asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the Group Apprentice Training Scheme operated by the West London Group of the Engineering Industries Association, details of which have been sent to him; and if he will encourage other industries to study and copy it.

Yes. I hope that those responsible for training in industry will consider the introduction of group apprenticeship schemes where conditions are appropriate.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men, women and young people were registered as unemployed in Greenock at the latest available date; and what percentage of the insured population these figures represent in each case.

1,619 men, 115 boys, 836 women and 40 girls at 15th June. Percentage rates of unemployment can be computed only for the combined areas of Greenock and Port Glasgow, and the rates at 15th June were 7·7 per cent. for males and 8·1 per cent. for females. It is not possible to compute separate percentage rates of unemployment for young persons under 18.

asked the Minister of Labour what effective developments have now taken place as a result of the two reports by the National Advisory Committee on the Employment of Older Men and Women, containing recommendations how maximum benefit to the community can be obtained from the average increasing length of life now developing.

The reports of the National Advisory Committee received wide publicity, and undoubtedly led to a greater awareness and understanding of the special needs of older workers among employers and the public in general. Between the middle of 1955 and the middle of 1958 (the latest date for which figures are available) the number of persons aged 40 and over in employment increased by 2·7 per cent., compared with an increase of 1·3 per cent. in the total number of such persons in the population. It is not possible to say to what extent this encouraging increase in employment may be attributed to the effect of the report.

asked the Minister of Labour how many December and April school leavers in Sunderland have not yet obtained employment.

Ten from December and 18 from April.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what were the number of sons of officers and sons of ratings admitted to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, during each of the past five years, respectively.

The following are the figures:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what were the numbers engaged in the Employment Liaison Section of the Directorate of Officer Appointments in April, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959, respectively.

Until early 1957, there was no officer appointed to the Admiralty for Employment Liaison duties. In April of that year it was decided to appoint one officer to the Admiralty for this purpose and, following the increase in resettlement work arising from the reductions in the Armed Forces, it was found necessary to appoint a second officer in April. 1958, and a civilian clerk in April, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for War what decision has been reached with regard to Eaton Hall, near Chester, in view of the long period his Department have not been able to find a use for this mansion.

My right hon. Friend is not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War by what authority radio-equipped armoured scout cars and soldiers were used at the Badminton Horse Trials on 16th–18th April; what payment for these services was made by the British Horse Society; and what cost fell on public funds.

The trials were atended, as they have been for several years, by a local unit of the Territorial Army. Military assistance at civil functions is governed by regulations which were fully complied with at the Badminton Trials. The Society paid £211. There was no cost to public funds.

asked the Postmaster-General on what date work commenced on the new telephone exchange, known as Clocktower; when this exchange will be completed; what areas it will cover; and how many additional telephone installations within these areas it is anticipated that this new exchange will be able to deal with on completion.

An extension of the Grangewood Exchange building to house the new Clocktower exchange was commenced last April and will be completed next year. The new exchange, which will cover the same areas as Grangewood, is expected to be ready for service in 1961. Initially it will have a capacity of 3,800 lines.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement about the proportion of licence revenue made available to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Under the Licence and Agreement with the B.B.C. the proportion of net licence revenue (gross revenue less Post Office expenses of administering the licensing system and interference investigation) to be made available to the B.B.C. was to be 87½ per cent. for the three years 1957–58 to 1959–60. The B.B.C. has represented that this proportion would not be adequate for 1959–60 and for this year the Government have agreed to make available 92½ per cent., which is estimated to provide an additional £1·65 million. A Supplementary Estimate to the Broadcasting Vote will accordingly be placed before the House.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects to be able to announce a decision whether or not the Victoria Line is to be constructed.

The London Travel Committee has not yet completed its study. My right hon. Friend will reach a decision as soon as possible after we receive the Committee's Report.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that the Parking Places (St. Marylebone) No. 1 Order, 1959, permits only six out of 476 parking bays to be used by goods vehicles and that the scheme now being operated is not in accordance with the Order; and what action he proposes to take.

The actual administration of the St. Marylebone parking meter scheme is a matter for the St. Marylebone Borough Council. We have received from the council an application under Section 19 (1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1956, to amend the scheme now in operation so as to permit goods vehicles to park in any of the 476 parking bays. When the statutory period for objections has expired, we shall submit this proposal to the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee for their advice and report.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what was the number of road accidents and casualties in High Street, Feltham, from 1st January to 31st May, 1959; and what are the comparative figures for the same period in 1958.

There were sixteen accidents resulting in sixteen casualties between 1st January and 31st May, 1959; in the same period in 1958 there were sixteen accidents and seventeen casualties.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what was the number of road accidents and casualties between the junction of the Parkway at Cranford and the eastern end of the Colnbrook by-pass from 1st January until 31st May, 1959; and what are the comparative figures for the same period in 1958.

There were 36 accidents resulting in 51 casualties between 1st January and 31st May, 1959, compared with 43 accidents and 51 casualties in the same period in 1958.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many acres per mile he estimates will be taken for the London-Yorkshire motorway; and what is the total acreage involved in the road development programme for the next two years.

Up to 30 acres of land per mile will be required for the London-Yorkshire Motorway based upon the provision of dual 3-line carirageways. As a rough estimate, a total of some 3,500 acres wil be required for the new road schemes for which we are responsible this year and next.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the statement by the Chairman of the Tyne Tunnel Committee that work on the tunnel would begin in November, 1959, and, in view of the fact that it will now be necessary for a new Tyne Tunnel Bill to be promoted before such work can commence, whether he is yet in a position to state when constructional work on the tunnel will begin.

