asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that the present regulations relating to seasonal workers operate harshly in requiring them to continue to pay contributions during the off-season when they are unavoidably idle and without incomes; if he will take steps to amend the regulations so as to ameliorate their condition; and if he will make a statement clarifying the position, obligations and benefits of such persons.

The main Regulations dealing with the contributions and benefits of seasonal workers were made in 1950 on the advice of the National Insurance Advisory Committee. The Committee's view, with which my right hon. Friend agrees, was that seasonal workers cannot be regarded for National Insurance purposes as unemployed during their off-season unless additional conditions were satisfied. As regards the last part of the Question I do not think such a statement is possible within the tolerable limits of a Parliamentary Answer, but I am sending the hon. and learned Member an explanatory leaflet.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) the total of grants for supplementary pensions in the constituency of Gorton, according to the latest figures available; and what was the amount at the latest date before the coming into operation of the Rent Act;(2) how many old-age pensioners in the constituency of Gorton are in receipt of supplementary grants from the National Assistance Board according to the latest available figures; and what were the numbers receiving such grants at the latest date before the coming into operation of the Rent Act.

The National Assistance Board regrets that it is unable to give figures for the constituency of Gorton, or for an area approximating to it, as the constituency is served by no fewer than four offices which also between them serve a much larger area outside the constituency.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many old-age pensioners in the Paddington area are in receipt of supplementary grants from the National Assistance Board; and by how much the money total of these grants has increased since the coming into operation of the Rent Act.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the borough of Paddington is served by two of the Board's offices, one of which serves also the Borough of St. Marylebone. In the office covering about three quarters of the Borough of Paddington 1,966 retirement pensioners and 204 noncontributory old-age pensioners were receiving weekly National Assistance grants on 16th December last. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner. Information about the cost of Assistance is not available for particular localities.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give the number of persons in receipt of National Assistance, and the total amounts received, in the week preceding the introduction of the Rent Act, and at the latest convenient stated date.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the number of weekly National Assistance grants on 25th June, 1957, the nearest date for which figures are available before the Rent Act came into force, was 1,668,000 and that on 16th December last it was 1,649,000. Information about total expenditure on National Assistance is not available for weekly periods.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, in the light of the new proposals for the treatment of the mentally disordered, he will ask the National Insurance Advisory Committee to review the position under the National Insurance Scheme of those patients who are detained as a result of court proceedings.

Yes. I have asked the National Insurance Advisory Committee to review the provisions of the Scheme as they affect long-term hospital patients generally, including those referred to by my hon. Friend. The following are the terms of reference:

"To review the provisions governing the liability for contributions and rights to benefit under the National Insurance Scheme (not including rates of benefit or contributions) of long-term hospital patients, including mentally disordered patients 'detained in legal custody', and patients doing work for which they receive payment; and to report."

asked the Paymaster-General if he will conduct an inquiry into the methods used to fix the selling price of coal and steel, with a view to ensuring by general direction or otherwise that the same social and economic considerations apply in both industries.

No.

asked the Paymaster-General whether before making any payment from the £50 millions which he has undertaken to lend to Colvilles Limited, a company in which the Iron and Steel Realisation Agency holds a substanial interest, he will ascertain whether the firm has made a subscription towards the survey of public opinion concerning national ownership of industry now being conducted by the British Market Research Bureau.

No.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will now state the number of claims received for compensation for damage done by mining subsidence under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act, 1957, the number of claims admitted, the number of claims rejected, and the total amount paid out up to and including 31st December, 1958, since July, 1957, when the Act became operative.

The National Coal Board is responsible for dealing with claims under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act, 1957, and I am asking the chairman of the Board to writ to the hon. Member.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board to adopt a national policy of clearing up the site on the abandonment of any colliery undertaking.

No; a general direction is unnecessary. The National Coal Board is already under a statutory obligation to fence or plug abandoned colliery shafts and it fully accepts the need to take every reasonable step to clear up the sites.

asked the Minister of Supply when, and how, he proposes to dispose of the 1¼ million pairs of surplus boots from the War Department.

