asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that certain by-pass trunk roads built for fast traffic on town and city outskirts have, since they were so built, become enveloped in developing housing estates with schools; that such by-pass roads for fast traffic have thereby lost their original purpose and become a danger to children and adults; and if he will devise a means of obviating these dangers.

Along a number of bypasses a good deal of development has taken place, particularly before the passing of the Restriction of Ribbon Development Act, 1935. Powers under the Town and Country Planning Acts are now used to preserve the traffic value of by-passes. We are reducing the dangers caused by what has happened in the past by such improvements as flyovers, underpasses and pedestrian subways so as to separate both local vehicular traffic and pedestrians from trunk road traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has now been able to arrive at a decision about the experimental regulations with regard to the use of motor vehicles on motorways; when it is intended to introduce new and permanent regulations dealing with this matter; and whether, in particular, he has come to a decision about the use of motorways by vehicles carrying abnormal indivisible loads.

We have circulated certain proposals to interested authorities and organisations for comment. When these have been received and examined, we shall reach final decisions about classes of traffic and speed limits on motorways and shall embody them in a new order and regulations to replace the existing experimental Instruments.Experience gained from the Preston By-pass has led us to the provisional conclusion that the movement of abnormal indivisible loads of up to 14 feet in width could safely be allowed on motorways without special restriction, subject only to the usual conditions of two clear days' notice to the police and the right of the police to divert them to an alternative route when necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what representations he has received from the industrialists of Yorkshire concerning the completion of the Yorkshire-London motorway.

A number of representations have been received, the most recent being from the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce seeking high priority for the Sheffield-Leeds part of the motorway.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the high accident record of the 1·4 mile length of trunk road A.12 from Ipswich County Borough boundary to Hadleigh Road, what improvement to the road has been proposed; and when it will be carried out.

Construction of a roundabout has already begun at the junction of Hadleigh Road with A.12, where a considerable number of the accidents have occurred. We propose ultimately to provide dual carriageways from this junction to the Ipswich County Borough Boundary, but I cannot at present say when this can be done.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why, in his advice to local authorities regarding the making of parking places orders under the Road Traffic Act, 1956, he has only recommended them to make reasonable provision for commercial vehicles and not recommended that all metered parking bays should be available to all classes of vehicles, including goods vehicles, as in the Mayfair experiment.

The advice was given in this way to preserve the discretion which the 1956 Act allows to local authorities promoting such schemes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has received the further letter, dated 19th May, 1959, from the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North, quoting a letter from the President of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce confirming the unsatisfactory system at Edinburgh airport; if he is aware that Members of both Houses of Parliament continue to complain about this system; and if he will now once again investigate these complaints and send a further letter of reply to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have received any complaints about the facilities at Edinburgh airport. If, as I understand from the hon. and learned Member's two letters of 19th and 29th May, he has received complaints about the timing of B.E.A.'s services between London and Aberdeen via Edinburgh, this, as I have already informed him, is a matter for the Corporation.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many car licences were taken up in England in January, 1958, and January, 1959.

2,866,015 car licences were issued in England in January, 1958, and 3,057,854 in January, 1959.

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

The report has just gone to the printers and will, I hope, be published in the latter part of next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many foreign applicants for United Kingdom visas during the past year gave business as the object of their journey; how many were coming to investigate the possibilities of factory expansion in the United Kingdom, and how many to investigate the possibilities in Scotland; and how far his consular officers have instructions about seeking to instruct potential visitors about particular factory sites.

Figures are not available in the form asked for by my hon. Friend, but I am sending him a copy of Command Paper 701. This shows that the total number of foreigners, including those requiring visas, who visited the United Kingdom in 1958 for business purposes was 185,431. Consular officers do not have detailed information about the availability of particular factory sites. Enquirers are referred by them either to our commercial officers abroad or to the Board of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has now reached agreement on the abolition of visas between Spain and all British territories.

No. Final replies have not yet been received from all the Governments of the British oversea territories consulted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make available to hon. Members the Report of the Human Rights Commission of the Council of Europe on their investigation into allegations of brutality by British forces in Cyprus, which has been submitted to the Council of Ministers.

No report has yet been produced by the European Human Rights Commission on the subject to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the international conference now being held at Geneva and of any resulting international agreement, if he will take steps to ensure that any such international agreement and all future international agreements to which Her Majesty's Government shall be a party shall include clauses to the effect that disputes which may arise as to the interpretation of the agreement shall be submitted to the International Court and that the nations which are parties to the agreement shall be bound by the decision of that Court in such cases.

