asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the failure of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Conference on navigational aids to make an objective assessment of the relative merits of the United States VOR-DMET and the British Decca systems, if he will consult with the Ministers of Transport of the other Commonwealth countries with a view to taking joint action to persuade the conference to make such an objective assessment; and if he will also take advantage of the forthcoming meeting of the Transport Ministers of the Council of Europe to gain the support of his European colleagues.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes": as regards the second part, the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, to which I assume my hon. Friend intended to refer, is concerned only with surface transport.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on which internal services it is intended to fly Prestwick Pioneer aircraft; and from what dates.

I have not yet heard of any proposal to use this aircraft on internal scheduled services.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he proposes to visit Ayrshire; and if, pending that visit, he will withdraw his decision rejecting a tunnel project at Prestwick airport.

I plan to visit a number of aerodromes in Scotland, including Prestwick, soon after Easter, but I must make it clear that my right hon. Friend is not prepared to alter his decision as regards a tunnel project at Prestwick. This would in any case, now delay the extension of the runway to an unacceptable extent.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what consideration he has given to the application from Eagle Airways Limited to operate scheduled services to various points within British overseas territories at approximately half the present tourist rates; and if he will make a statement.

The Air Transport Advisory Council will hear these applications and the objections to them immediately after Easter. My right hon. Friend will consider the applications when he has the Council's advice.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is now in a position to give particulars of additional road constructions and improvement schemes in Wales which will be authorised during the next phase of the roads programme.

As I have said before, in the interests of keeping my programme flexible I do not intend to issue lists of specific road schemes long in advance of the time when work on them can start.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now state when the report of the London Roads Committee will be published.

I understand that the Committee hopes to let me have its report fairly soon.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he can yet announce the membership of the Inland Waterways Redevelopment Committee.

The terms of reference of the Committee are:

"To assist as necessary in the promotion of schemes for the treatment of inland waterways which cannot economically be maintained for commercial transport, to consider such schemes when formulated, to make recommendations upon such schemes to Ministers concerned; and to advise Ministers upon any general matter connected with the redevelopment of those waterways."

The following have accepted invitations to serve on the Committee:

asked the Minister of Defence why, during the course of the previous 12 months, only 9 per cent. of Service officers crossing the Atlantic on commercial airlines flew first class, whereas the comparable figure of civilian personnel given by the Foreign Office is approximately 75 per cent.

The great majority of the Foreign Office officials concerned travelled first class, only because tourist class accommodation was not available.

asked the Minister of Defence under what conditions the British 105 mm. gun is to be supplied to the United States of America for their new medium tank; and to what extent there will be standardisation of tank equipment for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces.

It is expected that the United States Government will buy a certain number of British-made guns and manufacture the rest of their requirement in the United States under licence. There are signs that other N.A.T.O. countries are also taking an interest in this development.

asked the Minister of Defence what strategic considerations underlie the survey of Stornoway Airfield as a possible North Atlantic Treaty Organisation base; why the Admiralty has been asked to carry out the survey; what other Service Departments are involved in arriving at a decision as to its future; when a clear decision will be made known; what other airfields in the north and north-west, in less populous areas, have been, or are being surveyed; and what opportunities will be given for objections by local interests in the Western Isles area to be heard before any further steps are taken in connection with the Stornoway Airfield.

An airfield is needed in the North West part of the British Isles for the support of N.A.T.O. naval forces. Some 15 possible sites have been considered. Of these, Stornoway seems to be the most suitable, but no firm decision has yet been reached.Both the Admiralty and the Air Ministry are concerned. If it is decided to proceed with this project, the local authorities affected will, of course, be consulted and planning clearance will be sought in the normal way.

asked the Minister of Defence what estimate he has made of the number of volunteer members of the three separate Services who will leave these services annually when National Service comes to an end.

It is impossible at present to make firm and detailed estimates of the number of Regulars who will leave the three Services in the years immediately following the end of National Service, but the total will probably be between 35,000 and 45,000.

asked the Minister of Defence when he proposes to issue the separate statement to Parliament dealing with the changes in pensions outlined in Section 42 of the Defence White Paper. Command Paper No. 662.

Details of the improvements in Service pensions outlined in Cmnd. 662 were presented to Parliament in a White Paper on Armed Forces Pensions issued on 24th February (Cmnd. 675).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has completed his review of the British contribution to the United Nations Children's Fund with a view to increasing it; and what is his decision.