In view of the possible damage to the manufacturing industry, I do not intend for the time being to make any sales on the home market, but I shall invite offers for export only.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will in any new lease of a nationally-owned factory insist on a clause making provision for the maintenance during the occupation of the factory of a reasonable level of employment.

No. Such a clause would be impracticable and of dubious legal value. It might deter potential lessees and so defeat its object.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the estimated cost of providing free drugs and dressings for all private patients.

Any estimate of cost would necessarily be speculative and probably imprecise, as the number of private patients is not known.

asked the Minister of Health the standard number of patients for a local practitioner in the Durham Executive Council area; and how such figure compares with the rest of the country.

The average number of patients on lists of principals whose main area of practice is within the administrative County of Durham is 2,625. The latest available average figure for England and Wales is 2,282 at 1st January, 1958.

asked the Minister of Health how many practices in the Durham Executive Council area are one-man practices; how many two-men practices are being worked by one local practitioner; and what is the shortage of local practitioners for the area.

Sixty-nine. There is no instance of one doctor working a two-doctor practice. Sixteen districts in the Durham Executive Council area have been designated by the Medical Practices Committee as needing further doctors. About seventeen further doctors in total would be required for the Medical Practices Committee to alter its classification in all these cases.

asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to announce a change in the arrangements whereby a State Registered nurse reverts to a student nurse's salary while taking her midwifery course.

asked the Minister of Health if he has given further consideration to the anomaly caused by the rule under which a State-registered nurse reverts to the salary of a student nurse while taking a course in midwifery; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes, Sir. I understand that the Whitley Council has now agreed that registered nurses and enrolled assistant nurses undertaking midwifery training should receive allowances appropriate to post-registration students.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the rents for official houses have been taken into account in negotiations relating to the salary scales of prison officers at State institutions.

The general cost of living is, of course, one of the factors taken into account in salary negotiations, but there is no direct relationship between the rents payable for houses and the salaries received by the nursing staff at the State institutions. The salary scales now in force are those currently in operation in National Health Service mental hospitals plus £110 per annum.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to negotiate reciprocal agreements with the Commonwealth countries by which visitors from Great Britain to these countries who fall ill may get free medical attention.

The New Zealand authorities have been asked to consider the possibility of an agreement which would provide medical services for visitors. Certain other possibilities are explored from time to time but agreements of this kind are limited by the extent of the medical services provided by other countries for their own nationals.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the Report of the Royal Commission on Doctors' Pay.

I have nothing to add to the forecast I gave the hon. Member on 10th November.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of his Department's policy in requiring the purchase of drugs under competitive tender, if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the fact that until June, 1958, prices tendered for cortiosteroids and prednisteroids by leading manufacturers were all exactly the same.

No. The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The original tenders obtained in 1955 showed some price differences, and the subsequent downward movement of prices to uniform levels was, in my view, the result of competition.

asked the Minister of Health when he intends to issue a circular to local authorities indicating the ways in which their mental health services can be further developed; and if he will arrange for it to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT or otherwise made conveniently available to Members of Parliament.

I am consulting the Local Authority Associations on the terms of this Circular and cannot yet give a precise date for its issue. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Health if it is with his approval that the secretaries of certain mental hospitals are now designated secretaries superintendent; and if he will make a statement.

I have recently become aware of the use of this title, but it is not in any way subject to my approval.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the hours of duty required of nursing staff in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary and in Llandough Hospital, Cardiff; and whether the Welsh Board of Health will now conduct a survey of the establishment at both these hospitals with a view to making recommendations as to how the hours of nursing duty may be reduced to the level recommended in his recent Circular H.M. (58) 45.

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend has received through the Welsh Board of Health a request from the Governors for a survey and has decided to accede to it.

asked the Minister of Health what discussions he has had with local representatives in connection with proposals for the Royal Free Hospital, the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, and Charing Cross Hospital.

