asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that each of the 10s., 5s. and 2s. 6d. stamps in Great Britain depicts a Royal castle beside the head of Her Majesty the Queen; and if he will authorise the issuing of a guinea stamp depicting the birthplace of Robert Burns beside the head of Her Majesty.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir," and to the second part "No, Sir."

Does not the Assistant Postmaster-General realise that that makes no contribution to artistic taste, that many realms in the British Commonwealth and various foreign countries show much more artistic taste in their selection, choice and design of postage stamps and that his regional stamps take not a step in that direction? Will the hon. Gentleman reconsider the Answer he has given and do something about it?

I am not sure that the hon. and learned Gentleman is quite fair in his description of the new regional stamps which have, in fact, been received with a good deal of approval both in Scotland and elsewhere. I am sorry that I cannot add anything further to what I have already told the House about the use of stamps in this country for commemorating individuals.

If the Assistant Postmaster-General cannot commemorate the bicentenary of Robert Burns in this way, does he not think it a good idea to have a plaque of the Postmaster-General placed in St. Giles's Cathedral?

asked the Postmaster-General what further consideration has been given to the Post Office facilities in the city of Stoke-on-Trent since the visit to the city of the Assistant Postmaster-General; what action is intended; and what are the future prospects, with special reference to the outlying new housing centres.

Since my visit a new sub-post office has been opened in New-stead; a temporary one has been opened in Ubberley to serve until a new Crown Office building is completed; the public office at Tunstall has been rebuilt; and the delivery office at Longton extended. We intend to extend the public office at Longton, and both the public office and the sorting office at Burslem. We shall, of course, continue to keep a close watch on the needs of the new housing estates as they develop.

While I appreciate what has taken place since the Assistant Postmaster-General visited the city, will he bear in mind that we are very concerned about the lack of facilities at Meir and put that on record so that it can be given top priority?

I do not think I am in any doubt at all about the opinion of hon. Members and others concerning these facilities at Meir. Our own inquiries, including those which I carried out personally, lead me to believe that the services at present provided are adequate by modern standards.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the prospect of a new central post office for the city of Stoke-on-Trent; when the new building will be completed; and whether he will ensure that all modern ideas are introduced and the conveying of mail bags is arranged by conveyors to and from the trains.

Negotiations are well advanced for a new site in Station Road, across the road from the present Post Office building. We plan to provide new public office facilities, as well as a modern sorting office, a postal garage and workshop. Planning is still at an early stage, as is the study of the arrangements for conveying mails to and from the station. A definite timetable for the scheme cannot be fixed just yet.

Will the Assistant Postmaster-General bear in mind that we have been very patient and that I was promised this before the war? Having regard to that patience, will he now treat this as a matter of urgency and ask his right hon. Friend to view it as a pilot scheme and introduce all modern devices to make it the most efficient in the country?

I am aware of the somewhat tortuous progress that these negotiations have followed over the years. I think that the hon. Gentleman knows most of the reasons for that. We will do all that we can to see that this office is brought into use as soon as possible and as efficiently as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange for full consultations between his staff, the Ministry of Works, British Railways and the city of Stoke-on-Trent so that the most modern layout possible shall be made for the area leased by British Railways and at present occupied by the Post Office, and the site to be taken over for the new central post office near Stoke station.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement about the traffic dealt with by the Post Office during the Christmas period 1958; and how the figures vary, so far as St. Helens is concerned, in each department for the years 1955, 1956, 1957, and 1958.

As the full answer contains rather a lot of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The broad picture is that letters and cards and telephone trunk calls were up this year and telegrams were down, both throughout the United Kingdom and St. Helens.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we appreciate the facilities which he gave for hon. Members of this House to visit their constituency post offices during the Christmas period? I should like, through the hon. Gentleman, to thank the postmaster at St. Helens and his staff for the good work which they have done for the people of St. Helens.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for the expressions contained in his supplementary question.

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he received asking that the address Portobello, Midlothian, be changed; and what evidence he has received expressing satisfaction with the proposed new address.

Ever since Portobello became part of the city of Edinburgh in 1896, there have been periodic requests for the name of the city to be included in its address. I have received letters welcoming the change, which has also been supported by letters in the Press: both the city corporation and the local post office advisory committee approve the change.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, in spite of what he says, there is very strong opposition to the loss of this historic name? Very few people think that it will add to the efficiency of the service, and the vast majority think that this is just another case of unnecessary Bumbledom.

