asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the unfavourable impression given by the present low level of Government hospitality; and what steps are being taken to accord to visitors here hospitality of the standard to which they are accustomed.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence of there being in existence the impression suggested in the Question.

asked the Minister of Works what progress has been made with the arrangements for the proposed memorial to the late Earl Lloyd George.

My right hon. Friend is glad to say that the sculptor has nearly finished preliminary work on models and will soon be ready to begin carving the statue from a stone called Larrys Roche.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what has been the response from universities to the invitation, issued by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to universities, to make applications for awards of special research grants to support research on microbiological research projects likely in the short or long term to lead to useful industrial application; and how many applications concerned new projects.

Since the announcement last December of the intention of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to encourage university researches in this field, ten applications have been received for grants for research projects in microbiology not previously supported by D.S.I.R. These have all been approved. It is impossible to predict which of these may lead to industrial applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Crawford by-pass road on A74 is to be started and finished.

Work on the new Stoneyburn railway bridge, which forms part of this scheme, has commenced and my right hon. Friend expects that tenders will be invited for the remainder of the work shortly. The scheme should be completed in about two and a half years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the new footway at Cartland Bridge, Lanark, is to be lighted at night.

I understand that Lanarkshire County Council, which is the lighting authority concerned, has no proposals for lights on Cartland Bridge.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the daily average attendance of visitors to the Design Centre in the month of June.

I understand that in June, daily attendances averaged 1,832 which compares with an average of 1,691 in June, 1958. The average daily attendance for the first six months of this year was 2,073.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that sufficient use is being made of the record of designers kept by the Council of Industrial Design.

I understand that in the Financial Year 1958, 758 inquiries were addressed to the Council for the names of industrial designers for specific purposes. I regard this as encouraging evidence of the value placed by the public on this part of the Council's services.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many tourists have visited the United Kingdom this year; how this total compares with the comparable period of last year; how many of these came from the dollar area; and what indication he has of the average length of time which these visitors spend in this country.

About 372,000 visitors came to the United Kingdom in the first five months of this year compared with 345,000 in the corresponding period of 1958; of these, about 119,000 came from the dollar area, compared with 109,000 last year. Foreign visitors to the United Kingdom last year stayed about ten days on average, and the latest available figures suggest that this year the average period may be slightly longer; information about Commonwealth visitors is less comprehensive, but, in general, they stay in this country for much longer periods, often lasting several months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that the British Travel and Holiday Association sufficiently emphasise the attractions of places outside the normal tourist centres in their overseas publicity.

One of the main objectives of the Association's publicity campaign is to persuade overseas visitors to travel widely in Great Britain rather than to concentrate on the recognised tourist centres, and I think they are being fairly successful in this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how and why post-war credit certificates came to be issued to persons alleged to be owing Income Tax.

Post-war credits represent the extra amounts of Income Tax paid because certain allowances were reduced in 1941. As it was Government policy to get certificates into the hands of taxpayers as early as possible, they were issued in many cases before the tax was paid and showed the credit that would be due if the full tax payable were paid. There is a note on the certificates making it clear that the right to the credit is dependent on the payment of the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into the reasons why, from 1951 until May, 1959, the purchasing power of the £ sterling fell to 16s. and the consumer price index rose by 25 per cent. at the same time as United Kingdom import prices had fallen by 14 per cent. and United Kingdom export prices had increased by nine per cent.

No. The facts about the trend of prices in recent years have been set out, and its causes carefully analysed, in a number of reports and Government statements which are available to the hon. Member. Since the end of 1958 the purchasing power of the £ has increased.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the definition of a fair price contained in paragraph 4 of his Department's Circular No. 8/50 of 6th October, 1950, has given rise to doubt; and whether he will issue a further circular to all Departments in clarification.

My right hon. Friend is aware of an ambiguity in the definition of a fair price. On the other hand, the Circular is correctly understood by all the Departments concerned; and as consideration is still being given to ways of helping the priority suppliers to get more Government work my right hon. Friend does not propose to issue a clarifying circular at this stage.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, using April, 1945, as being equal to 20s., he will publish a table of figures giving the monthly rise or fall in the purchasing value and purchasing power of the £ sterling, respectively, until the latest convenient stated date.

