asked the Minister of Works what steps are being taken to preserve in perpetuity the words of Mr. Speaker's address at the Big Ben centenary ceremony in Palace Yard; and where a verbatim copy of this speech may be obtained.

A complete record of the Big Ben centenary ceremony, incorporating the full text of your address, Mr. Speaker, is to be printed and placed in the Libraries of this House and of another place. The House will be informed when copies are available and hon. Members will then be able to obtain them from the Vote Office. A limited number of copies will be available to members of the public on application to my Department.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that his reply will give general satisfaction, because in the view of everybody I have met who heard the speech it was a classic example of what such an oration should be on an important occasion?

Hear, hear.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he is taking to provide, on the site, a large-scale model of Stonehenge in its ancient and undamaged state, in view of the increasing public interest in the monument, the rising receipts from admission fees, and the recommendation of the Ancient Monuments Board.

A design of a model suitable for outdoor exhibition is being prepared and an estimate of cost worked out. When these are available I shall be able to consider this suggestion further.

Whilst I am sure that the Minister's reply will be welcomed, can he say how long he thinks it will be before he will be in a position to give a final decision on the matter?

I do not think it will be more than a few weeks now.

If my right hon. Friend proceeds with the idea, with which I entirely agree, would he ensure that the stone used in the model is the same as the original stone, including that which came from South Wales, and that the model will not be in cement or some other modern material?

I will certainly take that interesting suggestion into account. Naturally it would add considerably to the cost of the model if the same special stone is used for it as was used when the original was erected.

asked the Minister of Works how many explanatory notice boards, as recommended by the Ancient Monuments Board, he has erected at sites of scheduled ancient monuments; what is the cost of each board; what is the total expenditure so far; and what he will do to speed up the erection of these boards.

I have no statutory powers or responsibilities to mark scheduled monuments which are not in my care. At the request of owners of scheduled monuments, I have for many years been willing to provide notices giving warning of the legal penalties for damage, and some 200 of these have been erected.

Is the Minister aware that the figures he has given are very meagre? Is it really a fact that he is meeting serious opposition from owners of scheduled monuments? Is it not the case that many of those owners are proud of their ownership of the monuments and anxious that members of the general public should understand them and realise their value?

I would point out to the hon. Member that many of these monuments are barrows in agricultural areas, and that I cannot provide the manpower and the money required for marking all the scheduled monuments.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he is taking to improve and expand the Ancient Monuments Laboratory; and if he will make a statement.

The main function of this Laboratory is the cleaning and treatment of finds from archaeological excavations undertaken by my Department. Steps have recently been taken to provide the Laboratory with better and larger accommodation and some additional equipment. An additional temporary appointment has been made whilst the permanent staffing of the Laboratory is under review.

Can the Minister say when he thinks this review will be finished? Is he satisfied that the paragraphs in the Report of the Ancient Monument Board for England dealing with this matter were accurate? If so, will he take energetic steps to see that the Laboratory is not of such a meagre kind that it holds up other important work?

I entirely admit that the Laboratory so far has been inadequate for the work required. There are considerable arrears to be overtaken, and it is for that reason that we are looking at the staffing. We have already increased accommodation from 875 square feet to 1,475 square feet and, if it is necessary to add to the staff, we shall be prepared to do so.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what investigations have been made by the Fuel Research Station, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, into the efficacy of the catalyst device or muffler, brought from the United States of America, for decontaminating and decolourising asphyxiating and noxious fumes from the exhausts of diesel oil powered vehicles; what contribution this may make to clean air policy, notably in urban and built-up areas; and whether he will make a statement.

The Warren Spring Laboratory is attempting to obtain technical details of such an American device. When these are received, the claims made for the device will be examined and, if they merit investigation, this will be undertaken.

What does my hon. Friend mean by, "attempting to obtain "? Cannot anybody obtain by purchase one of these catalysts, which are now fairly common in the United States of America? Since our population of vehicles has increased by more than 1½ million since the Clean Air Act, 1956, was passed, would it not be appropriate for the D.S.I.R. to hurry itself in this matter?