I have no reason whatever for thinking that that is a widely held opinion, and certainly it would be untrue if it were held in that form. There is no reason at all why the name Portobello should disappear. We would, in fact, rather welcome it if it appeared together with the district number of Edinburgh on the correspondence. There will be, in fact, an increase in efficiency and a saving in cost as a result.

asked the Postmaster-General what new steps he is taking to enable the Post Office to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that special arrangements have been made to meet requests for mail posted in Alloway on 25th January to be postmarked "Alloway Ayr". People living away from the district may send under cover to the Head Postmaster, Head Post Office, Ayr, fully stamped and addressed envelopes for date-stamping and posting at Alloway on 25th January. The cover should be endorsed "Burns Bicentenary" and should be posted in time to arrive at Ayr by Saturday, 24th January. I hope the hon. Member will feel that we have tried to be as helpful as we could about the 200th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.

Is the Minister aware that this mean and miserable so-called commemoration is utterly inadequate, and would he, if he cannot publish a Burns stamp, allow us to use Russian stamps and send them to Alloway to be posted? Is he aware that his actions contrast very strongly with those of the United States Government and that the United States Information Service is telling us what Washington is doing about the Burns bicentenary? Is he not ashamed to come here with that paltry excuse?

Thank goodness I am not answerable for what the United States postal authorities do. I do not intend to allow the provocative attitude of the hon. Gentleman to force me to withdraw this arrangement.

asked the Postmaster-General how many units of residential accommodation are owned by the Post Office; in how many cases the rent of the tenants has been increased; and what steps he, as landlord, has taken to ensure the satisfactory condition of the properties.

Tenancies in residential accommodation owned or leased by the Post Office number about 1,000. In most cases increased rents become payable on 1st March next or at later dates. We have the whole question of the condition of these properties under discussion with the Ministry of Works, who act as our agent in this matter.

Can the hon. Member tell the House why his Department issues to tenants demands for rent increases before ascertaining the condition of these properties? Is he aware that some of the properties in my constituency are in such a disgraceful condition that if they had been owned by a private landlord they would have been eligible for a certificate of disrepair? Why is he sheltering behind Crown immunity in this case?

I have no desire to shelter behind anything. The issue of notices affecting the rents of all these properties, together with a great many owned by other Government Departments, was a very big operation. To have everything moving forward on a number of fronts at the same time is very complicated. Where we find that the condition of the property does not justify the rent increase, or where specific repairs are needed to put the property in good condition, then we will behave as a good landlord should.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give consideration to the possibility of reducing telephone rental charges for old people who live alone.

This suggestion has been considered sympathetically on various occasions, but singling out this group specially from among numbers similarly worthy and charging less than the standard prices for their telephone service could not be justified. As my right hon. Friend has said, the resulting short-fall in our revenue would have to be made good by higher charges to our other customers.

Does not the Assistant Postmaster-General appreciate that to very many of these old people living alone the telephone is the only communication with the outside world, especially to those who find it difficult to get out and about? Does not the hon. Gentleman also appreciate that the cost of this concession would not be very large and that for these people the present rentals are prohibitive in many cases? Will he not give further consideration to the matter?

I do not dissent from a good deal of what the hon. Gentleman says. Unfortunately, what he says applies to other groups of people who suffer from age or infirmity of one kind or another, and the problem of drawing the line between the deserving and the not so deserving is a very difficult one indeed.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the figures for receipts and outgoings, respectively, for the last convenient accounting period for the Sheffield telephone area.

I regret that I cannot give these figures because accounts in detailed commercial form are not compiled for individual areas. Many costs are, for operational or accountancy reasons, met centrally.

Is my hon. Friend aware that in reply to rather similar Questions he said that he could not give the figures to the House because they were misleading? Is he not therefore trying to mislead the House now in not giving the figures? There must be some sort of accounting of telephone costs in Sheffield. I understand that they are very satisfactory. Cannot he now give them to the House?

I am sure there is no ill-will in my hon. Friend's suggestion that I am attempting to mislead the House. Such figures as are available are incomplete and, in their present form, would be misleading.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in relation to the new design for telephone kiosks, he will consider the possibility of incorporating in a prominent position in the upper part of each box, on at least two sides, the name of the village, township or district in which the kiosk is situated.

My right hon. Friend is considering this matter and will write as soon as possible to the hon. Gentleman.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many districts, especially villages and suburbs, are very anonymous at night and that a device such as is suggested would be of great help in enabling people, especially motorists, to know where they are and would also secure still further good will to his Department?

These are among the considerations which we will take into account, but I must remind the House that there are some considerable arguments against the course proposed.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now able to make a statement of the dangers to operating personnel of the civil type forward scatter station; and whether a report has now been produced on this problem from the consultations that have taken place between his Department, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Medical Research Council.

