asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why driving tests have not been held in Caithness since November, 1958; and why applicants have had to wait months for acknowledgement of their letters enclosing completed application forms and cheques or postal orders in payment of the test fee of £1.

As soon as it became apparent that the driving test arrangements for Caithness were not working properly, our Department held an investigation. Some mistakes had been made, but we have now taken steps to put these right, and I am satisfied that this action, together with our efforts to station two examiners in Wick, will provide a better service in future. I offer my apologies to those applicants for tests who may have been inconvenienced.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the fact that it would take too long and be too expensive to keep the detailed records of the number of applicants for driving licences who have passed the driving test, he will cease to require applicants for licences to provide this information.

No; this information is required to enable local taxation authorities to trace, where necessary, the original qualification of an applicant for a full driving licence.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the result of the survey made by the London Travel Committee on the question of staggering travel hours in Central London; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the survey and its analysis are not yet complete. Some starting and finishing hours of work have moved from the peak times, but there is still ample scope for stagger- ing and I hope that employers and employees will co-operate with the Committee in furthering this.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if his attention has been drawn to the marketing of portable cocktail bars for installation in motor vehicles; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent any extension of this practice in the interests of road safety.

A restriction of the kind proposed by the hon. Member would have little effect except as part of a total prohibition on the carriage of intoxicating liquor in cars, which we do not consider practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what consultations he has had with the motoring associations, the hotel and catering industry, and other interested bodies, about the provision of suitable places of refreshment on the new motorways; and if he will make a statement.

During the last four years I have, as necessary, consulted the motoring organisations and bodies representative of the hotel, catering and road transport interests and, in the light of their advice, I prescribed minimum catering requirements for service areas. The proposals made to me by potential developers are now being considered. These go beyond the minimum requirements and should adequately cater for public needs.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he has yet reached a conclusion to speed up plans for the making of certain roads in London throughways for traffic.

I am starting an experiment of this kind on roads outside towns. The necessary order will be made shortly, and the experiment will start at the beginning of August on stretches of the trunk roads from London to Yarmouth, Folkestone, Brighton and Portsmouth. Providing no major difficulties then arise, I hope to extend the clearways idea to roads in London and other cities.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will conduct experiments at selected intersections on the volume of traffic passing with the signals in operation and with the signals switched off with a view to ascertaining whether traffic signals are necessary at all hours and whether delay is unnecessary caused by the provision of signals at many intersections

The effect of traffic signals on traffic flow can very frequently be ascertained by methods which do not involve switching off the signals. Vehicle-actuated mechanisms automatically minimise delays when traffic falls off.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will make a further statement on the progress of the scheme for the Yorkshire motorway.

I cannot yet add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner) on 13th May.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an estimate, as a percentage of the number of pedestrians killed or injured on pedestrian crosings, of the number so killed or injured as a result of vehicles overtaking when at or approaching the crossing; and whether he will initiate legislation to make such overtaking a criminal offence.

The Road Reserch Laboratory has estimated that about a quarter of the accidents on uncontrolled pedestrian crossings in the Metropolitan Police District in January and July, 1958, occurred as a result of vehicles overtaking stopped vehicles at the crossings. The new edition of the Highway Code specifically cautions drivers against this practice. We shall consider the possibility of legislation on this subject when the next convenient opportunity occurs.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will compile and publish a list of classes of minor and major road improvements, setting against each the consequent reduction or increase in road accidents.

Investigations into the effect of road improvements on accidents are included in the research programme of the Road Research Laboratory. We are consulting the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to see whether the results are in a form suitable for publication.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he expects work to begin on the schemes to widen Cook's Lane, Kingshurst, in the County of Warwick, and to widen the bridge there, now approved by the Warwick County Council but delayed by his failure to indicate the availability of appropriate grants.

In June we promised a grant towards the Warwickshire County Council's scheme for widening Ford Bridge in Cook's Lane, and I understand that it expects work to start by the end of next month. I cannot say now when we shall be able to make a grant towards the council's scheme for widening the rest of Cook's Lane.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is yet in a position to announce his plans for a permanent building at London Airport to replace the temporary accommodation now used by long-distance airlines.