My officers have discussed all these proposals with the Regional Hospital Boards and Boards of Governors concerned. In the case of Charing Cross Hospital, I have myself met representatives of the Mayor of Fulham's Committee, and my officers have also met representatives of the Fulham and Kensington Hospital Management Committee and of local general practitioners. Further discussions will be taking place in due course.

asked the Minister of Health whether conversations have yet taken place with the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board over their complaints at the long waiting lists for hospital treatment.

If my hon. Friend has in mind the talks referred to in my reply of 20th January, these have not yet taken place. With regard to waiting lists for in-patient treatment, I would refer her to the reply given to the hon. Member for Durham on 26th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to issue the White Paper on the expansion of British Overseas Information Services.

I hope to inform the House shortly of the details of the intensification of British oversea information services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give further details concerning the estimates of the agricultural subsidies for the United Kingdom to amplify the information contained in the Supplementary Estimates dated 30th January, 1959, with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Following are particulars of the latest estimates of the cost of agricultural support in the financial year 1958–59 for which provisions have been made in the Civil Estimates, Class VIII, Votes 2 and 11, with the latest comparable figures for the financial year 1957–58:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now considering the views of horticulturists with regard to the grants which he proposed to make to them; and, in the light of these representations, what changes he proposes to make.

Discussions with the National Farmers' Unions began last week and further meetings have been arranged. My right hon. Friend will make an announcement when these discussions have been concluded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will advise some treatment that will give the same results as spraying or dipping of sheep, but which would be less difficult to handle and less expensive.

Sheep scab was eliminated from Great Britain by the organised use of sheep dips and no outbreak of the disease has occurred in this country since 1952. I do not know of any other treatment that is easier and cheaper but equally effective.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the harm done by coypu to agricultural crops in many of the eastern counties; and what he proposes to do about it.

I am aware that there has been some damage by coypu to crops adjoining waterways and marshy areas in Norfolk and Suffolk. My officers have designed a cage-trap, which is successfully catching these animals and are advising farmers on control measures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the matters on which he is consulting the cattle breed societies, and other interests, in connection with the suggested import of Charollais bulls for experimental purposes.

The National Cattle Breeders' Association and the other interests concerned have been informed that, should the Secretary of State for Scotland and I eventually decide to permit an importation with the object of testing the suitability of the Charollais for crossing with dairy cattle for beef production, it would be our intention that the importation and the tests should be conducted by my Ministry. The disease situation in France is now such that unless it worsens, the risk of introducing disease could be rendered negligible by importing calves instead of adult bulls from areas free from foot and mouth disease. The arrangements we are prepared to consider are therefore that a limited number of Charollais bull calves would be imported in a single consignment with strict veterinary precautions and after quarantine in this country would be reared by the Ministry in suitable premises. When mature the bulls would be used to inseminate dairy cows in selected herds and a sample of the calves would be reared on the experimental husbandry farms or other centres under direct control of my Ministry. The performance of the Charollais crosses would be compared with crosses using bulls from British breeds bred and reared under similar conditions.The organisations concerned are being asked for their views on the matter in the light of the above suggestions.

asked the Minister of Education what will be the cost of the new Roman Catholic infants' school being built on the Red House Estate, Sunderland.

The project was approved at a cost on tender of £42,550.

asked the Minister of Education what denominational schools are included in the five-year programme for school building in Sunderland; and what will be their estimated cost.

