asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what advantage is being taken, in the territories for which he is responsible, of the seminars on the status of women now being organised by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

A Regional Seminar on Civic Responsibilities and increased Participation of Asian Women in Public Life was held in Bangkok in August, 1957. Women from Hong Kong, Singapore and Sarawak, attended, as well as from Malaya, which at that date was not yet independent. A further Regional Conference on this subject will be held in Bogota in May, 1959, and all the territories in the Region have been invited to send representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the Government of St. Helena, to increase food subsidies in the island.

The Governor is investigating the problems connected with subsidising the prices of tinned meat and cheese, and I am awaiting his detailed proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to increase food production in St. Helena.

As I explained in my speech on the Adjournment on the 8th December, the central feature of our plans for improving food production has been to bring back into cultivation land which had become infertile. This policy is beginning to bear fruit, pastures have improved, and an increase in livestock should follow.Other measures including an irrigation scheme, pest control and the improvement of livestock farming are also in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the average weekly sum distributed to the poor by way of outdoor relief by the St. Helena Poor Relief Board, and the average weekly numbers of beneficiaries.

From April to November, 1958, the average weekly expenditure on outdoor relief was£22 13s. In addition there are outgoings on rent assistance, on the remission of rates, and, in a few special cases, on groceries. The last available figure for the average weekly number of beneficiaries is 85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies from what political parties in Malta he proposes to appoint members of the Governor's Council, having regard to the fact that both the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party of Malta are opposed to, and will not co-operate with, the Council.

It will be for the Governor to make recommendations for appointments to the proposed Council when the new Constitution is in force. I cannot anticipate his recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what he estimates would be the total cost of raising the pensions of retired members, widows and orphans of Her Majesty's Overseas Service or Colonial Service who have served in Sierra Leone to bring them into line with those granted to similar classes of pensioners in the United Kingdom;(2) what he estimates would be the total cost of raising the pensions of retired members, widows and orphans of Her Majesty's Overseas Service or Colonial Service who have served in Nigeria to bring them into line with those granted to similar classes of pensioners in the United Kingdom.

The pensions increases granted to retired officers by the Governments of the Federation of Nigeria and Sierra Leone are already comparable with those granted to similar classes of United Kingdom officers. Exact estimates of the cost of granting similar increases to dependants' pensions could not be made without a great deal of work. I am advised that very approximately an additional£450,000 would have to be found for the Nigerian Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Fund and perhaps one tenth of that amount for the Sierra Leone Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British citizens domiciled in Singapore for more than two years have been refused citizenship certificates for Singapore; how many have been granted and subsequently withdrawn; and what procedure can be taken by an applicant who has been refused a certificate and who holds a British passport, when no reason has been given for such refusal.

I am informed by the Singapore Government, in whose competence this matter lies under the Singapore Citizenship Ordinance, 1957, that the figures are 20 and 21 respectively. The grant or refusal of registration as a citizen of Singapore, whether the applicant is a holder of a British passport or not, is at the discretion of the responsible Singapore Minister, and his decision is final, but a fresh application can always be submitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if a date has yet been fixed for the operation of the new constitution in Singapore; how many trade union and political leaders are now in detention without trial; and how far they will be precluded, because of this, from standing as candidates at the forthcoming elections for the new Legislature.

No. The numbers of trade union and political leaders detained under the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance are 27 and 8 respectively. Their detention in this way does not of itself preclude them from standing as candidates for the forthcoming election in Singapore; they are only precluded if they fail to satisfy a tribunal established under the provisions of Section 7 (1) of the Singapore Colony (Electoral Provisions) Order in Council, 1958, that the grounds for their detention do not include allegations to the effect that they have been engaged in subversive activities threatening the peace, order or good government of Singapore.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is to be the constitution of the Internal Security Council of Singapore; how its members are to be appointed; what powers it will possess; and to what extent it will be able to over-ride decisions made by the elected government of Singapore in the future.

I would refer the hon. Member to Sections 64 to 71 of the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council, 1958, which was laid before Parliament on 27th November, 1958.

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.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 3rd December, 1958; Vol. 596, c. 155], supplied the following further information:52,011 farm holdings and 31,634 village plots have been registered in Kiambu district. The number of separate fragments of land measured to make up the farms was 416,603. Many Africans owned more than one fragment and no Africans who previously had holdings have been made landless as a result of land consolidation. The largest and smallest holdings after consolidation are 273 and 0·01 acres, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the prison population of Kenya and the number of political detainees on the latest convenient date.

