asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received by and on behalf of the mothers and wives of soldiers serving abroad for payment of their post-war credits; and what replies he has sent.

I regret that the information required by the hon. and learned Member could not be obtained without disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further consideration he has given to the difficulties experienced by persons who are exempt from Income Tax and who are affected by Section 350 of the Income Tax Act, 1952; and what action he proposes to take to assist them.

I am aware of the position to which the hon. Member refers, but I do not think that any amendment of the law in this matter is called for.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost to public funds till now of the Council on Personal Incomes, Prices and Productivity; and whether, in the interests of economy, he will now wind up this organisation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take the opportunity offered by the resignation of Sir Dennis Robertson to wind up the Council on Personal Incomes, Prices and Productivity.

Up to 31st December, 1958, the total cost was £11,692. The Government are not contemplating the winding up of the Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement regarding the reasons for delay in signing the Anglo-Egyptian financial agreement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many communications he has received from local authorities, urban district councils, and rural district councils, drawing his attention to the high rate of tax on fuel oil used in omnibuses.

About 150.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the importance of automation to industry, what Treasury grants are available, administratively, to promote research into the development of electronic techniques and equipment.

The Government recognise the importance of this subject. It covers many different scientific activities, towards the cost of which the Exchequer contributes in various ways through the National Research Development Corporation, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Ministry of Supply, the Atomic Energy Authority, and the Admiralty. The work supported by Government funds is being done partly in the Government's own research establishments and partly elsewhere, for instance in industry, the universities, and the industrial research associations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent under his regulations tax relief is allowed to business firms in respect of expenditure on industrial, market or consumer research and what steps are taken to ensure that any such research for which relief is allowed is made for commercial rather than political ends.

In general the expenditure to which the hon. Lady refers is deductible in computing trading profits if it was incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the taxpayer's trade and was not of a capital nature; but there are special provisions in Part XI of the Income Tax Act, 1952, for relief in respect of expenditure on scientific research related to a trade.As regards the last part of the Question, the Inland Revenue authorities make such inquiries about the character of these and other forms of business expenditure as may be necessary to establish whether the taxpayer is entitled to relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of claims by the income tax authorities for payment of full tax on previous year's earning against persons who retire on retirement pension but continue to earn up to £2 10s. a week; and whether he will take steps to amend the regulations to rectify this anomaly.

I am looking into the case about which my right hon. Friend has just received a letter from the hon. Member for Oldham, West and I will write to him shortly.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many of the civil servants who would benefit if all unestablished service prior to establishment were to count in full for superannuation purposes would receive £30 or less of pensions increase per annum by reason of such improvement.

The proportion would be about two-thirds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each Scottish University, how many students who started on degree courses in each of the last five sessions, respectively, did not continue their courses after the first year; and what proportion this was of the total in each case.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will add to the information given to the House before Budget day by issuing a White Paper showing all the changes in taxation that have taken place since 1951.

I share my hon. Friend's view that this information would be illuminating. But it is already available in existing publications and I do not think that there is a sufficiently strong case for issuing a new official publication for this purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will call the attention of tax collectors to the undesirability of collecting large arrears of tax by levying weekly instalments upon wage earners on the emergency code.

The emergency code is not used for the purpose of collecting arrears of tax.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Turkish-Cypriot municipal elections will be held in Cyprus.

I have nothing to add to the reply by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. L. Jeger) on 16th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the present situation in Cyprus.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson) on 20th January and his statement on 30th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the board of inquiry appointed by the Kenya Government to investigate conditions in the dock industry at Mombasa has yet made its report; and if he will place a copy in the Library when it is published.

No. The Board, which will be composed of Sir Ian Parkin and two members from Kenya, will begin work in March. I will place a copy of any published report in the Library of the House as soon as it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in what circumstances Captain Ernest Law, a former chief officer of the Kenya Prison Department, was detained in Kamiti Prison, Nairobi, Kenya, in the convicts' compound from January to June, 1958, without trial; and what compensation the Kenya Government propose to pay Captain Law for his detention.