According to my information, the Vice-Chairman of the Tyne Tunnel Joint Committee has stated that work on the tunnel is likely to start late in 1960. I am not in a position to add anything to this statement.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the distress and annoyance caused to the people of Willesden by low-flying jet aeroplanes on 22nd and 23rd June; and, in view of the frequent disregard of regulations, if he will now take effective steps to prevent a recurrence.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that on 22nd and 23rd June between the hour of 8.30 a.m. and 9 a.m. the roar of a jet aeroplane flying exceedingly low caused young children to scream with fear and get into a state of panic; and, as low flying over Willesden is becoming prevalent, if he will take the necessary action to see that disciplinary steps are taken against those who fail to conform to the regulations regarding the heights to be observed when flying over thickly populated areas.

Investigation has not shown that any civil jet aircraft flew abnormally low over Willesden at or about the times mentioned; nor have I received any complaints which might have helped to identify a possible offender. I am confident that pilots flying over Willesden from the Watford holding area to London Airport will not descend lower than required for the sake of safety in approach and landing.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will conduct a public inquiry into the cause of the aeroplane crash in a Cardiff main road on 6th May, 1959; and whether he will make a statement.

Our Chief Inspector of Accidents is investigating this accident and his preliminary report has now been completed. My right hon. Friend will decide whether or not to order a public inquiry into this accident after he has had an opportunity of studying it.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give the number of persons who applied for a driving licence during the past year; and how many of these had passed the road driving test.

In the year ended 30th November, 1958, the latest date for which figures are available, 7,745,448 substantive driving licences and 3,142,973 provisional driving licences were issued. No figures are available to indicate how many applicants for substantive driving licences had passed the driving test.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) whether he will make a statement on the changes in the Government's weapon policy;(2) why he officially communicated to Foreign Service attaches that an important decision on the Government's weapons policy was impending before giving this information to the House.

The phrase, to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, occurred in the course of a joke which I made at a lunch party with the Foreign Service Attaches. It was not in any sense an official communication.

asked the Minister of Defence in how many instances the £75 annuity to holders of the Victoria Cross is being reduced by the amount of a disability pension which is being paid.

Under regulations made in 1856, other ranks who are awarded the Victoria Cross are entitled to receive an annuity of £10 a year and to an addition of 6d. a day to a Service pension. As a result of various Pensions Increase measures, this sum of £10 has now become nearly £20. Officers have no entitlement either to an annuity or to an addition to pension.Under the regulations as revised in 1920, officers and other ranks who hold the Victoria Cross and who are unable through age or infirmity to earn a livelihood, may be paid a special annuity of an amount which, together with any non-contributory public pension or annuity (including any disability pension), shall not exceed a total of £75 a year. Thus, a man's entitlement to the special annuity is reduced by his disability pension in cases where he is drawing not more than £75 a year from some other non-contributory public source. For this reason it is not easy to give a precise figure in reply to my right hon. Friend.As the House knows, the Prime Minister said yesterday that he proposed to have the general position of holders of the Victoria Cross reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is now in a position to make a statement in regard to the future of the Education Branch of the Royal Air Force, having particular regard to the promotion prospects of squadron leaders.

A new career structure is being introduced in order to increase substantially the permanent content of the branch while continuing to provide a good career. In future permanent commissions will be available on entry to those who want them and are considered suitable. For other entrants, there will be medium service commissions for ten years with options to leave after four or seven years and with a good opportunity of transferring to a permanent commission.Promotion up to squadron leader will continue to be by time. Thereafter there will be two avenues of advancement: one as at present and a second, which is an important new feature, for teachers having specialist knowledge, experience and aptitude mainly in scientific or technical subjects. For these there will be a separate promotion ladder up to group captain rank.To make it easier for officers who leave the Service in the middle ranks to fit themselves into civilian teaching, and to maintain a reasonable flow of promotion, we are reducing the normal retiring ages of squadron leaders from 53 to 48, and of wing commanders from 55 to 50. The retiring age for group captains will be reduced from 57 to 55.The first promotions under the new career will be announced within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many territorial labour officers from Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland have been appointed by their Governments to the Union of South Africa during the past 12 months; if he is satisfied that they are able to carry out their functions; and if he will make a statement.

One officer in Johannesburg represents the Government of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Due to exceptional circumstances arising from the death of the substantive holder in September, 1958, the post has been filled by four different officers, but it is now filled on a permanent basis. Before I can say whether I am satisfied that this officer is able to carry out his functions effectively, I need to make further inquiries. When these inquiries are complete, I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what approaches are being made to the United Nations on behalf of Tanganyika as a United Nations Trust Territory to seek development finance to offset the losses suffered through the fall in commodity prices.

The United Nations is not a source of development finance in the normal sense of the term, but it has supplied Tanganyika with a considerable amount of technical assistance. An application to the United Nations Special Fund is now under consideration.

asked the Minister of Education if he will recommend to schools that instruction in the economics of meat buying and the use of cheaper joints should be included in their domestic science courses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Answer to his Question on 6th May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how far, under his regulations, it is necessary to obtain a licence to import eggs from other countries.

Licences are only required for imports from Eastern Europe. At present such licences are issued freely on application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual value of exports in the three different categories of aircraft, aero-engines and aircraft components for each year from 1949 to 1958.

The information is as follows: