asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners have now applied to have their pensions paid quarterly instead of weekly.

About 8,000, so far.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many grants of industrial injury benefits have been made in the twelve months to the most recent convenient date notwithstanding an adverse decision on appeal; how many applications for industrial injury benefits were made in the twelve months to the most recent convenient date; how many were refused; and how many resulted in an assessment of less than 30 per cent. disability.

As decisions in these cases are the responsibility of independent statutory authorities no payment is or can be made after an adverse decision on appeal. In a period of twelve months ending in June, 1957, some 815,000 applications for industrial injury benefit were made of which some 780,000 resulted in awards. It is estimated that in the same period some 160,000 first claims for industrial disablement benefit were made and that there were about 120,000 awards including 80,000 awards of gratuities in respect of disablement assessed at less than 20 per cent. The number of other awards which were for disablement assessed at less than 30 per cent. is not known. However, of 148,275 pensions in payment at 31st October, 1957, 67,660 were for assessments of 30 per cent. or more.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether in view of the high incidence of respiratory disease among miners, he will set up a Departmental Committee to examine the present procedure, so as to ensure that legitimate claims for compensation are met.

No. I do not think this would serve a useful purpose at the present time. The hon. Member will no doubt be aware of the research now being carried on by the pneumoconiosis Research Unit into the question of the prevalence and cause of respiratory disability among miners.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if his attention has been drawn to the 75 Nigerian seamen who deserted the m.v. "Apapa" at Liverpool on 24th June; and how many of these men drew National Assistance or unemployment benefit thereafter.

I understand that these men have now left for Nigeria. They did not apply for unemployment benefit or National Assistance.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, in view of the relatively large number of workers necessarily employed on a part-time basis, and the consequential disproportionate cost of the resultant National Insurance contributions in relation to the wages paid, he will consider extending the period of non-liability to insurance contributions from four hours to fifteen hours in any one week, or alternatively to reduce the amount of the contributions in such cases by one half.

The liability for National Insurance contributions in respect of part-time employment was the subject of a special report by the National Insurance Advisory Committee presented to Parliament in July, 1957 (Cmnd. 206). In accordance with this Report, Regulations were made with effect from 6th January, 1958, which, in general, restrict the liability for contributions as an employed person to employments of more than eight hours' duration. I do not think a further review of the subject would be justified at this time, but I would remind my hon. Friend that one effect of the National Insurance Bill recently passed by this House will be an appreciable reduction in the contributions payable in respect of persons with low earnings, including part-time workers.

asked the Paymaster-General to what extent consideration has been given to the assumption by the National Coal Board of responsibility for coal distribution.

The Government are not considering an extension of the National Coal Board's current responsibilities in the field of coal distribution.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will make inquiries as to the limited stockpiling taking place by private distributors; and what tonnage is at the moment stocked by the National Coal Board and private distributors, respectively.

No. Merchants' stocks are rather higher than normal at a figure of 973,000 tons at 13th June. On the same date total National Coal Board stocks were 26·8 million tons.

asked the Paymaster-General what general direction he has given to the National Coal Board to produce a stocking incentive scheme whereby private consumers would receive a subsidy on stocking during plentiful months.

None.

asked the Paymaster-General what quantity and variety of oils are being produced from coal at the nearest convenient date; and whether he will make a statement on its future possibility.

In reply to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. George) on 16th April.The reply to the first part of the Question is that the figures for 1958 are:Light hydrocarbon oils derived from high-temperature carbonisation and tar distillation:

Approximately 4·0 million gallons of refined hydrocrabon oils were also obtained from low-temperature carbonisation processes. In addition 93 million gallons of creosote oil and 899,000 tons of creosote/pitch mixture were derived from coal.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is aware that in deep coalmining the output per man shift has increased by seven per cent. for the twenty-two weeks this year, thus raising the yearly output, other things being equal, from 288 tons per man per year to 308 tons per year; and, at the present rate of output, how many miners will it take to produce 1,000,000 tons, working for a full year.

Although output pet man shift has increased shifts worked have been reduced through the ending of Saturday working. The 1959 output per man year is therefore unlikely to be as high as 308 tons. About 3,400 miners are now required on average to produce a million tons in a year.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is aware that the reduction by 8,000,000 tons of the inland consumption of coal during the first twenty-two weeks of this year, and the likely reduction by 15 million tons by the end of the year, will involve a reduction of about 40,000 in the number of deep-mine coal workers after allowing for a reduction of 3,000,000 tons of opencast production if the stock of coal ceases; and what action he will take to prevent the development of this situation in the industry.

