asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants await the installation of telephones in the Sedge-field Parliamentary constituency; how many subscribers are on a shared line; and what are the prospects of the elimination of the shared-line principle.

There are 82 applicants waiting, and 2,043 subscribers have shared lines. I should, naturally, like everyone to have the telephone service he wants and I am sorry that at present this is not possible. I cannot say when there will be sufficient plant to enable me to withdraw the liability to share, since this depends on future demand and on our resources, but as I recently said in the House we are doing all we can.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the total number of telephones now installed in private dwellings in the Borough of Leyton; how many have been applied for but are not yet installed; and, approximately, what is the number of daily incoming and outgoing telephone calls in the borough.

On 30th September there were about 4,700 telephones in private dwellings in Leyton; 50 applications were in course of being met and 6 were held up, and 360 private telephones were installed in the past 12 months.There are about 29,000 incoming calls a day and 36,000 outgoing.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the lack of telephone call-boxes on Cutler Greens Estate, Stacksteads, Bacup; and what steps he is taking to repair the omission.

There is already a kiosk within a quarter of a mile of the estate. This kiosk is not heavily used and in the circumstances I would not feel justified in providing one on the estate itself.

asked the Postmaster-General what scale of charges he prescribes for redirecting telegrams which are wrongly addressed; whether this applies only to telegrams from overseas or, also, for inland messages; and whether he will set it out in full.

The scale of charges applies to the redirection of inland telegrams as well as telegrams from overseas.

asked the Postmaster General what action he proposes to take to remedy the interference suffered by television viewers at Forge Side, Blaenavon.

Reception of the B.B.C.'s television service from Wenvoe, in Forge Side, has recently been subject to intermittent interference from electricity supply routes in the area. The South Wales Electricity Board is co-operating with local Post Office engineers in finding and remedying the cause of the trouble.

asked the Postmaster General if he has considered Resolution 171, 1959, of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe; and whether it is his intention to implement the resolution at the forthcoming European Conference of Ministers of Posts and Telecommunications.

The hon. Member is no doubt referring to the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations which formed the subject of my reply on 25th November. The Resolution referred to favours the transformation of the Conference into one of Ministers.I would pay a tribute to the interest displayed by the Consultative Assembly in international postal and telecommunications collaboration within Europe; it has undoubtedly been one of the main factors leading to the creation of the Conference. The present basis of the Conference conforms with normal practice in the international postal and telecommunications services. In my opinion, which I believe obtains also in other member-countries of the Council of Europe, it would be undesirable to introduce the change envisaged.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will encourage and, as a general policy, permit county councils and county boroughs to place signboards on new motorways marking their boundaries;(2) if he will encourage non-county boroughs and rural and urban district councils to place signboards on new motorways marking their boundaries.

No. Motorway signs are being kept to a minimum and strictly limited to the needs of traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) how much land has still to be acquired, and how many Statutory Orders will have to be made, for the trunk road improvement scheme from London Road to Milehouse Lane in Newcastle-under-Lyme;(2) how long it will take to make the Origin and Destination Survey for the trunk road improvement scheme from London Road to Milehouse Lane in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

About half the land needed for the section between London Road corner and Liverpool Road Bridge, was acquired some time ago; the rest, including that for the section between Liverpool Road Bridge and Milehouse Lane has still to be acquired. One or two Orders will have to be made to provide for alterations to more than 30 side roads. The Origin and Destination Survey and analysis of results will take about two months.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the approximate cost of putting down cats'-eyes on roads; and if there is any financial reason why cats'-eyes should not be placed on all roads except the very minor ones.

The cost naturally varies considerably according to the width and layout of the road, but is normally between £60 and £170 per mile. There is no reason why cats'-eyes should not be used on all roads of traffic importance which are unlit or inadequately lit, but, except on trunk roads, for which I am the highway authority, the decision is that of the local highway authority. My Department makes a contribution to the cost on all classified roads.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that a number of business people and manufacturers are suffering considerable hardships as a result of the delays in the completion of the inner ring road, Bristol, and that, although considerable sums have been spent on both ends of this road, the benefits are largely nullified by the delay in completing the middle portion; and if he will take steps to complete this road arid so prevent the financial loss which is being suffered.