It is the general policy of Her Majesty's Government to support the reference of legal disputes to the International Court of Justice. We are one of the thirty-two nations who have accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court. It is not, however, possible to give an assurance in the very wide terms suggested by the hon. and learned Member, if only because Her Majesty's Government cannot by themselves ensure that all treaties to which they may become parties shall include such clauses.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress achieved at the Geneva Conference of Foreign Ministers.

I fully appreciate and indeed welcome the interest which the whole House is showing in this Conference. As the right, hon. and learned Gentleman is aware, the Foreign Ministers decided recently to supplement their plenary sessions by private meetings. No agreement has yet been reached, but the discussions, both in private and in plenary session, are continuing and I am hopeful that some conclusions will be reached before much longer. However, as I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will understand, I would prefer not to enter into the details of the current discussions while these are still going on.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether agreement has now been reached with the Soviet Government for the appointment of technical experts to consider the problems of controlling high altitude and underground nuclear tests.

The Soviet Government have agreed in principle to technical discussions on controls over high altitude nuclear tests. I regret to say that they have not yet agreed to such discussions on the problems connected with underground nuclear tests.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been received from the Indian Government concerning the reconvening of the International Supervisory Commission for Laos; and whether he will make a statement.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Ash-field (Mr. Warbey) on 8th June. Since then, my right hon. and learned Friend has delivered to the Soviet Foreign Minister our reply to the Soviet Note of 30th May. I will circulate the former in the OFFICIAL REPORT. But I should like to stress three points in connection with this reply.First, it is not true that the Government of Laos have in any way disregarded the Geneva Agreements. On the contrary, they have always observed them and, in the affair of the escaped battalion, have been making a genuine effort to integrate this battalion in the Laotian Army in accordance with the Agreement which they made with the Pathet Lao in November, 1957.Secondly, Laos is a sovereign independent state and a member of the United Nations. It would be inconsistent with the undertaking to respect its sovereignty, contained in the Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference, to seek to impose the return of the International Commission on the Laotian Government against their wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further action has been taken, or is being contemplated, by Her Majesty's Government to ensure the free passage of shipping to and from Israeli ports through the Suez Canal, in view of renewed instances of interference with such free passage.

None, at present. Her Majesty's Government's view on freedom of passage through the Suez Canal was repeated by my right hon. and learned Friend in reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton on 8th April. But I understand that the matter is being discussed through United Nations channels and I do not think it would be helpful to intervene.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether, at the International Labour Conference now meeting in Geneva, Her Majesty's Government will support the proposed recommendation on occupational health services;(2) whether, at the International Labour Conference now meeting in Geneva, Her Majesty's Government will support the proposed conventions on conditions of work for fishermen.

In the Government's view, the drafts of the proposed Recommendation on occupational health services and of the Conventions on conditions of work for fishermen, provide an acceptable basis for discussion, but their final attitude cannot be determined in advance of the discussion at the Conference.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the bulge in the school population and the likelihood that a higher than usual proportion of children reaching their fifteenth birthdays have stayed on at school till the end of the school year because of the lack of jobs, what special steps he is taking to cope with the large number of school leavers who will be applying for jobs in the early autumn.

The Youth Employment Service is well aware of the position and will, as always, do everything it can to place these young people in employment with the least possible delay. I am glad to think that this work will go on in the expectation of an expansion of economic activity.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the widespread consequences upon the economy of the current dispute in the printing industry; what machinery he proposes to use for the solution of this dispute; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that the measures which have been taken by the respective parties to the dispute are likely to lead not merely to dislocation but to wide-scale stoppages within the industry, and these cannot but have a serious effect upon the life of the country. These measures will also make an ultimate settlement of the dispute still more difficult.The view of the parties is that the official machinery within the industry's procedure for settlement of disputes has been exhausted, and they have not, to my regret, been able to agree on a reference to arbitration.My officers have seen the parties to the dispute and have explored the possibilities of bringing them together. At the moment, it does not appear possible to do so with advantage. My officers are keeping closely in touch with the parties.In the allied dispute in the printing ink industry, my officers have assisted in getting the parties together for a clarification of their respective view points, and this may lead to joint discussions next week.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty which of Her Majesty's ships will visit the Port of Barry during this summer; and if he will give details of the ships and the numbers of officers and ratings in each case.

It is regretted that it has not been possible this year to include Barry amongst the Welsh ports to be visited. Three of Her Majesty's ships visited Barry last year and it is the turn of other ports this year. Should a chance present itself later in the year Barry will be considered and my hon. Friend advised.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, if he is aware of mounting anxiety following the decision to speed up the closure of the Royal Naval Aircraft Yard at Donibristle; and whether he will give an assurance that no redundancy will occur as a result of this decision.