The hon. Member's estimate of a reduction of 15 million tons is much too pessimistic.

asked the Paymaster-General when he estimates the eight opencast coal sites in Northumberland will cease working on completion of the tasks now authorised.

As already announced, the National Coal Board is arranging a drastic reduction in opencast production and is working out the details for each individual site.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will state the most recent date on which consultation took place between the major fuel industries; what were the main features of consultation; and whether he will make a statement.

There is constant consultation among the major fuel industries because their interests touch at so many points. I am not prepared to state the subject of any particular consultation.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement regarding the progress being made with Vickers VC 10 and De Havilland 121 aircraft; and what modifications have been requested by British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways, respectively.

I am informed that the development of the VC 10 is making satisfactory progress and is up to schedule. As to the D.H. 121, I am informed that its basic aerodynamic design is settled and that the design of the main aircraft systems has also been completed.As to the second part of the Question, modifications to private venture aircraft are primarily a matter between the customer and the contractor.

asked the Minister of Supply how many modifications have been made to the Britannic aircraft project; and when he estimates the aircraft will fly.

The specification for the Britannic has not yet been made final. The prototype should be flying in 1962 and is expected to enter service in 1964.

asked the Minister of Supply what changes he proposes to make in the policy of his Department in relation to the supply of weapons.

I have no changes to announce.

asked the Minister of Health the percentage of institutional, as opposed to home, confinements in county boroughs in England as a whole and Nottingham County Borough, respectively, during the past twelve months from any convenient date.

The Answer is 66·9 and 65·3 per cent. respectively in 1958.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to a new electronic stethoscope which could prevent the deaths of 10,000 stillborn children a year; and whether he will consider recommending its adoption by doctors.

I am aware that an electronic stethoscope has been designed, but I have seen no evidence to substantiate the claim mentioned by the hon. Member; nor should I be justified in seeking to influence the individual doctor's choice of diagnostic equipment.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give figures of the incidence of bronchitis and emphysema among miners, compared with that in the population generally; and to what factors the high incidence in this group of workers is attributable.

I am afraid that comprehensive morbidity statistics are not available for a reliable comparison of this kind.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the high prices being charged for listening aids; and when he intends to bring forward a modern aid at a reasonable price.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Butler) on 1st December, 1958.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the valuable research work carried out by the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit at Llandough in connection with the detection and elimination of tuberculosis and its successful application to the Rhondda Fach district, he will apply the same method in other mining areas.

The successive chest X-ray surveys of the Rhondda Fach have been made in the course of a research project designed to evaluate the effect on a community of preventive measures. It is not proposed to repeat the project elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that garage rents for nursing and other staff at Cheshire Joint Sanatorium, near Market Drayton, which were increased from£2 12s. to£6 10s. per annum last November, have now been increased to£15 per annum; if he will investigate the reasons for these increases; and if he will take steps to reduce these rents, especially for those who work in remote rural areas.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health what action is being taken to extend the maternity hospital accommodation in Sunderland.

I understand that the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board is considering the inclusion in its programme for next year of building work to the value of some£10,000 at the Sunderland Maternity Hospital, but other even more urgent claims on the funds available have so far prevented the Board from undertaking any large-scale extension.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulties small hospitals are having to recruit sufficient resident medical and surgical staff; what consideration he has given to seconding Service medical personnel to these hospitals in order that they may continue to provide a service to the public; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that such difficulties exist and they are being examined by the Working Party on Hospital Medical Staffing Structure. The needs of the Services rule out the secondment of Service doctors on any significant scale, but the arrangements for co-operation between the Service medical authorities and those of the National Health Service should ensure that full advantage is taken of any help that can be made available from Service sources.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent his regulations require a consultant to inform the regional hospital board when he decides to take annual leave, and to obtain the board's agreement.

No regulations have been made governing this point. The accepted principle is, however, that the board should always be told; but a consultant is permitted to take periods of up to two days of his annual leave at a time without obtaining formal permission beforehand provided that approved arrangements have been made for his work to be done during his absence.

asked the Minister of Health why the allocation of hospital beds in Hull is not co-ordinated by a central office; and why the Leeds Regional Hospital Board has not instituted a hospital bed bureau system in Hull, to deal with emergency cases and so avoid doctors, in the middle of the night, having to spend hours seeking a hospital to find a bed.