There is no question of being hurried. The first date that the Department knew that this device was available was 25th June, and it immediately made efforts to obtain particulars of it. Once it has those particulars, it will follow up by obtaining the device if the first particulars show that that is warranted.

When will the muffler arrive? That is the point.

As soon as the Department is satisfied that there is a device worthy of further investigation it will take the next steps to obtain the device.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what increased facilities are now being applied by the Fuel Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to solution of atmospheric pollution problems arising from noxious and asphyxiating motor exhaust fumes causing heavily polluted palls in urban and built-up areas, and thus derogating from progress in clean air policy.

In addition to work which they have already carried out on methods and apparatus for reducing the atmospheric pollution from petrol engines, the Warren Spring Laboratory has now started experimental work on the use of catalytic afterburners for the treatment of exhaust fumes from diesel engined motor vehicles.

Has my hon. Friend observed that the Minister of Housing and Local Government is so seized with the urgency and gravity of this problem that he has now referred matters to the Clean Air Council? Can my hon. Friend say what steps he proposes to take to get advice placed by the D.S.I.R. with the Clean Air Council on this problem of exhaust fumes?

The advice of the D.S.I.R. is always available to other Government Departments, and I can assure my hon. Friend that the D.S.I.R. is aware of the importance of having all the up-to-date knowledge on this matter which it is possible to have.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, in pursuit of clean air policy, what investigations have been made by the Fuel Research Station, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, into increased contamination of the atmosphere in urban and built-up areas consequent upon the increase in the number of motor vehicles, notably diesel-oil powered vehicles, and the noxious fumes from exhausts; to what extent this condition has deteriorated since the passing of the Clean Air Act, 1956; and whether he will make a statement upon findings by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as to the influence of exhaust emissions from motor vehicles during atmospheric conditions favourable to smog concentrations.

Data collected by the Warren Spring Laboratory show no indication that the amount of smoke in the air of towns has increased in recent years; in fact, in many towns it has decreased, particularly since the passing of the Clean Air Act. Continuous observations have not been made on other pollutants in the air which originate in part from motor vehicle exhausts. There are no indications from the observations that have been made that pollutants from exhaust gases from motor vehicles accumulate in times of smog more readily than do those from other sources.

Does not my hon. Friend agree that not all atmospheric pollution is necessarily smoke or even discernible to the eye? Although very good progress has been made in the three years since 1956 when the Clean Air Act was passed, is it not the case that much of that progress is being nullified because no steps are being taken to reduce this appalling pall of obnoxious fumes from the exhausts of vehicles in urban and built-up areas?

I do not think that that can be established by the D.S.I.R. The D.S.I.R. has made the public aware of the dangers which flow from this situation. It has made public all the devices it has been able to examine. If the filters are kept clean and the machines are well maintained it is possible to reduce some of the nuisance from this source.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, when he expects to receive a report from the Committee set up to advise on priorities in Government expenditure on scientific research.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Committee on the techniques of management and control of Government-financed scientific research and development. The work of the Committee has been somewhat delayed by the untimely death of the Chairman, Sir Claude Gibb. My noble Friend has appointed Sir Solly Zuckerman, a member of the Committee, to succeed him as Chairman, and has added Sir George Edwards to the Committee. As the hon. Member will, I am sure, appreciate, the Committee's task is formidable and complex, and my noble Friend is not yet in a position to forecast when they may report.

Is the hon. Gentleman's noble Friend satisfied that the terms of reference of this Committee are broad enough, in view of the appalling problems which face this country in trying to keep up with the United States of America in some of the modern fields of scientific research, particularly aircraft development and research, nuclear research, space research, and so forth?

The terms of reference are very wide indeed and cover all the Government's research, both civil and defence. It is because they are so wide that the Committee's report will of necessity take some time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet investigated the case, concerning which the hon. and learned Member wrote to him on 19th May, of the Aberdeen mother of a boarded-out child in the custody of Kincardine County Council who desires to regain custody of her child so that he can have the benefits of family life as he grows up; and if he will make a statement.

I have investigated the case of this boy most thoroughly and have written to the hon. and learned Member about it. There is nothing more I can usefully say at present.