The recent White Paper announced that major building programmes for the two years 1960–61 and 1961–62 would be settled quickly. The Sunderland local education authority

Year		School		Cost estimated by the authority
				£
1960–61	…	Townend Church of England Primary School	…	78,630
		Southwick Roman Catholic Secondary Modern Boys' School	…	109,180
1961–62	…	South Area Roman Catholic Secondary Modern Mixed School	…	101,080
		Southwick Roman Catholic Secondary Modern Girls' School	…	109,180
1962–63	…	West Area Roman Catholic Secondary Modern Boys' School	…	109,180
1963–64	…	West Area Roman Catholic Secondary Modern Girls' School	…	109,180
		St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Infant School	…	50,776
		St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Junior School	…	57,840
1964–65	…	St. Hilda's Roman Catholic Infant School	…	25,388
		St. Hilda's Roman Catholic Junior School	…	35,317
		St. Benet's Roman Catholic Infant School	…	45,312
		St. Benet's Roman Catholic Junior School	…	55,840
		St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School	…	78,630
		TOTAL	…	£965,533

asked the Minister of Education the estimated cost of the new Roman Catholic junior school to be built on the Red House Estate, Sunderland.

£54,608, including £400 for further education purposes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether the Drew Report to the Medical Research Council concerning the influence of alcohol on skill in motor driving, which was published in the British Medical Journal of 25th October, 1958, has yet been considered by his Department with a view to further action; and what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to carry out their undertaking in this matter given during the proceedings on the Road Traffic Bill, 1955.

The undertaking to which the hon. Member refers in the second part of his Question was that there would be no unnecessary delay in making the results of Professor Drew's experiments available. This undertaking has been fulfilled. A paper summarising Professor Drew's experiment was published in the British Medical Journal on 25th October, 1958, and I understand that the Medical Research Council intends to

asked the Minister of Defence the amount of the total expenditure on defence since October, 1951.

The total net expenditure on defence since April, 1951, is about £11,150 million. It is not possible to attribute expenditure in 1951–52 before and after October. The total includes the provisional out-turn for 1957–58 and the revised Estimates figure for 1958–59, which takes account of a contribution of £12 million from the Federal German Government towards the local costs of British forces in Germany.

asked the Minister of Defence when the Defence White Paper, 1959, will be presented to Parliament.

On Tuesday, 10th February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to make a further statement to the House on the results of the visit of the President of the World Bank to Colonel Nasser to negotiate in regard to British interests in Egypt.

Not yet.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the fact that books and a large range of other cultural media are not subjected to Purchase Tax, he will review the present position under which gramophone records are subjected to Purchase Tax at 60 per cent.; and whether he will give an estimate of the indirect loss to the Exchequer caused by the fact that records subject to this rate of tax have to be purchased in large quantities by the British Broadcasting Corporation, educational committees, municipal libraries, and other organisations dependent on Government financial support.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Barry (Mr. Gower) on 9th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would now be the equivalent current exemption level for Purchase Tax to allow for change in the value of money in respect of the figure of £500 exemption limit, introduced 3rd November, 1941, and continued at that level until this date.

The present equivalent of £500 in 1941 is £1,000 but, as my right hon. Friend has already indicated, he cannot accept the view that this would justify a corresponding increase in the level of the Purchase Tax exemption.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) what percentage of all existing preference shares in all companies of the British iron and steel industry is held by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency;

All present Government holdings in the steel industry are in the hands of the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency. The Agency's present holdings of debentures, loan stock and preference shares in the companies originally vested in it under the Iron and Steel Act, 1953, are:

(i) £99 million of Debenture Stock carrying interest on average at a rate of 5¼ per cent.;

(ii) £28 million of Unsecured Loans;

(iii) £34 million of Preference Shares.

Precise and up to date information is not available about the total now outstanding in these companies, in which the bulk of the equity is now in private hands, but it is estimated that the Agency's holdings amount to 75 per cent. of the total outstanding in category (i), 100 per cent. of category (ii) and 77 per cent. of category (iii).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for compensation under the provisions of Section 14 (4) of the Iron and Steel Act, 1949, were received by the Corporation appointed under that Act; in how many instances compensation was paid; and what was the total amount of such compensation.

One claim was received: compensation of £2¼ million was paid by the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain in June, 1953, to the Finance Corporation for Industry, Ltd., for cancellation of option rights.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to increase the recurrent grants to universities for the quinquennium 1957–62 which were announced by his predecessor on 14th March, 1957.

