asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial help he will give to encourage new industries to settle at Douglas and Douglas, West, in the county of Lanark, in view of the closure of the colliery and the number of houses which are now standing empty which are available for incoming workers.

As neither Douglas nor Douglas, West, are in a locality in the county of Lanark for which assistance may be available under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, 1958, there is no assistance which the Treasury can give to encourage new industry to settle there.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the estimated annual cost of remission of duty on hydrocarbon oil used in aircraft when flying on domestic routes;(2) if he will give the estimated annual cost of the reduction by 1s. of the duty on hydrocarbon oil when consumed by aircraft flying on domestic routes.

Remission of the duty on oil used in civil aircraft would cost about £1½ million a year, and a reduction of the duty by a shilling would cost about £600,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce provisions for a person, taxed on Pay-as-You-Earn, attaining the age of 65 years, to be granted immediately the increased allowance without waiting until the end of the current year of taxation.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the age allowance to which persons with incomes of not more than £800 a year first become entitled for the year in which they reach the age of 65. Where the Revenue is aware that a taxpayer has become 65 in the course of a tax year, the allowance is given at once in the P.A.Y.E. coding. If the hon. Member will refer any case of difficulty to me, I shall be glad to have it investigated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount hitherto approved by way of loans and grants, respectively, for approved claims under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1958, in the seven Highland and Island counties.

A total of £89,050 has been approved by way of loans, and £7,750 by way of annual grants.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury to what extent it is proposed to make additional accommodation available for readers at the British Museum.

A new Slavonic Reading Room is being provided, which it is hoped will be opened later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that, when considering whether to engage in space research, the Government will give priority in their plans for the expenditure of public money to medical research and the extension of existing hospitals, and building of much needed new hospitals.

I have been asked to reply as representing the Lord President of the Council.I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on Tuesday, 12th May by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to Questions on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to whom, in common with other Sino-Soviet countries, the export from Great Britain of electronic instruments operating at frequencies exceeding 300 megacycles per second is banned by the Common Embargo List, issued by his Department on 15th August, 1958, is now an exporter of such instruments; and whether he will amend the Common Embargo List so that British manufacturers may compete with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the marketing of such instruments in the remaining countries of the Sino-Soviet bloc.

I will certainly consider whether there are grounds for advocating an amendment to the item on the embargo list to which the Question refers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now give the names and terms of reference of the committee appointed to deal with consumer protection.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 12th May to the hon. Member for Coat-bridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann).

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications have been made during the last 12 months to his Department for new factories or extensions to existing factories in or near to the borough of Barry.

Two, for which industrial development certificates were granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the refusal to send a Parliamentary Commission to Nyasaland, what steps the Governments for which he is responsible are taking to provide machinery to equip Members with up-to-date information on the crisis.

The disturbances in Nyasaland and the events leading up to them are at present the subject of an inquiry by the Commission headed by Mr. Justice Devlin. It is of course my duty to provide Parliament with any information it requires about matters for which the Territorial Government is responsible. I am always ready to do my best to answer questions which hon. Members put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many doctors are practising in Nyasaland, and how many of these are working in hospitals; how many trained and probationer nurses are available; to what extent the number of local clinics has increased in recent years; and what is the infant mortality rate now compared with 10 years ago.

Health is a Federal responsibility, and it would not therefore be proper for me to provide the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the administrative definition of an expatriate for the purposes of computing salaries in the Civil Service in Nyasaland.

The Nyasaland Government have no administrative definition of an ex-patriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the secondary schools in Zanzibar which are grant aided by the Government; and how many of these refuse entry to African pupils.

There are two grant aided secondary schools, the St. Joseph's Convent School and the Aga Khan Boys' School. In common with all other schools in the Protectorate both are open to African pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many missions organised under the technical assistance programme of the International Labour Organisation have operated in Colonial and Trust Territories; and how many personnel have been involved.

Since 1950, there have been 35 missions involving 41 people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are taken in Colonial and Trust Territories to circulate the manuals issued by the International Labour Organisation as part of its workers' education programme.

Colonial Governments are aware of these publications, which are available on payment to the International Labour Organisation, and a number subscribed for them. The actual use made of them is a matter for the individual Governments and for employers' and workers' organisations in the territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action was taken by the Governor of Northern Rhodesia on receiving a protest from the delegation representing the International Confederation of Free Trades Unions that they had been refused accommodation at a hotel in Lusaka on 6th May, 1959, because their party included a coloured person.

