asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take on the recent report on the Forest of Dean.

The Forestry Commission is seeking the views of interested parties on the recommendations in the Report. When these views have been obtained, probably by the autumn, the Commission will consider what action should be taken.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the percentage rise or fall in all forms of Government expenditure for each of the financial years from April, 1951, taking April, 1951, as equalling 100.

Yes. Changes in Central Government expenditure since 1951 have been as follows:

—		Expenditure *	Percentage compared with 1951–52=100
		£m.
1951–52	…	4,316	100
1952–53	…	4,555	105·5
1953–54	…	4,518	104·7
1954–55	…	4,571	105·9
1955–56	…	4,761	110·3
1956–57	…	5,163	119·6
1957–58	…	5,266	122·0
1958–59	…	5,473†	126·8
* Total ordinary expenditure above the line plus expenditure met from self-balancing revenue.
† Exchequer issues.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that when the Government established two years ago the Cohen Committee on Wages, Prices and Profits this Committee promised a bi-annual report and that for the past 12 months no report has been issued by this Committee, when he expects to receive a report of the last year's workings of this Committee.

The Chairman of the Council informs my right hon. Friend that they hope to complete their next report by the end of this month. The Council is under no obligation to report at fixed intervals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in view of the failure of the Cohen Committee on Wages, Prices and Profits to issue a report since 1958, he will now dismiss this Committee.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question No. 27.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has completed his inquiries into the question of the right to arbitration by tenants of factories in Scottish industrial estates; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Government think it would be inappropriate to deal only with tenants of Board of Trade factories and not of other industrial premises in Scotland. Legislation would be necessary to remove the difference between English and Scottish law in this respect. There would only be a case for this if there was a widespread demand for such a change in respect of private as well as of public property.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent products of East German origin are marketed in Great Britain; and what steps he is taking to prevent importation of such products from the United States of America.

Imports from East Germany totalled £3·4 million in 1958. I have no evidence that goods of East German origin are being imported from the United States.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the cost of fuel oil imported into the United Kingdom is at present less than that of crude oil; and, in view of the effect of this on the coal industry, if he will take action under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act in this matter.

The Board of Trade has not received any application for the imposition of an anti-dumping duty on imported fuel oil. The fact that imported fuel oil may cost less than crude oil does not constitute dumping. Indeed, I understand that fuel oil has been priced below crude oil for many years. To establish dumping it would have to be shown that the export price of fuel oil was lower than the domestic price for that oil in the country of origin or export.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that Scotland has not shared in the substantial economic recovery of Great Britain and that unemployment persists, and as the efforts of the Government have failed to attract the new industries which are required, if he will consider the appointment of a Scottish Development Corporation on similar lines to the Northern Ireland Corporation which has proved successful.

Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland nor I consider that any new body would in present circumstances be more effective or carry out its tasks more assiduously than the Scottish Council (Development and Industry).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will introduce multi-racial primary and secondary schools in Tanganyika.

This matter is amongst those at present being considered by a Committee appointed by the Tanganyika Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which films have been banned for exhibition to African audiences in Kenya; and for what reasons.

The last occasion on which a film was banned in Kenya for exhibition to African audiences only was in April, 1940. It was entitled "Her Last Desire" and it was considered unsuitable for showing because of its depiction of crime and violence. Since 1947, the Film Censorship Board has judged films on their suitability for showing to the general public, regardless of race, and has refused to permit any public exhibition of 95 films.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision is being considered by the Government of Kenya for the introduction of sixth-form work and the Higher School Certificate in their secondary schools.

The Kenya Government hope to provide by the beginning of 1961 classes for Higher School Certificate in three African schools. Such classes already exist in a number of secondary schools for Europeans and Asians. As yet, there are no Higher School Certificate classes in the Arab secondary schools, but by special arrangement Arab students may attend High School Certificate classes at one Asian school. The existing facilities are already supplemented by Higher School Certificate courses at Makerere College and by post-secondary facilities at the Royal Technical College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of teacher training establishments in Kenya, and the number of students therein; and what wages are paid to teachers upon qualification.