I will circulate figures of monthly changes since June, 1947, in the OFFICIAL REPORT. It is not possible to provide comparable monthly figures before then. As I explained in reply to the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Sparks)

PURCHASING POWER OF THE £ (JUNE, 1947 = 20s.)
—			1947		1948		1949		1950		1951		1952
			s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
January		…	—		19	2	18	4	17	9	17	1	15	1
February		…	—		18	10	18	4	17	8	16	11	15	1
March	…	…	—		18	10	18	4	17	7	16	9	15	0
April	…	…	—		18	6	18	5	17	7	16	6	14	9
May	…	…	—		18	7	18	1	17	6	16	1	14	9
June	…	…	20	0	18	3	18	0	17	7	16	1	14	6
July	…	…	19	10	18	6	18	0	17	7	15	10	14	7
August	…	…	20	0	18	6	18	0	17	8	15	9	14	8
September		…	19	11	18	6	17	11	17	7	15	8	14	8
October		…	19	9	18	5	17	10	17	5	15	6	14	6
November		…	19	4	18	5	17	10	17	4	15	6	14	7
December		…	19	3	18	5	17	9	17	3	15	4	14	5

—			1953		1954		1955		1956		1957		1958		1959
			s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
January	…	…	14	6	14	3	13	8	13	0	12	6	12	1	11	0
February	…	…	14	5	14	4	13	8	13	0	12	6	12	1	11	10
March	…	…	14	4	14	2	13	8	12	10	12	6	12	0	11	10
April	…	…	14	2	14	1	13	7	12	8	12	6	11	11	11	11
May	…	…	14	3	14	2	13	8	12	9	12	6	11	11	11	11
June	…	…	14	2	14	1	13	4	12	9	12	4	11	10	11	11
July	…	…	14	2	13	10	13	4	12	9	12	3	12	0	—
August	…	…	14	3	13	11	13	5	12	9	12	3	12	0	—
September		…	14	3	13	11	13	4	12	9	12	3	12	0	—
October	…	…	14	3	13	11	13	2	12	8	12	2	11	11	—
November		…	14	3	13	10	13	0	12	8	12	1	11	11	—
December		…	14	4	13	9	13	0	12	7	12	1	11	10	—

The figures relate to dates near the middle of the month.This table has been compiled from the interim index of retail prices for the period June, 1947 to January, 1956 and from the index of retail prices thereafter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in table form the internal purchasing value of the £ sterling, as based upon and in the terms of the Interim Index of Retail Prices, taking October, 1951, as 20s., and for October in each subsequent year and at the nearest convenient date.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, comparing 1958 with 1951, retail food prices have increased 47·5 per cent. but only 25 per cent. of consumers' expenditure upon food, comparing 1958 with 1951, is estimated to be attributable to increases in prices; and what accounts for the disparity in the two figures.

As stated in the footnote to the table given in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 9th July, the figure of 47·5 per cent. was obtained by linking the food sub-index in the present index of retail prices with the corresponding items in the earlier interim indices. The estimate in the reply to his Question on 16th July, on the other hand, was derived from a comparison of the estimated expenditure at current prices in the years mentioned with the expenditure re-valued at constant prices. These alternative approaches cannot be expected to yield identical results, because of differences in coverage and in weights, but it is not possible in answer to a Parliamentary Question to describe all the technical differences in detail.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what arrangements he has made for presenting test cases before the Lands Tribunal relating to rating assessments of cotton mills; and whether he will give an assurance that there will be no delay in preparation of their cases by the Inland Revenue authorities.

Five agreed test cases were submitted for arbitration by the Lands Tribunal on 1st and 3rd April. The ratepayer's statements of case were delivered, after an extension of the time-limit for delivery, on 12th June. The Inland Revenue have also been obliged to seek an extension of the time limit for delivery of its replies, but I can assure my hon. Friend that there will be no avoidable delay on its part.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what consultations he has had with local authorities and with other Government Departments regarding outdoor advertisements on or in the vicinity of ancient monuments and historic buildings.

The local planning authorities concerned are under an obligation to consult my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works before determining applications for consent to display advertisements which would be sited within a quarter of a mile of a number of ancient monuments and historic buildings and would be readily visible from on in conjunction with them. This is in accordance with a direction issued by one of my predecessors after consultation with the then Minister of Works.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why no garage accommodation has been included in the plans for the proposed new building to be erected on the bombed site adjacent to Wyndham Place, Montague Place, and Bryanston Square, in view of the fact that parking meters are now in this area and there is a need for additional off-street parking in that particular place.

This is a matter for the London County Council as planning authority. I understand the Council was satisfied that the limitations of the site precluded the inclusion of any garaging or parking space.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what are the arrangements that he has made with the London County Council to ensure that garage accommodation is made available in new buildings which are erected in Central London, in view of the introduction of parking meters and the need for additional off-street parking facilities.