Some time may elapse before final conclusions are reached as a result of the consultation to which the hon. Member refers. Meanwhile, I have assurances that, at the few civil stations in this country, precautions are taken to ensure that operating personnel are not exposed to high-frequency radiation in a way that might be dangerous.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the results of these consultations will be made public, and is he now absolutely certain that there are no dangers at all to the public emanating from this civil type forward scatter station?

I have already answered a Question from the hon. Gentleman about any possible effects upon the public. This Question relates to the effects or possible effects on the operating personnel and my Answer is quite clear. I think that we had better await the report and consider what it contains before we decide whether or not to publish it.

As there is some apprehension about this matter, will the hon. Gentleman say that as soon as the report is available he will make it available to the House?

I do not want to give that undertaking until we know what is in the Report. There may be matters of considerable security importance which ought not to be published, and in that case we want to reserve our right to decide in the light of what is in the Report.

Do I understand from that reply that the hon. Gentleman will make known to the House any dangers that may be there which will affect the general public, without disclosing security arrangements?

My right hon. Friend and I are always pleased to answer any Questions which are put on the Paper.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that in the Independent Television Authority programme, "This Week," broadcast on 1st January, the remarks of the Chairman of the Federation of Wholesale and Multiple Bakers were interrupted in mid-sentence for the purpose of inserting advertisements; and if he will consult with the Independent Television Authority under Section 4 of the Television Act in order to devise methods of preventing the interruption of programmes by advertisements.

The Authority tells me that there was no question of this speaker being interrupted in order to insert advertisements. On the other point raised by the hon. Member, my right hon. Friend sees no reason to intervene.

Is the hon. Member aware that the Authority's opinion is not shared by the victim himself who states —and many viewers agree—that he was interrupted on the word "and" in order to allow advertisements to be shown? Will the Minister say why this was? What is gained by allowing serious programmes of this kind to be interrupted in this way? It is not necessary for economic reasons. What is gained by it?

I have been advised that Mr. Curtis, the gentleman in question, had no complaint to make at the time, that he had finished the sentence on which he was engaged and that he was at a point at which the programme interviewer thought it right to pass on to the next subject. In those circumstances, I do not think that the hon. Member's judgment is necessarily the right one.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that I, having for the first time been able to pay a week's instalment on a television set, saw I.T.V. for the first time in the last few days and thought that the advertisements, although not very good, were quite the best part of the programme?

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the broadcasting of the play, "The Bridge of San Luis Rey", on the Independent Television Authority programme on 6th January was twice interrupted, and then prematurely ended, by advertisements; and what arrangements he has made in his Department to ensure that the rules agreed by him with the Independent Television Authority in accordance with Schedule 2 of the Television Act are properly observed.

The Authority tells me that the abrupt transition to advertisements at the end of the play, which was not itself prematurely ended, was due to an error of judgment, which is much regretted. It has been the subject of detailed investigation with a view to preventing any similar occurrence. Two stations only were concerned: the others cut out advertisements or faded out naturally. As regards advertisements during the play, the Authority is satisfied that these were inserted in natural breaks in accordance with the Second Schedule of the Television Act.

Is the Minister aware that this is the same kind of answer as we have been given to similar Questions of this kind on many previous occasions? Since the Authority shows itself quite incapable of exercising authority on this or other matters over the programme contractors, will he intervene and stiffen them up a little?

Wild generalisations of that kind do not carry serious discussion of this matter any further. To some extent this is a matter of opinion as to what is or is not a natural break.

Is the Minister aware that these are not wild accusations at all, that evidence has been laid before both the I.T.A. and himself and that, despite this, there is still no action taken against these breaches of the Act? Will he do something about it?

If the hon. Member's question is designed to confine this discussion to the accusations which have been made in detail, such as that dealt with in the Question, the fact of the matter is that they number very few indeed. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] The hon. Member and his hon. Friends will have opportunities of checking on them in the future. The fact is that about 600 advertisements are sent out everyday and, out of that total, it is very rare indeed that we get this kind of specific complaint. When it happens, the Authority takes the kind of action which I have described.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether, under Section 4 (4) of the Television Act, he will issue regulations defining more clearly the natural breaks which may be used for advertising;

My right hon. Friend is not convinced that there is need at present to use his powers to define natural breaks. The Independent Television Authority, whose duty it is to secure that advertisements shall not be inserted otherwise than at the beginning or end of a programme or in natural breaks therein, assures me that its requirements are generally closely observed and firmly enforced.