I know of no such incident in Lusaka. There was a somewhat similar incident at Kitwe on the relevant date. I do not know if this is what the hon. Member is referring to. But, if it is, the Governor has informed me that neither he nor the Provincial Commissioner, nor the District Commissioner, has received any official protest from the delegation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sum was spent during the last financial year on providing buildings for adult education among women in Northern Rhodesia.

Separate buildings are not normally provided for this purpose. Both the Northern Rhodesia Government and the local authorities have made existing buildings available for adult women's classes. However, last year the Northern Rhodesia Government incurred expenditure of £5,800 on instructional buildings and housing for women trainees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reasons the Government of Tanganyika have refused the request of the native local authorities who wish to raise a 1s. levy for education.

I have asked the Governor for this information and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reasons the Government of Tanganyika have refused permission for the Tanganyika African National Union to make a public appeal for funds for the establishment of a college to train local trade union, co-operative and political leaders; and when the Government will reply to the request of Tanganyika African National Union to start building.

The Tanganyika African National Union applied on 27th February, 1958, for police permission to launch an appeal. It was necessary for the Tanganyika Government to seek clarification of the educational aspects of the project and discussions have proceeded with the President of the Union. I now understand that it is proposed to establish an Education Trust with the object of raising funds for the College and that the Articles of Association of the Trust are being prepared. If permission is sought for a public appeal for funds for the Trust it will be sympatheically considered by the Government. I understand that no request to start building has been submitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he now proposes to move the camp commandant and other members of the staff at Hola Camp, Kenya, who were implicated in the beatings of the detainees who have since died.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is yet in a position to state what charges are being preferred by the Attorney-General of Kenya in connection with the deaths of 11 detainees in Hola Camp.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what decision has been reached by the Attorney-General of Kenya with regard to the preferring of charges arising out of the Hola incident;(2) if he is now able to announce his decision regarding the future of the camp commandant at Hola, pending further inquiries by the Attorney-General of Kenya.

I would refer hon. Members to the Statement I made after Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the numbers of the staff at Hola Camp, Kenya; and how many of these have qualifications and previous experience of prison work.

There are now at Hola Camp a Superintendent of Prisons, two Assistant Superintendents, a Chief Officer, three Principal Officers and 247 subordinate prisons staff. The gazetted officers have had considerable and varied service both as officers-in-charge of prisons and detention camps and in administration. The subordinate staff have all undergone a training course at the Prison Training School at Kamiti.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the cost of the house which the Government of Kenya are building for ex-senior chief Koinange Mbiru, now 95 years old and still under restriction orders at Kabarnet, Rift Valley Province, Kenya; and when this is expected to be ready for his occupation.

The house cost £400 and was completed in January, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the impending retirement of Sir Robert Arundell from the post of Governor of Barbados; and what steps he has taken in respect of the Governor's appointment of new aldermen to the Bridgetown City Council contrary to the advice of his Ministers.

Yes. Sir Robert Arundell's forthcoming retirement marks the normal end of the extended term of his appointment and was indeed made known by himself to the Legislature of Barbados on the 3rd February. It has no connection whatever with the appointment of Aldermen to the Bridgetown City Council a matter in which my right hon. Friend is entirely satisfied that the Governor acted correctly and in accordance with the existing constitutional conventions of Barbados.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the growing concern at the increased number of burglaries in Wembley especially of business premises; how great is the shortage of police in the area; what are the prospects of reducing this crime; and whether he will publicise the ways in which the public can help the police.

The concern of Wembley Borough Council has been brought to my notice. The Commissioner of Police assures me that Wembley has its fair share of the available police resources and that they are deployed there to the best advantage with a view to preventing crime. Advice is already given to the public on the help they can give to the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the percentage figures for 1958 of the convictions recorded in cases of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, in magistrates' courts and quarter sessions, respectively.

I regret that figures for 1958 are not yet available. In 1957, 91 per cent. of these offences dealt with summarily in magistrates' courts resulted in convictions. Strictly comparable figures for cases coming before courts of quarter session are not available, but 48 per cent. of persons tried at courts of quarter session and assize were convicted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for altering the present regulations which prohibit lay magistrates in London from charging expenses incurred within a three-mile limit of their homes; arid what revision he proposes to make in their present subsistence allowances.

I am always prepared to consider any reasoned proposals for changes in the allowances paid to Justices of the Peace. To do what the hon. Member suggests would, however, involve legislation, and on this I can give no undertaking.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will have an inquiry made into the working of the present law relating to capital punishment.

I am myself keeping the working of the Homicide Act under constant review, but it has been in force for little more than two years and it is too early to contemplate any inquiry into its operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent there is evidence that the carrying of lethal weapons by criminals has increased since the passing of the Homicide Act.