At the 30th June, 1958, there were 45 teacher-training establishments in Kenya (42 African and 3 Asian), with a total of 3,814 students (3,545 Africans and 269 Asians). Wages paid on entry into the teaching service after qualification in the teacher training colleges depend upon the grade into which the teacher is appointed, and this in turn depends upon the academic qualifications which the teacher held on entering these colleges. I am asking the Governor for details and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the report of the Devlin Commission on the disturbances in Nyasaland will be published.

I cannot add to my right hon. Friend's reply on 30th June to Questions by the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) and the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has made to the appeal of the East, Central, and Southern Africa Area Committee of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions to include in all trade and loan agreements and similiar instruments a fair labour clause based on International Labour Office Conventions 87 and 98.

My right hon. Friend received no such appeal. International Labour Office Conventions 87 and 98 do not, in fact, deal with fair labour clauses, which are the subject of Convention 94. This Convention has been extensively applied without modication in the dependent territories of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the conflicting evidence about the activities and aims of the Zambia African National Congress, he will recommend to the Government of Northern Rhodesia the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into the charges made against the Congress leaders.

Under Section 4B of the Northern Rhodesia Emergency Powars Ordinance, the Governor is obliged to set up a Commission when he has taken action under Section 4A of the Ordinance. In consequence of his making the Safeguard of Elections and Public Safety Regulations, 1959, the Governor appointed Mr. N. C. A. Ridley as Commissioner to inquire into the circumstances which gave rise to the making of those Regulations. His Report was recently submitted to the Governor and is now being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will put in the Library of the House a copy of the Rowe Report on economic activity in the Seychelles.

I will put a copy of this important report in the Library of the House in the near future when it is published by the Seychelles Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the amount of compensation paid by the Seychelles administration to Mr. Brisbane, the reasons for the payment, and the basis on which the calculation of compensation was made.

In 1954, Mr. Brisbane entered an agreement with the Seychelles Government for the installation of a new electric power supply. These plans were subsequently abandoned and Mr. Brisbane brought a claim against the Seychelles Government in respect of the liabilities he had incurred. In settlement of his claim he accepted the sum of £2,100 from the Seychelles Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by his Department for long term contracts and guaranteed prices for West Indian citrus products as a result of the recent negotiations with the citrus trade delegation from the West Indies Federation.

The discussions with the West Indies delegation are still in progress, as my right hon. Friend informed hon. Members in reply to Questions on 7th July; he will make a statement as soon as he can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent Africans in Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda have been approached by their respective Governments for more financial assistance towards specific educational projects in these territories.

I am asking the Governors for the information and will write to the hon. Member as soon as replies have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that the colonial development and welfare grant to the East African Literature Bureau, which is due to end in 1960, will be renewed; and whether he will give consideration to an increased grant in view of the excellent work for which the Bureau is responsible.

I have agreed that CD. and W. expenditure for 1959–60 under the present grant should be increased from 25 per cent. to 30 per cent. It is for the East African Governments and the East Africa High Commission to decide in the first instance whether continued assistance to this project after March, 1960, would be the best use of C.D. & W. money allocated to the region. I know that the Governments have this in mind, and I will consider any application for CD. and W. assistance that may be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date he first communicated with the Governor of the Leeward Islands on the matter concerning Charles Payne, of Forest Gate; on what date he received a reply; and on how many occasions he made contact with the Governor relative to this subject.

As I have already informed the hon. Member by letter, I wrote to the Governor of the Leeward Islands and to the Administrator in Montserrat on this subject on 14th May. A reply was received from the Administrator on 10th June. I found it necessary to consult the Administrator again by telegram before providing the hon. Member with the information for which he had asked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how long, on average, it takes for him to send a request to the Governor of the Leeward Islands for ordinary routine information of a non-technical and office record character, and to receive the reply.

The time taken varies according to the nature of the information which is sought and the extent to which its assembly calls for consultation between the Governor of the Leeward Islands, who normally resides in Antigua, and the Administrators in the other islands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Chinese refugees in Hong Kong who are anxious to come to the United Kingdom to obtain domestic employment, are being refused facilities for this purpose on the ground that they are not of British nationality, and that they cannot obtain British nationality until they have obtained such employment; and whether he will revise this policy.