The matter has now been reviewed, and it has been decided that the contribution of Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations Children's Fund for 1959 will be £235,000 as in 1958.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action is being taken by the United Nations in the matter of Egyptian interference with vessels carrying cargoes to and from Israel through the Suez Canal.

As my hon. Friend informed the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson) on 23rd March, the permanent representative of Israel has addressed to the President of the Security Council a letter of protest about recent Egyptian interference with two vessels carrying cargo from Israel. This is being circulated to all members of the United Nations. The letter reserves the Israel Government's right to take further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made towards securing agreement on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea.

As my right hon. and learned Friend said on 2nd July last to the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. Owen), the Governments concerned declared in a Note handed to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same date that they were prepared to withdraw the forces operating under the United Nations Command from Korea when the conditions for a lasting settlement laid down by the General Assembly had been fulfilled.Unfortunately it has not yet been possible to reach agreement on the question of genuinely free elections throughout Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, as part of Her Majesty's Government's policy to reduce world tension, he will instruct Her Majesty's Government's representative at the United Nations to draw attention to the current situation in Viet-Nam as a potential danger to world peace.

Whilst thanking the hon. Gentleman for his acknowledgment of the efforts being made by Her Majesty's Government to reduce tension, I am afraid that I cannot add to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies) and Reading (Mr. Mikardo) on 4th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what ways, and to what extent, dispatches of resident British newspapermen in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are censored; what protest has been made about this censorship; and what reply has been received.

All dispatches sent by British journalists resident in the Soviet Union are subject to Soviet censorship, which is exercised in a number of ways. This subject has been raised with the Soviet Government on several occasions, most recently in April, 1958. Then Her Majesty's Government proposed discussions with the Soviet Government on a number of issues relating to freedom of information and contacts, including freedom for journalists to send uncensored reports out of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Government refused to take part in such talks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from what date he has been making efforts to arrange for at least one regular Russian language uncensored publication to be distributed without hindrance in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; what are the main causes for the delay; and when, and in what form, he hopes to be able to start publication.

As my hon. and gallant Friend knows, publication of British Ally was suspended in 1950 because there were difficulties in distributing it.The question of re-starting it or a similar Russian language newspaper was raised at the Geneva Conference in 1955. It has not he possible so far to get agreement with the Soviet Union on arrangements which would be satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what success the British Broadcasting Corporation has had in overcoming efforts of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to jam their Russian language broadcasts; to what extent these broadcasts were jammed during the Prime Minister's recent visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; when the last protest was made about this matter; and what reply has been received.

As comprehensive audience research cannot be carried out in the U.S.S.R. it is not possible to know to what extent and in what regions the B.B.C. Russian language broadcasts are heard in spite of the continued jamming.No change in the density of Soviet jamming was noted during the visit of the Prime Minister to the Soviet Union.The last approach to the Soviet Government was made in Her Majesty's Government's note of 23rd April, 1958, proposing inter-governmental discussions on cultural exchanges. The note suggested as the first item on the agenda

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking to mitigate the cumulative effect upon Anglo-Dutch relations of the recent decisions of Her Majesty's Government in respect of the restriction of flights to Singapore by the Royal Dutch Airline, the imposition of an increased tariff on imports of cut flowers into this country, and the retention of the quota on Dutch bulbs.

These decisions were taken on commercial grounds. Her Majesty's Government trust that they will not mar the very cordial relations which this country has had with the Netherlands for so long.The hon. Member will know that Mr. Luns, the Netherlands Foreign Minister, paid a visit to this country at the end of January. We were then able to discuss amicably the whole question of relations between our two countries, and we decided to have further conversations whenever they would be useful.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet given notice to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 15 (3) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights, in regard to the arrest, detention and forcible removal of Dr. Banda and other protected persons in and from Nyasaland; and what are the terms of such notice.

Not yet. But the terms of any notice of derogation which may be required are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consideration has been given by Her Majesty's Government to making a declaration recognising the competence of the European Commission on Human Rights to entertain petitions from individuals.

Her Majesty's Government have not made the optional declaration provided for in Article 25 of the European Human Rights Convention concerning the competence of the European Human Rights Commission to receive individual petitions.As my right hon. and learned Friend said on 29th July, 1957:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Egyptian Government have yet given any reason for the delay in according to the Foreign Office representative in Cairo proper facilities for conducting his mission; and when he expects these facilities to be granted.

The arrangements for Mr. Crowe's mission are still being worked out in Cairo and London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the conflicting findings of the British inquest and the Portuguese inquiry on the death of Mr. and Mrs. Trist in Portugal, he will request the Portuguese Government to allow a copy of the report of the Portuguese inquiry to be sent either to Dr. Keith Simpson, the pathologist who gave evidence at the Southwark inquest, or to the relatives of the deceased or their lawyer.