The Bristol Corporation is the highway authority for this road, and it is anxious, I know, to get ahead with it.The parts of the scheme already completed, to which the Government have made grants of 75 per cent. of the cost, were essential if the surrounding development was to proceed. The same is not true of the next stage and, though we are well aware of its importance, we cannot consider it for grant at present.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the numbers of fatal accidents in which motor bicycles, scooters and mopeds, respectively, have been involved in the past year.

From January to October, 1959, 1,168 motor cyclists and passengers. 172 scooter riders and passengers and 71 moped riders were killed in road accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has now authorised the British Transport Commission to proceed with the construction of the Victoria line tube.

No. But I am carefully studying the London Travel Committee's report on the line.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that people who have not driven motor vehicles for several years, but renew their driving licences annually, are permitted to drive a car without any refresher course or test; and what he intends to do to prevent this practice.

The restrictions which apply to the holder of a provisional licence are appropriate to a learner driver. I do not consider that absence of recent driving practice would justify imposing such restrictions on drivers who have had the experience required to qualify for the grant of a full driving licence and are otherwise entitled to renew it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, after further experience of conditions on the M.1 has been obtained, he will consider a minimum speed limit for all traffic.

Nearly all slow-moving vehicles are already banned from M.1, but I should be ready to consider a minimum speed limit if further experience should show this to be desirable.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now prepared to make regulations whereby a 40-milesper-hour speed limit may be imposed in appropriate circumstances in other parts of the country as well as in the London traffic area.

Under the Road Traffic Act of 1956 I cannot extend the 40 miles-per-hour speed limit outside the London Traffic Area until I have received and laid before Parliament the views of the Road Safety Committee.The whole question is at present before that Committee, and I expect to be able to report their views, and my recommendation, to Parliament early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to be able to make statutory regulations to control the transport by road of radioactive materials.

The Government hope to publish draft regulations early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport, when he expects the revised regulations for the transport of radioactive materials by rail to be published.

I understand that the British Transport Commission has almost completed its consultations with interested bodies, but it cannot yet say when the regulations will be available in their revised form. It is pressing ahead with the revision as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is yet in a position to make a statement concerning compensation from the Cuban Government for Mr. Topham of Brighton.

As my hon. Friend is aware, we have made repeated representations to the Cuban authorities in order to obtain compensation for Mr. Topham for the serious injuries which he suffered in February, 1956.The Cuban Government for a long time held the view that the question of granting compensation could only be considered after the trial of Mr. Topham's assailant had taken place.Following the recent revolution in Cuba it seems that the assailant may now be missing or dead. If this is so, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Havana has urged the Cuban Ministry of State to agree to consider the question of compensation without delay on the basis of the abundant documentary evidence already in its possession.The latest development is that the Cuban Minister of State assured Her Majesty's Ambassador on 25th November that he was looking into the matter personally with a view to finding an early solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about his negotiations with Mr. Zhukov and the Soviet delegation accompanying him.

Yes. The negotiations were concluded yesterday when an Agreement was signed. The text of the Agreement will be published as a White Paper as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the negotiations for an Antarctic treaty.

I am glad to be able to inform the House that a Treaty about Antarctica was signed in Washington yesterday. In addition to Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, the signatories include the eleven other countries invited by the United States Government to attend the Conference which negotiated the Treaty.The Treaty embodies the principles outlined in that invitation and previously announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in Canberra last year. These are that there should be freedom of scientific activity in the Antarctic, and that the area should be used only for peaceful purposes. In order to minimise the danger of political disputes in the Antarctic the Treaty also provides, without prejudice to the rights of Her Majesty's Government, for the maintenance of the legal status quo.I hope that when hon. Members have had an opportunity of studying the text, which will be published as a White Paper as soon as possible, they will agree with me in regarding this Treaty as a valuable example of international co-operation achieved by mutual willingness to compromise.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the difficulties in obtaining youth employment in the central West Fife area, and that this problem is likely to become more acute consequent on development in the coal industry and the increasing numbers of school leavers; and what steps he is taking to ease the situation.

