asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what facilities will be made available for members of the proscribed Southern Rhodesian African National Congress, who are now in detention without trial, to present memoranda to, and appear before, the Advisory Commission pre paratory to the conference on the future of the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

The Advisory Commission is not concerned with the internal affairs of Southern Rhodesia, but only with the Federal Constitution. Should the Commission consider it desirable strictly within the context of its terms of reference to receive evidence from detainees held under Southern Rhodesia law, the Southern Rhodesia Government would, I understand, be willing to make the necessary facilities available.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what facilities are available for United Kingdom students to attend courses at the University College of Rhodesia.

It is open to United Kingdom students, equally with students from elsewhere, to apply for admission to the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. In addition, the Federal Government offer scholarships to a limited number of United Kingdom students to enter the University College under a Federal Government scheme for graduate teachers and a Fairbridge Memorial Scheme. All applications are a matter for decision by the Council of the University College.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement about the visit of the Monckton Commission to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

I regret that I cannot yet add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade) on 3rd November.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if Her Majesty's Government will reaffirm that the High Commission Territories of Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland will not be handed over to the Union of South Africa without the consent of the inhabitants

As my right hon, Friend the Member for Woodford (Sir W. Churchill) said in the House on 13th April, 1954, with reference to the High Commission Territories of Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland:

"We are pledged, since the South Africa Act of 1909, not to transfer these Territories until their inhabitants have been consulted and until the United Kingdom Parliament has had an opportunity of expressing its views".

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what provision has been made for Basutos temporarily resident in the Union of South Africa to participate in the elections for the district councils which will appoint members to the Legislative Council.

Basuto temporarily resident in the Union of South Africa will be able to vote in the forthcoming elections in Basutoland, provided that they have continuously maintained a home in the Territory or have lived there for periods totalling twelve months during the five years immediately preceding registration, and are otherwise qualified for the franchise. Regulations have been made providing that any such person may appoint a proxy, whose name appears on the electoral register, to vote for them on polling day.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations, with reference to the average figure of upwards of 2,500 teachers a year from the United Kingdom who have been taking up service in other Commonwealth countries, what numbers have been taking up service in each of the Commonwealth countries, respectively; and, in the case of each country, how many have been taking up service permanently, and how many on short-term contracts.

It is not possible to give detailed information about the numbers of teachers from the United Kingdom taking up service in other Commonwealth countries, as full statistics are not available. The figure of 2,500 which refers to both independent countries and dependent territories, is the best estimate that could be made based on incomplete figures from several sources.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations when Marlborough House will be opened as the centre of the Commonwealth Economic Consultative Council and other Commonwealth bodies.

It is expected that the adaptation of Marlborough House to its new purpose as a place for Commonwealth meetings in London will be completed by about the middle of 1961.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations, with reference to the meeting of representatives of Commonwealth Governments which was held in London in October, 1959, to decide on the form of the permanent machinery recommended by the Commonwealth Education Conference, what representatives attended; from which countries; and what decisions were reached.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Commonwealth Education Conference held in Oxford last July, representatives of all the member countries in the Commonwealth attended a meeting in London on 27th October under the chairmanship of Sir Henry Lintott, Deputy Under-Secretary in the Commonwealth Relations Office. A member of the Colonial Office represented the Colonial Territories.The plan is that a Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee should be set up, to be composed of one representative of each member country of the Commonwealth and of Nigeria. In addition, the United Kingdom would appoint a member to represent the other Colonial Territories. This Committee would follow up and record progress on the schemes of assistance agreed at the Oxford Conference and would also consider suggestions for further improving Commonwealth co-operation in education. It would, in particular, prepare material for submission to the next Commonwealth Education Conference in 1961. Sir Philip Morris, Vice-Chancellor of Bristol University, who was Chairman of the Oxford Conference, has agreed to be Chairman of the Commonwealth Education Liaison Committee.Under the general direction of the Liaison Committee there would be a Commonwealth Education Liaison Unit which would, initially, consist of a Director (who would also be Secretary to the Committee) and one administrative assistant.The Unit would supplement normal direct dealings between the countries of the Commonwealth on education, it would deal on request with inquiries from education authorities in Commonwealth countries and generally act as a centre of reference.The cost of the Unit would be shared between the member countries of the Commonwealth.The representative of India at the October meeting, extended an invitation from his Government to all Commonwealth Governments to hold the next Commonwealth Education Conference in India in the winter of 1961–62. The United Kingdom Government is happy to accept this invitation.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused by the accommodation at Corby grammar school being now insufficient, so that other buildings at a distance from the school have also to be used; and whether he will authorise an addition to the 1960–61 building programme for the completion or extension of the school in order to accommodate the present pupils and the additional pupils who may be expected as Corby grows.