The Portuguese authorities have informed Her Majesty's Ambassador at Lisbon that they will give him a copy of the report of the Portuguese findings as soon as it has been completed.I will then arrange for copies to be made available to the relatives of the deceased.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the last statement by Her Majesty's Government in 1943 denying the unconditional recognition of Chinese sovereignty in Tibet, if he will state Her Majesty's Government's present policy with regard to such recognition; and, in view of the possibility of danger to world peace arising from recent incidents in Tibet, whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the position in that country being brought before the United Nations.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my predecessor in reply to Questions in this House on 6th November, 1950. He said:

"We have over a long period recognised Chinese suzerainty over Tibet but only on the understanding that Tibet is regarded as autonomous."—[OFFIcAL REPORT, 6th November, 1950; Vol. 480, c. 602.]

This is still Her Majesty's Government's position. Our present information does not suggest that there is any threat to world peace arising out of the unrest in Tibet. Nevertheless, we shall continue to study closely any reliable information which may emanate from that area.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the urgency of ending nuclear weapon tests in the light of the new data on fall-out made available by Government authorities in the United States of America, he will put forward fresh proposals designed to hasten the conclusion of an agreement at the Geneva Conference.

It is the aim of Her Majesty's Government to obtain as soon as practicable a workable agreement for ending nuclear weapon tests under effective international control. Meanwhile no nuclear tests are taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made recently to the Spanish Government about the continued restrictions upon public worship by British Protestants in Spain; what replies he has received; and what further action he proposes to take to safeguard the spiritual liberty and rights of Her Majesty's subjects in Spain.

I know of no restrictions that apply exclusively to British Protestants in Spain. The status of Protestants in Spain generally is a matter of domestic Spanish law, and Her Majesty's Government have no locus standi for formal representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in any discussions with the four occupying Powers about the future of Berlin, he will emphasize the need for the establishment there of a permanent United Nations police force as well as, or instead of, the troops of the occupying Powers.

Her Majesty's Government are at present consulting their Allies about possible ways and means of reaching a solution of the Berlin problem together with that of Germany. I am not in a position to give details of any agreed proposals which might be put to the U.S.S.R. as the fourth occupying Power. The possibility of the United Nations playing some part in the settlement of the Berlin problem is naturally being borne in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the workers declared redundant by Smith and McLeans, Gartcosh, are at present unemployed; and what he is doing to provide alternative work for them.

Of those declared redundant since 1st January, 1958, 118 are still registered as unemployed. My local officers are doing all that they can to assist these unemployed workers by submitting them to suitable vacancies notified to my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers were employed in Smith and McLeans Steel Works, Gartcosh, in October, 1957; and how many are employed there at present.

I regret that I cannot give the hon. Lady the information she asks for as particulars of the numbers employed at individual establishments are confidential.

asked the Minister of Labour what alternative work will be provided for the miners in Lanarkshire who will be redundant as the result of pit closure.

The National Coal Board is phasing the closures over the year and by careful re-deployment hopes that most of the displaced men will be found other coal mining employment during the year 1959.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will tabulate the numbers of men unemployed in the months of July and January of each of the last three years expressed as percentages of the total working population.

Following is the reply:The table below gives the information desired.

Numbers of males registered as unemployed in Great Britain at the under-mentioned dates expressed as percentages of the estimated total number of male employees
Date		Percentage
16th January, 1956	…	1·2
16th July, 1956	…	1·1
14th January, 1957	…	1·9
15th July, 1957	…	1·2
13th January, 1958	…	2·0
14th July, 1958	…	2·0
12th January, 1959	…	3·2
9th March, 1959 (provisional)	…	2·8

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give Scotland's share of the increase in civil employment in Great Britain between October, 1951, and September, 1957, and Scotland's share of the increase in unemployment in Great Britain from September, 1957, to the latest available date, expressed as a percentage in each case.

A comparison of employment in Great Britain and Scotland can be only in respect of employees for the end of May of each year. Between the end of May, 1951, and the end of May, 1957, the number of employees in employment in Great Britain increased by 1,080,000, of which about 4 per cent. occurred in Scotland. Between June, 1957, and March, 1959, the numbers registered as wholly unemployed in Great Britain increased by 254,000, of which about 20 per cent. was in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will name those areas and employment exchanges in Scotland where the unemployment rate is still above 5 per cent., 8 per cent., 10 per cent., 15 per cent., 20 per cent., and 30 per cent., respectively.