Does the Secretary of State agree that the preservation of family life is very precious to mother and child, however poor, and that when they are parted their plight should be considered in a humane way and that mere formalities should not be used to keep them apart? Will he apply those doctrines in this case?

I assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that those considerations are very much in the minds of child-care authorities and in my own mind, but I have nothing to add to what I have written to the hon. and learned Gentleman about this case.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in this case a father left a family eleven or twelve years ago and has not been heard of since; that he left a family of six un-provided for and that the authority which the hon. and learned Member mentions, which happens to be part of my constituency, has provided well for the children ever since; that the boy mentioned is an epileptic aged 16 and that very good arrangements have been made for his care and that he has been well looked after?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the method by which he exercises supervision over the allocation of the custody of boarded-out children by Kincardine County Council, with particular regard to the resumption of custody by their parents, to preventing the division and breaking up of family life.

Under the Children Act, the county council is entirely responsible for the arrangements made for boarding out individual children in its care. I have made regulations providing for the welfare of children boarded out by local authorities, I am shortly sending these authorities a memorandum on boarding-out, and I also offer them general guidance, both through the Child Care Inspectorate and by letter.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply to the last Question, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at the first opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with the Voluntary Service Overseas Organisation with a view to encouraging young secondary school-leavers to undertake social service in Asia and Africa

My Department has supplied this organisation with information to enable them to approach schools and education authorities in Scotland.

Is the Secretary of State aware that there appears to be almost no Scottish participation in this imaginative and worth-while scheme? Will he not consider making grants to this organisation for the work and for encouraging particularly junior secondary school boys in Scotland to take part in this scheme?

I agree that this is a most interesting and imaginative scheme, but I understand that the organisation which makes these arrangements has always desired that it should be a voluntary scheme unaided by State grants. But I am doing what I can to help to bring information about it to local authorities in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his recent official meeting with Lord Polwarth, Chairman of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry), on the subject of Scottish employment.

I have had no recent meeting with the Scottish Council about employment, but, as I said in the debate on 2nd July, I am very ready, together with my right hon. Friend the President of. The Board of Trade, to meet the Council to discuss any further representations that it may wish to make on this subject, and I hope that this meeting will take place soon.

Is the Secretary of State not aware that, following a meeting he had with Lord Polwarth, Lord Polwarth said that he was completely dissatisfied with the Government's plans for Scotland and that he did not regard the Secretary of State as having any fundamental appreciation of Scotland's problems?

The hon. Member must have misunderstood a statement made by the Scottish Council which referred to a letter it had received from me. That letter has not been published, but I referred to it in a recent debate. The statement was not in reference to any meeting that I had with Lord Polwarth.

The Council still said it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans for assistance by schools in the 1959 potato harvest.

I estimate that 12,000 exemptions should be sufficient in respect of the 1959 potato harvest compared with the 17,500 required last year.

In view of the gradual run-down of the scheme, would the Secretary of State not now consider giving notice to the agricultural industry that it will be stopped within a definite period of years? In the meantime, will he not consider recommending to those authorities whom he compels to provide children that they should use school holidays rather than exemption, which does the maximum damage to the school curriculum?

With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, I think it would be unwise to make a firm decision in advance of full knowledge of the conditions that have to be met in any particular area. The second part raises a very difficult question and would require very careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to introduce legislation to enable county councils to take measures to prevent flood damage.

Lgislation to confer powers on local authorities in Scotland to carry out works to prevent flooding is under consideration, but I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce a Bill.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in 1954 there was a flooding disaster in Creetown in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright? Since then it has not been possible to take any effective action and a repetition is to be feared. Will he press on with this legislation as fast as he can?

I recognise that the present position is unsatisfactory, and it is because of that that legislation is being considered.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the position is just as unsatisfactory as when we last had the Land Drainage (Scotland) Bill before Parliament. On that occasion he and his hon. Friends strongly resisted the efforts made by the Opposition to improve the Bill by incorporating provisions to overcome this unsatisfactory position.

It has always been realised that a different and separate type of legislation would be required to achieve the purpose that the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the salary of a domiciliary midwife and of a sister in a maternity hospital, respectively.

