asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what research has been done to save timber in the furniture industry.

The Research and Information Committee of the Furniture Development Council, supported by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has developed new methods of increasing the strength and rigidity of cabinet construction whilst using a minimum of materials. Other work has assisted the furniture industry in using chipboard to an increasing extent in place of plywood and blockboard.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will consider providing temporary additional structures at the Heatheryknowe, Murray, and Duncanrigg Schools, East Kilbride, to accommodate children otherwise transferred to the village school;(2) whether he is aware that more than 300 children, hitherto attending the Murray and Heatheryknowe Schools, East Kilbride, were, at the beginning of this term, transferred to the village school, that the local authority has explained that this is to facilitate the accommodation of the children of newly-incoming residents, and that some of the children transferred have already had several such disruptions in their primary school careers, while direction of the newcomers to the village school would cause no additional disruption; whether he is satisfied that the best arrangements have been made; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend understands that housing developments made necessary the transfer of 330 children from two overcrowded schools to accommodation available in East Kilbride Primary School. The authority decided that these children should be drawn from those who would have to be moved in any case when new schools now being built are completed. The children will then move as classes along with their teachers to minimise disturbance to their education. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the authority's arrangements are the best that can be made in the circumstances, and that it would not be justifiable to provide additional temporary classrooms when there is satisfactory vacant accommodation in East Kilbride Primary School.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when Kirktonholme Primary School, East Kilbride, will be ready for use; how this date compares with that in the original plan for the new town; and the cause of the delay.

I understand from Lanarkshire Education Authority that Kirktonholme Primary School is expected to be ready by the summer of 1960. The original proposals for the provision of schools for East Kilbride envisaged that this school would be completed by 1955. The plans, which were prepared by the architectural staff of the East Kilbride Development Corporation, were much too costly and considerable adjustments had to be made, which occupied some time. It was then found necessary to resort to compulsory purchase to acquire the site and the Compulsory Purchase Order was not confirmed until October, 1954. In the interval new standards for schools had been introduced by my predecessor and the education authority decided to abandon the original plans as they were out of date and to use plans which conformed to the new standards and which they had prepared for use in their area. The Development Corporation objected to these plans on the ground that they were not up to the high standard of design which was a feature of East Kilbride. After much negotiation between the education authority and the Development Corporation agreement was reached on plans which were approved by me in May, 1957. Building work started in July of last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schoolrooms are needed to accommodate the 330 Mains West children, East Kilbride, who have been transferred from the Heatheryknowe and Murray Schools to the village school; and how many rooms and other spaces at Heatheryknowe and Murray Schools are now reserved for community rooms, libraries, and places of assembly.

The answer to the first part of the Question is eight and to the second, five. The five rooms comprise an assembly hall in each school also used for dining, and two rooms and a library in the Murray School which are available for community purposes during school hours. I understand that Lanarkshire Education Authority decided that these last three rooms should continue to be available for their proper purposes, especially as a considerable number of pupils would still have had to be trans-

—		Last Term (December, 1958)		Present Term (January, 1959)
		Number of pupils	Number of teachers	Number of pupils	Number of teachers
Heatheryknowe Primary School	…	795	19	643	17
The Murray Primary School	…	749	19	577	17
East Kilbride Primary School	…	587	16	879	24

Heatheryknowe and Murray Primary Schools each have accommodation to take normally 680 pupils, and new intakes are expected to fill them by the beginning of February and the beginning of August respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will advise local authorities to give preference, when possible, to the use of Scottish rather than foreign timber in specifications for building contracts.

Part V of the Scottish Housing Handbook already recommends Scottish local authorities to give due consideration to the use of available local materials. I intend now to remind them that there is no reason to discriminate against home-grown timber of suitable quality for building work.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers have been transferred this term to the village school, East Kilbride, from the Murray or Heatheryknowe Schools.

Two teachers—one of whom has since resigned—have been transferred this term to East Kilbride Primary School from the Murray School, and one from Heatheryknowe School.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children and teachers, respectively were registered last term and this at the Heatheryknowe, Murray, and Village Schools, respectively, at East Kilbride.