The only information about the extent of the carrying of lethal weapons is to be found in the numbers of persons prosecuted for being in possession of an offensive weapon under the Prevention of Crime Act, 1953. In the three years 1956, 1957 and 1958, the numbers in the Metropolitan Police District were 140, 196 and 420, respectively. It is impossible to say how far the increase in 1958 was due to greater activity on the part of the police in the face of a rising number of crimes of violence and how far it reflected a real increase in the carrying of offensive weapons; or, in so far as there was a real increase, whether that increase had any connection with the Homicide Act or derives mainly from the spread of a deplorable fashion among certain sections of young men.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to see that in future the exact times of executions are not announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it is the practice to announce publicly beforehand the actual hour at which hangings take place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, he will now reconsider the present practice of giving public notice of the time fixed for a pending execution.

I am required by Section 11 of the Homicide Act, 1957, to publish the time and place of an execution as early as I conveniently can. I do not think that to withhold the time would prevent crowds assembling or serve any other useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now take steps to keep the place and date of executions confidential until after such executions.

I regret not. The Royal Commission recommended that the date of execution should be published, and the Secretary of State is required by Section 11 (2) of the Homicide Act, 1957, to publish both date and place. It would not be practicable for either the date or the place of an execution to be kept confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make arrangements with the prison authorities to prevent unauthorised persons assembling in the vicinity of prisons when executions are taking place.

The Prison Commissioners have no authority to prevent persons assembling on the public highway outside a prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature, purpose, planning, and cost of the civil defence exercise Exodus One in North Staffordshire on 10th May, stating, in particular, the number of bombs assumed to have dropped, the number of casualties assumed to have been caused, the number of persons evacuated, and the use made of air raid shelters in Audley and Halmerend in the rural district of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The purpose of the exercise was to test techniques for clearing the public from a highly radioactive rural area containing no casualties from blast or fire. Fall-out was assumed from one bomb exploded some thirty miles distant, and rather more than 1,000 people were cleared. I am not aware that any use was made of air raid shelters. Details of the cost of the exercise are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the figures for offences against persons aged one year and over known to the police in the two years up to the 21st March, 1959, compare with similar figures for the two years prior to the 21st March, 1957, in respect of the following offences, namely, murder, both capital and non-capital, attempts to murder, threats or conspiracy to murder, and manslaughter, other than those concerned with the use of motor cars.

I regret that I cannot give figures in precisely the form for which my hon. and learned Friend asks. I am, however, circulating below a table giving the annual figures for the offences in question so far as I am able to do so.It is only in respect of murder that offences known to the police are analysed according to the age of the victim and are available for twelve-monthly periods beginning on 21st March. Offences of murder known to the police cannot be analysed into capital and non-capital murders, nor can manslaughter by the use of a motor car be distinguished in the figures of crime known to the police from other forms of manslaughter.The following table shows the number of crimes known to the police for the calendar years stated. The 1958 figures are provisional:

Offence	1955	1956	1957	1958
Murder (of persons aged one year and over)	125(a)	148(b)	151(c)	124(d
Attempt to murder	169	162	158	190
Threats or conspiracy to murder	44	57	62	55
Manslaughter (e)	122	142	147	108

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asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stowaways arrived in England in each of the last five years, respectively; whether he will take powers to deport all stowaways; and if he will make a statement.

The information for which my hon. Friend asks in the first part of his Question is given below.Alien stowaways are usually refused leave to land under the Aliens Order and removed by the carrying company: 820 were so dealt with during the last five years. Stowaways who satisfy the Immigration Officer that they are British subjects cannot be sent back: but I do not think that such persons present a problem sufficient to justify legislation.Following is the information as to stowaways arriving in the United Kingdom during the last five years:1954, 340; 1955, 273; 1956, 281; 1957, 301; 1958, 258.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to announce the names of the members of the committee which is to inquire into all aspects of the probation service.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 13th May to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Sir K. Joseph).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the Casement Diaries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent requests he has received from the legal representatives of the heirs of Sir Roger Casement for the return of the documents in his possession; and why he is continuing to retain them.

I am considering a number of problems connected with the Casement diaries, and I hope to be in a position to make a statement shortly after the Recess. In the meantime, I think it better not to comment on particular aspects of the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the recent increase in crimes of violence against schoolchildren and the ineffectiveness of present penalties, if he will now introduce emergency legislation to restore flogging for such crimes; and if he will make a statement.

I am not prepared to reintroduce flogging as a judicial penalty. Before 1948 the only violent crime for which it was available was robbery with violence, and it was not found to be an especially effective deterrent. I think it is more important to develop constructive methods of dealing with offenders on the lines indicated in the recent White Paper on "Penal Practice in a Changing Society."