The salary of a domiciliary midwife at present varies from £478 to £641 a year according to qualifications. This salary range is now under review by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. Following a recent review, the salary scale of a midwifery sister is now £655 to £830 a year.

Would the Minister not agree that these two differences in salary explain why there is a great Shortage of domiciliary midwives in Scotland? Is he not also aware that these domiciliary midwives are having a very difficult time through overwork? Will not he do something to help?

I think the essential point is that nurses and midwives are represented by the Whitley Council. This body, as I think the hon. Lady will agree, is an excellent one and it has these matters in mind when considering salary scales in either section. I am advised that there is not a serious shortage of midwives all over Scotland, although I know that there are local problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of babies are born in hospital in Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire, respectively.

The provisional figures for 1958 show that 91·4 per cent. of confinements in Aberdeen took place in hospital, 63·8 per cent. in Glasgow and 5·5 per cent. in Lanarkshire.

Does the Minister not realise from those figures that there is a very grave shortage of hospitals for this work, certainly in Lanarkshire, and that also in Glasgow there ought to be a rapid increase of maternity beds? If the Minister examines those figures and the maternal mortality rate, he will be aware that there is some connection between the lack of beds and the maternal mortality rate.

I think the hon. Lady knows that we are getting on as fast as we can with the provision of new maternity beds in Lanarkshire and Glasgow. I could send her full details, as these would be too complicated to give in a supplementary answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many clinics exist in Scotland to provide for the special therapy of migraine under the National Health Service.

It is not the practice in Scottish hospitals to arrange special clinics for the treatment of migraine, and I have no evidence of any demand.

Surely that practice can be reversed? Why does the Secretary of State run away from this problem? Does he realise that in the United Kingdom some 3 million people suffer from migraine, and has he any idea of the figures as they apply to Scotland? Will he not think again about this problem because of its incidence and the upset it causes not only in professional but also in industrial life?

I have great sympathy for those who suffer from this very distressing complaint. I understand, however, that neither the number of patients nor the methods of clinical treatment, which is important, would make special clinics desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the fact that British European Airways incurs a heavy loss in supplying remote parts of Scotland with service, he will consider making an arrangement similar to that of MacBrayne's Limited who receive a subsidy of £300,000 per annum for this type of work.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, who is primarily responsible, and I will examine the hon. Lady's suggestion, which was also made in the Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries which has just been published. The suggestion raises wide issues, consideration of which will obviously take some time.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. May I add that he might consider that it places British European Airways in a very awkward position if it has to ask the foreign traveller for extra fares to subsidise the Scottish Highlands?

I agree that all those considerations are involved.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that any new system of transport bearing any similarity to MacBrayne's would be a disaster to the Highlands?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation to regulate the marriage in Scotland of young persons not normally resident there.

This Question has been considered in the past, but it has not been possible to discover any practicable method of regulating such marriages which would not involve a fundamental alteration in the Scottish marriage law.

Has the right hon. Gentleman consulted the Home Secretary in regard to the suggestion put forward by the Law Society of England and Wales that both laws should harmonise and so prevent Scotland being able to flout the English laws?

I am not certain what the hon. Lady is referring to. She may know that there is a committee sitting to consider the problem of the evasion of orders in English courts by people crossing the Border.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of Scottish deaf children who applied for places in the Mary Hare Grammar School and the Burwood Park School, respectively; the number who were rejected for each school at the recent joint entrance examination; the reasons for rejection; and why these pupils were not given places at St. Giles School in Edinburgh

At the recent Joint Entrance Examination for the two schools named there were two Scottish candidates. Both were unsuccessful because they did not reach the necessary standard. Unlike the Mary Hare Grammar School and the Burwood Park School, St. Giles School is not planned to deal with very deaf children such as these two candidates.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on 12th May the Under-Secretary, when replying to a Question of this nature, said to me that the number of deaf children able to benefit from senior secondary education was not sufficient to justify the establishment of a suitable school in Scotland but that such children are catered for in two schools in England established for this purpose? How can the right hon. Gentleman make such a reply when St. Giles School in Edinburgh is approved by the Scottish Education Department, of which the right hon. Gentleman is the political head, as providing such a course for Scottish schoolchildren and has in the last few years passed four children for the senior secondary leaving certificate?