The information is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, notwithstanding a continued fall in world import prices, New Zealand butter is now about 3s. a pound compared with 2s. 8d. in November last, Australian butter is now 2s. 11d. a pound compared with 2s. 7d. in November last, Danish butter 3s. 9d. a pound compared with 3s. 6d. in November, Dutch butter 3s. 8d. a pound in November now costing 3s. 10d. a pound; and if he will reverse the decision he announced on 20th May, 1958, in regard to imports of butter, in order to allow prices of butter to fall.

As announced in a statement issued by the Board of Trade on 23rd December and published in the Board of Trade Journal on 2nd January the arrangements made last May no longer apply. I am sending a copy of the statement to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that for the first time since before the war the unemployed in Aberdeen exceed 5,000, which represents 5½per cent. of the working population; and, in view of this rise in unemployment there, what are his immediate plans to bring to the city new industries, to expand existing industries, and to stop the diminution in existing industries there.

I have been asked to reply.I much regret the recent increase in unemployment in Aberdeen which I understand is attributable to severe weather and other seasonal causes.My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade earlier this month publicised widely the assistance available to firms which will set up or expand in areas of high unemployment, and the Board's Regional Controllers will continue to bring to the notice of suitable firms the advantages which are available in Aberdeen.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the growing practice of paying large tax-free compensation grants to former company directors and executives; and, as this practice causes industrial unrest among manual, technical, and other types of workers, whether he will take the necessary action in his forthcoming Budget to prevent this practice.

The hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received for an immediate reduction in Purchase Tax; and what replies he has made.

I have received and noted a number of such representations, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will remove the Purchase Tax on groups 9, 10 and 11 to ease the burden on the owner-occupier.

I cannot anticipate my Budget decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Customs and Excise have ruled that lottery tickets are not chargeable with Purchase Tax if there is no provision on ticket or counterfoil for completion in manuscript, for example, dotted lines, and both ticket and counterfoil are serially numbered, whereas lottery tickets designed for completion in any way and those having a blank un-numbered counterfoil are subject to tax; and, in view of the confusion caused by this ruling and the trade uncertainties and evasion arising therefrom, whether he will now relieve all lottery tickets from Purchase Tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that plain paper sold to chemists in small sheets for wrapping medicine bottles is chargeable with Purchase Tax, although in general, wrapping paper is not so chargeable; what line of demarcation as to size is considered appropriate as between purchase taxed and non-purchase taxed wrapping paper; and whether he will remove all wrapping paper from Purchase Tax.

Purchase Tax is payable on stationery paper and the liability is not affected by the fact that in individual cases it may be bought for use as wrapping. Wrapping paper as such is not subject to tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that ornamental badges denoting membership of a permanent organisation and not available for general sale to non-members of such organisations are exempt from Purchase Tax, whereas identical badges for feminine wear and mounted with a stick-in pin or a brooch-fitting to attach them to ladies' clothing, are subject to Purchase Tax at 30 per cent.; what is the reason for this discrimination against badges for women; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

My hon. Friend is misinformed. There is no discrimination between badges according to the sex of the intended wearer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent moves towards fuller convertibility of sterling and other currencies; and what steps he proposes to strengthen the position of currencies involved against possible temporary drains on their reserves.

—	1955	1956	1957	1958
	£	£	£	£
Pool betting duty receipts at 10 per cent, on greyhound totalisators	5,910,147	5,980,295	6,151,501	5,957,579
Bookmakers' licence duty receipts	1,656,396	1,624,725	1,636,809	1,626,251

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to reduce the cost of living following the Prime Minister's recent visit to the north-east of England.

I refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 18th December to the hon. Member for Erith and Cray-ford (Mr. Dodds). If costs do not arise, competition among traders should produce reductions in some prices.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consult the Prime Ministers of Australia, Ceylon, India, Malaya, New Zealand and Pakistan, about the desirability of inviting the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China to a conference to discuss Asian affairs, particularly with a view to expanding trade and improving the living standards of the people in that continent.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the provisions of the European Monetary Agreement Bill; an opportunity will arise on the Second Reading of that Bill tomorrow for me to deal with the points to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received from the Pool Betting Duty on greyhound racecourse totalisators, and from bookmakers licences on greyhound racecourses, respectively, in the years 1955, 1956, 1957, and 1958.

The receipts of pool betting duty on greyhound totalisator bets and of bookmakers' licence duty for these years were:

No. I am always willing to consult my Commonwealth colleagues on matters of mutual interest and concern. But I do not think a conference of the kind proposed would serve any useful purpose at the present time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is now able to make a statement on future measures to be adopted to control the extended tipping of colliery spoilheaps.

I have consulted my noble Friend the Minister of Power and the National Coal Board, and I am in no doubt that the Board is conscious of its duty to preserve as far as possible the amenities of the countryside. All new tips started since 1948 are of course subject to planning permission, and when it is a question of laying out a new colliery the Board work in the closest collaboration with the local planning authority. As regards existing tips which remain in use under the authority of the General Development Order, the Board cannot, at any rate for the present, contemplate expensive major works for improving the appearance of the tips, nor would I feel it right to press it to do so. But the Board has given an assurance that it will do what it can to improve the appearance of existing tips where this is possible by minor works agreed locally with the planning authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what reply he has sent to Tottenham Borough Council with regard to its request that he will consult local authorities and give them periodic information on the findings of investigation into the safety of food and water supplies from radiation hazards.

I have sent a copy of the letter to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent improper pressure is being put on political candidates in Singapore by secret societies threatening to use, or using, violence; and what steps he is taking, in the present pre-electoral situation, to ensure the proper working of the Constitution.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 20th January, to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities are available for the training of doctors and other medical personnel in Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika; and what steps are being taken by the Governments of these territories to promote the training of medical students in these countries.

Education to degree standard and post-graduate instruction for doctors is provided at Makerere College—the University College of East Africa—whose medical qualification is recognised by the General Medical Council. Training centres exist and new centres are under construction in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika for the training of medical assistants, and of the auxiliary medical personnel. Bursaries are awarded by each Government to enable students to study at Makerere College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of physicians per head of the population in Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda, respectively.

In 1957, for every 100,000 persons in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika there were respectively 8·7, 5·8 and 5·2 medical practitioners, including those practising under licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken by his Department to encourage qualified doctors in the United Kingdom to take up temporary or other posts in Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda, respectively, during the years 1956 to 1958.

The steps taken include advertisements and articles in the medical Press and arrangements for doctors to take up overseas appointments as an alternative to National Service. The response has been good. No difficulty is experienced in recruiting doctors for these territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of Section 31 of the Colonial Regulations, an officer serving on extended probation, for an indefinite period and without his knowledge, can be summarily dismissed from the service two months after his original contract has expired.

The appointment of an officer serving on probation may be terminated at any time whether or not the original period of his probation has expired.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the terms of Mr. Dyke Campbell Hill's contract in respect of his service after 30th October, 1953.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend on 16th July, 1958.

	Estimated completion date	Estimated total cost
		£
London and approaches
Streatham Hill and Streatham High Road (L.C.C.)	Early 1960	210,000
Talgarth Road (part of Cromwell Road Extension) (L.C.C.)	Autumn, 1959	772,500
The Strand (L.C.C.)	Spring, 1959	274,000
London Road Bridge, Twickenham (preliminary works) (Middlesex C.C.)	Autumn, 1960	260,000
New Park Lane (preliminary works) (L.C.C.)	1962	5,380,000
Urban Schemes
Inner Ring Road (Birmingham C.B.C.), Part I, Section (II), Queen's Drive to Carr's Lane	Summer, 1961	1,322,000
Drypool Bridge (Kingston-upon-Hull) (C.B.C.)	Spring, 1961	784,000
Barrack Road, Christchurch (Hants. C.C.)	Summer, 1959	180,000
East Side Approach (Part IV) (preliminary works) (Swansea C.B.C.)	1960	103,000
Other Roads
Marchwood By-pass (Hants. C.C.)	Summer, 1959	303,000
Holdforth Diversion (Durham C.C.)	Late 1960	135,500
Trunk Roads and Motorways
A.3 Kingston By-pass, Hook Road Underpass, Surrey	Early 1960	360,000
A.38 Lichfield to Burton, Part I, Lichfield to Alrewas, Staffordshire	Spring, 1960	218,000
A.48 Tabernacle Chapel to Llanfair, Discoed Arches, Monmouthshire	Mid 1960	252,000
A.1 Colsterworth Diversion, Kesteven and improvement from "Green Parrot" Cafe to "Gem" Cafe	Summer, 1959	202,000
A. 11 Harlow By-pass and Potter Street Diversion, Essex	Mid 1960	645,000
A. 34 Milehouse Lane (B5368) to Four Lanes End, Talke, Newcastle-under-Lyme	Autumn, 1960	332,000
A.41 New Ferry By-pass, Bebington, Cheshire	Spring, 1960	304,000
A.45 Auto's Cafe to western end of Dunchurch By-pass, Warwickshire	Summer, 1959	174,000
A.1 Dishforth to Baldersby, N. Riding	Early 1959	144,000
A.1 Southoe Bends to Buckden By-pass, Huntingdonshire	Autumn, 1959	116,000
A.34 Stafford Boundary to Strongford Bridge second carriageway, Part II, Crown Inn to Filleybrooks River Bridge, Staffordshire	Summer, 1960	351,000
A. 56 Daresbury to Ship Inn, Cheshire Widening	Early 1960	118,000
London-Birmingham Motorway extension from Watford Gap to A.428 near Crick (Northants.)	Autumn, 1959	635,000