I am fully aware of the difficulties, although the great majority of those leaving school at midsummer were placed in employment without undue delay, and I understand that impending developments should provide a number of new jobs. Youth Employment Officers will continue their efforts to find suitable employment for young persons in the area.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed men, women and young people in the Gates

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT 12TH NOVEMBER, 1958 AND 16TH NOVEMBER, 1959
—			Men aged 18 and over	Boys under 18	Women aged 18 and over	Girls under 18	Total
17th November, 1958	…	…	1,140	11	471	9	1,631
16th November, 1959	…	…	1,375	48	350	15	1,788
Increase (+) or decrease (-)		…	+ 235	+ 37	- 121	+ 6	+ 157

The percentage increase between November, 1958 and November, 1959 was 9·6.Percentage rates of unemployment can be computed only for the combined areas of Blaydon. Felling, Gateshead and Prudhoe and at 16th November, 1959, the rate was 3·7 per cent.

NUMBERS OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED AT THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT 12TH NOVEMBER, 1958 AND 11TH NOVEMBER, 1959
—			Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
12th November, 1958	…	…	45	11	98	89	243
11th November, 1959	…	…	94	16	154	105	369

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the extent of the fires in the woodlands of the Forestry Commission in the Aberdovey district, the financial loss which has resulted, and the cause thereof; and if he will make a statement.

The only fire of any consequence in this district in 1959 destroyed two acres of young plantations in the Commission's Dovey Forest on 20th August. It was apparently caused by lightning igniting vegetation. The loss to the Commission, including the cost of extinguishing it, was £144. The prompt help given by local residents in reporting and fighting the fire was invaluable.

The following tables give the information desired:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of this year's discussions under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.

Yes. Discussions have taken place with representatives of Commonwealth sugar exporting territories on the price to be paid for the 1960 "negotiated price" sugar bought under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement and on other matters arising under the Agreement. Full agreement was reached. The price to be paid for "negotiated price" sugar in 1960 will be £44 8s. 10d. per ton, which is 13s. 2d. per ton less than in 1959.The amount of sugar which will be bought at the negotiated price in 1960 will be increased by about 3 per cent. to 1,655 thousand tons, in accordance with Article 15 of the Agreement, which provides for an increase when United Kingdom consumption rises. The maximum quantities of sugar for export to Commonwealth preferential markets in 1959 will remain unchanged at 2,375 thousand tons.A full review of the working of the price fixing arrangements under the Agreement has taken place and the system confirmed. An arrangement was made to restrain prices for 1961, 1962 and 1963. The Agreement has been extended for a further year and will now run to the end of 1967.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the average daily number of aircraft arriving and leaving London Airport from October to March, and from April to September, respectively; and, of the daily averages, what is the proportion of jet aircraft of other types.

The averages for air transport movements between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. were as follow:

—	Daily Average	Jet as percentage of total
October, 1958-March, 1959
Arrivals	113	1·2
Departures	112	1·4
April, 1959-September, 1959
Arrivals	162	3·3
Departures	163	3·4

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the nightly average number of aircraft arriving and leaving London Airport between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the period from October to March and from April to September, respectively; and what proportion of these nightly averages represents jet aircraft.

The averages for air transport movements between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. were as follow:

—	Nightly Average	Jet as percentage of total
October, 1958-March, 1959
Arrivals	11	2·3
Departures	14	0·8
April, 1959-September, 1959
Arrivals	31	1·1
Departures	30	0·8

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Cypriots now living in Great Britain are in receipt of pensions or payments in return for services rendered to the security forces in Cyprus; and what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of such payments.

Any payments to individuals for services rendered to the security forces are made by Cyprus Government. It would not be in the public interest to disclose details of these. There is no cost to the Exchequer.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make available to the respondent in the case of Morris versus Morris particulars of the inquiries made by the Queen's Proctor following the decree nisi.

No. It is not in the public interest to disclose particulars of inquiries made by the Queen's Proctor.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will state in table form for each £100 of basic pension from £100 per annum to £1,200 per annum how each Government of former Dependent Territories and the South African High Commission Territories has increased the pension to ex-civil servants; and how these increases compare with those given by the Pensions Increase Act, 1959, to civil servants of the United Kingdom.