I am advised that the training in St. Giles for the kind of people that the hon. Member has in mind raises very complex questions of educational policy. It is not something about which I should like to make any statement today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the forced redundancy of several hundred skilled craftsmen and others by Scottish Aviation, Limited, if he will place orders for Pioneer aircraft for the air ambulance services in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

I have already arranged for the suitability of the new Twin Pioneer 3 for the Scottish air ambulance service to be assessed; the decision whether to order it must await that assessment.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Twin Pioneer is peculiarly well adapted for such a purpose as I have mentioned in my Question in those remote areas? Will he also bear in mind that sales are desperately needed?

I am well aware of the merits of this aeroplane, but my hon. Friend will realise that I must await a full assessment of its suitability for this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the Scottish Special Housing Association houses at Douglas, in respect of the construction of which the Exchequer bears an annual burden of £11,500, are now unoccupied; and for how long this has been so.

At the end of last week, 23 Association houses were vacant, the average period of vacancy being fifteen weeks.

Does not this represent a rather considerable debt burden, which is unproductive and unused? Is my right hon. Friend still doing everything he can to have the availability of these houses brought to the attention of industrialists and others in the hope of persuading industry to come to Douglas?

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is doing everything he can to interest industrialists in the possibilities of Douglas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that a number of farms in the parish of Chapelton, in the county of Lanark, are still without a piped water supply with consequent damage to their productive capacity, as well as occasional menace to health; and when he expects a piped water supply to become available.

I understand that the farms concerned already have private piped supplies, but that a public supply should be available to them in some eighteen months' time from the county Council's new scheme for the area, which is expected to start shortly.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these farmers were all told, more than two years ago, that this public pipe supply was coming shortly? Is he aware that surveys were made and encouragement given, and that the farmers have been waiting in vain? Will he do something to hurry it up?

This is a fairly large scheme for distributing water from the Daer supply. It involves the installation of pumping equipment in addition to the usual works.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the persons and bodies, outside the Government service, consulted by the Governor of Peterhead prison; how many such meetings have been held for the purpose of devising a scheme under which prisoners in Peterhead prison can and will be employed locally in the public interest; and what results have been achieved.

The Governor has had some discussion with the town clerk and one informal meeting with representatives of the town council, but no firm proposals have yet been formulated.

Has the right hon. Gentleman not noticed that my Question referred to bodies outside the Government service? I admit that municipal bodies are outside the Government service, but can he say whether any of those scientific bodies concerned with the rehabilitation of prisoners has been consulted about these matters?

I am afraid that I shall have to ask for notice of that question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the 194 families whose applications have been approved for transfer from Glasgow to overspill areas are likely to move.

The approval and housing of overspill families is a continuous operation, the rate of which will rapidly increase as houses built specifically for overspill are completed. The movement of the 194 families depends on a variety of factors, including their personal wishes, the dates on which their jobs will be ready for them, and the dates on which suitable houses can be made available in the receiving area of their choice.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Glasgow's overspill is 300,000 people, and that in two years and two months under this Act we have transported 38 families? At that rate of progress it will take over 100 years. Why not be honest with the people of Glasgow and tell them that they must rot and die in their festering slums because the right hon. Gentleman has no solution?

That is a most misleading construction to put on the figures. The corporation and local receiving authorities are to be congratulated on the progress they are making, with work on over 1,000 houses in hand, excluding a further 900 now being built in the new towns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses have been completed and occupied by former Glasgow citizens in the new towns of East Kilbride and Cumbernauld since June, 1957.

Between 1st July, 1957, and 30th June, 1959, 912 new houses at East Kilbride and 20 new houses at Cumbernauld were occupied by families from Glasgow.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his own figure in respect of the transfer of population to Glasgow to the new town was 20,000 in ten years, and that in over two and a half years he has transferred less than 2,000? How does he hope to achieve his object?

This kind of movement must build up as the years go by. It cannot start at a high level in the first year, before the houses are built.

My complaint is that there is no movement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the number of local authority houses completed in redevelopment areas in the city of Glasgow since June, 1957; and what is the average cost of building a house in such areas.