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will list, with mileages, the motorways under the Special Roads Act, 1949, under construction and proposed, with three-lane carriageways, two-lane carriageways, with

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will issue a list of schemes under the road programme, costing over£100,000, which were started in the six months ended 31st December, 1958, with estimated completion date and total cost of each.

The schemes are:provision for a third lane to be added later, and two-lane carriageways, without such provision, respectively.

It would be premature to anticipate the design details of proposed motorways, but the details of all special roads for which the Minister will be the highway authority and which are at present under construction or are being planned are as follows:

	miles
A.—3-LANE DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS
London-Birmingham Motorway
Beechtree junction (St. Albans) to Crick, Northamptonshire	58
Birmingham-Preston-Lancaster Motorway
Dunston to south of Preston Bypass	78
London-South Wales Motorway
New Brentford to London Airport Spur	6
	142

B.—2-LANE DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS WITH PROVISION FOR 3RD LANE
Birmingham-Preston-Lancaster Motorway
Preston Bypass	8½
Lancaster Bypass	11½
	20

C.—2-LANE DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS WITHOUT PROVISION FOR 3RD LANE
London-Birmingham Motorway
Aldenham (Watford) and Park Street (St. Albans) Spurs to main motorway at Beechtree Junction	8
Watford Gap to Dunchurch (Dunchurch Spur)	8
London-South Wales Motorway
Chiswick Flyover to New Brentford elevated road	1½
London Airport to West of Maidenhead (including Airport Spur)	16½
Severn Bridge and approaches from Almondsbury to Crick (Monmouthshire)	9½
Birmingham-South Wales Motorway
Lydiate Ash to Twyning	27½
Twyning to Ross (Ross Spur)	20
Medway Motor Road	25
Doncaster Bypass	15
Darlington Bypass	8½
Stevenage Bypass	8
Maidstone Bypass	7
Port Talbot Bypass	4½
	159
Note.—The Newport Bypass, for which an alternative line is under consideration, has been excluded from this list.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the future of the South Wales ports; and whether he will make a statement.

No. I am aware of the problems which have arisen in the South Wales ports since the war and of the progress which the British Transport Commission and local interests have made towards solving them. I also know that the Commission is closely studying the position and I do not think that an inquiry by a Royal Commission would help.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the latest developments in regard to the setting up, with his approval, of new parking meter areas in London and provincial cities.

As I informed the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies) and my hon. Friend the Member for St. Marylebone (Sir W. Wakefield) in my Written Answer of 10th December last, I have decided to approve, with some modifications, the proposals of the St. Marylebone Borough Council for introducing a new parking meter scheme in South-West St. Marylebone. I intend to make the necessary Order and Regulations shortly.Other local authorities in London are known to have parking meter schemes under consideration but as yet they have not applied to me for Orders.I have received formal applications from Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol for Orders extending the parking provisions of the 1956 Road Traffic Act to those cities; in addition my officials have had informal discussions with a number of other local authorities outside London who are interested in controlling street parking by the use of parking meters.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total amount being paid from the National Insurance Fund for unemployment benefit in a period of twelve months prior to September, 1951; and what is the total for the twelve months to the most recent convenient date after the 1951 figures have been adjusted to the rates payable today.