Captain Law was detained at Kamiti Prison, which accommodates vagrants as well as convicted prisoners, by authority of a Magistrate's Orders made under Section 10 of the Vagrancy Ordinance on the 18th January and 17th April, 1958. He was repatriated to this country on the 16th June, 1958.Whether or not Captain Law could have any claim for compensation on the grounds of his detention is a matter for his legal advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the recent disturbances in Nyasaland.

I am circulating Press statements published by the Government of Nyasaland about these disturbances.The following is a brief account of the disturbances. There was a disturbance at Zomba on the 20th January when a crowd of Africans demonstrated outside the police station. They refused to disperse, stones were thrown, police and civilians were injured and tear gas had to be used. On 25th January stones were thrown and an Asian was assaulted and 35 Africans were arrested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to make a statement on the constitutional position in Nyasaland.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 20th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what conclusions were reached in the discussions with the Governors of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanganyika regarding constitutional reforms in those territories, and in particular on the proposal that a round-table conference representing the elected racial groups should be held in Kenya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in order to remove existing uncertainty in the Colony, if he will state that no alterations will be made to the constitution of Kenya except within the framework of the existing constitution.

The present constitution has been in operation for only ten months and my right hon. Friend cannot entertain proposals which would alter in any significant ways its fundamental features. It is, however, sufficiently flexible to enable it to be reviewed constructively from time to time. But my right hon. Friend considers that preliminary consultations must be held between all concerned before there is any question of a round-table conference. The Governor has already taken the initiative by inviting the African Members to have discussions with him. If this leads to discussions between all concerned and these give grounds for thinking that a conference would be useful, then it would not be ruled out.On the first part of this Question, my right hon. Friend's discussions with the Governors were confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what measures to restore law and order in the Kono district were brought before the Sierra Leone Legislature on 29th January; and what increased penalties are to be imposed upon the armed gangs now attacking the police and overwhelming security posts in the diamond diggings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what new proposals have been made by the Sierra Leone Government to prevent the law in Sierra Leone being brought into contempt by illicit diamond miners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what special action has been taken by the Sierra Leone Government, since 29th January, to stop illicit diamond mining; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what special measures have been taken, since 29th January, with regard to illicit diamond mining in Sierra Leone: and if he will make a statement.

The principal measures passed by the Sierra Leone House of Representatives on the 29th of January were as under:

(a) Under the Alluvial Diamond Mining (Amendment) Ordinance a minimum penalty of not less than 12 months' imprisonment will be imposed on any person convicted of being in unlawful possession of, or illegally prospecting for, diamonds or for mining, dealing or exporting diamonds. The Court will have discretion to impose a lighter sentence where special reasons can be shown. These reasons would be put in writing and the Crown can appeal against the reduced sentence.

(b) Under the Diamond Industry Protection (Amendment) Ordinance the class of persons required to have a permit before he can enter or stay in a diamond protected area has been extended to cover British subjects, aliens or foreigners without discrimination, and a minimum penalty of not less than 12 months' imprisonment will be imposed on persons contravening rules made under Section 3 of the Ordinance. Rules are being made under the Diamond Industry Protection Ordinance

(a) to enable the Governor in Council to remove and exclude from the Kono area any person whom they deem it expedient to remove in the interests of peace, order or good government and also any person who has been convicted of contravening the Kono Chiefdom (Restriction of the strangers) Ordinance governing the issue of residential permits.

(b) to provide for the establishment of an independent committee under the chairmanship of a Judge to make recommendations to Executive Council regarding any objections made against an Order made under this section;

(c) to impose a minimum penalty of six months' imprisonment for the punishment of persons found in possession of mining implements without a permit.

Extensive police operations continue in the diamond areas, recently with notable results, and urgent consideration is being given to strengthening the courts and to various other remedial measures with the object of controlling the movements of strangers, eradicating illicit diamond mining and encouraging local development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the figures for financial surpluses and balances for the Moshi Native Coffee Board, the Songea Native Tobacco Board, the Bukoba Native Coffee Board, the Arusha Native Coffee Board and the Cotton Lint and Seed Marketing Board in Tanganyika at the close of the 1955–56 financial year; and how these surpluses and balances have been disposed of in the case of those Boards whose functions have been drastically reduced or totally abrogated;(2) the figures for surpluses and balances at the close of the 1957–58 financial year in the cases of the Arusha Native Coffee Board and the Cotton Lint and Seed Marketing Board in Tanganyika.