I am having the necessary information extracted and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of unemployed was registered at Coatbridge and Airdrie employment exchanges for mid-January; and what was the percentage for mid-March.

North Lanarkshire (including Coatbridge and Airdrie) is regarded as one unit for the purpose of computing a percentage rate of unemployment. At 12th January and 9th March the percentages unemployed in that area were 9·3 and 8·4, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour what reduction has taken place in the number of unemployed persons engaged in heavy industries registering at Coatbridge and Airdrie employment exchanges between 31st January and 15th March.

Between 12th January and 9th March there was a decrease of 188 in the numbers unemployed in the building and contracting industries at Airdrie and 160 at Coat-bridge. There was little change in other heavy industries, apart from an increase of 21 at Airdrie and 97 at Coatbridge in the number unemployed in the iron and steel tubes industry.

asked the Minister of Labour the ratio of notified unfilled vacancies to boys under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in Scotland and the Midlands of England at June and December in each of the past two years.

For every 100 boys registered as wholly unemployed in Scotland there were 290 notified vacancies unfilled in June, 1957, 145 in December, 1957, 81 in June, 1958, and 23 in December, 1958. The corresponding figures for the Midland Region were 1,475, 1,445, 658 and 532 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people engaged in shipbuilding and allied trades are unemployed in Sunderland.

At 9th March there were 604 persons last employed in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry, registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Sunderland. The corresponding figure for the marine engineering industry was 84.

asked the Minister of Labour the total of unemployed in Sunderland; what percentage this is of the total working population; and how much of this figure is long-term unemployment.

Four thousand six hundred and seventy-nine at 9th March representing 5·5 per cent. of the total number of employees in the area. Seven hundred and three had been continuously on the registers for 6–12 months and 742 for more than 12 months.

asked the Minister of Labour how many women are unemployed in Sunderland; and what percentage of unemployment this represents.

One thousand one hundred and sixty-two at 9th March, representing 4·0 per cent. of the total number of female employees in the area.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures of unemployment and short-time working in Lincoln and Lincolnshire, respectively; and how these figures compare with a year ago.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN LINCOLN AND LINCOLNSHIRE RESPECTIVELY AT 17TH MARCH, 1958, AND 9TH MARCH, 1959
Date				Lincoln		Rest of Lincolnshire
				Wholly Unemployed	Temporarily Stopped	Wholly Unemployed	Temporarily Stopped
17th March, 1958	…	…	…	702	109	5,278	301
9th March, 1959	…	…	…	721	—	5,554	386
The "temporarily stopped" are persons working short-time or otherwise temporarily suspended who were not at work on the Monday to which the figures relate and who were registered at employment exchanges and youth employment offices. Precise figures of the number working short-time are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the latest figures of unemployment in the Stornoway area by trades or occupations.

The following table gives the information desired:

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE STORNOWAY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AT 9TH MARCH, 1959
Industry	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture and Horticulture	46	1	47
Fishing	91	—	91
Woollen and Worsted	46	5	51
Food Industries	62	39	101
Building and Civil Engineering Contracting	639	—	639
Sea Transport	53	1	54
Port, River and Canal Transport, Docks and Harbours	65	—	65
Distributive Trades	51	6	57
Local Government Service	107	—	107
Catering, Hotels, etc.	13	127	140
Other Industries and Services	311	73	384
Total, All Industries and Services	1,484	252	1,736

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in the Stornoway area expressed as a percentage of the total insured working population there; and what is the same percentage of the total working population of the United Kingdom expressed as a number of persons.

The following table gives the information desired:

The Answer is 34·4 per cent. at 9th March. For the United Kingdom, this percentage would represent 7,637,000 persons.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons in the Stornoway area have been unemployed for less than six months; how many for between six and nine months; and how many for a year or more.

The following table gives an analysis, according to duration of unemployment, of the numbers of persons on the registers of the Stornoway Employment Exchange at 9th March, 1959:

Duration of unemployment	Males	Females
Not more than 6 months	807	204
6–9 months	156	23
9–12 months	83	2
More than 12 months	438	23
Total	1,484	252

asked the Minister of Labour how many of those unemployed, at the most recent count in the Stornoway area, are under 21 years of age.