The University Grants Committee has recommended to me that the recurrent grants to universities for the last three years of the quinquennium should be increased on two grounds—unexpected increases in student numbers and increases in costs. At the time of the quinquennial settlement the universities envisaged that by 1961–62 the number of full-time students would rise to about 102,000. Recurrent grants for the quinquennium were fixed on that basis. It is now clear that this number will be greatly exceeded. In the current academic year, the figure will exceed the estimates by at least 6,500, and I am advised that the excess is likely to be even larger by the end of the quinquennium.The universities are thus faced with a larger and more rapid expansion than was expected in addition to increased costs. They are responding to the best of their ability and their performance so far has exceeded expectations. Nevertheless, this has imposed a severe strain on them. I am satisfied that some further assistance should be given. Accordingly, I propose to ask Parliament to provide funds to enable the recurrent grants, as announced by my predecessor, for the last three years of the quinquennium to be increased by the following amounts:

				£
1959–60	…	…	…	2,550,000
1960–61	…	…	…	2,660,000
1961–62	…	…	…	2,720,000

These amounts are exclusive of the provision required to meet the cost of the improved salary scales announced by my predecessor on 12th March, 1957.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) to what extent the pamphlet, Industry on the Move, and the Parliamentary Secretary's letter of 4th January addressed to employers, were issued in conjunction or after consultation with the National Coal Board, in view of the decision to close Cannock Chase No. 3 Pit at Chase Terrace, Staffordshire;(2) what plans his Department have for absorbing surface workers and older men made redundant following the closure of Cannock Chase No. 3 Pit, Staffordshire.

I understand that, except for a small number of workers who will be retiring, or are unfit, all those who were employed at the Cannock Chase No. 3 Pit have been found jobs by the National Coal Board within the Cannock Chase area. The pamphlet and letter referred to were issued in order to make known the facilities available for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment and were not in any way connected with the closure of this pit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make inquiries as to the inability of his Department to stimulate or produce light industry at Burntwood, Staffordshire, in spite of frequent representations which were initiated in 1951 with his Department, and which have been repeated subsequently, and in view of the closure of Cannock Chase No. 3 Pit, Staffordshire.

Priority in the steering of industry must be given to places where the unemployment problem is more serious than at Burntwood but I would be glad to see suitable firms from the vicinity of Birmingham set up in the district if they were unable to move further afield.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent approaches were made to Her Majesty's Government by British business interests for the completion of a financial agreement and the commencement of normal relations with Egypt, on the grounds that British industry and businessmen were losing valuable business to the Germans, Japanese and French; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government have not been strongly pressed in this matter by business interests, who have no doubt realised that everything possible was being done to secure a satisfactory agreement. We are fully alive to the importance for our trade of restoring normal relations with Egypt.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of Government-sponsored factories that have closed in North and South Wales, respectively; how many new factories have opened; how many transfers of tenancies have take place during the same period; and the number of persons employed in these factories in 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and Up to date.

I am having the information prepared and will send it to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of square feet of factory space built in South Wales, compared with the home counties, during 1958.

Industrial building schemes, of over 5,000 square feet, notified as completed in 1958 totalled 2·6 million square feet in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area, and 8·8 million square feet in the Home Counties (that is in the Counties of London, Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Surrey and parts of the counties of Essex, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire). The total number of insured employed in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area is 698,000 (3·2 per cent. of the total insured population of Great Britain); the total in the Home Counties is 5,456,000 (25 per cent. of the total insured population).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the 23 recently authorised extensions to the Board of Trade's estates in the North East Development Area.