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men have escaped from prisons since January, 1959; and how many of these have not yet been recaptured.

Since 1st January, 1959, 71 prisoners have escaped from prison custody. Of these, 19 escaped from security at closed prisons, 12 from outside closed prisons, one from a medium security prison and 39 from open prisons. Ten are still at large.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the events both inside and outside Pentonville Prison, connected with the execution of Ronald Marwood.

At about 9.30 p.m. on the evening of Thursday, 7th May, a number of prisoners in Pentonville began to demonstrate noisily. A few broke furniture and windows and some threw lighted pieces of paper out of the window. The cells of those prisoners who were engaged in breaking furniture were cleared of their contents, force being necessary to achieve this in six cases. One prisoner was removed to a strong cell. By 11.30 p.m. the prison was quiet, and remained so on the following day.I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that a crowd collected outside the prison late on the evening of 7th May. There was no untoward incident and conditions returned to normal at about midnight. On the morning of 8th May people began to assemble outside the prison at 7.30 a.m. and by 9 a.m. a crowd of about 1,500 had gathered, including a small number of people carrying placards, and many representatives of the press and photographers. Police were engaged mainly in preventing obstruction of the highway. Two men were arrested, one being charged with being drunk and disorderly and the other with wilfully obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty. One man had to be removed from the crowd because of his uncontrolled behaviour, but no charge was made against him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an assurance that people in the metropolitan area who are receiving threatening letters, a copy of which he has received, from an organisation calling itself the Ku Klux Klan of Britain, will receive the fullest police protection; and what steps he is taking to ensure that this organisation does not offend against the freedom of individuals by threats of violence which might lead to a breach of the peace.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that letters purporting to come from the Ku Klux Klan are sent by one or two individuals, whose activities are being carefully watched. If at any time there appears any likelihood of a breach of the peace appropriate action will be taken at once. The police will afford any necessary protection to the recipients of such letters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that, between October, 1951, and April, 1959, the price of meat has risen from 2s. 6d. to 5s. 6d. per pound, tea from 3s. 8d. to 6s. 8d. per pound, and that generally food prices have risen by 42.1 per cent, between October, 1951, and October, 1958; what new action he intends to take to restore food prices to their 1951 level; and when he anticipates achieving this objective.

In 1951, subsidies. price control and a restriction of demand through rationing were artificially depressing the prices of most foodstuffs. Meat prices, however, have increased much less than the hon. Member suggests. We have achieved a 12 per cent. increase in consumption of food per head since 1951, and over the past year price stability as well: my latest information shows that food prices, on average, are about the same as a year ago.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the criticism expressed by farmers in Berkshire and other English counties of his decision to allow the admission of Irish cattle that have passed a single tuberculin test for a period of five years after the whole of Great Britain has become attested, he will give an assurance that these proposals involve no significant risk of bovine tuberculosis spreading afresh in districts which have been cleared of the disease; and which districts of Great Britain would be adversely affected if none but attested cattle were allowed to be imported after 1960.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary explained in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 23rd March, I am advised that under the conditions that will apply to the importation of once-tested cattle from the Irish Republic after Great Britain is declared free of bovine tuberculosis, there will not he any significant risk of reintroducing the disease into our own herds. The ideal is to import only cattle of attested standard, and we intend to reach that ideal as soon as we can. But it would not be practicable to restrict the trade to attested animals by the end of 1960 because it is clear that by then there will be too few of them to satisfy the demand in this country for stores for fattening and for home-produced beef. The main fattening areas concerned are situated in the Midland and North-Eastern Counties of England and in the Scottish counties of Stirling, Angus, Perth. the Lothians and Fife, which rely very extensively on imports of stores from the Republic.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now reached a decision on the suggested importation of Charollais bulls for experimental purposes.

In view of the wide divergence of views in the industry on this question, the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to appoint an independent committee with the following terms of reference:—

"To examine the proposals that have been made for the import into Great Britain of Charollais cattle and semen, and to advise the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a prima facie case exists on animal breeding and husbandry grounds for the Ministry of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food to conduct trials with imported Charollais cattle; and if so, whether it would be inadvisable to hold such trials in view of the possible animal health or other risks attendant on any import."

I am glad to be able to say that Lord Terrington has consented to act as the Chairman. I hope to be able to announce the names of the other members shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the increasing concern about hypomagnesaemia in cattle; and what advice he will give to farmers about the nature, prevention and treatment of this disease.

Yes. A recent survey suggests that about 1 per cent. of dairy cattle are affected by the disease; it is also frequent in non-lactating and beef cattle and occurs at all ages.Work on this problem has been going on at my Central Veterinary Laboratory and elsewhere for some years. The condition is associated with a fall in blood magnesium levels, but it has not yet been positively determined what causes this to happen. Clinical symptoms vary with the intensity of the attack and may include nervousness, restlessness, loss of appetite, twiching of muscles, especially in the face and eyes, grinding of the teeth, contraction of tail muscles, staggering and paralysis, and often the animal dies unless treatment is started in good time. Since some of these symptoms occur in other diseases, a veterinary surgeon should be called in as soon as suggestive symptoms are observed so as to ensure that an accurate diagnosis is made.Hypomagnesaemia has been found in cattle on pastures with a relatively high magnesium content. It cannot, therefore, be attributed solely to magnesium deficiency in the accepted nutritional sense, although oral supplements of magnesium will in most cases prevent a fall in blood magnesium to dangerously low levels. Two ounces of calcined magnesite for adult stock, with smaller amounts for younger cattle, have been used successfully as a preventive during periods when individual experience suggests that hypomagnesaemia is likely to occur. It is essential that each animal should consume this dose daily; heavy dosing before turning out does not prevent the disease.Experimental work and field studies have shown that, under favourable circumstances, a very good measure of control can be achieved by top-dressing with magnesium compounds. The amounts necessary vary considerably according to local conditions, e.g. the calcium status of the soil, husbandry procedures, and weather, and if preventive measures of this sort are contemplated expert advice should be sought. Further research is required before treatment of pastures can be recommended generally as a fully effective and economic alternative to oral dosing.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he has considered the communication sent to him by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, relating to United Kingdom emigrants to Canada; and if lie will make a statement on Government policy with regard to these emigrants.

I have studied the hon. Member's letter and the Press articles about emigrants from the United Kingdom to Canada which have appeared in recent weeks here and in Canada. Some Press accounts of economic distress have given an inaccurate impression. What is striking is the success of the overwhelming majority of United Kingdom immigrants in Canada. They are made welcome and many of them possess qualities and skills which enable them to contribute to the development of the Canadian nation.I understand that the general employment situation in Canada is improving. As I have previously indicated, if immigrants into Canada should unfortunately be out of work they are eligible for benefit under Canadian Social Security schemes and are helped to find fresh employment by the Canadian authorities. In general, the policy of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to encourage migration to Commonwealth countries overseas remains unchanged.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what consideration was given, during the Commonwealth Economic Conference, to the preparation of a scheme to secure closer co-operation in tariffs and quotas with the countries of the European Common Market.

The recent meeting of Commonwealth Senior Economic Officials, to which I assume the hon. Member is referring, exchanged views on general trade and economic subjects, including developments in connection with the European Common Market.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether a declaration has now been deposited by Her Majesty's Government with the International Labour Office applying International Labour Convention No. 87, concerning freedom of association and protection of the right to organise, to Nyasaland; and what modifications have been attached.

On behalf of and in agreement with the Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland a declaration applying International Labour Convention No. 87 to Nyasaland with modifications has been deposited with the International Labour Office. The modifications are on Articles 2 and 7 and are as follows:

"A trade union as defined by national laws may not be established if, in the opinion of the public authority, an existing trade union adequately represents, for that particular trade, the objects of the proposed union".

This declaration was registered by the International Labour Office on 23rd February, 1959.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is aware that the Government of India is not permitting representatives of the British Press to interview the Dalai Lama or members of his suite; and whether he will make representations to the Government of India to rectify this situation.

As I understand the position, Mr. Nehru has explained in the Indian Parliament that the Government of India do not wish the Dalai Lama to be harassed by large numbers of people seeking interviews with him. According to my information, both Indian and foreign Press correspondents have so far failed to obtain interviews with the Dalai Lama or members of his suite in Mussoorie. There is nothing to suggest descrimination against British Press correspondents.

asked the Minister of Education by how many the number of children in maintained schools in England and Wales has increased since 1951.

The number has increased by 1,100,000 to 6,839,000.

asked the Minister of Education what was the average number of children per teacher in maintained schools in England and Wales in 1951; and what was the corresponding figure at the latest convenient date.

26·7 in 1951 and 26·5 in 1958.

asked the Minister of Education which schools controlled by the Bristol Education Committee were featured in the Labour Party political television broadcast on 5th May; by what authority the schools were featured; and to what extent the consent of parents of children televised was obtained.

Bedminster Down Secondary School and Broomhill Junior School were shown in the broadcast. The matter was not referred to my Department and I cannot answer the last two parts of the question.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has now examined the report of the Advisory Committee on further education far commerce; what steps are being taken to implement the recommendation; and whether he will make a statement.

