body to its home and makes a grant of£10 towards funeral expenses unless the Service provides a coffin, when the grant is£5. When death occurs overseas only the£10 grant is payable. These grants are additional to the grant of£25 which is payable in most cases under the National Insurance Scheme. No changes in these arrangements are being considered.

asked the Attorney-General (1) in how many contested cases under the Landlord and Tenant (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1958, a county court in Middlesex has refused to suspend execution under Section 3 of the Act;(2) in how many contested cases under the Landlord and Tenant (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1958, a county court in Middlesex has made an order for possession, of which the date of execution has not been postponed until after 23rd November, 1958.

The figures relating to cases heard by county courts having jurisdiction in Middlesex in the period ending 23rd November are 12 and 1, respectively.

asked the Minister of Supply why two heavy tanks on transporters were moved along the A5, through St. Albans, at about 2 p.m. on 28th November, thereby causing considerable delay to traffic, instead of being moved at night.

The two transporters passed through St. Albans at about 2.30 p.m. on 28th November. As is usual in movements of this kind, the local authorities and police in the areas through which the route passed and also the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation were consulted before the movement took place. Whenever large vehicles are moved some delays are inevitable at difficult crossings, and in this case the A5/A6 crossing at St. Albans was, by prior arrangement, under police control whilst the two transporters made the crossing.Every effort is made to ensure that the movement of large vehicles interferes as little as possible with the normal flow of traffic. On this occasion it would seem that some inconvenience must have been caused at St. Albans, which I regret. My right hon. Friend is looking into the possibility of moving more of this cumbersome traffic by night, but this is not without its difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in connection with land consolidation in Kenya, how many holdings are recognised in the Kiambu district now that consolidation there is completed; how many holdings there were before consolidation; how many individuals who previously had holdings, however small, are landless as the result of consolidation; and what is the size of the largest and the smallest of the holdings after consolidation.

I am asking the Governor whether or not he can supply this information and I will circulate a further reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the total number of matrimonial cases that are considered by probation officers in the course of the year.

In 1957, the total number of cases in which probation officers recorded that they were consulted on matrimonial problems was 78,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of immigrants at the present moment in the United Kingdom; and what percentage are West Indians.

No figure can be given for immigrants of all kinds, but the number of coloured immigrants is estimated to be about 210,000, of whom about 55 per cent. are West Indians.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any statement to make about the Council on Tribunals which he is to appoint under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958.

Yes. The House will recall that Section 1 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958, which received the Royal Assent on the 1st August last, provided for a Council on Tribunals to be set up by the Lord Chancellor and myself. The function of the Council will be to keep under review, and report upon, the constitution and working of administrative tribunals and also of those administrative procedures which involve or may involve the holding of a statutory inquiry by or on behalf of a Minister of the Crown. The need for a supervisory body or bodies to watch over these tribunals and procedures was perhaps the most important recommendation of Sir Oliver Franks's Committee. Her Majesty's Government readily accepted the need for such a Council, and I am glad to say that the Lord Chancellor and I have been fortunate enough to secure the services of Lord Reading as Chairman of the Council. I am sure that his appointment will be warmly welcomed in all quarters.The Act also provides for the constitution of a Scottish Committee, composed partly of Members of the Council and partly of others, whose function will be to consider Scottish tribunals and matters relating only to Scotland. The Lord Chancellor and I are very glad that we have been able to secure the services of Sir Hugh Rose, Bt., T.D., as Chairman of the Committee and a member of the Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will particularise the steps he has taken during the last 12 months towards further industrial development in the city and county of Aberdeen under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, or otherwise; and what success he has achieved in establishing there new industries and, in particular, light industries.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my answer on 6th November.