The number of factory extensions authorised in the North East Development Area is now twenty-five. The following are the locations:

Place		Nos. of extensions
Team Valley, Gateshead	…	8
West Hartlepool	…	3
Spennymoor	…	2
West Chirton	…	2
Shildon	…	1
South Shields	…	2
Aycliffe	…	5
Bede, Jarrow	…	2
		25

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Oldham man, whose name has been communicated to him, registered as unemployed on 12th December, 1958, was refused benefit during Christmas on the ground that he was entitled to arrears of holiday pay and has been refused benefit ever since on the ground that his papers have been lost; and whether he will investigate this matter and make a statement.

I am informed that the facts are not as reported to the hon. Member. The man whose name he has supplied was disqualified for receipt of unemployment benefit for a period of six weeks from 12th December, 1958, on the ground that he had lost his employment through industrial misconduct.

asked the Secretary of State for Air for what reason the London University Air Squadron is to be moved from Biggin Hill to White Waltham; and for what reason the Ground Office Selection Centre is to be moved from Uxbridge to Biggin Hill.

The London University Air Squadron has been moved from Biggin Hill because we cannot justify the cost in men and money of operating the airfield for this one flying unit. We are moving the Ground Officer Selection Centre to Biggin Hill as part of a plan to amalgamate it with the Aircrew Selection Centre which will move from Hornchurch later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will define the advice which he gave with

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give comparative sales figures for recent years of definitive Colonial stamps on sale over the period in question, either for the Colonies in total or for selected territories.

The total sales shown in Annual Reports for five representative territories selected at random were as follows:respect to the property qualification for the second vote in the reform of the franchise in the Bahama Islands and, in particular, with respect to the entitlement of a voter having a business stake in a constituency in which he did not reside to vote in that constituency by virtue of that qualification; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. In the statement made at the conclusion of my right hon. Friend's visit to the Bahamas last April he proposed the following changes in the franchise:

(i) the introduction of universal adult male suffrage;

(ii) the abolition of the company vote;

(iii) the abolition of the present arrangement under which one voter may have a vote in every constituency. Instead, the plural vote should be limited to two, the second vote requiring a property qualification in another constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to make the further statement on constitutional development in British Somaliland which was envisaged by the Governor in his speech of 26th November, 1958.

The Secretary of State is today making an announcement in Somaliland in the following terms:

Last November the Governor announced certain constitutional advances and after the forthcoming elections the Protectorate will have for the first time a Legislative Council which includes elected members and some of these elected members will be making themselves familiar with the work of some Departments of Government.

2. When he made his statement the Governor made it clear that further constitutional progress was being planned. In considering this matter Her Majesty's Government have thought it right to pay special regard to the fact that the neighbouring territory of Somalia is due to become independent, when the Trusteeship Agreement between the United Nations and the Italian Government comes to an end in December, 1960. In these special circumstances, Her Majesty's Government think that there is justification for proceeding with constitutional development in the Protectorate at a faster pace than they believe to be suitable or advantageous in more normal circumstances elsewhere. I can now say that it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government that by the end of 1960 there shall be an elected unofficial majority in the Legislative Council together with a Ministerial system under which a number of unofficial members of the Legislative Council will become members of the Executive Council with executive responsibilities in Government.

3. These changes will raise important issues which will need to be considered. The Governor intends shortly to appoint a Commission to make recommendations to him on a number of representative members in the next Legislative Council, the method of their selection, constituencies and similar matters. This Commission will also be asked to consider the place of the traditional tribal authorities in relation to the legislative and executive organs of Government and how these authorities may best be associated with the future working of the constitution.

4. The changes foreshadowed for 1960 will also involve a reorganisation of the Government machine and some adjustment of the present budgetry arrangements. The Governor proposes to set in train the necessary examination of these problems at once so that in due time recommendations can be made to me about any changes which should be made in the present arrangements.

5. By the end of 1960 there will thus be an unofficial majority in the Legislative Council and Somalis with executive responsibility in the Government. Thereafter, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to arrange such further constitutional steps as may be necessary to lead to early self-government.