I cannot yet add to what I said in reply to the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. M. Stewart) on 23rd April.

asked the Minister of Education how many students now enrolled in courses for the Diploma in Technology qualified for entry by the General Certificate of Education, and how many by possessing an ordinary national certificate.

Information supplied by the colleges conducting courses leading to the Diploma in Technology shows that 1,529 students now enrolled in these courses qualified for entry by the General Certificate of Education and 820 by the Ordinary National Certificate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Spaniards still require visas to come to England when Spain has abolished the requirement of visas for British visitors.

It is customary for the abolition of visa requirements to be governed by bilateral agreements. We have received the draft of a proposed agreement from the Spanish Government and are considering it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent. during his recent conversations with King Hussein, undertakings were given about financial assistance to Jordan.

The opportunity was taken to review with King Hussein the proposals for financial assistance which my right hon. and learned Friend discussed with Jordanian Ministers during their visit to London last month. Their main features were, as he said in reply to a Question in the House on 15th April, a grant-in-aid of £2 million towards the Jordanian budget for the financial year ending the 31st March, 1960, and an interest-free development loan of £500,000 towards the Desert Road project.Her Majesty's Government have also agreed to the deferment of the payment of £500,000 due this month under the Treaty Settlement, and of payments which, at the end of 1959, will total £266,666 in respect of past development loans.Parliamentary approval for the grant-in-aid and the new development loan will be sought in due course by way of supplementary estimate. In the meantime advances will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.The debt deferments will be arranged by means of Notes which will shortly be exchanged with the Jordanian Government and laid before Parliament in the form of White Papers.

asked the Minister of Health what vacancies exist in the Barnsley Becket and St. Helen hospitals for qualified consultants and residential staff; and what is being done to fill these requirements.

There is only one vacancy, which is for a consultant pathologist to work three sessions a week in these hospitals. The post has been advertised but so far without result.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the utilisation of health and hospital services by foreign visitors to the United Kingdom, what steps he is at present taking to get reciprocal benefits for the growing number of United Kingdom subjects who are taking their holidays abroad.

The Government try to conclude reciprocal agreements wherever practicable, but the possibilities are limited by what other countries can offer. Full reciprocity exists with Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia, and holiday-makers from the United Kingdom are eligible for the same medical services as are the nationals of those countries. It is hoped that a similar agreement will shortly be signed with Denmark.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make a statement on the information about nuclear propulsion of merchant shipping which was before the Admiralty Committee under his chairmanship on 5th May.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will authorise the placing of orders for the building of experimental nuclear powered vessels in view of the recent developments in the design of nuclear propulsion units for shipping.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave last Tuesday to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) and my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many civilians were employed by his Department in the area comprising the parliamentary constituency of South Antrim in the month of January in the years 1955 and 1959, respectively.

258 and 268, respectively.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is now proposed to return the land upon which Toome Airfield was constructed to the former owners or occupiers of the land; and whether he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Finance, Northern Ireland, are handling the sale of Toome Airfield as agents for the Admiralty. As soon as certain preliminary matters are settled, they will be approaching former owners to see if they wish to buy back any of the land.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why work on the modernisation of the maintenance ship H.M.S. "Mull of Kintyre" has been suspended; and to what extent the funds available for the completion of modernisation under the 1958–59 Estimates were insufficient for this purpose.

Modernisation of H.M.S. "Mull of Kintyre" has had to be suspended temporarily because of the demands of higher priority work which the Dockyard was required to undertake during 1958–59, primarily to meet operational commitments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many warships of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and other Powers now have British-designed Limbo antisubmarine mortars.

Limbo has only been sold to Commonwealth countries who have ships designed to take them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why American-type 3-inch guns have been fitted in H.M.S. "Victorious", in view of the United States Government's refusal to purchase the British Limbo antisubmarine mortar, known to be superior to any in the world; and if he is fully satisfied that British-built guns of the same type could not have been fitted in this ship.

The 3-inch guns in "Victorious" formed part of the equipment which was provided by the United States Government under the Mutual Defence Assistance Programme. At the time no British-designed guns of comparable characteristics were available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if Squid anti-submarine mortars and other modern weapons, such as 44 mm. radar-controlled anti-aircraft guns, are still being removed and held in reserve from those of Her Majesty's ships which are earmarked for disposal.

Yes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why the completion of Her Majesty's ships "Lay-moor" and "Layburn" have been delayed for nearly eight months.

These boom defence vessels have suffered some delay due to late delivery of machinery components and structural materials. There have also been some labour difficulties.

asked the Minister of Defence what steps he has taken under Section 9 of the Visiting Forces Act, 1952, to ensure that soldiers of the United States Army, against whom judgment of the county court has been issued, are compelled to meet the claims and costs ordered by the court in favour of a British subject.