No firm date has previously been given for the closing of this Yard. It was stated in my noble Friend's Explanatory Statement on the Navy Estimates 1959–60 (Cmnd. 674) that repair work on aircraft would be completed by April, 1959, and that the Yard's equipment and stores would then be disposed of and the Yard would finally close towards the end of 1959. Repair work was completed by the estimated date of April. It is now found that the work of dismantling and preparing the Yard for disposal will be completed by the end of August, although the Naval Store Department and some ancillary services will not finally close until about October.There has been the closest contact throughout with the staff sides, who have been kept fully informed of developments, and I do not think that it is correct to say that there is mounting anxiety at Donibristle about redundancy. It has always been understood by both sides that some redundancy will be inevitable on the closure of an establishment of this size. The reduction to be achieved between February, 1958, and the end of August, 1959, is about 1,300; the total number of redundancies which will have to be declared over the whole period are at present estimated as being about 60 men and 40 women.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has considered the telegram sent to the Admiralty by the Merchant Navy and Air Line Officers' Association endorsing eminent naval opinion with regard to the inadequacy of the Royal Navy to provide a defence for merchant ships; and what action is being taken to ensure that confidence in the preparedness of the Royal Navy to undertake its obligations is fully restored.

The Admiralty gives constant consideration to the effective defence of the Merchant Navy against any threat at sea. When the Atlantic Congress has been meeting in London it is particularly appropriate to remember that our maritime defence is based on the closest co-operation with our naval allies.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the age limit for persons wishing to join the Regular Army; and what standard they are required to reach before they are accepted.

The minimum age for a normal Regular engagement is 17½ and the maximum 24, or 29 for technicians and some other tradesmen. There are slightly higher limits for Regular reservists who wish to return to the Colours and for recruits to short-service engagements.Recruits must be of good character and would be disqualified by a serious criminal conviction or a record of unsatisfactory military service.There are varying standards of education and physical fitness, depending on the arm of the Service or the trade concerned. Applicants are graded according to a selection test and a medical assessment in the PULHEEMS code.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what is being done with the redundant rifles that are now being replaced; and whether he will permit bona fide British riflemen, both in this country and parts of the Commonwealth, to have these for rifle practice at an appropriate price;(2) at what age the ammunition that would have been used for the now redundant rifles will become unfit for use; what is to be done with this ammunition which is now in storage; and whether he will make it available, at an appropriate price, to British riflemen both in this country and in parts of the Commonwealth.

Rifles and ammunition replaced by new equipment are kept as mobilisation stocks, and there are no rifles or substantial quantities of ammunition at present surplus to our needs. The fitness of ammunition for use is not decided on age but according to tests carried out at intervals.By long-standing custom the comparatively small amount of ammunition needed by rifle clubs is provided by the Army from normal stocks. It is sold to the National Rifle Association who sponsor clubs in this country and are associated, I understand, with those in the Commonwealth.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has urged the British Broadcasting Corporation not to disband the Scottish Orchestra, in view of the strength of public opinion against this proposal.

The noble Lady has, no doubt, by now seen the B.B.C.'s statement that the Corporation will make no move to disband any of its orchestras unless circumstances materially change, and that the situation will again be considered in two years' time. I must emphasise that, although my right hon. Friend sent the Chairman of the Corporation a copy of the OFFICIAL REPORT for 6th May, as he undertook to do during the debate on that day, the decision has been one for the Corporation itself.

asked the Postmaster-General what were the total amounts received by the Post Office for sound radio licences, and combined television

asked the Postmaster-General how many television licences were in issue in the county borough of Stockport on 1st June, 1951, 1st June, 1955, and 1st June, 1959.

Separate figures for the county borough of Stockport are not available. In the Stockport Head Office district the latest available figures show that there were 54,523 television licences in force on 30th April, 1959. Comparative figures for 30th April, 1951, and 30th April, 1955, were 3,264 and 31,520, respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the ratio of television sets to the general population in Scotland, England, and Wales, respectively.

I have no information on numbers of television sets in use. The ratios of current television licences to the general population in Scotland, England and Wales (including Monmouthshire) are 1:6·9, 1:5·3, and 1:5·8, respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General how many automatic machines have been installed outside post offices to enable the general public to purchase 3d. stamps; and what is the approximate number he will install this year for this purpose.

Following is the information:

About 90, out of an initial order of 100 machines ordered for field trials delivered in October, 1958, have now been installed outside Post Offices. Their performance is generally satisfactory and we intend to obtain several hundred more. I cannot say how many will be installed this year. This will depend on delivery dates.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now reconsider his decision not to provide a sub-post office on the Hylton Red House Extension Housing Estate, Sunderland.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 9th June to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. P. Williams).

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to meet the objections of the residents of Bertram Street, Roath, Cardiff, to the erection of telegraph poles in the street.

This matter is the subject of discussion between the city council and the telephone manager. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the discussions are complete.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of young persons recruited for training on the technical staff of the telephone service, both nationally and in Stoke-on-Trent, for 1956 and 1959.