Yes. The London Airport Development Committee, to which I am very grateful, recommended the erection of a new long-haul passenger building on the south-west side of the Central Area. After a detailed study of requirements and contemporary practice, carried out in co-operation with my own and other Departments and the airlines concerned, the architect has drawn up plans, which have passed the scrutiny of the Royal Fine Art Commission.Tenders have been invited for the foundation and steelwork contracts and the building will come into operation in stages beginning in the second half of 1961. I hope in due course to place in the Library of the House a large-scale model of the building, together with the plans and an artist's impression.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what information he has about the ketch "Totland" which is missing in the English Channel with seven persons abroad; and why the search for this vessel has been abandoned.

I understand that this vessel left Burnham-on-Crouch on 11th July for Margate. After she was reported missing to H.M. Coastguard on 15th July, extensive inquiries were made at ports and Coastguard stations, and that night a broadcast to shipping to keep a look out was made by North Foreland Radio. Next day, broadcasts to shipping were continued and searches of the Thames Estuary were carried out by a Royal Air Force helicopter and the Southend lifeboat. On the following day an area of the North Sea was searched by a Royal Air Force Shackleton.I am very sorry that all these measures taken to find the vessel proved fruitless, and that she must be presumed lost. My right hon. Friend and I wish to extend our sympathy to the relatives of those on board.

asked the Minister of Defence what are the numbers of British, United States, and French troops, respectively, at present maintained in Berlin.

The British forces in Berlin consist of about one brigade group of the Army and a small number of personnel of the Royal Air Force. The total strength of the Western forces in Berlin amounts to about 11,000 men.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the latest request made by the Director of the Special Fund of the United Nations, Her Majesty's Government have now agreed to increase their contribution to the Special Fund; and by how much.

I am afraid I cannot add to what my right hon. Friend said in the House on Monday last.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what protests were made to the Panamanian Government by Her Majesty's Government against its decision to extend the territorial waters from three to 12 miles at both ends of the Panama Canal; and what reply he has received.

Her Majesty's Ambassador at Panama delivered a Note in January this year stating that Her Majesty's Government were not able to recognise any extension of territorial waters pending any decision that might be reached at the Conference on the Law of the Sea to be held in 1960.In a Note of 29th January, 1959, the Panamanian Government replied that they could not accept Her Majesty's Government's views. Her Majesty's Ambassador therefore delivered a further note on 19th March reserving Her Majesty's Government's position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the plans of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation envisage the employment of German forces outside Europe and in tropical climates.

Not at all.

asked the Minister of Labour why more than 16,000 young persons under 18 years of age were registered as unemployed in Great Britain on 15th June; and whether he will make a statement of Government policy to deal with this danger to the livelihood of the youth of this country.

In June there were more than four times as many vacancies as

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to encourage Government Departments to provide suitable work for work-

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of unemployed registered at each of the Exchanges in Edinburgh and Midlothian for the months of January and June for the years 1951 to 1959, respectively.

The following table gives the information desired:shops for the blind in areas suffering a recession in the textile industry.

As I stated during the debate on 21st July, the Departments concerned are examining the general question of what changes are desirable and practicable in the present arrangements for allocating Government contracts to priority suppliers, including the workshops for the blind. I am making inquiries about the position in textile areas referred to by the hon. Member and I will write him about it.

asked the Minister of Labour what representations he has had from Remploy Limited concerning the effects of the change in policy of the Ministry of Supply so far as preservation, identification and packaging work are concerned.

On several occasions since 1956 Remploy have expressed concern about the effects of the Ministry of Supply's policy of making manufacturers responsible for packaging wherever possible. They have pointed out that in 1955 they equipped certain factories specially to comply with Ministry of Supply specifications, in the expectation

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many workers have been transferred from the R.N.A. Yard at Donibristle to Rosyth Dockyard; how many have suffered a reduction in wages as a consequence of such transfer; and what has been the average reduction in wages per man.

Three hundred and fifty-three have been transferred to Rosyth Dockyard. Of this number 149 have transferred to jobs carrying a lower wage rate, the average reduction in wages being about 25s. per week.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what percentage of officer intake has come from the various categories of the cadet entry and from the lower deck in each of the last five years.

The percentages have been:he will make a further statement on the closure of the R.N.A. Yard at Donibristle, Fife; and what is the latest estimate of the total redundancies when the yard is finally closed.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 10th June, save that the total number of redundancies to be declared has been reduced and is not now expected to be more than 40 men and 40 women.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he proposes to ask for tenders for the sale of the military port of Cairn Ryan, Wigtownshire; and by what date he anticipates the sale will be effected.