The arrangements under Section 9 of the Visiting Forces Act, 1952, for the settlement of claims against members of visiting forces, were circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT of 15th April, 1954. A notice about civil claims against members of the United States Armed Forces was published in December, 1953.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will back-date to 8th April, 1959, any increases to existing Service widows' pensions.

The increases in Service pensions will take effect from the same date as the increases in civil pensions to be made under the new Pensions (Increase) Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is now proposed to return the land upon which Royal Air Force Station, Cluntoe, was constructed to the former owners or occupiers of the land; and whether he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Finance, Northern Ireland, who will be handling the sale of the airfield on our behalf, will approach the former owners, as soon as certain preliminary problems are settled, to see if they want to buy back the land.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the increasing difficulty of finding suitable employment for disabled workers in the North-Western area and the need for further provision of institutes providing special employment; and what action he will take in this matter.

I am aware that the number of registered disabled workers who are unemployed in the North-Western Region has increased during the last year, and my Disablement Resettlement Officers are doing their best to find suitable employment for them. As regards sheltered employment, the main need is not for additional factories but for more work, so that the places already available in existing sheltered workshops can be filled.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of notified unfilled vacancies per 100 persons registered as wholly unemployed in each of the 11 administrative regions in Great Britain, as at October, 1957, and October, 1958.

The following table gives the total number of unfilled vacancies at the dates concerned and the number of unemployed at the same dates

Region		October, 1957			October, 1958
		Wholly unemployed	Vacancies	Percentage	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies	Percentage
London and South Eastern		49,553	75,516	152	75,458	46,822	62
Eastern	…	13,023	19,695	151	19,099	13,963	73
Southern	…	12,971	14,770	114	18,665	10,010	54
South-Western	…	18,891	14,943	79	29,505	12,465	42
Midland	…	19,662	24,482	125	34,020	15,562	46
North Midland		10,816	23,897	221	20,800	14,043	68
East and West Ridings		14,495	26,835	185	32,146	12,846	40
North-Western	…	40,395	35,342	88	73,746	17,793	24
Northern	…	17,956	12,360	69	33,415	7,663	23
Scotland	…	46,826	17,564	38	77,954	9,339	12
Wales	…	22,442	9,010	40	36,357	6,180	17
Great Britain	…	267,030	274,414	103	451,165	166,686	37

asked the Minister of Supply (1) how many tenders for diesel fuel injection servicing machines have been issued by his Department since 1st January, 1953; and whether he will list the firms from whom quotations have been received, with the date of the last quotation received from each firm;(2) how many contracts for diesel fuel injection servicing machines have been placed by his Department since 1st January, 1953; and whether he will list the firms with whom contracts have been made, with the date of the last contract made with each firm.

Tenders have been invited on six occasions and six contracts have been placed, the last in May, 1956. It would be contrary to normal practice to publish the names of firms invited to tender or receiving contracts. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Supply how many persons employed at the Chemical Defence Experimental Estab-

Twenty-seven workers at the Government's Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment at Porton are licensed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, to perform experiments on living vertebrate animals. All 27 of these workers hold Certificate A and 11 of them also hold Certificate B. The number of experiments under these certificates at the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment in 1958 was less than 1 per cent. of the total for the country as a whole.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in which countries the sale of British publications is being adversely affected by books and periodicals in English, from foreign sources, being sold at excessively low prices; from what main sources, and with what apparent objects, this competition arises; and when he will be in a position to announce the results of the present study of ways of encouraging the flow o5 British publications overseas.

There have been very large exports of books and periodicals in English at low prices by several countries including particularly the Soviet Union and China. These exports have been developed primarily for propaganda purposes and they do not seem, in the main, to have affected commercial sales of British books. I hope to announce the results of the present study soon after the House re-assembles.

asked the Paymaster-General (1) if he will state the total expenditure to date on the research and experimental work, including the tanker and installations, on liquid methane;(2) what sums, under Section 42 (1) of the Gas Act, he has authorised the Gas Council to borrow for the purpose of their arrangements with an American company in connection with the liquid methane experiment.

The Gas Industry's share of the expenditure to date so far amounts to rather under £1½ million mainly on the tanker and onshore installations in this country, both of which will have a considerable residual value, even if the experiment does not warrant further development. Account was taken of this investment in my noble Friend's general consent to borrowings by the Gas Council.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he will require the company or association formed by the Gas Council and/or Gas Boards and the American company to ask the consent of the Minister of Power for capital expenditure on tanker building.