The allocation of acute hospital beds in Hull is coordinated by the Hull A Hospital Management Committee, and of other beds by the Hull B Hospital Management Committee. The finding of a bed is not left to the general practitioner. Arrangements already exist whereby the hospital service can channel emergency cases to whichever hospital is in a position to accept them and it has not hitherto been considered necessary to establish a separate bed bureau.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken by the Committee of Ministers in connection with Recommendation No. 188, 1959, of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe concerning Hungarian refugees in Austria who wish to settle in a member-country of the Council of Europe; and what progress has so far been recorded.

At a meeting in Strasbourg early in March the Ministers' Deputies invited the attention of Member Governments to the Recommendation. We have not yet been informed what response they have made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have now decided what action will be taken in recommending the adoption of Recommendation No. 189, 1959, of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the Third Progress Report of the Special Representative of the Council of Europe for National Refugees and Overpopulation.

The Committee of Ministers' Deputies first considered Recommendation 189 at a meeting in March, and is to consider it again at a meeting on 1st July. As I informed the hon. Gentleman on 23rd February, Her Majesty's Government wish to know the views of other Governments before taking a decision on their own attitude towards this Recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the proposals in the draft European Social Charter, discussed at the recent International Labour Office Conference, convened on the Council of Europe's request, have now been considered by the Committee of Ministers; and if he will give an assurance that Her Majesty's Government will accept them as applying to overseas, as well as home, territories.

No. The comments of the Consultative Assembly are still awaited.The extent to which the provisions of the Charter can be accepted for both home and overseas territories cannot be decided until the final text is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further progress has been made in the negotiations for a general settlement of outstanding financial questions with the Soviet Government, with particular reference to United Kingdom claims arising from the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States in 1940.

As a result of discussions held in Moscow recently between experts representing Her Majesty's Government and the Soviet Government, it has been agreed that both sides should obtain full particulars of all outstanding claims which have arisen since 1939, including those relating to the Baltic States, with a view to the opening of negotiations for a comprehensive settlement.Our information about certain categories of United Kingdom claims is incomplete and it is proposed to invite persons having claims in these categories to register them with the Foreign Compensation Commission. An Order in Council for this purpose is in course of preparation. No action on the part of the claimants is necessary until the Order is published.The registration and preliminary examination of claims will take a considerable time and it will probably be at least twelve months before negotiations with the Soviet Government could begin.The Soviet Government have so far refused to discuss claims which arose before 1939. Her Majesty's Government have reserved their position as far as these claims are concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of local labour his local employment exchanges have been able to provide for the hydroelectric scheme at Tan y Grisiau and on clearing the site for a nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd, respectively; what representations he has received regarding the employment of local labour on these schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Three-quarters of the men placed by my local offices with the contractors at Tan y Grisiau and a quarter of those at Trawsfynydd are from Blaenau Ffestiniog area itself and the vast majority of the remainder come from neighbouring employment exchange areas in Caernarvonshire and Merioneth. I have received no formal representations on this subject. My Department has established a site office at Trawsfynydd and the contractors for the power station are working in close co-operation with my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed registered at the Feltham and Hounslow Employment Exchanges in May and June of this year; and what are the comparative figures for the same months in 1958.

For Feltham the figures for 12th May and 16th June, 1958, and 11th May and 15th June, 1959, were 138, 113, 166 and 155 respectively. The corresponding figures for Hounslow were 413, 356, 322 and 274.

asked the Minister of Labour what consideration he is giving to the provision of Government assistance in solving the problem of transferring miners and their families from coalfield to coalfield; and if he will make a statement.

The schemes of financial assistance to transferred workers administered by my Department do not apply to men transferred within the service of a single employer. I understand the National Coal Board operates its own scheme of assistance. If the hon. Member has any particular problems in mind, perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the average effective working life of the community has increased approximately two years during the last 25 years, due to many different causes, he will consider having a detailed investigation made to ascertain how this affects operatives, foremen, employers, and executives, respectively.

I regret that it is not at present possible to undertake a detailed statistical study of this kind in my Department. As was stated in the debate on the employment of older men and women on 6th March, research into various aspects of the subject is going on and arrangements have been made for contacts to be maintained between research bodies and industry.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the concern of workers employed under the National Dock Labour Scheme at the short-fall of 12s. per week on the original 85 per cent. fall-back minimum wage; to what extent he approved this departure from the scheme authorised by him; and whether he will take the necessary action to restore this scheme to its original basis.