The London County Council normally insist on provision for cars being made in all new buildings in central London. The scale on which developers are required to make provision varies with the use for which the building is designed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware of the continuing anxiety being experienced at Tamworth, Staffordshire, regarding the planning of new industries in order to absorb the planned overspill population; and if he will make a statement.

I have up to the present received no representations from the Tamworth Borough Council about the introduction of new industry in connection with the reception of overspill

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will decline to grant loan sanction for projects recently approved at meetings of local authorities from which the Press have been excluded for reasons other than that the business was special and it was not in the public interest that the Press should be present, in view of the fact that meetings held in such circumstances are invalid.

I am advised that the exclusion of the Press in these circumstances would not by itself invalidate the proceedings which took place. Strongly as I deprecate any council acting in the way referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend, it would not be proper for me, when faced with a legally valid application from a local authority, to consider it otherwise than on its merits.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the increase in the cost of private street works, in many cases caused by the delay in carrying out the work over which the house-owner had no control; whether he has yet completed his consultations with local authorities about this problem; and if he will make a statement.

At present, I have nothing to add to the answer given on 30th June to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central (Sir F. Medlicott) and the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make arrangements for interested parties to view plans for proposed new buildings, either at the town hall of the local authority or at the office of the London County Council, during the time which the plans are under consideration and before planning permission is granted, so as to avoid delay.

The number of applications for planning permission for new buildings in the County of London is very large. If time were given not only for viewing all the plans but also for representations to be made and considered, I fear that great delay would be inevitable.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what progress has been made in discussions with local authorities on the disposal of radioactive waste; and what arrangements have been made for him to discuss with local authorities their responsibilities for other aspects of the protection of the public against radioactive hazards.

The discussions referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 30th June are now in progress. In the course of them, the associations of local authorities have been given an opportunity to raise with my Department, and with the other Government Departments concerned, the matters referred to in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will arrange for a model of the proposed redevelopment of Tower Hill adjacent to All Hallows' Church to be placed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

A model of this scheme is being prepared jointly by the Corporation of London and the London County Council. I understand that it is unlikely to be completed before the Recess, but arrangements can be made later for its exhibition in the House.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state, in table form, the average number of workers, in each year from 1945 to 1951, engaged in the rebuilding and repair of dwellings destroyed and damaged during the late war, and the average number engaged in building dwellings for local authorities in the same period.

I regret that only part of the information asked for is available. Separate records of labour employed on war damage repair were not kept after September, 1949, when the numbers were shrinking, and the only figures I have for labour employed on new house-building relate to all new houses, not merely those built for local authorities.The following is the information which is available.

AVERAGE NUMBER OF OPERATIVES EMPLOYED (ESTIMATE)
—	On repairing war damaged houses	On new house building	Total
1945 (July)	203,400	25,000	228,400
1946	161,700	162,000	323,700
1947	105,900	227,900	333,800
1948	79,600	210,500	290,100
1949	69,400 (in period Jan.-Sept.)	215,800	285,200
1950	—	221,700	—
1951	—	218,900	—

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that since the Government introduced the Rent Act there has been an extensive increase in bonus shares, dividends and capital payments to shareholders in almost every property company and that profits of all property companies have risen as a result of this Act; and whether he will introduce a new measure to limit and control rents and thereby limit the amounts of moneys available for dividends and bonuses to property company shareholders in accordance with the Government's declared policy of dividend limitation.

Other important factors besides the Rent Act have been operating in recent months to affect the profits and dividends paid by property companies. It is, however, natural that the market should reflect the general improvement in rented house property, and the opportunity of maintaining it properly in the future, which have resulted from the Government's policies. That is not a reason for abandoning those policies.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what estimate he has made of the delay which the present shortage of bricks will make in the housing schemes of local authorties.

Very few housing authorities have represented to me that they are in difficulties on account of a shortage of bricks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs to what extent the conditions of Circular No. 64/52, relating to the sale of pre-war houses on which Exchequer subsidy is payable will continue to apply after the enactment of the Town and Country Planning Act; and whether he will make a statement.

I am considering this matter and intend to give guidance on it to local authorities in the near future.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the sum which the Stourbridge Council will raise by selling 2,331 of its pre-war dwellings, disposed of at the minimum price authorised by his Department's Circular 64/52; what amount of subsidy will be payable from August, 1959, until the period of subsidy expires, which the council will lose upon the sale of its prewar houses; by how much, in average weekly terms, the rents of the 2,204 postwar dwellings of the council will rise, following that sale; and what is the capital cost still outstanding on the 2,331 pre-war dwellings.