Since June, 1957, 190 houses have been completed in clearance and comprehensive development areas in Glasgow. The average tender cost of these houses was about £1,500.

Is the Secretary of State aware that because of its inability to transfer population, Glasgow cannot now proceed with any further redevelopment because it has no sites? What is the cost of building a house in the redevelopment area? It is over £3,000. Cannot he relieve the City Corporation of some of its financial obligations?

I cannot accept the implications in the earlier part of the hon. Member's supplementary question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is expected that a start will be made on the construction of the Larkhall-Uddingston by-pass on the trunk road A.74.

I hope shortly to put in hand the preparation of a detailed scheme for this by-pass, but I cannot at this stage say when this preparatory work will be completed and the road works started.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is the most congested part of the trunk road A.74 and that it runs through what is probably the area with the largest number of unemployed? Is he further aware that it is near the heavy steel industry, which could provide steel for the bridges? Does he not think that he should get a move on?

I am anxious to make the most rapid progress I can on this part of the road scheme, as well as the other parts of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of the roundabout now under construction on trunk road A.74 at Canderside, near Larkhall; and if this roundabout will be by-passed when the reconstruction and realignment of A.74 is completed.

The estimated cost is £26,000. The reconstructed and realigned A.74 when completed will pass east of the roundabout, but its construction is desirable in any case as part of the general improvement of road communications in the area.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a dreadful waste of public money and that this roundabout will be completely redundant when the A.74 is reconstructed and realigned slightly to the east of the roundabout.

I am advised that that will not be the case. It is anticipated that the junction will cater for all traffic proceeding to the Larkhall area and also westwards via the A.71 road to Ayr. ft will not be an unnecessary roundabout with the development of traffic that we expect.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland is he is satisfied that the existing official agencies at his disposal to give effect to the policies of Her Majesty's Government for the economic well-being of Scotland are adequate for the purpose; and if he will make a statement.

I am generally satisfied with the existing structure, but I am always willing to consider suggestions for possible improvements.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Minister of Labour told me last Wednesday, in a Written Answer, that Scotland had fallen short, by about 90,000 jobs, of its share of the new employment that has been made available in the last eight years? In view of that, if the existing structure and agencies are all right, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that there is something very far wrong with his policy?

The hon. Gentleman will know that I am very much aware of the problems we have in Scotland, because we have had recent debates on the subject. I am not satisfied that we should get greater progress by producing new agencies or organisations unless we knew precisely what they were going to do, but we are pressing on very hard with the measures which have already had some success.

I am not asking for a new organisation. Will not the right hon. Gentleman think of giving us a new policy?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now considered the representations made to him about abuses in Sunday drinking in Scotland; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes, Sir. I propose to appoint a Committee of Inquiry to review the Sunday drinking laws and also certain other provisions of the Scottish licensing law which have attracted adverse criticism. The Committee's terms of reference will be as follows:

"To review the law of Scotland relating to—

(a) the sale and supply of exciseable liquor on Sundays;

(b) the hours on week-days during which the sale and supply of exciseable liquor are permitted;

(c) the constitution of Licensing Courts and Courts of Appeal; and

(d) the arrangements for granting certificates authorising the sale of exciseable liquor in areas of housing development and re-development; to consider what changes in the law, if any, are desirable in the public interest; and to report."

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this announcement comes as a very welcome response to representations that I and others have made to him in the last few years? Can he state whether the Committee will consult, for example, the Presbyteries, the Church and National Committee of the Kirk, the police, local authorities and other interested bodies?

I am well aware of the situation from the numerous representations I have received on this subject. The Committee will be able to receive evidence on the subject from anyone it wishes, subject to any rules it may draw up itself.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that there should be a general inquiry? Is there any truth in the announcement in this morning's Press that this is preliminary to handing back to private enterprise State public houses in Scotland, including Gretna?

That is not a matter which concerns Scotland alone, and no deductions of the kind suggested by the right hon. Gentleman should be drawn from the statement I have made.

asked the Lord Advocate what progress he has made in his investigations into the activities of the firm, of which details have been sent to him by the hon. Member for West Fife.