There remain some negotiations to be completed. If they go well my right hon. Friend should be able to call for tenders in September and make a contract of sale by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the nature of the charges and the Section of the Army Act under which they are being preferred against a non-commissioned officer of the Cameronians in Nairobi, Kenya.

Charges of striking or ill-treating soldiers have been brought under Section 65 (b) of the Army Act, 1955. One further charge under Section 70 is of assault causing actual bodily harm.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state, in table form, which particular Colonial or ex-Colonial Territory pays pensions increases less favourable than those of the Pensions (Increase) Bill, 1959, to its erstwhile expatriate civil servants, or their widows and orphans.

I am circulating a table below. I am about to address the overseas Governments for whose affairs I am responsible drawing their attention to the provisions of the new Pensions Increase Act and asking them to consider whether further improvements in their own schemes are now desirable.

asked the Secretary of Slate for the Colonies in which Colonial or Trust Territories the Government provide, or assist in providing, a travelling library service.

The following Colonial or Trust Territories have a travelling library service or a book box service wholly or partly provided for from public funds:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what funds are available to his Department for colonial development on schemes for the years 1959 to 1965 inclusive; what proportion of the total is already allocated to specific projects; in which territories these projects are intended; and what plans he has for any remaining funds.

The funds available are those provided under Sections 1 and 2 of the Colonial Development and Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1959, which extends until 31st March, 1964. In addition, the Colonial Office provides advances to the Colonial Development Corporation for projects of economic development in the Colonies.The total amount available for expenditure under Section 1 of the Act is £140,500,000. This comprises £95,000,000 of new money provided under the Act and an estimated balance at the 31st March, 1959, of 45½ million unspent from funds provided under the 1955 Act.Of this total of £140½ million, a sum of £23,695,000 stood committed to approved schemes at the 30th June, 1959. Details of approved schemes are set out in the Returns of Schemes presented annually to Parliament in accordance with the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940. The return for the year ending 31st March, 1959, is expected to be published shortly. If the hon. Member wishes to have details of schemes approved subsequently to that date, I will send them to him. I hope to announce shortly the allocations to be made under the new Act.Exchequer loans up to a total of £100 million will be available under Section 2 of the Colonial Development and Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1959, to meet the external loan requirements of Colonial Governments to the extent that these needs cannot be met from the London market or other sources. Allocations will not therefore be made in advance, and loans will be approved as and when the need arises during the 1959–64 period.The Colonial Development Corporation has power under the Overseas Resources Development Act, 1959, to borrow up to £150 million outstanding at any one time of which up to £130 million may be advanced through the Colonial Office from United Kingdom Exchequer funds. The Corporation's capital commitments on current projects at 31st December, 1958, were £81 million. Details are contained in the Corporation's Annual Report and Accounts for 1958.The questions what further provision needs to be made for Colonial development and welfare in the period beyond the 31st March, 1964, will be considered nearer the time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities are provided in the United Kingdom for the broadcasting of reports of Parliamentary Questions to the West Indies Federation.

Proceedings in Parliament are reported according to news value in the B.B.C.'s General Overseas Service news bulletins in English. There are 14 of these every 24 hours and a number of them are rebroadcast by local stations in the West Indies. In addition, there is appropriate reference to, and discussion of Parliamentary affairs in the whole range of English news talks and other spoken word programmes. These include "Calling the Caribbean", which is also rebroadcast daily in the West Indies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what subsidies or differential payments are available to European farmers in the White Highlands of Kenya, and for what crops; and how these compare with payments made to African farmers in the Colony.

As I find my information is not complete on this I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in the land consolidation schemes in the African areas of Kenya; and what is the minimum land holding available for each family.