I am consulting the Governor of Tanganyika on these matters, and will circulate the information required in the Official Report when I receive his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made during the past ten years towards the organisation of co-operative societies for the catching, handling, and storing of fish on Lakes Albert and Edward, Uganda.

I regret attempts by Uganda Government officers to foster marketing co-operatives among the highly individualistic fishermen in these areas have met with no success.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made regarding the inquiry considering the composition of milk sold off farms in the United Kingdom.

I cannot at present add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) on 18th December, 1958.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the details of the fall in market prices and variations in the quantities of cereals which have made necessary the provision of an additional £8,600,000 to implement the price guarantees on cereals.

The following is the information:CEREAL DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS (ENGLAND AND WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the experiments being conducted in Germany for the purpose of making the punishment fit the crime by changing the penalty from the uniformity of penalties inflicted on British prisoners to a penalty bearing a direct relation to the particular kind of offence of which the particular prisoner was convicted; and if he will consider similar experiments on British prisoners.

The hon. and learned Member may have in mind the German Federal Republic statute passed some years ago under which, as a means of correction, the court may give a young offender certain directions, for example, as to where he shall live, or as to training or work that he shall undertake. Courts in this country have long had wide powers to include in probation orders such requirements as they think desirable, but it has generally been recognised here that it is best to frame the requirements broadly and to leave the details of the probationer's behaviour and the use of his time to the probation officer's advice and assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the great increase in crime, he will take steps to encourage the recruitment of special constables.

The recruitment of special constables is primarily a matter for the individual force; but my right hon. Friend has had recruiting films made which have been shown on television, and which are available for showing in cinemas under local arrangements. Posters and leaflets are also produced centrally.My right hon. Friend has on several occasions made it clear that he attaches great value to the work of the Special Constabulary; but my hon. Friend will recognise that the task of dealing with the increase in crime must fall mainly on the regular police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now state when he proposes to introduce legislation to provide for the deportation of immigrants from the Commonwealth and Colonies convicted of serious crimes.

My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make any statement in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were killed as the result of motor accidents, or died within one hour, during 1957–58; in how many of these an investigation was made to determine the percentage of alcohol in the body fluids; and with what result.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation announced last week, the number of people who died as a result of motor accidents in 1957 was 5,550, and in 1958, 5,970. This includes all persons who died within 30 days of the accident. As regards the second and third parts of the hon. Member's Question, I regret that the information he seeks is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will have a special watch kept by the police on the roads of the Abbey Estate, Wembley, for a short period in order to prevent traffic travelling along them at high speed, and to see what further measures are needed to make them safer for children to cross.

In reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 20th November last my right hon. Friend said that the Commissioner of Police had informed him that the police would continue to do all they could to ensure compliance with the speed limits in this area. It is for the Commissioner to decide how this should be done and it would not be right for my right hon. Friend to seek to intervene in an operational matter of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the average case loads, respectively, of men and women probation officers in London whose case loads are not reduced because they are in part-time employment or who, for some other reason, do not carry full case loads.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 4th February to an identical Question by the hon. Member for Islington, South-West (Mr. A. Evans).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applicants for training as probation officers have been accepted each year since 1954; and what percentage in each of these years of those who were accepted for training was rejected as unsuitable before the completion of the course of training.

The following table gives the information available.

(1)		(2)	(3)
Year		Applicants accepted as a percentage of applications received	Percentage of successful applicants rejected to date before completing training
1954	…	10	6
1955	…	6	5
1956	…	13	5
1957	…	17	6
1958	…	19	1

NOTES:(1) The only information readily available is of the number in each year of (

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average case load among men probation officers, excluding part-time appointments, as well as those of senior and other officers who, because of other duties, do not carry full case loads in England and Wales; on the basis of 60 cases per officer, as suggested by the departmental committee of 1936, how many additional officers are required and what percentage shortage is disclosed; and, in calculating case loads, what allowance is made for the differences in the demands of rural and urban areas.

My right hon. Friend does not have complete statistics for a later date than 31st December, 1957, but he is informed that a recent inquiry by the Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service showed that on 1st August, 1958, 720 whole-time men probation officers, serving 105 out of 115 probation areas, had an average case-load of 66; 72 more officers would have been needed to reduce the average to 60: a shortage of 9·1 per cent.The Departmental Committee did not make precise recommendations as to caseloads. In recent years the Home Office has advised probation committees that the desirable case load for men is between 50 and 60 according to the nature and circumstances of the area.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, in view of the increased raising of cattle in Bechuanaland and its export to this country, what recent consultations have taken place with a view to the encouragement and continued extension of this trade to the benefit of both Bechuanaland and the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty's Government welcome all Commonwealth contributions to our meat supplies. Consultations have taken place between the exporters of the beef processed by the Colonial Development Corporation in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and importers in this country, and shipments amounting to about 1,000 tons either have reached or shortly will reach this country.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations the present value of the investments pro- ducing revenue to meet the pensions of widows and orphans of civil servants employed by the erstwhile Gold Coast Government; whether these investments are held by trustees, and by whom; what the revenue is from the investments; and how much, with pension increases, was expended in the last year for which figures are available.

The management of these investments and the payment of the pensions are matters within the field of responsibility of the Government of Ghana. So far as I am aware, the information for which my hon. Friend asks has not been published.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will state, in table form, how the pension increases of civil servants employed by the erstwhile Government of the Gold Coast under the Gold Coast Ordinance No. 9, 1954, compare with the pension increases given by the Government of the United Kingdom under the United Kingdom Pensions Increase Act, 1956.

I regret that it is not possible to produce a comparative table of the kind desired. The United Kingdom Act has varying results according to the date of retirement of the pensioner; the Gold Coast Ordinance has not, provided only that the pensioner retired before the date specified therein. It is, however, possible to give the following summary of the main provisions of the legislation to which the Question refers.The United Kingdom Act, in general, provides that pensions to which the Act applies may be increased by 10 per cent. subject to a total increase not exceeding £100. With certain exceptions, which affect dependants and persons suffering from ill health, pensions increases under the Act are not admissible until the pensioner attains the age of 60 years. The Act also amends previous pensions increase legislation by removing certain limitations on the grant of increases contained in such legislation.The Gold Coast Act provides increases for officers to whom the Act applies

(qualifications including retirement prior to the 1st April, 1952

asked the Minister of Education the numbers of graduate, graduate equivalents and non-graduate lecturers in the teachers' training colleges of England and Wales, respectively, at the latest convenient date.

On 31st March, 1957, 1,210 graduates and 1,036 non-graduates were employed in grant-aided training colleges in England, and 100 graduates and 58 non-graduates in such colleges in Wales. No record is kept of staff who would be regarded as graduates for salary purposes, since the Report governing the salaries of training college staff does not provide for a salary addition for them or for graduates.

asked the Minister of Education what are his plans for expanding teachers' training colleges.

I am at present engaged upon an expansion programme which will add 12,000 places to the colleges by September, 1962, an increase of rather more than 50 per cent.

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes with over 40 pupils in the primary schools and with over 30 pupils in the secondary schools of Wales at the latest convenient date.

In January, 1958 there were 667 junior classes with more than 40 pupils and 2,545 senior classes with more than 30 pupils in maintained schools in Wales.

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for Honiton, if he will reconsider his decision to approve the proposal to close the Smeatharpe, Viscountess Sidmouth, Church of England Primary School, in the County of Devon.

No. My reasons for approving the local education authority's proposal have been explained in a letter to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Education the present shortage of teachers in the County of Essex; the prospects for the next five years; and to what extent teachers have agreed to being transferred to seriously short-staffed schools.

Last month the authority was 353 teachers short of its quota of 10,650. There should be considerable improvement in the next five years, since the general increase in teachers will much more than match the increase in the school roll. I cannot answer the last part of the Question, but I understand that the local education authority has had considerable success in securing a greater evenness in the supply of teachers in the different parts of its area.

asked the Minister of Education the approximate cost of providing primary and secondary school places in 1950; the estimated cost in the latest comparable period for which figures are available; and how much he estimates the reduction in the cost per place has saved the tax-payer and the rate-payer since October, 1951, with and without taking into account the general rise in building costs.