Extensive inquiries are at present being made into the trading activities of the firm to which the hon. Member refers. As the activities of the firm were widespread the inquiries will inevitably take some time.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that that answer gives a certain amount of satisfaction? Would he not agree that the activities of the Master Vending Machine Co. Ltd. have been thoroughly reprehensible? Will he take every step to ensure that further exploitation of quite humble people is brought to an end? Can he give an assurance that he will be in a position to give us a reply before the Recess?

it would be inappropriate that I should express any view or criticism of the company until these investigations have taken place and have been fully considered. In view of the ramifications of the company, I am afraid I cannot give any undertaking that the inquiries will be completed before the end of this Session.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has now taken regarding the development of sites for industrial purposes within the county borough of Sunderland.

The Board of Trade has just authorised the building of a new factory of 35,000 square feet in Sunderland out of public funds which should provide in due course 170 new jobs.

The Parliamentary Secretary will realise that this will be splendid news for Sunderland. Can he say when the building work will be started and when it is anticipated that production in the factory will be started?

I cannot give an actual date, but I understand that at the moment we are discussing particular sites with a firm which has decided to go ahead with all possible speed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the discharge of hundreds of skilled craftsmen by Scottish Aviation Limited, Prestwick, during the past year owing to shortage of orders; and what plans he has in mind to encourage some analogous industries to move to the district so as to prevent these craftsmen being lost to Ayrshire and Scotland.

Yes, Sir. I am aware that 180 skilled craftsmen have been discharged by Scottish Aviation Limited, Prestwick, during the past year. I am endeavouring to persuade certain firms to go to Prestwick in order to keep these skilled men in employment.

Has my hon. Friend considered the construction of bus and coach bodies which, to some extent at any rate, would maintain the skill of these men and provide work locally?

That is a very interesting suggestion which I should like to look into.

I am very interested in how the Board of Trade can assist people in this way. Has the President of the Board of Trade any factories available? This is not in a Development Area or a D.A.T.A.C. Area. What exactly is the hon. Gentleman suggesting when he says he is endeavouring to interest people in this part of Prestwick? Would it not be far better if the Government stirred themselves and helped the company in its present difficulties?

I am prevented by the confidences of companies which I have recently seen from giving a complete answer to the hon. Gentleman. But I can assure him that I have seen at least one firm in the last few days concerned with Prestwick.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been made to the appellate authority on questions concerning the admissibility of expenditure incurred by companies on political campaigns against taxable profit; and with what results.

I regret this information is not available.

Can the Chancellor say why it is not available? Is it because there have been no appeals and, if so, is that because the Government have been allowing this expenditure to rank for tax purposes? Is it not entirely wrong that the taxpayers should pay for a political campaign?

The reason is that inspectors of taxes are not required to notify headquarters of all appeals from their decisions. I think the general position has been made amply clear by statements from my hon. and learned Friend the Financial Secretary and myself. Expenditure of a political nature is, prima facie, not allowable. Where the inspector of taxes is in any doubt about whether or not it is political expenditure, it is his invariable practice to challenge the claim.

In view of the fact that past Governments, including Conservative Governments, have taken enormous trouble to control and pass laws on the political expenditure of the trade unions, can the right hon. Gentleman say why it is that the Government are so utterly indifferent to and standing aloof from the question of the political expenditure of private limited liability companies?

What the right hon. Gentleman has implied is not so. We are not standing aloof. The statement of policy which I have mentioned is a perfectly clear one. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, it is not the job of the Government to interfere in the settlement of the affairs of any individual taxpayer.

Does not the difficulty arise from the fact that, in the final result, civil servants are asked to judge what is political expenditure? Would it not be better to have a committee representing all parties which would judge in doubtful cases whether expenditure was political? Civil servants cannot be expected to judge that.

That is exactly what the appeal procedure is provided for. It is provided so that the civil servant's decision on a difficult matter of expenditure shall not be final.

Since the trade unions have to make clear what amount of money they receive from the political levy and how it is spent, should not the same apply to others who spend money on political work?

I do not think that arises from this Question.

Will my right hon. Friend restate the position with regard to trade unions and their subventions to Members of Parliament and political parties?

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall endeavour to raise the matter on the Adjournment.