Land consolidation has made most progress in the Central Province. Fragments totalling 1,016,803 acres of land have been "gathered"—231,207 acres in Kiambu; 379,198 acres in Fort Hall; 204,647 acres in Nyeri; and 201,751 acres in Embu. 689,956 acres have been demarcated in the Central Province—238,412 acres in Kiambu: 124,607 acres in Fort Hall; 201,386 acres in Nyeri and 125,551 acres in Embu. The figures given above for demarcation include village areas. No internal demarcation has taken place in villages in Fort Hall and Embu, but 111 villages have been so demarcated in Kiambu and 82 in Nyeri. (No figures are available for Meru District, Central Province.)The Rift Valley Province generally is undergoing conversion from a pastoral to an arable economy. There has been little fragmentation and land consolidation is confined chiefly to the enclosure of common pasture land. 285,400 acres have been demarcated—185,400 acres in Nandi and 100,000 acres in Elgeyo Marakwet. No reliable figures are available for Nyanza Province.There is no minimum land holding in Kenya comparable with the minimum holdings in, for example, Southern Rhodesia. In Kenya, under the land consolidation scheme an individual receives a consolidated holding equivalent to his existing rights in land under native law and custom, less a standard percentage reduction in area for public needs. If an individual's total land rights are too small for a farm, he generally receives an allotment near a village or possibly a plot within a village.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many trade unions are now registered in Tanganyika; and what is their membership.

Thirty trade unions, including 294 branches, were formally registered at the end of 1958. The estimated total membership was 40,108.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what methods are employed for the provision of school text-books to pupils and teachers in Government schools in Uganda.

Text-books in Government schools are supplied free to pupils and teachers out of fee-income in primary schools, and from Government grants in secondary schools.A minimum list of recommended textbooks for primary and junior secondary schools is incorporated in the syllabus by the Director of Education on the advice of a panel of teachers. Supplementary textbooks can be purchased at the discretion of head teachers. In senior secondary schools text-books are selected according to the requirements of the overseas Cambridge School Certificate syllabus.In a small and diminishing number of grant-aided schools pupils are asked to buy some of the text-books required.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why three airmen at Cardington, Bedfordshire, whose qualifications were a degree in electrical engineering, a degree in physics and a higher national certificate in aeronautical engineering, respectively were ordered to walk round an area of the camp picking out long pieces of grass, an incident about which the hon. Member for Meriden has written to him.

A space around and under wooden hutting at Cardington has to be kept clear of grass to prevent a risk of fire. Recruits have sometimes been given the task between the different interviews and tests which take place during the few days they are at the reception unit.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will give special permission to all members of the Stourbridge Borough Council to both speak and vote at the council meeting on Monday, 27th July, 1959, on the motion protesting against the disposal of council houses in circumstances which will cause the citizens of Stourbridge to lose £378,000 Exchequer subsidy, thus increasing the rents of all postwar houses by an average of 2s. 11d. per week.

The members of the council who are tenants of council houses already have a dispensation which will enable them to speak but not to vote on this matter. I have no applications before me, on behalf of them or other members of the council, for any further dispensation. If I receive such applications, I will deal with them on the principles which I and my predecessors have from time to time publicly stated.

asked the Minister of Works what were the results of his consultation with the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation regarding proposals to widen road B.6318; and what steps will be taken to preclude damage to the Roman wall.

Consultations with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation are not yet concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers of motor vehicles were convicted of dangerous driving in England during the years 1957 and 1958, respectively.

The numbers of convictions for reckless or dangerous driving in England and Wales in 1957 and 1958 were 5,084 and 6,195, respectively. I regret that separate figures for England only are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prison warders were on the hospital staff at Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight in the year 1956;(2) how many prison warders working in Parkhurst Prison in 1956, described as nurses, had nursing qualifications;(3) what extra emoluments are paid to hospital warders or nurses as compared with other prison warders.

The prison hospital at Parkhurst is staffed by hospital officers who have received a special course of training; they are not described as nurses. They receive a pensionable allowance of 16s. a week. In 1956 the staff comprised one hospital chief officer, two hospital principal officers and an average of twenty hospital officers. Of the staff in post during the year two were State registered nurses, five others were State enrolled assistant nurses, two others held the certificate of the Royal Medico-Psychological Association, and three others had served in the Armed Forces as nursing orderlies.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is satisfied with the present arrangements for discharging the functions of the Tithe Redemption Commission; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Tithe Acts of both 1936 and 1951 envisaged the possibility that the functions laid by those Acts on the Tithe Redemption Commission might subsequently be transferred to another Government Department; and the Government consider that the work of the Commission has reached the stage at which such a change is both practicable and desirable in the interests of economical administration. It is therefore proposed that the whole of these functions should be transferred to the Board of Inland Revenue with effect from 1st April, 1960. Under the powers conferred by Section 11 of the Tithe Act, 1951, this transfer may be effected by Order in Council, and the draft of an Order to this end is being laid before Parliament.