The amount of the guaranteed minimum wage is not regulated by the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Scheme, 1947. It is a matter for settlement by the National Joint Council for the Port Transport Industry, in which I cannot intervene.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases have been brought to his notice of oranges being treated with thiourea for purposes of preservation; and what steps he is taking to ensure that oranges so treated do not reach the public.

My right hon. Friend has been informed this year of four cases one of which was successfully prosecuted by the local food and drugs authority under the Preservatives in Food Regulations. In the last two cases reported my Ministry has warned the exporting countries concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that according to the May sample census the sow population of England and Wales has fallen to 565,000, as against 713,000 a year ago, and that if the pig population continues to fall at the present rate there will soon be few pigs left for processing by British bacon factories, which are already operating at less than 50 per cent. capacity; and if he will make a statement as to the policy of the Government with regard to pig production for the next few years.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the reduction in the breeding herd from last year's high level and this will naturally mean that the number of pigs available for slaughter later in the year will be less than in the second half of 1958. But as my right hon. Friend said in reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 25th June, current bacon production is higher than in the corresponding periods in the two preceding years, and I could not accept the implications in my hon. Friend's Question. My right hon. Friend has, however, received representations from the industry which he is considering carefully and proposes to discuss with them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the inadequacy of the present 10 per cent. duty applied to some of our bacon imports, and the absence of any quota restrictions, may have an undesirable effect upon the British bacon producing industry; and whether he will consider taking remedial action at an early date.

My right hon. Friend has received representations to this effect from the bacon curing industry which he proposes to discuss with their representatives. But I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that the curing industry benefits indirectly from the Government's guarantees to pig producers and now supplies 40 per cent. of our requirements, as compared with 30 per cent. before the war.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any trade concessions were made with regard to bacon imports when discussions took place with the Danish Ministers in London recently; and if he will make a statement.

I regret I cannot add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster-General to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 25th June.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has considered the representations made to him by the bacon industry in February, 1958, and February, 1959; and what reply he made to these representations.

Yes. The representations were fully considered and the Government's views on those made in 1958 were given in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann) on 27th February of that year.So far as representations made earlier this year are concerned, my right hon. Friend saw representatives of the industry in March and explained to them that the Government felt there was no case for any radical modification of policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) the total number of bullocks killed for consumption by the Jewish method of slaughter in 1957 and 1958, respectively; and what was the corresponding number of sheep and calves killed in the same manner during those years;(2) the total number of sheep and goats killed by the Mohammedan method of slaughter during 1957 and 1958, respectively.

I regret that statistics of the number of animals slaughtered by these methods are not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many local authorities have made representations to him with regard to the need for a local service of monitoring of radioactive contamination of food, air, or water; and what has been his reply.

I have received inquiries from seventeen local authorities in England and Wales about the need for local monitoring services. I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to her Question on 23rd March as to the replies which I have sent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the response he has received from his invitation to local authority associations, the London County Council, etc., to unify building byelaws for the entire country.

I have so far received replies from some but not all of the bodies I consulted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a number of civil servants have only half of their unestablished period of service calculated when their pensions are made up; and if he will take steps to include the full period of service in the calculation, whether established or unestablished, in view of the improved state of the national finances.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the position; but he does not feel justified in asking for a change in the law, for reasons given in a letter which he has just sent to the Staff Side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council and of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been made to the Development Areas Treasury Advisory Committee for the North East Lancashire Development Area and for Burnley, respectively, since the Distribution of Industry (Finance) Act came into force; and how many have been approved in each case.

Eleven firm and eligible applications under the Distribution of Industry (Industrial Finance) Act, 1958, have been received from places in the North East Lancashire Development Area, including Burnley. So far none of these has been approved. The corresponding information for Burnley is four and none.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons are employed by the Tithe Redemption Commission; what was its cost to the public in 1958; and what it redeemed in that year.

The number employed by the Tithe Redemption Commission on 1st April, 1959, was 404. The cost of the Commission is not a charge on public funds but is met from the Redemption Annuities Account set up under Section 25 of the Tithe Act, 1936. Published figures of this Account show that the gross cost of the Commission in 1957–58 was£325,046; no figure is yet available for 1958–59. The amount of annuities redeemed in 1957–58 was£20,816 and the consideration money received for these redemptions was£356,273. During that year,£671,868 was applied from the Account in purchase and cancellation of£1,052,292 3 per cent. Redemption Stock, 1986–96.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many forms No. 1303 the Tithe Redemption Commission posted to householders in the years 1950 to 1958, inclusive; and at what total cost to public funds.