My right hon. Friend knows that the school has to work in two sets of buildings but, in view of other more urgent needs, he would not feel justified in adding this project to the building programmes already announced.

asked the Minister of Education how many nursery schools there were in Wales at the most recent available date; and how many there were in the years 1950 and 1955.

There were 40 in January this year, 37 in 1950 and 38 in 1955.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that anxiety is being caused in Leicester as the school dental service there is under staffed, and that each dental officer is responsible for more than 9,000 children; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the position there and similar difficulties elsewhere in the country.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the shortage of school dentists in Leicester. This is part of the wider question of the supply of dentists reported on by the McNair Committee, whose recommendations have been accepted by my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Education what are his latest figures for the average size of classes in grammar schools and secondary modern schools, respectively, in the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and in England and Wales.

Provisional figures for January, 1959, show that the average size of classes in grammar and modern schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme was 28·1 and 28·0. The figures for England and Wales were 28·8 and 31·3.

asked the Minister of Education how many candidates from secondary modern schools sat for the general certificate of education examination this year; what was the average number of subjects offered and the average number of passes gained; and how these figures compare with those for 1958 and 1957.

These figures will be ready early in the new year, and I will send them to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now, in view of the prevailing prosperity, consider earlier payments of post-war credits and a reduction of the age at which payments can be made.

As my right hon. Friend said in reply to previous Questions last week, no statement can be made at present about further payment of postwar credits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many persons are imprisoned in Nyasaland without trial and without any charge being made; how long they have been imprisoned; and when it is intended to release them.

460; the periods during which they have been detained vary from eight months to a few days. As regards their release I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend told the House on 2nd November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give statistics regarding alienated land in the Kenya White Highlands showing the respective acreages of land under crops, including grass leys, of land classified as grazing, excluding leys, with separate figures for that fenced and with water, and other grazing land, of forest, including planted trees, of undeveloped and unused land, of abandoned or unoccupied holdings, and of other types of land; and if he will give the number of farms, under 200 acres, between 200 and 499 acres, 500 and 1,999 acres, 2,000 and 4,999 acres, and of 5,000 acres and over, respectively.

In August, 1958, the area of land under crops (including grass leys) in the Highlands was 1,173,300 acres, and the area of natural grazing, 5,258,900 acres. Of the natural grazing area, 2,040,500 acres were paddocked.The total area under forest (excluding Crown forests) was 288,300 acres. The remaining area consisted of 109,800 acres fallow, 53,200 under farm labour cultivation, 287,800 unusable and 127,900 acres of other land, including that used for roads, building, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is aware that a lost or stray dog handed by the police to an animals' home for safe keeping can legally be sold to a purchaser seven days after coming into police possession, and that the real owner, unless claiming the dog within seven days, cannot then reclaim his dog; and if he will introduce amending legislation to extend this period from seven days to one month;(2) if he is satisfied that when a lost dog is found in a Metropolitan Police District, neighbouring police stations within a reasonable radius are also informed;(3) if he is aware of the judge's comments in the case of Bromilow

The practice of the Metropolitan Police is to notify surrounding police stations of the descriptions of all dogs found. I have no reason to think that Section 3 of the Dogs Act, 1906, which governs the treatment and disposal of stray dogs found by the police, normally causes hardship or that the period of seven days for which a dog must be kept is unreasonably short.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he has sent to the letter from the Blackburn Committee for World Refugee Year requesting that Her Majesty's Government invite to this country the families of tubercular refugees for whom vacant beds are at present available in tuberculosis hospitals and sanatoria, with a view to giving them a new start in life.