Pensions increases granted by Governments of independent Commonwealth countries are a matter for those Governments. I append a tabular statement, in the form requested, in respect of the High Commission Territories in South Africa, showing how increases granted there compare with those given to civil servants of the United Kingdom.The High Commissioner for Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland has been asked to consider sympathetically whether any improvements should be made in the pensions increases in those Territories, in the light of the increases in the United Kingdom authorised by the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1959.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he proposes to make a change in the arrangements for the withdrawal of dutiable goods from bond on Budget day.

At present, withdrawals from bond on Budget day may take place up to 5 p.m. It is important that news of any changes in the duties on the goods concerned should not reach traders in time for them to adjust their withdrawals from bond before the changes have taken effect. This consideration has led Chancellors of the Exchequer so to frame their Budget speeches as to defer until after about 4.30 p.m. the announcement of any proposals for changes in such duties.I am now arranging that in future no withdrawal for home use may take place on Budget day after 4 p.m. I do not think that this will cause any hardship to the traders concerned, while it will give the Chancellor of the Exchequer all necessary latitude in his Budget announcements.

asked the Minister of Health the number of surgeons in Hull engaged under the National Health Scheme, the number of these surgeons who take private patients and fees for their operations, the number of private operations this year and the additional delays caused to National Health Service patients by these private operations.

Nineteen, of whom 16 have part-time contracts and are thus at liberty to practise privately. Information about private operations is not available but there is only one private bed in the National Health Service hospitals in Hull and its use has not led to any significant delay in treating National Health Service patients.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give figures for the northern region, showing how many people were waiting for consultant appointments during 1957 for a period of one week, how many have waited longer, and the average waiting period; and whether he will give such figures for 1958 and 1959 to date.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of people in the northern region who were on the waiting list for consultant appointments in the year 1951, and for each year to date.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total production of clogs in Her Majesty's prisons for the years 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959.

The information is as follows:

Year ended	Number of clogs made
	(pairs)
31st March, 1954	10,141
31st March, 1955	12,619
31st March, 1956	12,017
31st March, 1957	7,214
31st March, 1958	9,322
31st March, 1959	9,935

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trainees awaiting transfer to Borstal institutions were in prison on the last available date; and what is the average waiting period spent in prison by Borstal trainees on the last available date.

On Thursday, 26th November, there were 85 boys in local prisons awaiting transfer to Borstal reception centres; during the last twelve months the average waiting period has been reduced from about eight weeks to about four weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of prisoners on remand awaiting trial on 1st October and 1st November, 1959, respectively; and what was the prison population on those dates.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available with respect to these dates but on 6th October, 1959, 1,513 prisoners out of a prison population of 22,466 were classified as untried. The corresponding figures on 3rd November, 1959, were 1,287 and 22,348 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for War what information was given to Mr. H. R. Sandford in War Office letters, dated 19th July and 26th September, 1934, regarding the award of retired pay under the Royal Warrant for pay, and in a letter, dated 9th October, 1934, regarding a further award representing Indian element of pension; and what reference was made in these letters to the provisional nature of the arrangements.

The first letter said that Mr. Sandford would be granted 50 per cent. of the retired pay to which he would have been entitled if he had retired from the Army. The second letter gave details of the award, which was to be £164 15s. 0d. a year, and explained how that figure was determined. The third letter said that an additional £56 5s. 0d. a year had been authorised to represent the Indian element of the pension.The awards were not said to be provisional but the second letter said that the rate was subject to revision; this was because at that time the amount of all pensions under the Royal Warrant of 1931 could be varied according to the cost of living.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the fact that the then Secretary of State for War, in an Answer on 12th July, 1948, agreed that, at the time of the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Sandford by general court-martial in 1934, the King's Regulations provided that when an accused is convicted on two or more charges the sentence should be that which is adequate for the gravest with some addition for each of the remainder, and in view of the fact that four out of the five charges on which Lieutenant-Colonel Sandford was convicted were subsequently quashed, whether he will now take action to mitigate the cumulative sentence awarded in respect of all five charges.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave him on 11th November.