The total expenditure on unemployment benefit in the twelve months ending September, 1951, was£14,133,000 Adjusted to the rates of benefit payable today, this would be equivalent to about£27½million. The provisional figure for expenditure on unemployment benefit for the last financial year ending March, 1958, is£25,374,000; adjusted to current benefit rates this would be equivalent to about£30 million.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the present rate of unemployment benefit paid, under his regulations, to a married worker who has no other dependent relatives and whose wife is not gainfully employed when he is employed for three days a week in a mill with a normal working week of five, five and a half, and six days, respectively.

13s. 4d. a day for each normal working day on which he is unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the representations made to the Government by the London County Council, as well as by the metropolitan boroughs, concerning the inadequacy of present legislation to prevent the growth of undesirable clubs; and what action the Government propose to take to deal with the matter, whether administratively or by the introduction of legislation.

I am giving careful consideration to these representations in consultation with the Commissioner of Police, who continues to keep a close watch on undesirable clubs in London and to take action in appropriate cases. I can hold out no prospect at present of Government legislation on the highly controversial topic of registered clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women are undergoing training to be probation officers; and how many of these have already been appointed probation officers.

On 22nd January, 145 men and women were in training for probation work: 11 of them already held appointments as probation officers.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he will make it a condition of the national loan of£50 million to Messrs. Colvilles, that they will not indulge in propaganda against national ownership of the steel industry.

No. The conditions attaching to the loan are specified in the Answer which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Fylde (Colonel Lancaster) on 21st January.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether, in order to secure uniformity of Commonwealth action, he will consult with the Canadian Government on the question of the recognition of Communist China.

I have been asked to reply.As the hon. Member will doubtless be aware, consultations on matters of common interest are continually taking place between Members of the Commonwealth. But any decision as to recognition of a foreign Government rests with the Government of the Commonwealth country concerned.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when it is proposed to carry out modifications on destroyers recently found to he defective.

This question presumably refers to the Type 14 frigates, some of which are employed on fishery protection duties in Icelandic waters. Severe and prolonged sea and weather conditions experienced by these ships have highlighted certain structural weaknesses which have been remedied on all ships engaged on fishery protection in Icelandic waters. The remaining ships of this type will have the necessary work carried out when they come in hand for refitting. I am confident that the troubles will be overcome by the measures which are being adopted.

asked the Minister of Health what progress is being made by the Medical Research Council in its investigations of the effects on humans of internal radiation; and when it intends to publish a report of its findings.

I have been asked to reply as representing the Lord President of the Council.The Medical Research Council has for some years been supporting work on the effects of internal radiation both in its own units and by making grants to other centres. In accordance with the Council's normal practice, the results of these studies, as they are completed, are published by the investigators themselves as papers in scientific journals and lists of references are included in the Council's Annual Report to Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the valuable results which could accrue from drawing attention overseas to British

Date		Appointments to the Senior Branch	Universities of which those annotated are graduates						Non-Graduates
			Oxford	Cambridge	London	Edinburgh	Durham	Overseas Universities
1955	…	28	19	4	1	1	1	1	1
1956	…	17	7	6	1	—	—	—	3
1957	…	17	2	7	—	1	—	1	6
1958	…	18	5	9	1	—	—	—	3
TOTALS		80	33	26	3	2	1	2	13

In the absence abroad, on official business, of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend, in the course of his study of book and periodical exports, is considering how the circulation of these journals could be promoted.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the delay in postal services between this country and Aden; and what steps he is taking to expedite deliveries.

I regret that a number of air mail dispatches from this country to Aden have suffered slight delays recently. These have been due to mechanical faults of the aircraft or to the weather. B.O.A.C. regret these delays, but says they were unavoidable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many new appointments were made to the Senior Branch of the Foreign Service in each of the years 1955, 1956, 1957, and 1958; and, respectively, for each year, of what universities those appointed were graduates.

The following table gives the information for which the hon. Member asks:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many new appointments were made to the Senior Branch of the Foreign Service in each of the years from 1946 to 1958, inclusive, from candidates over the normal age; and how many such candidates applied in each year.

From 1946 to 1949 recruitment to the Senior Branch of the Foreign Service was very largely by means of the post-war Reconstruction Competition. Most of the successful candidates had previously done war service and were over the normal peace-time upper age limit of 24. Annual open competitions with an upper age limit of 24 began in 1948. From 1950 onwards (except in 1952) there were annual supplementary over age competitions for candidates above the age of 24. There were also transfers to the Senior Branch of established members of Branch B of the Foreign Service.