The answer to the second part of the Question, if all the pre-war houses were sold, is approximately £335,000 after making some allowance for variations which occur in the amount of subsidy paid for houses provided under the 1919 Housing Act. The answer to the fourth part is £783,322 at 31st March, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Report of the World Bank Mission to Tanganyika on the economic position and prospects of the territory is likely to be ready; and if he will make a copy of the Report available in the Library.

Early in 1960. A copy will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the wages rates quoted in paragraph 373 of the Report of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Tanganyika in 1957 have been exceeded or diminished; and by what amounts.

I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what financial or other assistance he gives to the Voluntary Service Overseas Organisation.

No financial assistance has been made from Colonial Office funds to this organisation. Many of the Overseas Governments, however, provide pocket money, food, accommodation, medical care and internal transport for young volunteers from the United Kingdom. I should, however, like to take this opportunity of saying that I warmly endorse the objects of this organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when work will begin on the secondary technical school for boys at Hamrun in Malta, which was scheduled to start last year; and when it is expected to be completed.

The Estimates for 1958–59 provided for the construction of a technical school for boys and girls at Hamrun. Priority was, however, given to the girls' section. This was because no technical school at all existed for girls and a new technical school for boys had recently been completed at Kordin. It is hoped that it will be possible to start work on the boys' school later this year and to complete it in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to provide a deep-water quay in Malta, and to introduce mechanisation in the handling of general cargo in the port of Valetta.

The Harbour Development Scheme, on which work is now in progress, provides for 1,850 feet of quays to berth ships with draughts up to 30 feet. It will also include a grain silo with a capacity of 11,500 tons and 95,000 sq. ft. of new warehouses. Provision is further made for increased mechanisation of port operations, and it is expected that an experienced port manager will be appointed to organise the mechanised methods of working.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in improving the economy and increasing the standard of living in Malta since the Malta Constitution Order was introduced; what plans have been drawn up for its future developments; and if he will enumerate the salient items of improvement which are contemplated.

The immediate problem facing the new Government, set up under the Malta Constitution Order-in-Council on 15th April, is to keep up the high level of employment attained largely as the result of the activities of the Services in Malta. Special attention is therefore being given to plans for strengthening the economy so that living standards may be maintained and, if possible, improved.The new Government's Development Programme will be ready for publication shortly. The largest item on it is the £6 million to be spent on the conversion of the naval Dockyard into a commercial ship-repairing yard, on the progress of which I informed the House in my reply to the hon. Member for Haltem-price (Mr. Wall) on 7th July. In addition, nearly £2½ million is being provided for the development of the port of Valetta which, by reducing the heavy costs and delays at present involved in handling cargo there, will, it is hoped, both encourage industrial development and help to "restore Malta's entrepottrade. The contract for this scheme was awarded in October, 1958. Work started in November and it is hoped to complete it by the end of 1960.The Programme also provides for financial assistance towards the development of industry, including the hotel industry, which is expected to make an important contribution to Malta's future economy. For the rest, the Programme covers a wide range of economic and social services, including basic services such as education and housing and water and road development.I will arrange for a copy of the Development Programme to be placed in the Library when it is published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether in view of the concern felt by many workers in Government services in British Guiana and by certain trade unions representing them, he will set up an inquiry into the disciplinary code now operating in the Colony.

I am not aware of any general concern and see no need for an inquiry into the territory's code of discipline, which is based on Colonial Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present ownership of Coetivy Island in the Seychelles; and whether he is satisfied with the arrangements made for the allocation of this island.

I understand that the island is privately owned. No question of its allocation would therefore seem to arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement, following his consultations with the Governor of Kenya on the report of the disciplinary tribunal that considered charges against Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Coutts.

I hope to be able to publish on Thursday a Command Paper containing the Governor's recommendations and my conclusions on the report of the disciplinary inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for the conference with representatives of the Federation of the West Indies and of the Governments of which it is composed planned for September, 1959; and if Her Majesty's Government are now prepared to accept 22nd April, 1960, as the date for the recognition of the independence of the Federation.

The Conference, which is due to open in Trinidad on 28th September, has been arranged by the Government of the Federation. It will be attended by representatives of the Federal Government and the ten federated territories. Its purpose is to consider the desirability of amending the Federal Constitution.Recognition of the Federation dates from the 3rd January, 1958, when it came into existence. If the hon. Member has in mind the achievement of independence, I would invite his attention to my remarks on this subject at the opening of the recent Leeward and Windward Islands Constitutional Conference, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he has received about the bad television reception in Galloway; and what steps he intends to take to improve the same.

My right hon. Friend has had representations from the following bodies in South West Scotland:

asked the Minister of Health whether he will bring into operation forthwith the agreement reached on the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council to enable experienced nurses entering the Public Health Service for the first time to have credit on the appropriate salary scale for past nursing service instead of being placed on the minimum scale as at present.

This is one of a number of changes agreed in the course of a comprehensive revision of conditions of service which is not yet complete, but I understand the Council is considering whether to introduce it specially.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases there have been of food poisoning in this country due to the consumption of Polish eggs.

None has been recorded.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will now make a statement on the seasonal workers' regulations as they affect the Highlands and Islands.

My right hon. Friend has no statement to make with regard to these regulations which, according to his information, have only a very small effect on the situation in the areas referred to in the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what undertaking as to the simplification of passport and other frontier formalities has been given by Her Majesty's Government to those European Governments who have recently drawn up the draft agreement for dispensing with passport facilities for their own nationals.

Her Majesty's Government have informed the Tourism Committee of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation and the Council of Europe's Special Committee for Simplification of Frontier Formalities that, as stated in the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Knox Cunningham) by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 26th March last, they are willing to negotiate bilateral agreements with other member countries of O.E.E.C. Under these, nationals of those countries coming to the United Kingdom for short visits might, subject to certain safeguards, produce, instead of a passport, the standard model identity card recommended by the Tourism Committee of the Organisation. No such agreements have, however, as yet been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Her Majesty's Government have not yet ratified the Convention on Civil Procedure.

I assume that the Convention to which my hon. Friend refers is The Hague Multilateral Civil Procedure Convention signed on the 1st of March, 1954. Her Majesty's Government are not a party to this Convention because they hold the view that participation would give rise to certain practical difficulties without offering any practical advantages. Furthermore, Her Majesty's Government have bilateral conventions with all but two of the signatories and these conventions are working satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has yet received information as to the attitude of other European countries to the European Convention on Establishment; and when Her Majesty's Government will ratify the Convention.

There have been no further developments since I replied to a Question on this subject by the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson) on 15th June, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the Amendment to the Agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government for Co-operation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes of July, 1958, published as Command Paper No. 733, came into force.

The Agreement came into force on 20th July, following an exchange of letters between the two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the radiation hazards to which they may be exposed, a maximum permissible dose is prescribed for firemen; and what is this dose.

No. It is explained in the Technical Bulletin on Fire Fighting Hazards of Radioactive Materials, issued to fire authorities last October, that the circumstances of firemen fighting fire in the presence of radioactive materials differ substantially from those of persons working in close day-to-day contact with such materials. Existing guidance is designed to ensure the maximum practicable degree of protection for firemen at any fire involving risks from radioactive material, but the question whether further advice on this subject as a whole is required will be considered by the Committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 3rd July last.

asked the Prime Minister if he will inquire into the matters regarding the issuing of road service licences about which the hon. Member for Openshaw has written to him.

I have obtained a report on this matter and I am satisfied that, for reasons which have been explained to the hon. Member there is no case for further action.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the concern of residents around London Airport about the conditions as disclosed in Mr. Justice Phillimore's report of the Viking air crash of 2nd September, 1958, under which Independent Air Travel had operated, if he will take all steps and measures to make certain that such conditions are not again permitted by companies licensed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the conditions, as revealed in Mr. Justice Phillimore's report of the Viking air crash, under which Independent Air Travel operated, if he will detail the steps he has taken to ensure that such conditions are not again permitted by companies licensed by his Department.

I would refer hon. Members to the full statement which I made in the debate on this subject on 20th July, 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many three-wheeled farm tractors, which, under the provisions of the Finance Bill, will be able to use the roads with a loaded transport box, are at present registered in this country; and what arrangements he proposes to make to ensure that they are not used in a way which will endanger the safety of other road users.

I am very glad of this opportunity to correct what I said on this subject during the Report stage of the Finance Bill. Clause 11 of the Bill as drafted does in fact prevent the use on roads of a three-wheeled tractor fitted with a loaded transport box. All tractors so used must have four wheels of which the rear pair must be at least four feet apart.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many properties requisitioned in 1939 under the Defence Act and Regulations are still in his Department's occupation; how many of these properties he proposes to acquire for his Department by purchase; and how many of them his Department proposes to occupy after the end of the current year.

We hold 85 sites on requisition and intend to buy or lease 42 of them. We shall have about 60 remaining at the end of this year. The sites were requisitioned on various dates from 1939 onwards.