The only age groups that are distinguished in the monthly figures of unemployed are those under 18 and those aged 18 and over. The total number on the registers of the Stornoway Employment Exchange at 9th March was 1,736 of whom 168 were under 18. A more detailed age analysis is obtained in June and December. In December, 1958, the number under 18 was 186 and the number aged 18 and under 20 was 96. The number aged 20 and under 21 is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number and the percentage of persons unemployed in the Stornoway area at the most recent count, and the numbers unemployed in each of the islands of Barra, South and North Uist and Benbecula.

The Answer to the first part of the question is 1,736 or 34·4 per cent., and to the second, 140, 98, 122 and 39 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour why Anthony Viggers, of 19, Connaught Road, Roath, Cardiff, was passed A.1 for Army service under the National Service Act, in view of the fact that he had recently been discharged as medically unfit when serving as a regular soldier.

At the time Mr. Viggers was called for medical examination it was not known that he had been discharged from the Army on medical grounds. Mr. Viggers has not been notified of a medical grading and, as the hon. Member has already been informed, he is not being called up.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is satisfied with the working of the upper yardmen scheme; and what is to become of the former hospital at Britannia Royal Naval College.

The arrangements for the selection and training of upper yardmen are now being reviewed in the light of the requirements of the new scheme of training for General List officers, which I announced to the House on 9th March. The review includes the question of the future use of the former sick quarters at Dartmouth.

asked the Secretary of State for War the percentage of men eligible to register as Service voters who have registered in the current electoral roll.

About 73 per cent., men and women.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are outstanding in the Taunton area.

Fifty-one. All are under inquiry or are in course of being met.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for the telephone service are now outstanding in the Borough of Wembley; and the date of the earliest application on the list.

Eleven; in addition 182 are under inquiry or in the course of being met.The earliest application is dated August, 1958, and will be met in about two months' time.

asked the Postmaster-General the effect of the simplified system of charges which he introduced on 1st January, 1958.

The simplified system greatly enlarged local call areas, thereby converting many trunk calls into 3d. local calls and enabling customers to dial 150 million calls a year which were formerly handled by operators. At the same time the charges for many trunk calls were reduced. These changes, and the subsequent extension of the cheap trunk rates to the period 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Sunday afternoon, have stimulated the use of the telephone. Trunk traffic beyond the new local dialling range has increased by about 20 per cent. in one year. This has required an increase in the operating force despite the greater number of calls dialled by the public.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will explain the difference between the order list and the waiting list for telephones; and if he will state their present size in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, respectively.

The order list is the gross number of unfulfilled orders for telephone service. First, there are the current orders under inquiry or in course of completion. These are sometimes referred to as the pipeline. Secondly, there are the orders which cannot be completed until new cables are laid or exchanges are extended. This is the waiting list.In Scotland there are 5,500 orders in the pipeline and 4,700 on the waiting list.In the remainder of the United Kingdom there are about 75,000 orders in the pipeline, and 63,000 on the waiting list.In the United Kingdom as a whole the pipeline has for some time remained steady at about 80,000. The waiting list, however, has fallen steadily as new plant has been provided. It has dropped from a quarter of a million to 68,000 in the last three years.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will institute a late collection from the letter box in Smith Square, London, S.W.1, on Saturdays.

I am sorry I should not be justified in doing as my hon. Friend asks since letters collected on Sunday from this box are all due to be delivered on Monday morning, except for a few addressed to the north of Scotland, Northern Ireland, or overseas. These can be posted up to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Post Office at 72, Horseferry Road.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Television Advisory Committee has yet advised him in regard to the Los Angeles Conference of the Comité Consultative Internationale Radiocommunication, in view of the fact that the conference will be discussing common standards for television in Bands IV and V.

A decision on line standards in Bands IV and V must depend on consideration of a report from the Television Advisory Committee. That report is still awaited. In the meantime the Chairman has sent my right hon. Friend a letter on the subject referred to by the hon. Member which I have placed in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a piccolo and trumpet are subject to Purchase Tax at 30 per cent, whereas an orchestral conductor's baton is exempt from such tax; and, as all such articles are equally essential to the production of the melody, whether he will restore equity by removal of Purchase Tax on all musical instruments as with pianos.

I must refrain from anticipating my right hon. Friend's Budget decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the present approximate amount paid out annually by Her Majesty's Government to subsidise the musical arts in Great Britain, including payments in respect of schools of music, orchestral, operatic and ballet subsidies and bands for Her Majesty's Forces; and the approximate annual amount received in respect of Purchase Tax on musical instruments.

About £1 million in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods and machinery are used by the Customs and Excise authorities to differentiate between seats and stools which are specially designed for use with chargeable musical instruments such as harps and which are therefore themselves chargeable to Purchase Tax at 30 per cent. and those seats and stools designed solely for use with non-chargeable instruments such as harpsichords, spinets, virginals and pipe-organs, and which are at present free of tax.

In the very few cases where this problem arises, the Customs and Excise has regard to the design and general characteristics of the article.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the

Directors		Companies
		Companies in which shares are held by Her Majesty's Government:
Sir Francis Wylie, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.).		The Suez Finance Company and its subsidiary the Societe d'investissements Mobiliers.
Mr. M. J. Babington Smith, C.B.E
Mr. R. S. Isaacson, C.M.G.
Lord Weeks, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., T.D.		British Petroleum Co. Ltd. and its subsidiary British Tanker Co. Ltd.
Mr. F. E. Harmer, C.M.G.
Sir Edmund Bacon, Bt., O.B.E., T.D. J.P. (Chairman)		British Sugar Corporation
Mr. J. P. Van den Berg, C.B.E.
Lt. Col. J. Leslie, D.S.O., M.C.,
Mr. C. J. M. Bennett		British Field Products, Ltd.
Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Siattery, C.B.E. D.Sc. F.R.Ae.S. (Chairman)		S.B. (Realisations) Ltd.
Sir James H. Barnes, K.C.B., K.B.E., M.A.
Mr. R. E. Harvey	Joint Managing Directors
Mr. H. G. Conway, M.A., M.I.Mech.E, F.R.Ae.S.
Mr. D. Keith-Lucas, M.A., M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S.
Mr. F. F. H. Charlton
Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Siattery, C.B., D.Sc, F.R.Ae.S. (Chairman and Managing Director)		Short Bros, and Harland Ltd
Sir James Barnes, K.C.B. K.B.E., M.A.
Mr. R. E. Harvey
Mr. H. G. Conway
Mr. D. Keith-Lucas, M.A. M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S.
Mr. F. F. H. Charlton
Sir Godfrey Ince, G.C.B. K.B.E. (Chairman (part-time)).		Cable and Wireless, Ltd.
Mr. N. C. Chapling, C.B.E.
Mr. H. H. Eggers, C.M.G., O.B.E.
Mr. C. N. Gallie
Mr. K. Anderson, C.B., C.B.E.
Col. D. McMillan, C.B., O.B.E.
		Companies in which Her Majesty's Government does not hold shares:
Col. C. W. Nevill		Glanmorfa, Ltd.
Sir J. Donald B. Fergusson, G.C.B		Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Ltd.
Sir William Gavin, C.B.E
Mr. E. L. Mitchell, C.B., C.B.E.
Sir Joshua P. Ross-Taylor		Scottish Agricultural Securities Corporation.
Mr. J. R. B. Cassie		Scottish Diatomite Ltd.
Mr. G. D. Wilson, C.B.E.		National Cold Stores (Management), Ltd.
Mr. J. G. Carnochan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that the representations of shipping interests will receive his consideration in connection with his forthcoming Budget.

The list of Government-appointed directors and the boards of public companies on which they serve, is given below. For this Answer, public companies are defined as those companies which are not private companies as defined in Section 28 of the Companies Act, 1948, but companies limited by guarantee and/or without share capital have been excluded.

My right hon. Friend is considering the representations of the shipping industry.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury approximately the number of men who are taken into the non-specialised grades of the Civil Service each year.

The annual intake of men in an established capacity into the non-specialised grades in the non-industrial Civil Service, averaged over the last three years, has been approximately 15,500.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the growing redundancy in the aircraft industry; and, in view of the rapid progress in the size of aircraft for the carriage of troops and freight, if he will anticipate future requirements by placing more orders now for Britannias and Britannics to meet the future needs, and so prevent this redundancy increasing and retain the skill of the craftsmen in this industry.

My right hon. Friend gave the House in the debate on 22nd May, 1958, his broad assessment of the future level of employment in the aircraft industry, taking account of the reduction in the demand for military aircraft. As the House is aware, he can place orders for aircraft only to meet the stated requirements of the Services; and he does not place orders on behalf of civil operators.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he will share the additional cost to certain local authorities arising from the special civil defence and other services made necessary by the establishment of guided-missile bases in their areas.

All local authorities, wherever situated, on whom functions have been conferred under the Civil Defence Act, 1948, receive grants on approved expenditure in accordance with Regulations made under the Act. Part of this expenditure is grant aided at a rate of 75 per cent. and part fully reimbursed. I am not clear what other services the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has considered the amalgamation of the agricultural machinery and land drainage services now operated by his Department; and whether he will make a statement.