In a letter, of which am sending the hon. Member a copy. I have informed the Committee of the arrangements outlined in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, North (Mr. Chataway) on 30th October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in order to avoid undesirable exhibitionism and demonstration by a minority of the public on the occasion of the hanging of a murderer, he will ensure that in future all hangings shall be done in secret; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am required by Section 11 (2) of the Homicide Act, 1957, to publish the time and place of an execution. It would be wrong to conceal the date, and I do not think that an attempt to conceal the time would prevent crowds assembling at the prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been during the past 12 months for noisy exhausts of motor cycles.

The only figures available are those relating to the Metropolitan Police District. In the twelve months ended 31st August, 1959, there were 365 prosecutions for the offences of using a motor cycle with defective silencing equipment or in such a way as to cause excessive noise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been during the past twelve months for the breaking of the speed limit by motor cycles.

In the twelve months ended 31st August, 1959, 9,168 motor cyclists were prosecuted in the Metropolitan Police District for exceeding the 30 m.p.h. or 40 m.p.h. speed limits. No comparable figure is available for the country as a whole, but analysis of a random sample of all speeding offences shows that in 1958 about 25,000 motor cyclists were prosecuted for this offence in magistrates' courts in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been made under the Pet Animals Act, 1951, in each year since 1952.

The number of prosecutions under the Pet Animals Act, 1951, shown in the police returns for each of the years 1952–1958 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many first applications for licences to keep pet shops have been refused by local authorities; and in how many cases renewal has been refused in each year since 1952.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) in view of the concern felt in the north-east about Borstal trainees being accommodated within Durham Prison, what action is being taken to provide facilities elsewhere;(2) if he is aware of the un-suitability of providing accommodation for Borstal trainees within the precincts of prisons; and whether he will expedite the provision of more suitable facilities away from a prison atmosphere.

I share the hon. Member's dislike of the necessity to locate a girls borstal within a local prison like Durham, and would assure him that this is a temporary expedient which will be terminated as soon as possible. A new borstal for girls is about to be built.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of illegal immigrants from India repatriated since 1st October, 1959, and the cost of such operations.

Fifty-two, at an approximate cost to public funds of £3,850.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why three prison officers entered the cell of Francis Fraser in Exeter Prison and injured him to such an extent that he had to be taken to an outside hospital for treatment; if he is aware of public disquiet at the number of incidents occurring in Her Majesty's Prisons; and if he will make a statement.

On the evidence before me, I have no reason to believe that Fraser was, in fact, injured in the manner suggested. It was necessary to restrain him while he was resisting the officers escorting him after he had himself committed an assault, and medical examination revealed only trivial abrasions and no evidence whatever of serious injury. He was not taken to hospital for treatment but for X-ray examination because next day he complained of a pain in his shoulder. The examination revealed a slight abnormality of the shoulder joint, which in the opinion of the doctor might well have been due to an old injury. I would not wish to deduce from particular incidents that there is general public disquiet at the state of discipline in Her Majesty's Prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to announce the names of the members of the committee on a levy on betting on horse racing.

As I informed the House on 2nd November, the Chairman of the Committee will be Sir Leslie Peppiatt. I am now glad to announce that the following have agreed to be members of the Committee:

• Sir Herbert Brittain, K.C.B., K.B.E.
• Mr. John Corbett.
• The Rt. Hon. Lord Crathorne, T.D.
• Mr. J. R. Griffin, C.B.E.
• Mr. A. C. Scott.
• Mr. Manuel Kissen, Q.C.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has investigated the causes of the accidents that have taken place on the M.1 road; and what action he is taking to deal with these causes.

Investigation of the causes of accidents is a matter for the police in the first instance. It would be unwise to draw general conclusions from the first few days' operation of the new motorway when drivers were unaccustomed to motorway driving techniques, especially as some of the accidents occurred in dense fog. I shall have all accident reports analysed very carefully and will take such action as is shown to be called for.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will introduce legislation to relieve from rating libraries which exist primarily for the purpose of learning and scholarship.