The information is as follows:

	Primary	Secondary
	£	£
Average nett cost of places in new schools approved in 1950	158	276
Average nett cost of places in new schools approved in the first six months of 1958	146	255

These reductions in cost per place yielded approximately the following savings from October, 1951 to September, 1958:—

	£ million
(1) without taking into account the general rise in building costs	37
(2) taking into account the general rise in building costs	175

NOTES:(

asked the Minister of Education the number of girls who left all types of schools in England and Wales during each of the years between 1938 and 1958 at the ages of 15, 16, 17 and 18 years.

The following table gives the available information. No information is available for schools other

GIRLS LEAVING GRANT-AIDED SCHOOLS
			Age at leaving
Year ended 31st July			14*	15*	16	17	18	19+
1938†	…	…	223,698	17,596	18,750‡	6,558	4,695	401
1947§	…	…	115,113	17,564	23,346	9,417	6,057	798
1948§	…	…	—	96,481	26,085	10,009	7,848	815
1949	…	…	—	186,483	26,878	9,758	8,649	1,020
1950	…	…	—	191,024	28,628	9,438	8,076	1,007
1951	…	…	—	190,703	29,948	9,115	7,904	828
1952	…	…	—	191,551	29,889	9,442	7,834	822
1953	…	…	—	193,961	30,273	10,484	8,004	826
1954	…	…	—	192,225	31,485	10,644	9,711	869
1955	…	…	—	184,179	32,686	10,890	10,709	1,071
1956	…	…	—	172,113	32,281	11,209	11,573	1,042
1957	…	…	—	187,603	33,318	11,423	12,120	1,336
* Including some younger children whose birthdays fell in the school holidays.
† Year ending 31st March, 1938 for public elementary schools, 31st July, 1938 for other schools
‡ Including a few pupils over 16 from public elementary schools.
§ The minimum leaving age was raised to 15 on 1st April, 1947.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the recent pronouncement by his Department that only in certain circumstances would further Industrial Development certificates be granted in Derby and Nottingham and that such a decision adversely affects the employment prospects of persons seeking employment from the adjacent towns of Ilkeston, Heanor and Ripley, he will now consider bringing the latter three towns within the provisions of the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, 1958, having regard to the existing state of unemployment in this area and the immediate prospect of a large number of mineworkers becoming redundant, the facts of which are known to his Department.

The criterion for adding to the list of places which qualify for financial assistance under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act is high and persistent unemployment. I am glad to say that the rates of unemployment in the Ilkeston, Heanor and Alfreton (including Ripley) areas do not place them in this category. I understand that there is no prospect in the near future of a large number of local mineworkers becoming redundant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why licences were granted to the British Transport Commission for the import of seventeen tampers required in connection with the railways electrical programme; and what steps were taken, before granting the licences, to ensure that similar articles were not obtainable from home sources.

There are no import restrictions on railway tampers and licences are not required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the export of lithium carbonate is banned to Hungary and at the same time permitted to Poland; and what military and other disadvantage it is estimated will accrue to Hungary as a result of the embargo.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answer which I gave last week to the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the rapid diminution in exports of textile machinery and of home purchases is causing redundancy and unemployment at a time when re-equipment is necessary; and whether he will introduce a scheme for the leasing of textile machinery backed by Government finance.

Yes. Deliveries of textile machinery are affected by the world situation of the textile industry which has recently been under-employed in very many countries. As regards the re-equipment of the cotton industry, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr. Thornton) on 3rd February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the recently published figures of the Cotton Board show a further considerable diminution in output, both of yarn and of cloth; and whether he is now prepared to make a statement of policy for stemming this decline.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes". As regards the second part I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr. Thornton) on 3rd February.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that the newest techniques for building major highways in the United States of America are made available to those responsible for building motorways in this country.