I have given instructions for the two services to be amalgamated as from 1st April next. This has been made possible by the run down in the agricultural machinery service, which after next harvest will be confined to nine counties in England and Wales, and concerned primarily with the restoration of opencast coal sites or the heavier kinds of land work. Such machinery operations fit in well with land drainage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the registered holdings in the Kiambu District are less than one acre; and how many owners of land recently consolidated have to seek employment on other holdings owing to their inability to earn a living on their own.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th February, 1959; Vol. 599, c. 1331–2], supplied the following information:I have no accurate figures to answer the first part of the Question, but a sample survey shows that excluding village plots about 4,300 registered holdings are less than one acre.No reliable estimate can be given in answer to the second part of the Question because of the limited information available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what opportunities exist in Kenya. Uganda and Tanganyika, respectively, for Africans to qualify as surveyors.

Courses leading to the first examination of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are provided for students from all three territories at the Royal Technical College in Kenya and it is hoped that the Institution will recognise the College for the purpose of courses leading to the intermediate examination. I would also invite the hon. Member's attention to the recommendations of the Working Party on Higher Education which visited East Africa last year on the development of professional surveying courses at the College. Scholarships are awarded by the Governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika to enable Africans to study for professional qualifications overseas. Africans may also gain experience in these Governments' Survey Departments, and in Uganda and Kenya there are arrangements for pupils to be enrolled by liecnsed surveyors for training on the job. In Uganda, Africans may qualify for a sub-professional surveyor's licence after five years experience in the Survey Department and in Kenya and Uganda this Licence may be obtained by passing a local examination.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Governor of Gibraltar has restricted the employment of Britons other than Gibraltarians on the Rock.

No "ban Britons" order has been made as was alleged in a recent article in the Daily Express. Owing to the shortage of housing no person from the outside is permitted to live and work in Gibraltar if the job can be filled by a Gibraltarian. To that extent a British subject from the United Kingdom does not have an absolute right to take up employment on the Rock. There is no truth in the suggestion that employers have had to take on Italians, Portuguese, French or Germans. I am glad to see that the local Press has taken up this and other misrepresentations with vigour.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the respective rates of pay for Europeans and Africans in the Nyasaland Civil Service.

The following are the details:

Administrative and Professional Division
Europeans:	£895—£1,850.
Africans:	£650—£1,465.
Senior Technical Division
Europeans:	£705—£1,465.
Africans:	£550—£1,110.
Senior Executive and Accounting Division
Europeans:	£1,465—£1,740.
Africans:	£965—£1,140.
Executive and Accounting Division
Europeans:	£675—£1,465.
Africans:	£500—£950.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the present condition of Ston Easton Park, a scheduled monument of historic interest; and what proposals he has for the future of this house.

Ston Easton House is in poor condition but structurally sound and not beyond repair. It is at present protected by a building preservation order and efforts are being made to find a use for it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the circumstances which cause the Central Land Board to make different apportionments to the owners of the properties in Belmont Road, Adlington, Charley, Lancashire; and how the development value of £1,940 has been apportioned.

I am making inquiries of the Central Land Board and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the number and amounts of the grants made to coast protection authorities under Section 21 (1, a) of the Coast Protection Act, 1949, in each year from 1954.

The numbers of schemes approved and amounts of grant awarded are as follows:

Year			Number of Schemes	Amount of grant awarded
				£
1954–55	…	…	10	255,975
1955–56	…	…	20	754,825
1956–57	…	…	23	994,700
1957–58	…	…	36	784,270
1958–59	…	…	29	1,333,171
			118	4,122,941

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he now has any further statement to make about the rating of plant and machinery.

I am considering the important representations received. Some difficult issues arise on which I am not yet in a position to announce a decision. It is now clear, however, that it will not be practicable to provide that a new Order shall take effect from 1st April next as had originally been intended.

asked the Minister of Health what plans exist for the rebuilding of Saint Thomas's Hospital; and whether, in view of the proximity of the site to the Palace of Westminster, he will ensure that opportunity will be given to hon. Members to express their views on any plans that have been made.

The Board of Governors has recently submitted a block plan which is receiving consideration. A model of the Board's proposals as they then were was on view to hon. Members early last year, and I will give a further opportunity for them to see a model and drawings of the final proposals as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars of the acceptance of a gift of a quarter of a million pounds from a voluntary body as a consequence of which a new Department is being set up in the South Eastern Region; what Department it is that has benefited in this way; and under what authority a gift of this nature has been accepted.