Evidence on the rating of libraries was submitted to the Pritchard Committee on the Rating of Charities and Kindred Bodies, whose report was presented to Parliament a few weeks ago. The Government has its recommendations under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, if he will state the date on which approval was given to the scheme for rehousing residents of the Maypole Estate, Knowsley, Lancashire, the date he expects to see the first 100 families rehoused, the date for completion of the project, and the reasons for the delay.

In April, 1954, Whiston Rural District Council accepted responsibility for the management of this estate and the rehousing of the families in residence. They then had difficulty in finding a suitable site for the rehousing and also in making provision for sewage disposal. A tender for roads and sewers on the new site was approved in October, 1958, and a tender for 302 houses in September, 1959. I understand that the council hopes to rehouse the first 100 families by the end of 1960 and to complete its undertaking in 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the waiting list for telephones in each telephone area in Great Britain and Northern Ireland at 30th September, 1959; what proportion this bore in each case to the total number of subscribers in each area; and by what date, in each area, respectively, he expects to reach the position in which requests for connection of a telephone can be put in hand immediately such requests are received.

The figures for individual telephone areas are given below.The waiting list for telephones on 30th September, 1959, was 51,980, this being 1·1 per cent. of the total number of subscribers in the United Kingdom. Three hundred and eighty-nine thousand six hundred and three telephone connections were made during the past twelve months, and the waiting list was reduced by 23,000.I cannot say when it will be possible for the connection of telephones to be put in hand immediately on request. Our ability to do this depends on the capital resources available and the level of future demand. What I can say, however, is that connection of nearly 90 per cent. is put in hand as soon as the request for telephone service is received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now announce the outcome of his discussions with the Welsh Land Settlement Society about the farm settlements managed by the society.

Yes. The Welsh Land Settlement Society was formed in 1936 to settle on the land unemployed industrial workers from the Special Areas of Wales and Monmouthshire. The Society was financed by advances from the Commissioner for the Special Areas and acquired and developed land which was leased to five co-operators' societies, formed from among the workers, to whom the Commissioner through the Society also provided loans for working capital. In 1946 the Commissioner's responsibilities passed to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and later the land and other interests of the Society were transferred to him. My predecessors and I have from time to time provided advances to the Society to enable them in turn to make loans to the co-operators' societies for working capital.Although they did well in their early days the five settlements have found it increasingly difficult in recent years to operate without loss. Last year the losses on revenue account were over £18,000. The loan debt owed to the Exchequer now stands at about £120,000.The Council of Management of the Society after earnest consideration have concluded, in view especially of the increasing age and the declining health of the original settlers, that there is little prospect of the settlements being able to continue to operate without further severe losses, requiring further Exchequer assistance. The Council have accordingly recommended that the two smallest settlements—Rosemarket and Fferm Goch—should close this year and the remaining three—Sealand, Court House and Boverton—should be brought to an end in 1961. I agree with the Council's conclusions, which have now been accepted by the five societies.In consultation with the Council and the Treasury, I have agreed a basis for making financial provision for com- pensating those members who will not reach the normal retiring age before closure of their settlements. Compensation arrangements are also being made for the senior staff of the Welsh Land Settlement Society. A supplementary estimate will be presented in due course in respect of these payments; it will, however, be necessary to make some payments before then and I am proposing to obtain an advance from the Civil Contingencies Fund for this purpose.The original settlers (or their widows unless they remarry) are in addition assured for the rest of their lives of the tenancy of the cottages they now occupy at existing favourable rents. My Department, in conjunction with the Society, will take up with the Ministry of Labour and National Service the question of finding alternative employment for the settlers and the Welsh Land Settlement Society's staff.If further advances are needed to enable settlements to continue in operation between now and the agreed date of closure, provision will be made in estimates in due course. The proceeds arising from disposal of assets belonging to the societies will be set off against their outstanding debt to the Exchequer, the bulk of which will be written off in due course.Hon. Members will realise that these co-operative settlements did most valuable work particularly during the period of food shortage and the individuals for whom they were set up have benefited. But I am convinced that the Council are right in recognising that, as conditions have radically changed, the settlements should not be a permanent arrangement.I should like to take this opportunity of paying warm tribute to the service that the Council and the Society's staff have given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will indicate the total amount of money spent by each of the counties of Wales upon schemes for unclassified and unadopted roads under the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, to date, and the amount of grants already paid.