6. Her Majesty's Government is aware of the desire expressed by many Somalis of the Protectorate that there should be a closer association between this territory and Somalia. If, therefore, when Somalia has become independent, the Legislative Council of the Protectorate formally resolves that negotiations with the Government of Somalia be instituted to determine the terms and conditions on which a closer association of the two territories might be achieved, Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom would be ready to transmit this resolution to the Government of Somalia and enquire whether that Government would be willing to enter into negotiation. If so, Her Majesty's Government would arrange for negotiations of a suitable nature to take place.

7. Whatever the eventual destiny of the Protectorate Her Majesty's Government will continue to take an interest in the welfare of its inhabitants, and will in the light of the circumstances prevailing from time to time, be prepared to give sympathetic consideration to the continuation of financial assistance within the limits of the amount of aid at present being provided to the Protectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish a statement listing, to a convenient recent date, the number of convictions and, in relation to the maximum fine permitted, the average fine for a first offence, the average fine for a subsequent offence, and the number of disqualifications imposed, since the coming into operation of the Road Traffic Act, 1956, in the convictions for neglect of regulations governing pedestrian crossings, and failing to report or stop after an accident, respectively;(2) if he will publish a statement listing, to a convenient recent date, the number of convictions, and, in relation to the maximum fine permitted, the average fine for a first offence, the average fine for a subsequent offence, and the number of disqualifications imposed, since the coming into operation of the Road Traffic Act, 1956, in the convictions far driving under the influence of drink or a drug, and being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of drink or a drug, respectively;(3) if he will publish a statement listing, to a convenient recent date, the number

Offence	Number of Convictions	Average Fine			Maximum Fine for First Offence	Maximum Fine for Subsequent Offence	Number of Disqualifications
		£	s.	d.	£	£
Neglect of Regulations governing pedestrian crossings	15,069	1	12	11	10	25	13
Failing to stop after or to report an accident	7,090	2	15	8	20	50	7
Driving under the influence of drink or drug	3,035	22	4	7	100	100	2,883
In charge of vehicle when under the influence of drink or drug	660	17	11	0	50	100	348
Exceeding speed limit in a built-up area	77,414	2	15	8	20	50	254
Exceeding speed limit for goods vehicle	34,759	2	18	1	20	50	122
Reckless or dangerous driving	4,899	14	3	10	100	100	1,994
Careless driving	38,731	5	11	2	40	80	1,718

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the number of dwellings completed in the County Borough of Bootle in the year 1958; how many such dwellings, by categories, were used for clearance purposes, general waiting lists, old-aged persons, and key workers in industry; and the comparative figures for the years 1955, 1956, and 1957.

The relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1956, came into force on 1st November, 1956, and there are no separate figures for the months of November and December of that year. The following figures, which are the latest available, relate to prosecutions in magistrates' courts in England and Wales in 1957. I regret that it is not possible to give separate figures for average fines imposed for conviction for a first offence and for subsequent offences.

Figures of the number of houses built in Bootle are given in the Appendix to the Housing Return. It is for the Council to decide what use to make of its houses, and I have no information on the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many separate dwellings were held under requisition by each of the metropolitan borough councils and by Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool Councils at the latest convenient date and on the corresponding date a year previously.

The latest information available at 31st December, 1958, and comparable figures for 31st December, 1957, are given below. The figures for 31st December, 1958, are subject to correction.