Investment by the Gas Council in the joint company which owns the experimental liquid methane tanker is subject to my noble Friend's approval and has so far been limited to the requirements of the experiment. He does not intend to consider any application to increase their investment until he has received a full technical and economic assessment of the results of the trial shipments.

asked the Paymaster-General what is the average cost of gas per therm manufactured from coal, the average cost of gas per them manufactured from oil and the average cost of gas per therm manufactured from liquefied methane.

The cost of producing town gas varies very widely according to circumstances of production and demand but the average cost of production from coal and oil respectively in the London area is roughly 16d. and 14d. per therm. No assessment is yet possible of the cost of producing town gas from liquid methane.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will state the total amount spent from nationalisation to date by the Gas Council and Gas Boards on research in the gasification of coal.

Expenditure on research into the gasification of coal since vesting date amounts to nearly £1¼million. In addition the Gas Council has undertaken the construction of a new type of high pressure gasification plant on a commercial scale at an estimated expenditure of some £5 million. In order to solve chemical engineering problems this plant will be used initially to gasify oil but in its final development it is planned to gasify small coal.

asked the Paymaster-General, in view of a recent case in the Isle of Axholm, Lincolnshire, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Gainsborough, if he will have consultations with the Electricity Board to prevent widespread and unnecessary damage to growing crops when pylons are erected on farmland.

My noble Friend is satisfied that the electricity boards and their contractors are anxious to keep damage to a minimum. In the case which my hon. Friend has quoted the Generating Board kept in touch with the local branch of the National Farmers' Union whom they consulted about restoration. The boards are required by Statute to make full compensation for damage, and in the event of dispute the amount would be settled by an arbitrator appointed by my noble Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of applicants waiting for telephone service at the Feltham and Hounslow exchanges in May of this year, and the comparative figures for May 1958.

For Feltham the present figure is 502, as compared with 426 a year ago; for Hounslow 868 now and 1,244 a year ago.Nearly 1,000 telephones have been installed in these two areas in the past 12 months and the applications now outstanding include 608 in course of being met or under inquiry.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the figures of 100, 22 and between 1 and 2 which have been given for the proportions between radiation from natural sources, from manmade sources other than nuclear tests, and from nuclear tests, apply only to the genetic effects of radiation; and whether he will give comparable figures for the somatic effects.

Yes. The proportions of 100, 22 and between 1 and 2, which I quoted on 5th May, apply to the possible genetic effects of radiation. As for the somatic effects, the 1956 Report of the Medical Research Council on the Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiations gives the annual dose of radiation to bone from 1 strontium unit of strontium 90 (which is about the national average) as about 3 millirems a year. This has to be compared with the average annual dose to bone from naturally occurring radium in the bone of 37 millirems a year, and the natural gamma radiation from the environment of 80 — 180 milli- nems a year in the United Kingdom. So, on the basis of this provisional estimate in 1956 the amount of radiation from the everage quantity of strontium 90 in human bone in this country was somewhere between 1·4 and 2·6 per cent. of the comparable radiation from natural sources.The United Nations Scientific Committee in their Report last year used different figures which led to an average figure of 2 per cent. for the ratio between strontium 90 and natural radiation to bone. It may be that the slight increase in the deposition of strontium 90 which has recently been recorded in the United Kingdom may in the future put this percentage up slightly. No estimate of the dose to bone from medical radiology is at present available, but this will be included in the final Report of the Adrian Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether in view of the present anxiety among private wagon repairing firms, he will issue a direction to the British Transport Commission as to the priority they should adopt in allocating repair work between private firms and their own shops.

The allocation of wagon repair work is the responsibility of the British Transport Commission as part of the commercial management of the railways and is not a suitable subject for a direction. I am nevertheless aware of the concern felt at the present time by private wagon repairing firms as to their future; I have received a deputation from the Wagon Repairing Association and I have heard the views of a number of hon. Members who have approached me. I have accordingly discussed the matter with Sir Brian Robertson.The problem arises basically because the British Railways wagon fleet is contracting very materially and because the older wooden wagons are being scrapped. There is thus an absolute reduction in the volume of repair work and this must affect both the Commission's own shops and the private repairers. In allocating repair work the Commission must have regard to commercial and geographical considerations as well as to the claims of its own workpeople and of the private repairing industry. The Commission has already reduced the volume of wagon repair work in its own shops and is discussing with the unions the effects which further contraction will have on their shops. The Commission is also meeting the Wagon Repairing Association to discuss how best the continuing contraction can be applied in their case. The Commission is I am assured ready to look as sympathetically as it can at any constructive proposals put forward by the Association, and I hope this consultation will continue.