The following table gives the position at 30th September,

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money he has approved both for unclassified and unadopted roads under the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, for each of the counties of Wales for the current financial year.

The following table gives the information.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of

Regarding butter, may I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Members for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) and Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd) on Monday, 9th November. Drought conditions similarly affected cheese production in the United Kingdom, but increased supplies have come from Australia and Canada. There is some prospect that increased production, both at home and in New Zealand, where the new season has opened well, will show some improvement in supplies in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reply he has sent to the official suggestion by the Canadian Government that they should send supplies of Canadian butter to the United Kingdom to relieve the shortage here; what protests he has received from other suppliers about this proposed action; and if he will make a statement.

We have told the Canadian Government that we should be glad to have supplies of butter from Canada, in view of the present shortage. I have received no protests from other suppliers.

asked the Minister of Defence how much has been paid to Regular officers and other ranks who have been retired under the 1957

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the latest available figures of people waiting for hospital beds in Barnsley and district, specifying the awaiting lists at St. Helen and Beckett Hospitals; and what estimate has been made of how many so waiting are in need of operations.

The waiting list at St. Helen Hospital is 1,073 and at Beckett Hospital 1,461; of these 1,004 and 1,398 respectively are estimated to be in need of operations.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now give details of all the accommodation to be provided in the new hospital developments planned for the Barnsley district.

Tenders are now being invited for a scheme to provide 90 new beds and ancillary accommodation for chronic sick at Mount Vernon Hospital. In addition, the present proposals are that St. Helen Hospital is to be developed from 226 beds to about 450, including 112 beds for general surgery, 56 for general medicine, 56 for orthopaedics and 94 maternity beds and will be provided with new theatres and new departments for out-patients, physiotherapy, pathology, X-ray and casualty. When this is completed the acute beds now in Beckett Hospital will be transferred to St. Helen, and the Beckett Hospital will be adapted for chronic sick and psychiatry.

Up to 31st October, 1959, amounts paid in the form of Special Capital Payments as compensation for premature retirement under the scheme announced in Cmnd. 231 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that in May, 1959, the son of parents resident in Aberdeen was a patient in Caldwell House, near Glasgow, while the child of parents resident in Glasgow was a patient in Woodlands, near Aberdeen, and that the parents of both children sought the relevant exchange of children for reasons of economy and convenience in visiting them; and whether such an exchange may now be effected.

I am aware that there is a child in Caldwell House whose parents reside in Aberdeen. He will be admitted to Woodlands House as soon as a suitable vacancy arises. I have no knowledge, however, of any child in Woodlands whose parents live in Glasgow and have been seeking their child's transfer to Caldwell House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state what specific arrangements have been made under the Anglo-Russian Trade Agreement to import Russian consumer goods into this country and to export United Kingdom consumer goods to Russia; and to what extent the quotas for the permitted imports of Russian goods into this country have been taken up so far, and by whom.

Quotas for the exchange of consumer goods to a total value of £3·4 million in each direction for the year ending June 30th, 1960, were agreed with the Soviet Trade Delegation at the end of August. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the notice which was published in the national newspapers. I understand that negotiations between United Kingdom trade interests and the Soviet trading organisations have been proceeding. Applications for import licences indicate that most interest is being shown at present in goods traditionally imported from the Soviet Union, but it is not our practice to disclose the names of firms to whom import licences have been issued.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what licences for the export of arms from the United Kingdom to Caribbean territories have been issued during the last three years.

Since 1st January, 1957, the following licences have been issued for exports of arms to commercial and personal consignees in foreign Caribbean territories—six for Cuba, 12 for Costa Rica, one for Guatamala and one for Haiti, all relating to small arms and ammunition. It is not the practice to disclose details of export licences for arms supplied to overseas Governments.