When the Television Bill was being discussed, were we not given to understand that natural breaks would be definite intervals, such as between the rounds of a boxing match? Does the hon. Member honestly think that at the time of the discussion of the Bill anyone would have attempted to justify the kind of breaks which are used for advertising now? Is it not becoming a national scandal the way the spirit of the Act is being breached by this weak-Authority?

I certainly cannot think that the Television Authority will be able to do its duty better by being subjected to this kind of abuse. This question was debated at great length in the House during the passage of the Television Bill, and I cannot accept any responsibility for the extent of the hon. Member's understanding.

Is not the hon. Member aware that very substantial assurances were given when we discussed this matter during the course of the Bill by the present Lord Chancellor? Is he not further aware that repeated complaints have been made on the Floor of the House? Is it not time that he told the Independent Television Authority that it is defaulting on its responsibility under the Act?

The fact of the matter is that, apart from these occasional contributions from hon. Members opposite, the Authority itself and the Post Office receive very few complaints, if any, on this point.

Will my hon. Friend reject what is apparently the view of the Opposition—that this is the biggest single issue facing the country at present?

asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) to what extent he is now satisfied that the security arrangements in connection with the United Kingdom rocket firing bases are adequate to prevent knowledge of their location being acquired by a potential enemy and if he will make a statement;

Any base of this kind must obviously become known in time, but I am satisfied that this is no reason for publishing an official list of all of the sites.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I was not suggesting that he should publish an official list. I was supporting his desire to have secrecy. In view of the fact that the situation of many of these places is now published in every newspaper from The Times to the "Poultry Breeders' Weekly Gazette" and is known to the Nuclear Action Committee, I wondered whether there was not a possibility that some of these things might be translated into Russian and become known abroad. Ought not the right hon. Gentleman to preserve more strictly his undertaking not to let the House of Commons know where they are either by a statement from him or through the Press?

The Government's position was made perfectly clear on this matter by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence on 24th February, 1958, when he said:

"It would obviously not be in the public interest to disclose the number of missiles or the number of sites or their precise location."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th February, 1958; Vol. 583, c. 30.]

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many civilian police are at present employed at the secret rocket bases at North Pickenham and Watton, respectively.

None, Sir.

Does not that mean that the employment of a large collection of ordinary police in full police uniform in a small village in Norfolk gives some indication that something of a secret nature might be happening there? Would not the right hon. Gentleman consider the suggestion that when he has erected a high security fence he might deceive the public by putting a notice on the fence saying, "Police College, Norfolk, Air Ministry Property"?

I have already stated that there are no civil police there at present. When we asked for their help the Norfolk Constabulary kindly came and helped us.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the concern felt among airmen at the threatened closing down of the Malcolm Club organisation, he will secure that these clubs continue to have every possible support from his Department.

I am afraid I cannot add to what I said in the course of the Adjournment debate on this subject on 18tn"December.

Is the Minister aware that what he said in the course of that debate has left the position in a most unsatisfactory and ambiguous state, and that since then there has been a further volume of protest in the Press and elsewhere against the closing of the Malcolm Clubs? Will he now give an assurance that there will be no Air Ministry objection to their continuing to function?

The assurance I gave during that debate still stands, that if the Malcolm Clubs can raise working capital and pay their debt at any time I will reconsider the decision.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the Question which I asked during that debate and which he did not then answer, namely, whether the Air Council will give the same kind of direct and indirect assistance to the Malcolm Clubs as it gives to other voluntary organisations working on Air Force stations?

The clubs already get a subsidy of £30,000 a year, and that subsidy should be enough to enable them to fulfil their functions. It has nothing to do with what the others get.

Will my right hon. Friend give an undertaking at least to give careful consideration to the volume of opinions coming from all over the world, by the thousand, about the threatened closing of these clubs? Will he at least undertake to give the matter fresh consideration?

We have already very carefully considered all expressions of opinion, and no one regrets more than the Air Council the necessity of closing these clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for Air for what reason he ordered the cancellation of a broadcast to be given by Lady Tedder on 11th November over the Forces Network to Royal Air Force stations in Germany with regard to the work of the Malcolm Clubs.

No order was given for the cancellation of a broadcast by Lady Tedder.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have seen the order made by the Air Ministry cancelling the broadcast? Is he aware that since that was cancelled by his Ministry a broadcast which Lord Tedder was going to give recently was also cancelled by the Ministry? Does the right hon. Gentleman not regard this action as a regrettable and arbitrary interference with the rights of very distinguished patrons of the Malcolm Clubs?

I disagree entirely with the hon. Gentleman. We asked Lady Tedder to submit the script so that we could have a look at it and see what she intended to say. This is a Forces Network run by the Army entirely for the benefit of the Forces there, and it is perfectly reasonable, particularly in view of the fact that we were going to debate this matter in the House shortly, that we should have asked to see what Lady Tedder was going to say. She preferred not to send us a script.

Do we understand that if the contents of a script do not happen to agree with the Minister's point of view the Ministry is entitled to prevent the views in that script being broadcast to members of the Air Force? By what right does the Ministry arrogate to itself that authority?

I did not say that was so. I said that we reserved the right to have a look at the script in matters which are as controversial as this. Where a very distinguished Marshal of the Royal Air Force is in conflict with the Air Council, I should have thought it not unreasonable to ask him to let us know what he proposed to say when speaking direct to the airmen over this Network.

Do we now understand that our Forces abroad, naval, military and air, must now understand that whenever they are listening to broadcasts they are really listening to the command of the Army, Navy or Air Force?

This has nothing to do with the B.B.C.

I did not mention the B.B.C.

It is run by the Army and it broadcasts directly to the airmen, and it is well known and accepted by the Army and the Air Force that in matters of controversy they should refer the script to higher authority.

Does not that really mean that in this case the soldiers must feel that every time they are listening to a biased broadcast and the other point of view is not put at all? How much confidence does the right hon. Gentleman think the Forces will now place in these broadcasts?

The Army is responsible for these broadcasts.

Is it not true to say— and why does the right hon. Gentleman not come clean about these things—-that the only controversy in this matter is as between the monopoly of N.A.A.F.I. and opportunities given to voluntary organisations to cater for the welfare of the Services? Irrespective of the merits of this question, if Lord or Lady Tedder or anybody else wants to broadcast on the Forces Network in future, will the right hon. Gentleman assure us that he will not prevent them?

The right hon. Gentleman is not quite clear about the nature of the controversy. It has nothing at all to do with N.A.A.F.I. This is purely a financial matter, as I have explained already to the House in an Adjournment debate. On the second point, I still consider that it is not unreasonable if a very senior officer is in conflict with the Air Council on a matter of this kind that he should at least tell us what he proposes to say before he says it.

On that point, what did the right hon. Gentleman want to do with the script when he got it? Was it his intention to stop Lord or Lady Tedder making a speech if he did not like it?

Had I thought the script very highly controversial or criticising a Government or Air Force decision— [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—I would certainly have asked Lord Tedder to reconsider making it.

Resign.

Is it now clear from the reply given to the last supplementary question that the Minister has said that if a broadcast criticises the Government the Government will stop it being made?

I am sorry—the Air Council is what I said.

Was it not only the other day that the House was given some information about senior members of the Services having differences of opinion among themselves about certain operations? There did not seem any objection at all to the Services quarrelling among themselves about a high question of strategy, but there appears to be something terrible about Lord Tedder disagreeing with the War Office about the future of the Malcolm Clubs? Why does the right hon. Gentleman not grow up?

This is a matter about which there were many Questions on the Order Paper and an Adjournment debate pending, and it was perfectly reasonable to ask what line Lord Tedder proposed to take.

On a point of order. In view of the very unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall take the earliest opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment.

Further to that point of order. I beg to give notice that I shall take the earliest opportunity of drawing attention to the fact that Her Majesty's Government appear to take the view that the wives of senior officers are not persons in their own right but are necessarily merely megaphones for their husband's point of view.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is his estimate of the cost of the new supersonic bomber TSR2; and when it is likely to be in operational service.

asked the Secretary of State for Air approximately when the new strike/reconnaissance aircraft being developed for the Royal Air Force is expected to be ready for service; what will be its approximate cost; how many will be ordered; and how its performance will compare with existing similar types of aircraft such as, for example, the United States Republic F.105.

As I explained in a written answer to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. de Freitas) on 17th December, it has been decided to develop a new strike/ reconnaissance aircraft as a replacement for the Canberra. The cost will depend upon negotiations between the Ministry of Supply and the contractors. We expect the aircraft to enter service during the mid-1960s. It would not be in the public interest to give the numbers likely to be ordered.

Would not the Minister give an approximate guess of what this new venture is likely to cost? Will it be thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of pounds? Can he also give us an assurance that the machine will not be obsolete before it starts to fly?

I can certainly give an assurance on that last point. On the first one, clearly it would be wrong to give any indication of cost while negotiations are going on between my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply and the manufacturers.

Whilst congratulating the Secretary of State for Air on having scored this redoubtable victory over his colleague, may I ask if he does not think it proper to tell the House in what respect this plane, when it becomes available in the mid-60's or later 60's, will be superior to planes existing today? What will be the additional performance it is expected then to have? Secondly, is it not true that before the right hon. Gentleman decided on this, he must have formed some estimate of the cost of development? Ought he not to share this information with the House, which will ultimately have to authorise the expenditure?

I do not think it is for me at this stage to do that. That must come at a later stage, when negotiations are completed with the manufacturers. If it comes at all, it should come from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply. On the first point, the advantages that this aircraft will have over existing types is a greatly improved performance at all altitudes and ability to operate from very short runways, which is essential in the réle which this aircraft is primarily to fill, which is the support of the Army in the field.

Do I take it from that cautious reply that the right hon. Gentleman has very little knowledge of what the airplane will do, when it will be available or what it will cost?

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is his estimate of the cost of the latest Vulcan and Victor bombers.

It would be contrary to established practice to give precise figures, but in very general terms the cost of the aircraft now on order is likely to range between £700,000 and £1 million.

Does not the Minister really think that, at a time when rockets are playing such an important part in the new type of warfare, these machines are now either obsolete or nearly obsolete, and is he not spending a large amount of public money without sufficient reason for it?

No, Sir. These aircraft are still, and will be for some time to come, the main part of the British deterrent.

asked the Secretary of State for Air approximately how many AW.660 aircraft will be ordered for the Royal Air Force; whether they will be used to replace some of the existing variety of types of transport aircraft; and whether he will make a statement on Government policy for the future equipment of the Royal Air Force Transport Command.

The AW.660 is being ordered to supplement our existing transport aircraft. I am not at present in a position to say how many may be ordered. The question of a strategic freighter is still being studied.

Is the Secretary of State setting a new record for decisions which he is not in a position to announce or say anything about? Having ordered this aircraft, surely he knows, and would he not like to tell the House, how many the Army will need the Air Force to operate to carry its provisions? Surely he would like to tell the House whether this will replace any existing aircraft? Cannot he tell us anything about it, or does he take all his decisions in a vacuum?

I have already said that this aircraft will supplement the existing aircraft in Transport Command. It will add to the already very considerable airlift capacity of Transport Command.

Then do I understand that the Valettas and the Hastings and all the rest will go on and on? Is there no policy on the part of Her Majesty's Government about R.A.F. Transport Command?

The right hon. Gentleman knows that the Beverley has still got a very useful life ahead of it. There is no reason to discard it at the moment. Eventually when it does become worn out it may be necessary to order some more of these to replace it, but for the time being this aircraft will be used to expand the lift of Transport Command.

Do I understand that all these decisions are being left for us to take when we take over?

asked the Secretary of State for Air when it was decided to paint the wings of Royal Air Force aircraft used in the Suez operation with two yellow stripes on a black background; and how many are still so marked.

The Anglo-French plans for operations which might be undertaken in the Middle East to guard against dangers which might result from the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in July, 1956, provided that British and French aircraft used in any such operations should carry these special markings in addition to national markings. This is quite usual in a combined operation. The special markings were put on R.A.F. aircraft on 30th October, 1956. They were removed as soon as the Suez operations were concluded. No R.A.F. aircraft still carry these markings.

Were not these markings those in use by the Israeli Air Force when they invaded Egypt, and is not this direct evidence of collusion between the Government and the Israelis?

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply he received from the Foreign Secretary on 19th December, 1956.

Will the Secretary of State for Air please look again at that reply and see if it is not direct evidence of passing the buck from one Department to another? Will he come clean on this, because it is an important matter?

The hon. Gentleman has already had an answer from the Foreign Secretary and I have absolutely no responsibility for the Israelis.

With all respect, that is not the question that was asked. Were these markings used by the Israeli Air Force?

I have no knowledge of those facts—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Let me finish. Do not be so hurried. I have seen a picture in the Aeroplaneof an Israeli aircraft with these markings on it, but there is no question whatever of these markings being given to the Israeli Air Force by the United Kingdom.

Does not my right hon. Friend think that the colour of these alleged markings was much more appropriate to the conduct of Her Majesty's Opposition during the Suez operation?

Whilst it may be correct that the markings which were used were not conveyed to the Israeli Air Force, did the Israeli Air Force convey to us what their markings were going to be?

As far as I know, no.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the progress being made in providing an airfield on the island of Gan.

Work on the Royal Air Force staging post is going ahead satisfactorily. Some of the domestic buildings cannot be started until arrangements have been made to move the islanders now living on the site, but this will not delay flying from the airfield.

In view of the importance of this airfield in Commonwealth relations, can my right hon. Friend give any estimate of when the work will be completed?

About the middle of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the statement, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Belper, by the United States Ballistic Missile Division Commander responsible for the installation of Thor missiles in Great Britain, to the effect that the first Thor-equipped squadron would be fully ready in this country in February, and that a few missiles were expected to blow up on the stand, to what extent it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that such missiles delivered for use by the Royal Air Force shall be used for training purposes only; and what action he is taking to guard against missiles blowing up on the stand.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why he has accepted Thor missiles from the United States Air Force before they have passed satisfactory tests.

The missiles delivered to the R.A.F. up to date are for training purposes only. The trials taking place in America are proceeding most satisfactorily, and any modifications found necessary will be made before the weapons are passed for operational use.

I am relieved to hear that it has not blown up on the stand yet, but is the Secretary of State for Air aware that General Schriever in fact said, "Of course we expect to have a few missiles blown up on the stand"? He was not referring to past performance but to future expectations. Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to take upon himself the guarantee that this will not happen?

The only thing that is happening is that the right hon. Gentleman is convicting himself of not knowing what he is talking about. There are nothing like 60 here. Assembling means putting on their pads. There will be some ready on their pads in the middle of February, as the general said. Finally, there is no question of any danger of their blowing up on their pads.

I may well not know what I am talking about, unlike the right hon. Gentleman, but the American general, who should know, said that each squadron will have 15 missiles here by next month. The right hon. Gentleman has told us that there will be four squadrons. Apparently we are all incapable of making four times 15 into 60. Is the right hon. Gentleman now saying that the American general was stating an untruth in saying this? Why does the right hon. Gentleman keep on insisting that the missiles which are placed here are for training purposes only, when one cannot train with Thor missiles because the only place they can hit is America, unless one wants to hit Russia?

I find it impossible to believe that the American general said that 60 missiles would be here by next February.

He said 15 missiles per squadron.

The American general did not say they would be here by February.

Yes, he did.

I must look into that. If he did, he was absolutely wrong.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what further steps have been taken to site the forward scatter stations required as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation radio link with North America; and what estimate has been made of the power required in the high frequency beam.

These forward scatter stations are to be part of a N.A.T.O. communications system in Western Europe. Sites are still being considered. The power output will not be more than 10 kilowatts.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the siting of these stations is most important and that the public should be aware of the siting of them as quickly as possible? Is he aware that Dr. Shinn, an authority on the health hazards emanating from powerful radar transmissions, has said that a 20 kW transmitter sited on level ground would be dangerous up to a radius of half a mile? Although the ones the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned may be less powerful, they are nevertheless a danger to the public and the public should know where they are to be sited.

As the hon. Gentleman acknowledges, these are only 10 kW stations and not 20 kW stations. I am assured that the location and design of the existing types are such that there is no danger whatever to the public, but, of course, the local authorities will be fully consulted as to the siting when the time comes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many motor cyclists have been killed or severely injured on the roads in Great Britain during this year to the latest convenient date.

Between 1st January and 30th November, 1958, 1,087 motor cyclists (including riders of mopeds) were killed on the roads, and 15,966 seriously injured.

In view of the very heavy loss of life and injuries, particularly among young men, is further thought being given to the possibility of making the wearing of crash helmets compulsory?

We think that the wearing of crash helmets is already spreading well throughout the motor-cycling fraternity and do not think it would be assisted by making it compulsory.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if his attention has been drawn to the increasing noise caused in built-up areas by vehicular traffic, especially motor-cycles and sports cars; and if he is satisfied with the adequacy of the regulations concerning silencers.

The noise problem and methods of dealing with it are continuously under study in our Department in conjunction with the other bodies concerned. The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1955, contain provisions designed to prevent excessive noise from the exhausts of motor vehicles. Enforcement of the regulations is a matter for the police.

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is a case where motor cyclists are the chief offenders? Is he satisfied that the regulations are being adequately enforced?

I am not responsible for the enforcement of them. My hon. Friend must put that question to the Home Secretary. I can say that we are proceeding with research into the problem of noise to see whether some better regulations can be devised. We well realise the importance of this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will state the amounts raised under car parking schemes to the latest available date that have been allocated to the provision of off-street parking in accordance with the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1956; and if he will list such car parks.

Responsibility for the allocation of surplus revenues from car parking schemes under the Road Traffic Act of 1956 rests with the local authorities concerned. One such scheme has been in operation in north-west Mayfair since 10th July, 1958. The surplus revenue cannot be computed until the end of the financial year, and Westminster City Council has not yet considered such allocation.

Does not the hon. Gentleman recall that when Parliament agreed to these parking schemes, which included the installation of parking meters and charging for parking on the highway, it did so only on condition that the money was used as speedily as possible for the provision of off-street parking? Is it not a fact that the full value of these parking schemes is not being realised as long as there is no parking off the streets?

We certainly wish to see off-street parking schemes come along with the parking meter schemes, but it is for the local authority concerned when it has seen what revenue it gets to draw up its schemes to conform with the 1956 Act.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to what extent he now proposes a change of policy in regard to revising and widening the terms of reference of the Air Transport Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement.

I do not intend to lay proposals to this end before Parliament in the current Session.

What was the purpose of the right hon. Gentleman's reference in his speech at the Air Transport Independent Association dinner? Is he intending to give that organisation more facilities or not? Would it not be much better, instead of giving hints like this in public and promises in private, that he should make a clear indication of his intentions in Parliament?

I have given no hints in public and promises in private. I said that it would be a good thing that if all those who were interested discussed the proposition that we should have a more broadly based licensing authority for the air. My suggestion seems to have been well received.

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has conveyed to the independent operators in private and by hints in public that he is preparing to give them greater facilities with regard to licences for new routes? Is he not aware that this produces a feeling of uncertainty among both the corporations and the employees of the corporations? Will he clear the matter up?

It might well do so if it were a fact, but it is not.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on what works the £2 million set aside for the reconstruction of Prestwick Airport will be spent.

The development of Prestwick Airport at an estimated cost of between £2 million and £3 million will include the extension of the main runway and associated taxi-track to about 9,800 feet; the provision of a new terminal area, including a new apron; the construction of a new control tower and fire station; and the diversion of the A.77 road.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, but can he not now give details of the expenditure on the various items? Can he say whether or not any sum is being reserved for the construction of an hotel at Prestwick, which is absolutely necessary?

If the hon. Gentleman, who takes a great interest in Prestwick, will put down a question about the details I will try to answer it. We have the hotel under consideration. As he knows, the Redbrae site is a much better one for an hotel than the other one.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is now in a position to state when the public inquiry into the crash of a Viking aircraft at Southall on 2nd September, 1958, is to be held; and if he will give an assurance that this inquiry will be started immediately the result of the inquest is known so that all the relevant facts may be elicited before the question of whether other proceedings should be taken is decided.

There will be no avoidable delay in starting a public inquiry as soon as proper consideration has been given to the results of the inquest.

My right hon. Friend has been most helpful to the company which owns the aircraft, and I thank him for it. Has not an unusually long time been taken to complete the preliminary inquiries into this air crash? While I quite understand that he cannot comment on the coroner's three adjournments of the inquest, in general terms, would it not be a good thing to complete preliminary inquiries as soon as possible after a crash so that the company concerned can have an early opportunity to clear its name before a properly convened public inquiry?

My Ministry would very much like to hold its own inquiry as soon as possible, but as my hon. Friend knows, we cannot do so until the coroner has concluded his inquest.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the situation created by the scope of the coroner's inquiry has made the matter most difficult? While we appreciate that neither he nor his colleagues has any power over the coroner, is it not possible to have some sort of inquiry and some sort of understanding so that this sort of situation does not arise again?

I am considering future procedures in air accidents, but it is very difficult when a coroner's inquiry has to be held first.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what alterations in the original line of the Birmingham-Preston motorway he has proposed since the line was agreed with the Staffordshire County Council in July, 1957; and for what reasons.

There has been no change in the line of the motorway in Staffordshire from Dunston northwards, which was fixed by a scheme under the Special Roads Act on 30th June, 1958. It has been found necessary to re-investigate the line southwards from Dunston, and a number of possible variations to meet particular difficulties are being considered in consultation with the local authorities concerned. We hope later this year, in accordance with the provisions of the Special Roads Act, to publish a draft scheme showing and explaining the revised line.

Is it a fact that the original line was agreed with the Staffordshire County Council on the basis of what was most efficient for modern practice? What particular conditions are being reconsidered now? Is it a fact that there is intervention from private property interests which is now liable to jeopardise the line of the road?

Reconsideration has taken place in the light of the objections which we received to the line originally published, the possible engineering difficulties of mining subsidence on part of the line that we had originally considered, and the possibility of making a better line for the junction with the other motorways proposed to join in that area. We believe that in the light of all these circumstances a re-investigation is justified. When we have completed that we shall publish a further line, and we shall then hear whether or not there are objections to it.