The latest methods of design and construction used in the U.S.A. and other countries are closely studied, their technical literature is available, and members of the engineering staff of my Department have made a number of visits abroad to gain knowledge at first hand. This information is also available to the local authority engineers.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many pedestrians have been killed or injured on the pedestrian crossing in Harrow Road, Wembley, near its junction with Monks Park, in each of the last five years.

No pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured on this crossing in the last five years. The following are the numbers of pedestrians who have sustained slight injuries on the crossing during each of the years 1954–58: 2, 1, 4, 1 and 1.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what plans he has for the completion of a by-pass around Cardiff.

The Order under the Trunk Roads Acts for the Cardiff Inner By-pass was made in July last year and I am now considering with the Cardiff County Borough Council the arrangements for it to act as my agent authority for the scheme. When these discussions are concluded I shall authorise the Council to start preparatory work on the scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the discussions between his Department and the British Chamber of Shipping on the subject of shipping.

My Department has had discussions with the United Kingdom Chamber of Shipping on a wide variety of subjects covering the full range of my responsibilities for British shipping.If the hon. Member has any particular point in mind, I will do my best to answer it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what undertakings he has received from the Shipping Federation on behalf of its members, from all the English protecting and indemnity associations, Lloyd's Underwriters, the member companies of the Institute of London Underwriters, and the Liverpool Underwriters Association, with regard to actions brought in the courts of the United Kingdom, in respect of loss of life or personal injury, in matters which fall to be determined under the Rhine Navigation Convention; and if he will state the terms of the respective undertakings.

I have received on behalf of the Shipping Federation, the English Protecting and Indemnity Associations, Lloyd's Underwriters, the member Companies of the Institute of London Underwriters and the Liverpool Underwriters Association an assurance that, in the case of a claim for death or personal injury, they would not seek the Secretary of State's certificate under Section 6 of the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, to have a claim or question determined under the provisions of the Rhine Navigation Convention, 1868, if the plaintiff was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and the ship in respect of which the claim arose was a British ship entered in or, as the case may be, insured with them.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will take steps to clarify the law which constitutes British Railways as common carriers in view of the uncertainty that at present exists in this respect.

I am not clear what uncertainty the hon. Member has in mind. I am advised that, in relation to passengers and certain classes of goods, the railways are common carriers at common law, in the same way as other carriers, to the extent that they hold themselves out to all who desire to employ their services, as willing to carry for reward those passengers and goods. If the hon. Member has in mind the statutory obligations placed upon the railways by Section 2 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854, the provision under this Section prohibiting undue preference has been repealed, but the obligation to afford "reasonable facilities" still remains. The British Transport Commission has asked me to consider whether this provision might not also he repealed.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider issuing postage stamps of a variety of designs, as is the practice of foreign countries, in place of the stamps now issued.

No. I am sure our policy of having a permanent series of stamps with the Monarch's head as the dominant feature of the design, supplemented from time to time with appropriately designed special issues, meets with general approval and I do not propose to change it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving, for the first week in October, 1951, and October, 1958, respectively, the total number of registered unemployed, the total number on short time, the total number of unfilled vacancies and any other information which will show the improvement or deterioration in the employment situation at the two stated dates.

The following table gives the information desired:is yet in a position to state what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Committee on Diligence, and, in particular, on the recommendation concerning the limitation on arrestment of wages.

Not yet. The Committee made a large number of recommendations, and that on arrestment of wages is being considered with the others.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will confer with the Secretary of State for the Home Department upon the comparative effectiveness of present methods of punishment in Her Majesty's prisons in different parts of the United Kingdom, with a view to changing from the uniformity of penalties now inflicted in Scottish prisons to a penalty bearing a direct relation to the particular kind of offence of which the particular prisoner was convicted; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

The Scottish courts already have a wide range of methods of disposal available to them, from which they may choose in each case the one which they consider best fitted to the particular offence and offender. Those offenders who are sentenced to imprison- ment are allocated to prisons, and halls within these prisons, in accordance with a classification scheme. The scheme is flexible enough to enable the best interests of each individual prisoner to be taken into account, although at present its operation is hampered by pressure of numbers. All these matters will be within the purview of the Scottish Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders which I am now appointing.