At 31st December, 1958, the prison population of Kenya was 18,391, 3,932 persons were detained under Emergency Regulations on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the average weekly expenditure on food for prisoners in Kenya prisons; and, of this, what is the average weekly expenditure on meat.

In the financial year 1957–58 the average weekly gross expenditure on food for prisoners and detainees in prisons and camps in Kenya was£10,440, or 5 shillings 78 cents per head.It is not possible to determine what proportion was spent on meat, since the weekly ration per prisoner varies according to whether he is receiving the basic diet or, if he is performing any prison labour, the full diet. Under the Prisons Rules, an African prisoner on full diet is allowed 15 oz. of meat per week, which at Nairobi prices costs approximately 75 cents; a prisoner on the basic diet is allowed 6 oz. of meat each week, which costs about 30 cents at Nairobi prices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what prisoners at Lokitaung Prison, Northern Frontier Province, Kenya, have received visits from relatives during the last five years;(2) why requests from prisoners at Lokitaung Prison, Northern Frontier Province, Kenya, to receive visits from relatives since their imprisonment in 1952 have been refused.

I should like to correct the Chief Secretary's statement quoted in my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 11th June, 1958. This reported that there was no record of an application for a visit from relatives of prisoners at Lokitaung having been received. I now understand that one request was in fact made, not by the relatives but by one of the convicts, in November, 1957. This was, however, refused because the prisoner sought special facilities for his visitor, who was his brother, including the provision of free accommodation for a week.No prisoner at Lokitaung has yet received a visit from a relative, but the wife of one convict recently asked if she could visit her husband, and this has been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the average number of prisoners kept in each cell in Kamiti New Prison, Kenya, the average cell space for each prisoner, and the maximum number of prisoners kept in one cell.

Prisoners at Kamiti New Prison are not normally confined in cells but in wards of either 400 or 800 square feet. At 31st December, 1958, the average number of prisoners in the smaller wards was 23 and in the larger 62. The average ward space for each prisoner was 12·9 square feet. The maximum number of prisoners in the wards was 46 and 79, respectively. It is intended shortly to transfer some convicts from Kamiti to three camps which will no longer be needed for Emergency purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of prisoners and detainees, respectively, in Kamiti New Prison, Kenya, on 1st December, 1958, and on the latest convenient date.

There were 1,543 convicted prisoners and 42 persons detained under the Emergency Regulations at Kamiti New Prison on the 1st December, 1958. On the 31st December there were 1,488 prisoners and 17 detainees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the possibility of developing the mica deposits of the Somaliland Protectorate.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th December, 1958; Vol. 597, c. 115], supplied the following information:Deposits of mica in the Somaliland Protectorate are small and spasmodic and most of the mica is too small in size to be of commercial value. At present world prices production would be uneconomic unless it was combined with the production of some other mineral.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what control is exercised over the employment of children in tobacco grading and packing establishments in Northern Rhodesia: and by what regulations.

Control is exercised by means of inspections which are carried out by Labour Officers. In addition to the control exercisable through the Women, Young Persons and Children Ordinance, the Employment of Natives Ordinance provides sanctions for ensuring that conditions of work are of a reasonable standard.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if it is now the intention of the Government of Northern Rhodesia to renew the exemption given in Government Notice No. 151 of 1958 which allows children of 12 years of age to be employed in tobacco grading establishments and sales floors.

The matter has not yet been considered by the Government of Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what regulations are proposed to be made to protect children employed in tobacco grading establishments and sales floors in Northern Rhodesia from heavy lifting work in the forthcoming season.

None. Children employed in tobacco grading establishments in Northern Rhodesia are employed only on light duties within their physical capabilities they are engaged mainly in the lying of tobacco into "hands" which is a sedentary occupation requiring only manual dexterity. There are no tobacco sales floors in Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the grading and packing of tobacco is defined as an agricultural undertaking in Northern Rhodesia.

The grading and packing of tobacco is regarded as an industrial undertaking when the firm or organisation which does it is engaged wholly or mainly on such work. Where the grading of an employer's tobacco, grown by himself, is carried out on his own premises, it is regarded as an agricultural operation and as such is outside the definition of "industrial undertaking" contained in the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Ordinance.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement on the work proposed to be carried out to the Serjeant at Arms' residence in the Palace of Westminster.

The Serjeant at Arms' residence, which is at present unoccupied, is inconveniently large for present-day requirements. To ensure full and economic use of the accommodation, I propose to adapt it to provide residences for the Serjeant at Arms and the Deputy Serjeant at Arms, and bedroom accommodation for some 20 to 30 staff of this House. The total cost of all the work is estimated at£32,500, excluding furniture.This work was fully planned with working drawings for inclusion in the 1958–59 programme, but had to be postponed owing to the need for drastic economy at that time.In order to complete the work by the end of the long Recess, it will, be necessary to start in March and the authority of Parliament will be sought by way of token Supplementary Estimate to be introduced in due course.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on a new Ministerial appointment to help in the solution of the unemployment problem.

The maintenance of a high level of employment is a matter for the Government as a whole. A number of Ministers are concerned, in the exercise of their Departmental responsibilities. I do not think that their cooperation would be assisted by a special Ministerial appointment of the kind envisaged by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the Report of the Working Party on the proposed new Fourth Year Certificate.

This Report will be published within the next week or two.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of his consultations with the Scottish universities regarding the operation of the new regulations relating to the administration of teachers' training colleges.

I have arranged to discuss this matter with representatives of the universities on 13th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Fisheries Protection Vessel "Freya", recently lost off the coast of Scotland with some members of her crew, and indicate how the vessel was lost and what provision he intends to make for the dependants of the men lost.

The Fishery Cruiser "Freya" foundered in heavy seas off Sarclet Head early on Friday, 9th January. She sank within a few minutes and I greatly regret that her commander and two of her crew were lost. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my sympathy with the relatives. Seventeen officers and men got away in an inflatable life raft and were picked up later by a Belgian trawler. The cause of the sinking is being investigated by a technical officer of my Department with the assistance of officers of the Ministry of Transport, and a public inquiry will be held under the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act. Gratuities under the Superannuation Acts will be payable to the legal personal representatives of the three men who lost their lives and a pension will also be payable to the widow and child of one of them. It is possible that benefits may also be paid under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1946, and supplementary allowances under the Injury Warrant, 1952, but these will depend on the determination of all the facts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has studied the letter, of which a copy has been sent to him, from the Scottish Co-operative Transport Executive to the hon. Member for Govan, expressing their concern at the dangers which exist at present on Scottish roads, in that their condition is not only bad for drivers in winter, but also dangerously slippery in summer after rain, because there is no adequate road service; and if he will now give directions to ensure that in every county timely steps are taken to secure that road surfaces are kept in a satisfactory condition and that the authorities are in constant readiness to apply those means they have adopted as the most satisfactory for ensuring the safety of the driver.

I have written to the hon. Member about the letter to which he refers. The current specification to which new road surfaces are made provides for an anti-skid finish combined with satisfactory wearing and riding qualities. Conditions on particular roads are the responsibility of the highway authority concerned, but I am satisfied that in general their organisation and equipment, together with the equipment which is held by my Department at various points throughout Scotland, is adequate to keep the roads safe in all but the most exceptional weather conditions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the need continues in the city and county of Aberdeen for new industries and for the extension of existing industries; and what steps he has taken during the last three months to solve the relevant economic problems and to find full employment for those who are unemployed and who have only part-time employment.

My right hon. Friend is well aware of the continuing need to relieve local unemployment. Since 1st October, 1958, projects approved in the city and county of Aberdeen should on completion provide additional employment for 350 people, including the extension of a Government-financed factory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the effect on the industries protected under key industry duty of implementing the 3 per cent. quota offer he made at the meeting of the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation on 15th December last; and if he will publish a table showing imports of goods dutiable under this duty for 1957 and an estimate for a 12-month period if the 3 per cent. quota plans were in operation.

The only goods formerly charged under the Safeguarding of Industries Act which are affected by the offer are certain scientific and optical instruments falling within a group for which it is estimated that the total annual quotas would be increased from£550,000 to£1,350,000. As, however, these quotas apply to a wide range of instruments, not all of which were charged under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, no estimate can be given of the effect on instruments so charged, nor are separate import figures available for them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total amount of stakes on totalisators on grey- hound racetracks, and the total pool betting duty received by his Department, in the year 1948–49, and 1956–57, respectively; and taking the£ as having a purchasing value of 20s. at 1948, what would be the income needed in 1958 from this betting duty to ensure a similar return to the Treasury as that received in 1948, after allowing for the depreciation of the£ from 1948 to 1958.

Following is the reply:

£ million
—	1948–49	1956–57
Totalisator stakes at dog-tracks	93·64	61·36
Pool betting duty receipts:—
from dog-track totalisators	9·36	6·14
from football and other pools*	12·30	21·30
Total	21·66	27·44
* The duty on football pool betting was increased from 20 to 30 per cent. as from 9th April, 1949.

To represent the same amount of purchasing power, as when the duty was first imposed, current receipts from greyhound totalisators would have to be more than doubled.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations took place with the Commonwealth countries before the decision was taken to allow the convertibility of sterling into dollars for all people outside the sterling area; and if he will make a statement.

Convertibility was discussed and reaffirmed as the Commonwealth's objective at the Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference held at Montreal last September. It was recognised, however, that the final decision on timing must rest with the United Kingdom. Commonwealth Governments were, of course, informed before the rates were unified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in HANSARD details of the insurance schemes covering accidents incurred by civil servants whilst carrying out their duties on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.

Civil servants are covered by the Industrial Injuries Scheme against accidents at work. Non-industrial staff may also be eligible for benefits under the Injury Warrant, 1952, framed under Section 41 of the Superannuation Act, 1949 (S.I. 1952 No. 60). The detailed arrangements are complicated and vary with the circumstances of the case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the Estate Duty concession for owner-occupied houses, under which in certain circumstances duty is not charged on the increase in the market value above the pre-war value in so far as that increase could only be realised by a sale with vacant possession.

Yes. The war-time conditions which this concession was designed to meet no longer obtain and in current circumstances there are very seldom grounds for its application. It will accordingly not apply in the case of any death occurring after today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent under his regulations meal vouchers are emoluments subject to Pay-As-You-Earn.

It depends on the facts of the case whether meal vouchers issued under a particular scheme are taxable emoluments, but I am informed by the Inland Revenue that in their view the facts in regard to the majority of the vouchers in use today are such as to render them taxable. There is, however, a long-standing practice under which vouchers have not been taxed, and I propose that this extra-statutory concession should be continued for the time being, subject to certain conditions. The conditions are that (a) vouchers must be non-transferable and used for meals only, (b) where any restriction is placed on their issue to employees they must be available to lower paid staff, and (c) the value of vouchers issued to an employee must not exceed 3s. for each full working day. The value of any vouchers, or part of a voucher, which does not comply with these conditions, will be taxed as from the beginning of the next Income Tax year. I intend to keep the whole question of the taxability of luncheon vouchers under review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs in how many instances in which his approval has been sought to create smokeless zones he has caused an inquiry to be made to ascertain that the supply of smokeless fuel would be adequate for the need; and in how many instances he has withheld approval because of inadequate supplies.

Inquiries are made in every case. In no instance has my right hon. Friend had to withhold approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what progress is being made with the provision of sewerage schemes in the parishes of Barford, Barnham, Broom, Costessey, Hethersett, Hingham, Newton Flotman, Poringland, and Saxlingham in the county of Norfolk.

I understand from the local authority that they are now carrying out sewerage schemes for the parishes of Costessey, Poringland, and Hingham and are preparing schemes for Hethersett, Newton Flotman and Saxlingham.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state by percentages the curtailment of local authority building in the county of Norfolk, district by district, and indicate how this compares with the national curtailment stated in his 1957 Report to be 1·7 per cent.

The quarterly Appendix to the Housing Return sets out the numbers of houses built by individual local authorities. I would ask my hon. Friend to refer to the Appendix for December, 1957, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will supply a list showing the various rents charged for private dwelling houses in Basildon by the Basildon Development Corporation in respect of all its different properties; what encouragement is given to tenants to persuade them to purchase corporation houses; and what is the basis of computing the price of private dwelling houses which the Basildon Development Corporation offers to its tenants for its purchase.

The following table gives the range of exclusive rents charged by Basildon Development Corporation.

asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Roberts Committee which is considering the Local Government Library Service.

The Committee have now submitted their Report to my right hon. Friend, who intends to present it to Parliament as soon as it is printed.

asked the Minister of Education what steps are taken to advertise the Wellington Museum, Chiswick House, Ham House and Osterley Park, so that the public can know their times of opening and what can be seen there

Information regularly appears in publications such as the "Museums and Galleries Guide" and the pamphlets issued by London Transport Executive. The Victoria and Albert Museum, for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, administers all these buildings except Chiswick House and leaflets about them are available there.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement on the present state of the negotiations relating to the future of the island of Gan.

The High Commissioner in Colombo is having talks with the Maldivian authorities this week in continuance of the earlier negotiations about facilities for an airfield on Gan Island. In view of this I would prefer not to make a statement at the present moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the negotiations for a settlement of the political future of Cyprus.

The Ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Paris during the week before Christmas gave the opportunity for confidential talks on Cyprus between my right hon. and learned Friend and the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers. They had a useful exchange of views and agreed that further discussions should take place through the diplomatic channel.These are taking place. The Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers are also meeting in Paris. We shall of course continue to do our best to consolidate and to expand the area of agreement between the parties concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what principles are observed by Her Majesty's Government when deciding whether to permit the sale of arms to a foreign country to be used for the purpose of carrying on a civil war; and how these principles were applied to the shipment of arms from Great Britain to the former Government of Cuba prior to 15th December, 1958.

It is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to permit the sale to foreign countries of arms to be used for the purpose of carrying on a civil war.While each application for the export of arms is considered in the light of its political, strategic and economic implications, Her Majesty's Government as a general principle authorise the supply of arms to Governments with which they are in normal diplomatic relations provided that there is no reason to suspect that the arms will be used for aggression against other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what financial and other assistance has now been given by Great Britain to the Sudan.

In addition to the military assistance described in the reply given by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the hon. Member for Windsor (Sir C. Mott-Radclyffe) on 31st October, 1958, Her Majesty's Government have now agreed in principle to make available to the Sudan export credits under Section 3 of the Export Guarantee Act up to a limit of£5 million. The Sudanese Government have accepted this offer in principle. Details of the loan are at present being negotiated, and my right hon. and learned Friend expects an agreement to be signed shortly.

asked the Paymaster-General if he is aware that coal merchants in the North of Scotland have been unable to procure anthracite coals for four or five months thus causing hardship to many families whose cookers are wholly dependent on anthracite fuel; if he will look into the matter with a view to immediate steps being taken to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement.

Since decontrol, the distribution of anthracite is the full responsibility of the National Coal Board. They inform me that they have looked into the position in the North of Scotland and that their Scottish Board is in touch with the merchants there to give them the maximum assistance possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now considered the complaints from the appropriate committee in the area of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board on the long waiting lists; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind an approach by the Northumberland Executive Council to the Board of Governors of the United Newcastle Hospitals about waiting time for out-patient appointments with consultants. I am awaiting the outcome of talks which I understand are to take place between the two authorities about this.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now received the report from the Cranbrook Committee; what are the main recommendations; and what action he proposes to take.

I have received the report and am arranging for its publication on or about 18th February. It would. I think, be best for me not to attempt to summarise the recommendations before the report is available. The recommendations will, of course, require careful consideration and consultation with the local authority associations, the British Medical Association and other interested bodies. This will necessarily take time. I would however hope, fairly soon after publication, to be in a position to commend certain of the recommendations for the early consideration of hospital authorities, local health authorities and Executive Councils.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will now give a starting date for the Tyne Tunnel.

Not yet. My next step will be to discuss this and other related matters with a deputation from the Tyne Tunnel Joint Committee. I am hoping to arrange this shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the extreme density of traffic in certain areas of major cities, he will consider consulting with all authorities responsible with a view to securing that the work connected with road repairs, widenings, or other interferences with the traffic flow, be carried on continuously for the full twenty-four hours.

I am considering this matter with the highway authorities' associations. It raises a number of important and difficult points, not the least being the extra cost that night working involves and the nuisance to residents affected by the noise of such operations.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he now has anything further to report on the unemployment position on Tyneside; what are the present prospects in ship-repairing and shipbuilding; and to what extent there are prospects of additional industries being established in the area.

Yes. The number of workers registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in the Tyneside area declined slightly in December. The number of shipbuilding and ship-repairing workers included in the total also declined, but this does not indicate a permanent improvement in the industry. Factory building schemes approved or in prospect should provide up to 5,600 additional jobs.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will now make a statement on the future pensions of officers' widows who do not qualify for pensions under the new code.

This matter is being examined in the light of the recommendations of the Grigg Committee, and I hope to make a statement shortly.