Hospital authorities have power to accept gifts under Section 59 of the National Health Service Act, but I am not aware of the acceptance of a gift of this amount in this area.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the publicity given in various medical journals during the past few months to the possible side effects and dangers of taking aspirin, and particularly in view of recent evidence, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Batley and Morley, concerning the high incidence of gastritis and haemorrhage caused by aspirin, he will consider restricting the distribution of salicylates to medical prescription.

No. On present advice I do not consider that the evidence is sufficient to justify taking this course.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made towards specialised research into the uses of radioactive by-products of atomic fission.

The Wantage Radiation Laboratories of the Atomic Energy Authority have a special group for research into the uses of fission products. Possible new applications in industrial chemistry, agriculture, food processing, insect control, and bacteriological sterilisation are being investigated in collaboration with the industries concerned. The results so far achieved are promising.Several concentrated radiocaesium sources extracted from waste fission products are already being used by hospitals for radiation therapy; and radioactive materials, including fission products, are already widely used in medicine, industry and agriculture.

asked the Prime Minster if he will report on his conversations with President Eisenhower on trade between the United States of America and Great Britain; and what assurances he received on the treatment of the C. A. Parsons order.

I took the opportunity of my visit to Washington to raise the general question of trade and economic matters with President Eisenhower. I made it clear that Her Majesty's Government attach great importance to these questions many of which affect British firms so acutely. I do not, however, think that the House would expect me to give a detailed account of these private conversations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the forms of assistance available in the event of a firm moving a factory from Glasgow to a receiving area in the overspill operation, naming the assistance available to the company concerned and to the local authority in the reception area, respectively.

Glasgow Corporation is normally prepared to assist firms moving from approved redevelopment areas to overspill reception areas by acquiring their premises (at their current market value, including compensation for disturbance and transfer) at an early date and renting them back until the final transfer of the business can be effected.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school-leavers he expects this summer in Scotland.

About 36,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he is making for Civil Defence in the North of Scotland.

I have established a Northern Civil Defence Zone and have appointed Sir John Ure Primrose, J.P., to be Zone Controller.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish the results of his Department's inquiry into switch selling; and what are the reasons for his decision in this matter.

No. The reason why my right hon. Friend is taking no further action as a result of the investigation by his Department is that it brought to light no evidence of a criminal offence and no practices which the Board of Trade have power to control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now give an indication of the principles to be followed in the allocation of the recent small increase which has been made in the monetary value of the imported bulb quota; and to what extent, having regard to recent price increases, this will result in an increase in the number and weight of bulbs which may be imported.

Up to half of the increase will be available to meet claims, on grounds of hardship, for new or larger allocations. The remainder will be used to increase existing allocations.I understand that the minimum prices of Dutch bulbs have recently been increased, but it remains to be seen whether average prices will be higher.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grants have been made from the residual funds of the Clothing Industry Development Council in accordance with the provisions of the Clothing Industry Development Council (Dissolution) Order, 1952.

The following grants have been made by the Board of Trade:

(a) to the Clothing Institute, a sum not exceeding £18,000 over a period of three years for a programme of training and education for the industry, which is intended to improve and extend existing facilities; and

(b) to the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers, a sum not exceeding £10,000 over a period of three years for the purpose of undertaking research into the existing education and training facilities available to the clothing industry and possible means of improvement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, to what extent the Food Investigation Organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have been concerned with irradiated foods such as meat and fish; what research is being conducted into the effects of irradiated foods consumed by human beings; and with what results.

The laboratories of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research concerned with food (the Torry Research Station, the Low Temperature Research Station and the Ditton Laboratory) have examined the effect of irradiation on the keeping qualities, flavour, appearance and texture of fish, meats (especially chicken) and potatoes. I understand that the Atomic Energy Authority is observing the long-term effects of feeding animals with foodstuffs preserved in this manner; so far no harmful effects have been noted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what progress is being made by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research towards the formation of a national lending library for science and technology; and the estimated cost of this development.

Provision has been made in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 5-year plan for 1959–64 for the National Lending Library for Science and Technology to be fully operational in 1962. Some buildings of the former Royal Ordnance Factory, Thorp Arch, are being adapted for use by the library, and it is anticipated that these will be available for occupation by March, 1961. At present literature is being collected for the new library, and a Russian translating programme has been started.When the library is fully operational it is estimated that the annual cost will be £280,000. The estimated cost of adapting and equipping the buildings for the library is £250,000.