Form No. 1303 is sent to householders and other bodies in connection with the apportionment of Tithe Redemption Annuities, and it is not possible to give a separate figure for the number of copies sent to householders in the years 1950 to 1958. The total

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the number of Africans killed in clashes with the Security Forces in Kenya in each of number of forms obtained from Her Majesty's Stationery Office during that period was some 46,500 at a cost of£200. This was not a charge on public funds, since the costs were met from the Redemption Annuities Account.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied that the law of trespass, as it exists at present, gives adequate protection to occupiers and owners of land; and if he will make a statement.

I do not consider that there is any need for legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Europeans, Asians and Africans were killed in Kenya as a result of suspected Mau Mau activity in each of the years 1952–58; and if he will give the figures for civilians and security forces separately.

Following is the information available to me:the years 1952–58, and the number of Africans wounded and captured in each of those years.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the number of Africans sentenced to prison in Kenya for Mau Mau offences in each of the years 1952–58; the number of such prisoners who died in prison; the number who completed their sentences and were released; the number who completed their sentences and were subsequently held as detained persons; and the number still serving sentences for these offences.

As the figures I have cover only part of the period in question, I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the information he can supply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.The number of Mau Mau and K.K.M. convicts on the 31st March, 1959, was 245.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the total number of Africans detained without charge in Kenya for Mau Mau activity in each of the years 1952–58; the number of such detainees who died during detention; the number released from detention; and the number still detained.

As the figures I have cover only part of the period in question, I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the information he can supply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans, held in prison or detention camps in Kenya died as a result of the use of illegal violence against them by members of the prison or camp staffs, in each of the years 1952–58.

I have asked the Governor of Kenya for the information in regard to the years, 1952 to 1956, and will circulate a further reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Deaths which occurred in 1957 and 1958, after, but not necessarily as a result of, the use of illegal force by members of prison or camp staffs, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans, held in prison and detention camps in Kenya, were subjected to corporal punishment for offences committed against the Prison Regulations in each of the years 1952–58; and how many were subjected to mechanical restraint by handcuffs or leg irons in each of those years.

Separate statistics are not kept by race. The following are the figures for 1952 to 1957, so far as they are available:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many Assistant Secretaries in the Aden Secretariat there are on Scale A and how many on Scale B; and when the latter are to be promoted;(2) how many Assistant Secretaries or Administrative Assistants on Scale B in the Aden Secretariat have been promoted to Scale A since the introduction of Scale B for Assistant Secretaries or Administrative Assistants;(3) the difference in duties performed by an Assistant Secretary in Scale B in the Aden Secretariat and those performed by an Assistant Secretary on Scale A.

Including the Financial Secretary's Office, there are seven Assistant Secretaries on the A Scale and three on the B Scale and there is a further post which is at present vacant. No officers have been promoted to Scale A since Scale B was introduced. Promotions will be made when officers on Scale B have shown themselves qualified for it. Officers on Scale A perform more responsible work than those on Scale B, and are therefore required to have superior qualifications and experience.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans the Government of Uganda anticipates for carrying on light industries by a public corporation; and what steps have been taken in this direction.

The Uganda Development Corporation, in which the Uganda Government is the sole shareholder, has set aside a reserve fund of£70,000 for the development of small industries and assistance amounting to£22,000 has been allocated from this fund. It is also possible for financial assistance to be obtained for light industries by Africans from the Uganda Credit and Savings Bank and the African Loans Fund.The Uganda Government has secured the assistance of an expert through the international Co-operation Administration who will undertake a survey and offer advice on the best means of developing African industries. The result of this survey should be a valuable basis on which to determine future assistance in this field by the Uganda Development Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what Orders in Council relating to any Colony or any place in which Her Majesty has jurisdiction have been made under subsections (2) and (3), respectively, of Section 56 of the Administration of Justice Act, 1956.

None.

asked the Minister of Education what grants for village and community halls have been made to bodies in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1951; and what proposals are now under consideration.

Grants totalling£8,488 have been offered by my Department since 1951–52 for village halls at Keele, Audley, Aston, Ashley, Whitmore and Madeley, and for community centres at Clayton and Silverdale in Newcastle-under-Lyme. No further proposals are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many proposals of the British Transport Commission were referred to the transport users' consultative committees since the inception of these committees, to the present date; how many were ratified; and how many rejected or modified.

I am informed that 669 proposals from the British Transport Commission have been considered by the transport users' consultative committees since their inception. Of these, 618 have been endorsed and 51 rejected or modified.