In 1956, 1,577 Youths-in-Training were recruited nationally and six in the Stoke area. This year the national recruitment figure will be substantially lower; most engagement takes place in the latter part of the year and so far only 83 have been recruited nationally. None has yet been engaged in Stoke, but we hope to take in nine.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will take steps to ensure that telephone installations at the private residences of three subscribers in Stokes Street, Clayton, Manchester, which were dismantled through the unreasonable action of the landlord, whose name has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Manchester, Openshaw, are re-installed forthwith.

I am sorry that we are unable to re-install these telephones without the consent of the landlord. My efforts to obtain this have unfortunately not been successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many passengers were carried on air trooping flights by the British Overseas Airways Corporation, and British European Airways in 1958, and how many by independent air operators during the same period.

10,433 and 111,858, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what plans are under consideration for a new school for the children of Royal Air Force parents at Khormaksar and Steamer Point, Aden.

We intend to provide a new primary and a new secondary school at Khormaksar. The existing primary school at Steamer Point will be retained.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement on the industrial situation among workers on military establishments in Aden; and what action he is taking to maintain contact with the Aden Trade Union Congress about wages and working conditions.

An agreement which was signed on 19th May provides for increased pay and improved working conditions for industrial employees engaged locally by the three Services in Aden, and for joint consultative machinery. It is operative for 12 months. The Aden Trade Union Congress is a party to the Agreement and will be represented on the consultative body through the Local Forces Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give instructions, when Government manœuvres are taking place in which low-flying helicopters participate, that they be particularly cautioned against the scaring of chickens, thereby creating unfertility in the eggs, since low-flying has in recent times caused more than double the normal unfertility.

I am arranging for R.A.F. helicopter units to be reminded of the importance of avoiding disturbance to chicken farms wherever this is possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give instructions that special care must be taken when punching the ears of cattle for registration purposes to avoid the obliteration of other signs which may be on the ears already.

Officers of my Ministry who are responsible for punching or marking the ears of cattle not destined for early slaughter are already instructed to take every care to avoid obliterating other marks which are already on the ears.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration is being given by his Department to the establishment of a marketing board for all pigs for slaughter; and what progress has so far been made.

The Government's present view, based upon the Report of the Re-Organisation Commission, continues to be that a basically free market in pigs and pigmeat is to be preferred to a marketing board for all pigs. But my right hon. Friend is always ready to consider proposals for a marketing scheme submitted by producers, with whom the initiative lies under the Agricultural Marketing Act.

asked the Minister of Works what progress has been made with the building of the new embassy at Monrovia, Liberia; and whether it is now proposed to complete it by 1st December, 1959.

The plans and siting of the new embassy have now been agreed and construction work is due to start at the beginning of the dry season, in November of this year.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) if he is aware that the Kent County Rifle Association in the past has been shooting by the courtesy of the Admiralty on the Sheerness Range which is now going to be closed; and if he will give in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of service ranges in Kent which have a range up to 600 yards and with targets in the iron frames, belonging to the Royal Navy, the Army, the Royal Air Force or the Territorial Army, which he will consider making available for use for riflemen as well as Service men when convenient;(2) if, seeing that there are a considerable number of riflemen in the county of Kent who have in the past been allowed by him to use Sheerness rifle range for their regular exercises, he will examine the matter with a view to seeing which of the ranges belonging to the services might be made available for the members of the Kent County Rifle Association in the future, as the Sheerness range is no longer to be available.

I am aware that the Sheerness range, which has been used in the past by the Kent County Rifle Association, is shortly to be closed. There are no ranges in Kent belonging to the R.A.F. The following ranges, with targets in steel frames, belonging to the Royal Navy, the Army, and the Territorial Army will be available to the Kent County Rifle Association and to other riflemen, as Service requirements permit:

asked the Minister of Defence what is the strength in numbers of the British forces available to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Northampton (Mr. Paget) on 20th February, as corrected in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 23rd February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many borstal entrants there were in Scotland during 1958; and how many of these were given a psychiatric interview on entry.

408 males and 22 females were admitted to borstal training in Scotland in 1958. About 90 per cent. of the former and all the latter were interviewed, shortly after reception, by a member of the psychiatric unit attached to the Scottish borstal service.

asked the Minister of Supply what plans he has for the building at present occupied by Messrs. Avro at Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln.

Messrs, A. V. Roe & Co. Ltd. will be giving up the factory at Bracebridge Heath within the next few months, with the exception of one hangar which will be retained for storage and administrative purposes. In accordance with normal practice, and in consultation with the Board of Trade, the remainder of the buildings will be offered in the first instance to other Government Departments, and then to the public for lease or purchase.