—		Numbers of dwellings requisitioned at
		31st December, 1957	31st December, 1958
Battersea	…	733	450
Bermondsey	…	61	48
Bethnal Green	…	244	169
CamberweJl	…	2,520	1,804
Chelsea	…	1,051	912
Deptford	…	786	578
Finsbury	…	378	305
Fulham	…	1,025	919
Greenwich	…	883	758
Hackney	…	2,129	1,932
Hammersmith	…	823	621
Hampstead	…	839	556
Holborn	…	589	505
Islington	…	1,081	651
Kensington	…	744	591
Lambeth	…	1,962	1,181
Lewisham	…	1,516	1,082
Paddington	…	1,495	526
Poplar	…	613	377
St. Marylebone	…	655	364
St. Pancras	…	854	625
Shoreditch	…	407	244
South wark	…	288	114
Stepney	…	1,019	703
Stoke Newington	…	644	415
Wandsworth	…	2,182	1,601
Westminster	…	870	515
Woolwich	…	365	264
Birmingham	…	861	454
Manchester	…	91	53
Liverpool	…	1,082*	831
* Estimated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) how many owners of requisitioned houses in England and Wales have been approached to give statutory tenancies to the licensees in their property; and how many have agreed to grant such tenancies, at the latest convenient date;(2) if he will state to the nearest convenient date in respect of each metropolitan borough council the number of invitations issued to owners of requisitioned houses to accept licensees as statutory tenants under Section 4 of the Requisitioned Houses and Housing (Amendment) Act, 1955, and the number of owners who have accepted invitations under that Section.

Information showing the numbers of invitations issued, or the numbers of owners approached under Section 4 of the 1955 Act is not available. I have not asked local authorities to keep a record, or make a return, for either of these purposes since 31st March, 1957.In England and Wales as a whole, the number of invitations accepted at the latest available date, 31st March, 1958, was 24,409. The metropolitan borough councils had 16,080 invitations accepted; figures for each borough are given below. I intend to ask local authorities for fresh returns at 31st March, 1959.

Battersea	…	…	1,202
Bermondsey	…	…	111
Bethnal Green	…	…	252
Camberwell	…	…	1,621
Chelsea	…	…	75
Deptford	…	…	907
Finsbury	…	…	201
Fulham	…	…	345
Greenwich	…	…	526
Hackney	…	…	846
Hammersmith	…	…	527
Hampstead	…	…	191
Holborn	…	…	237
Islington	…	…	809
Kensington	…	…	313
Lambeth	…	…	1,015
Lewisham	…	…	1,099
Paddington	…	…	402
Poplar	…	…	342
St. Marylebone	…	…	281
St. Pancras	…	…	382
Shoreditch	…	…	335
Southwark	…	…	798
Stepney	…	…	853
Stoke Newington	…	…	323
Wandsworth	…	…	1,794
Westminster	…	…	146
Woolwich	…	…	147
			16,080

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) how many houses, and how many separate dwellings, respectively, were held under requisition by local authorities in England and Wales on 1st October, 1951, on 6th June, 1955, and on the latest convenient date, respectively;(2) the number of requisitioned houses and the number of separate dwellings comprised therein in the London area on 1st October, 1951, 6th June, 1955, and on the latest convenient date, respectively.

—		On 1st October, 1951		On 6th June, 1955		On 31st December, 1958
		Properties	Dwellings	Properties	Dwellings	Properties	Dwellings
Greater London	…	57,456	*	44,972	74,929	14,312	25,362
England and Wales	…	86,176	*	55,217	89,539	16,390	28,099
* Separate figures for the numbers of dwellings are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Agricultural Securities Corporation, with a view to improving the credit arrangements for Scottish farmers; and with what result.

My noble Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State met the Chairman and Secretary of the Scottish Agricultural Securities Corporation in December. The Corporation subsequently issued a statement to the Press. This statement was additional to the Corporation's regular advertising of its service in the agricultural Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the next remit of the Advisory Council on Education in Scotland; and what changes he has made in the composition of the Council.

I am giving the Council the following remit:

(i) To review the methods of transferring pupils from primary to secondary education having regard both to the work of the final stages of the primary school and also to the possible forms of secondary school organisation; and

(ii) to consider the structure of secondary education at the stage beyond the level of the proposed ordinary grade of the Scottish Leav-

The information asked for is given in the following table:ing Certificate, with special reference to the form which the Certificate should take at that stage;and to make recommendations.No changes have been made in the composition of the Council except to replace Mr. C. A. C. de Boinville and Mrs. L. P. Cameron Head who have resigned.The membership of the Council is as follows: