asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the discussion held by his Department with representatives of the Essex Farmers' Union, Essex Agricultural Executive Committee, Essex River Board and Country Landowners' Association about the general drainage position in the county.

The meeting called by the Essex County Agricultural Executive Committee considered measures which might be taken to improve drainage in the county with particular reference to the need to relate field drainage schemes to the capacity of the main drainage system. It was suggested that a small representative committee should be set up to keep this and similar problems under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the present restrictions on public meetings in Kenya.

It is necessary for any person wishing to hold a meeting on public roads and streets or at places of public resort to obtain a licence from the authorities. Licences may be issued subject to conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representation marketing co-operative societies in Uganda have on the marketing boards.

Marketing co-operative societies in Uganda have no representation on marketing boards. The constitution and functions of the Lint Marketing Board and the Coffee Industry Board are at present under review, and it is intended that the re-organised Boards shall be small bodies of experts with specialised knowledge of cotton and coffee marketing and world marketing conditions. It is also proposed to establish cotton and coffee advisory councils, on which the co-operative movement would be represented, to advise Ministers on the structure, organisation and development of the industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the work of the Special Committee of the Council of Europe on the simplification of frontier formalities, Her Majesty's Government will agree to the use by foreign visitors to the United Kingdom of identity documents, other than passports, which include a photograph of the holder; and if he will make a statement with regard to the use of passports in general.

The subject raised in the first part of the Question has been under examination by an inter-Departmental Working Party set up by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. This body has suggested that, subject to certain safeguards, foreign visitors who are nationals of States members of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation coming to the United Kingdom for short periods might be allowed to produce at the port of arrival, instead of a passport, the standard model identity card recommended by the Tourism Committee of the Organisation. It is not possible at present to set out in detail the difficulties which arise from this proposal; Her Majesty's Government are, however, continuing to examine the problem.With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer to the reply I gave on the 21st of January to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Sir W. Robson Brown).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the amount of the British contribution during the past year to the United Nations, its Specialised Agencies and voluntary funds; and what proportion the British contribution represented to the total budget in each case.

The contributions of the United Kingdom for the calendar year 1958 to the United Nations, its Specialised Agencies and voluntary funds are shown in the following table. Con-

asked the Minister of Health (1) what alternative proposals were considered before the decision was taken to close the Southern Hospital, Dartford, and to reorganise Joyce Green Hospital;(2) when it is expected, under the present proposals, that the Southern Hospital, Dartford, will finally close;(3) what alterations are to be made to Joyce Green Hospital, Dartford, under the proposed reorganisation; and when it is expected that these will be completed;(4) what will be the cost of the proposed alterations to Joyce Green Hospital, Dartford.

A number of alternative uses for the large amount of accommodation surplus to local needs in these two hospitals have been examined in the past but no practicable use has been found. Before drawing up their present plan, which involves the closure

asked the Minister of Health, (1) if he will state the number of staff employed at the Southern Hospital, Dartford;

The number of staff, including part-timers, is 465 at the Southern Hospital, 592 at West Hill Hospital and 528 at Joyce Green. After the proposed reorganisation there would be 1,505 at the last two hospitals, 80 fewer posts than now exist in the three hospitals. It is expected that a high proportion of the staff at present in these posts would be absorbed in hospitals in the Group or elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health what will be the saving in the cost of the Dartford Hospital Group following the closure of the Southern Hospital, Dartford.

About £65,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds are at present in use at the West Hill, Joyce Green, and Southern Hospitals, respectively; and how many there will be after reorganisation.

338, 362 and 308 available staffed beds of which 267, 296 and 226 are occupied, respectively. After the proposed reorganisation there would be about 800 beds in the two hospitals, and the Regional Board propose to increase this to 985 beds.

asked the Minister of Health what it is anticipated will be the total cost of upkeep of the Dartford Hospital Group after the closure of the Southern Hospital.

About £1·3 million a year.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost of upkeep of a modern 800-bed hospital, as compared with the estimated cost of upkeep of West Hill and Joyce Green Hospitals, Dartford, after reorganisation.

As no 800 bedded general hospital has been erected since the war it is not practicable to make this comparison.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost of building a modern 800-bed hospital; and where such a hospital has been erected in recent times.

For a non-teaching general hospital at least £4 million and possibly considerably more. None has been erected since the war.

asked the Minister of Health how many officers of his Department have visited any Dartford hospital in the last two years.

About 20, for various purposes.

asked the Minister of Health how many members or officers of the South-Eastern Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, other than the member who serves on the Dartford Hospital Management Committee, have visited any Dartford hospital in the last two years.

At least 18, including the Chairman and all principal officers, some of them many times.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what consultations took place with the Group Medical Committee of the Dartford Hospital Group before the decision was taken to close the Southern Hospital and to reorganise the Joyce Green Hospital;(2) what consultations took place with the Medical Staffs Committees of the Dartford Hospital Group before the decision was taken to close the Southern Hospital and to reorganise the Joyce Green Hospital.

Full consultation took place with the Hospital Management Committee, and the Chairman of the Group Medical Committee, which contains representatives of each Medical Staff Committee, was present at all discussions. The Senior Administrative Medical Officer also met representatives of the medical staff of the Southern Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what consultation took place with the local medical profession before the decision was taken to reorganise the Dartford Hospital Group;(2) what consultation took place with the local authorities in the catchment area of the Dartford Hospital Group before the decision was taken to reorganise the group.

The Local Medical Committees for London and for Kent and Canterbury and local authorities were informed by the Regional Hospital Board of the plan in November to give them an opportunity to comment. One local authortiy has commented. The London Local Medical Committee had no observations, and no reply was received from the Local Medical Committee for Kent and Canterbury.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the inconvenience, discomfort and delay caused by the many letter boxes which are either of the wrong size or in the wrong place; and what steps he is taking to encourage the installation by houseowners of letter boxes about 3 ft. 6 in. from the ground and about 8 in. by 1¾ in. in size.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for his interest in this serious problem of under-sized and badly placed letter boxes.The British Standards Institution agreed some time ago a new Standard for these boxes, and manufacturers are now producing excellent boxes in accordance with it. To encourage the installation of the new boxes I am using a cartoon film for television, posters in Post Offices and in ironmongers' and newsagents' shops, displays in Post Offices, and leaflets which I hope local authorities will attach to all building plans they approve; we propose also to send the leaflet to premises where the existing letter box is particularly troublesome. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the posters and the leaflet.My right hon. Friends the Minister of Works and the Minister of Housing and Local Government have promised their support, as have also the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Building Trades Employers' Federation, and the Federation of British Industries.

asked the Minister of Supply if it is still the intention of Her Majesty's Government to go ahead with the development of the Swallow aircraft, within the Anglo-American Mutual Aid Programme, in addition to the T.S.R.2.

Negotiations with Vickers and with the American authorities are expected to he concluded soon for a joint research programme on the Swallow project principle with the aid of some Government finance. But it is too early to predict to what aircraft requirement that principle might be applied.

asked the Minister of Supply what estimate has been made of the cost of developing an earth-space satellite from Blue Streak or Black Knight missiles.

The cost would depend on the details of whatever programme might be undertaken.

asked the Minister of Supply if his Department is now prepared to develop an earth-space satellite programme, particularly following the Royal Society's advice on the scientific advantages to be gained from such a project.

No decision has yet been take to embark on a British programme of space research by satellites.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now announce the Government's decision on the applications which they have had under consideration for increased import duties on new potatoes, fresh tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, certain classes of flowers, and lettuce and endive.

Having carefully considered all the circumstances, Her Majesty's Government have reached the conclusion that there is not sufficient justification for an increase in the tariffs on new potatoes, fresh tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower or lettuce and endive. These applications therefore have been rejected. The application relating to certain classes of flowers is still being considered. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will be making an announcement in the House on Monday on the Government's policy towards horticulture.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will consider the adoption of the procedure, which has been satisfactory in certain other capital cities, which requires pedestrians to act in accordance with lights which read "Walk," or "Don't Walk."

"Cross" and "Wait" signs are in use at some traffic light signal installations in London. I have at present no power to make these indications mandatory on pedestrians, but will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind as a possibility for future road traffic legislation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why no general summary describing the main features of road accident statistics accompanies Road Accidents, 1957, as was the case in 1956.

The main features of road accidents are remarkably constant from one year to another. In these circumstances, I decided that the inclusion each year of a general summary did not justify the time required for its preparation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state his present estimate of the value of the Government's holdings in the British Petroleum Company, and the percentage increase this represents over the original investment.

About £304 million on the basis of Stock Exchange closing prices on 20th January. This represents some sixty times the cost of the original investment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the difficulties in the cycle industry; and what representations he has received from the industry for the relief of Purchase Tax.

Yes. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Ladywood (Mr. V. Yates) by my hon. and learned Friend the Financial Secretary on 18th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War what future use he intends to make of the military training rights in Ashdown Forest.

As part of its programme of releasing land, the Army is giving up at once the use of its training rights in Ashdown Forest, and the Conservators have been so informed.