The grant of British nationality to aliens in Hong Kong is, subject to possession of the statutory qualifications for naturalisation, at the discretion of the Governor; and employment in the United Kingdom is not a necessary qualification. Nor is refusal of permission to a person of Chinese origin to enter the United Kingdom based on the fact that he is not of British nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions or warnings have been given by the Metropolitan Police in the past three months for the emission of smoke from vehicles propelled by diesel engines.

In the first three months of this year, the latest period for which figures are available, there were seventeen prosecutions and thirty-three written warnings in respect of smoke offences in the Metropolitan Police District. No record is kept of the types of vehicles concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place the diaries of Sir Roger Casement, now in the possession of his Department, in the House of Commons Library so that they can be inspected by hon. Members.

I see difficulties in the hon. Member's request, but I cannot give him a final reply in advance of the statement which I shall make in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances the Metropolitan Police are permitted short-sleeve order while on duty.

Since the Metropolitan Police have for some years had a lightweight uniform jacket the Commissioner has not felt it necessary to authorise shirt-sleeve order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to make a statement following his inquiries into the conditions relating to the running of the Grand National.

As I suggested in answering Questions on 9th April, I have had conversations with the Stewards of the National Hunt Committee, and also with the owner of the Aintree Course and with representatives of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and of other bodies interested in animal welfare. I am much indebted to all these people for the information and help that they have given me.The House will realise that in this matter I have no direct responsibility. The responsibility rests with the Stewards and owner of the Course and, more broadly, with the Stewards of the National Hunt Committee. My conversations with them have been most helpful, and they have listened patiently to all the representations and suggestions that have been put forward through me. I have accepted an invitation to visit the Course and see the next Grand National race so that I can form my own impressions at first hand.The Stewards are properly determined to maintain the traditional character of the race. They consider that the Course is tough but fair, and that the history of the race shows that this is so. I do not feel that I can go into detail about the Course itself. As regards conditions of entry, the Course authorities have been good enough to take note of the various suggestions that have been made, and have given me the assurance that they have the qualifications continually under review. I am satisfied that they will seek so to control the entry and its extent so as to be sure that the horses are fit and suitable to run.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is planned to open a station of the Metropolitan Police force within the urban district of Yiewsley and West Drayton.

A site for a new station within the Urban District is being sought. Having regard to the many other needs for new police buildings within the Metropolitan Police District it is not possible to say when a new station will be built.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place during the present period of the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament against ticket-touts for causing obstruction of the free passage of the footway, and with what results; and whether he will give directions to the Metropolitan Police to take similar action at Wembley Stadium on the occasion of important international and other sporting events.

During the period referred to the Metropolitan Police prosecuted seventeen persons at Wimbledon for obstructing the public highway. All were convicted and fines ranging from 10s. to £2 were imposed. The measures to be taken for the enforcement of the law are for the Commissioner, who informs me that the police give all proper attention to the highway in the vicinity of Wembley Stadium.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what safeguards are included in the agreement reached with regard to the development of mineral rights in Bechuanaland by the Rhodesian Selection Trust and for the development of free trade unions.

The information which has been published by the parties to the agreement does not contain any reference to trade unions. The establishment of trade unions in the Bechuanaland Protectorate is regulated by Chapter 124 of the Laws, as amended.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will recommend to Her Majesty that the Bantu Self-Government Act, passed by the Parliament of the Union of South Africa, be disallowed under Section 65 of the South Africa Act, 1909.

Section 65 of the South Africa Act, 1909, was repealed in 1934 by virtue of Section 11 of the Status of the Union Act, 1934, passed by the Legislature of the Union of South Africa under powers conferred by the Statute of Westminster.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what technical assistance other than military is at present provided by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Malaya.

Since Independence in 1957 the Federation of Malaya has been eligible to receive technical assistance under the Technical Co-operation Scheme of the Colombo Plan. Fifty-one students have come to the United Kingdom for training facilities and, at the request of the Government of the Federation, we have provided eight experts. In addition, Malaya is drawing from the United Kingdom a sum of over £4 million, equal to the unspent balance of her C.D. and W. allocation at the time of Independence; and there are Commonwealth Development Corporation schemes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what official communications have been received from the Government of the Union of South Africa regarding the decision of the Government of Jamaica to boycott goods from South Africa, in view of its policy of apartheid; and what reply has been made.

The Minister of External Affairs of the Union of South Africa has made inquiries of the United Kingdom High Commissioner in the Union with regard to the decision of the Jamaican Government to boycott goods from South Africa. The Minister and the High Commissioner have made public statements which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will give the names of the United Kingdom delegation to the Commonwealth Education Conference, including any Parliamentary Members.

The following is the reply:UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION CONFERENCE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what was the expenditure from public funds incurred in building the Basutoland War Memorial Club in Maseru; and how far this is open to African membership.

If the hon. Member is referring to the Maseru Social Club, the answer is none. This is a private club controlled by a committee. Its membership is at present confined to Europeans.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that great saving of public money could be effected if a new school were built immediately to replace the Eastfield Road School, Louth, and the latter turned into a mental health occupational centre, as suggested by the Lindsey County Council; if he will give consideration to the building of a new school and consult the Minister of Health on the timing of this project; and if he will make a statement.

I am looking into this in consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Health, to whom I understand the proposal for a new occupation centre has only just been submitted by the Lindsey County Council.

asked the Minister of Education how many full-time teachers were employed in maintained primary and secondary schools, respectively, at the latest possible date; how many of the teachers included were tem porary teachers; how many were nursery assistants in charge of a class; and how many were occasional teachers.

In January, 1959, there were about 144,300 full-time teachers in maintained primary schools and about 119,300 in secondary schools. In addition, some 1,900 full-time teachers were employed as supply teachers, peripatetic teachers and in practical instruction centres.Of the total of 265,000 about 3,000 were temporary teachers, 650 were occasional teachers and 300 were nursery assistants in charge of a class.

asked the Minister of Education which local education authorities, in January last, were employing full-time teachers in excess of the quota indicated by his Department's Circular 333; and by what percentages the authorities concerned exceeded their quota.

In January, 1959, 14 local education authorities were 1 per cent. or more above their quota. I am sending the hon. Member the names of these authorities.

asked the Minister of Education which local education authorities were unable, in January last, to reach the quota of full-time teachers indicated in his Department's Circular 333; and by what percentages the authorities concerned failed to reach their quota.

In January, 1959, 61 local education authorities were 1 per cent. or more below their quota. I am sending the hon. Member the names of these authorities.

asked the Minister of Education how many local education authorities have asked him to receive deputations to discuss their building programmes for the two years 1960–61 and 1961–62.

Seventeen.

asked the Minister of Education by how much the total expenditure for the educational building programme for the years 1960–61 and 1961–62 was greater than the total allocated by his Department for the current year 1959–60.

The value of major projects of all kinds started in 1959–60 will be about £68 million of which about £46 million will be for primary and secondary schools. I expect that in each of the two following years the figure will rise to about £86 million, of which £55 million in 1960–61 and about £60 million in 1961–62 will be for primary and secondary schools.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the county of Warwick falls short of its full complement of teachers.

In January, 1959, the Warwickshire Local Education Authority were 135 teachers short of their quota. They are still appointing new teachers, but it is too early yet to say what the position will be in the next school year.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to provide for an increased contribution towards the cost of the construction of community centres, in view of the difficulties local residents are finding to contribute their proportion of one-third.

I am unable at present to contribute more than one-third of the capital costs of community centres provided by voluntary bodies. It is open to local authorities to contribute towards the balance of these costs if they wish to.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the advantages to pupils and teaching staffs in having the 11-plus and general certificate of education examinations in the autumn rather than in the early and middle summer; and whether he will advise the education authorities to consider the advisability of having these examinations in the autumn.

Examinations for selection at the age of 11-plus are not normally held in the summer. So far as the General Certificate of Education is concerned, a change to the autumn would entail a general change in the academic year for universities and other comparable institutions, as well as for the schools, and I think it likely that the hon. Member's suggestion would create more difficulties than it would solve.

asked the Minister of Supply how many Saracen armoured vehicles have been supplied by the United Kingdom to, or ordered from the United Kingdom by, the Government of South Africa in the last month.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the Government's policy towards expansion of employment in the London area through new office building.

It is the policy both of the local planning authorities and of the Government to check this expansion by restricting the areas in which, and the size to which, offices can be built; by preventing the conversion of residential buildings to office uses; and by encouraging firms to move out, especially to new or expanding towns.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he will ask the Medical Research Council to investigate the effects on the health of human beings of nitrous fumes emitted from chemical works.

Much research has already been undertaken on the effect of nitrous fumes upon human health. The emission of these fumes from chemical works is controlled under the Alkali Acts. Regular measurements are made of the concentrations emitted and I am informed that their dilution in the atmosphere is such that people living in the vicinity are not exposed to toxic amounts.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number and sexes of the persons employed in the bacon and pig industries in Aberdeen city and county during each of the last 10 years; and what steps he is taking to arrest the increasing unemployment in these two industries in Aberdeen.

I regret that the information at my disposal does not enable me to distinguish those engaged in the rearing of pigs from other agricultural workers, or those engaged in the production of bacon from those engaged in the preparation and processing of other meat products.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of whole-time and parttime

		1951			1958
Hospital Region		Whole-time	Part-time	University teachers holding Honorary consultant appointments with the Regional Board	Whole-time	Part-time	University teachers holding Honorary consultant appointments with the Regional Board
Northern	…	4	17	—	11	19	—
North-Eastern	…	32	24	13	32	33	23
Eastern	…	28	30	18	39	33	27
South-Eastern	…	46	106	24	87	111	45
Western	…	144	200	32	201	229	48
TOTAL	…	254	377	87	370	425	143

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of persons awaiting admission to National Health Service hospitals in each regional hospital board area in Scotland in 1951 and 1958.

The numbers of persons on the waiting lists of National Health Service hospitals in each regional hospital board area in Scotland in 1951 and 1958 were as follows:

Region		1951	1958
Northern	…	1533	1,838
North-Eastern	…	3 610	5,214
Eastern	…	4,183	4,733
South-Eastern	…	14,280	10,527
Western	…	29,044†	20,328

The waiting lists must, of course, be treated with reserve as an index of the demand for hospital beds, since the criteria for admission to the list and the method of keeping it up to date vary from hospital to hospital.† Figures for the Western Region relate to 1953, the earliest year for which figures are available.

The number of whole-time and part-time consultants employed in National Health Service hospitals in each regional hospital board area in Scotland in 1951 and 1958 were as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he is aware that the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation has developed a basis for standardising the methods of measuring air pollution used by the countries of Western Europe; and if the Government will co-operate fully in the use of such a method in this country.

Yes, Sir, and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is co-operating fully with the Committee for Applied Research of the European Productivity Agency of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation which is studying problems of standardising methods of measuring various air pollutants. The Department provides the United Kingdom representation on the Committee. Also the Chairman and Technical Secretary of the Working Party of that Committee, which is studying technical aspects of the problems, are members of the staff of the Warren Spring Laboratory. That Laboratory is undertaking experimental work for the Working Party.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, to what extent research stations of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research undertake scientific services for industry; how far these services are free; how far they are on repayment; and how the charges are assessed.

The Research Stations of the D.S.I.R. are willing to give information to and undertake suitable test work and special-investigations for bona fide inquirers in so far as the resources of the Station permit.Normally no charge is made for answers to inquiries bearing on the results of the Station's researches, although a charge may be made when answers cannot be given from immediately available information, or where the information supplied is particularly valuable.Unless otherwise agreed, the Department retains ownership of the results of tests and investigations and the charge made is the full cost of the work. In special cases work may be undertaken co-operatively and costs may be shared. On the other hand, if work is undertaken on a confidential basis, the ownership of the results being retained by the sponsoring body, a higher charge is made.Standard test fees have recently been increased to bring them into line with the present cost of the services.