asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now sanction the demolition of existing air-raid shelters within the area of West Bromwich Council.

It is the policy of the Government that sound air-raid shelters should be preserved as far as possible. My right hon. Friend is, however, always prepared to consider whether in individual cases there are compelling grounds for removal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the unsatisfactory accommodation and conditions of many juvenile courts; and if he will hold an inquiry with a view to removing the congestion, so that juvenile offenders can be dealt with in a more satisfactory manner.

Except in the Metropolitan area, it is for the Magistrates' Courts Committee, after consultation with the council or councils concerned, to determine what petty sessional court houses, including juvenile courts, shall be provided. I am aware that standards of accommodation vary, but improvements are being made as quickly as circumstances permit. I do not think this is a matter for an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what schemes have been submitted to him for approval for replacing and modernising existing police buildings in Durham, and in particular for providing a separate police court building in Ferryhill in lieu of the parish hall.

The Durham County Police Authority and the Magistrates' Courts Committee have proposed the replacement of four old police stations with magistrates' courts attached during the next five years. No proposal has been made for providing a magistrates' court in Ferryhill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of difficulties in the segregation of different categories of prisoners in women's prisons under present arrangements; and when he expects reorganisation of women's prisons to take place which will obviate these difficulties.

Yes. These difficulties result from the small number of women prisoners and cannot be removed by reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed his consultations on the proposal to extend the period of summer time in October; and if he will now announce his decision.

The replies from the organisations consulted show that there is no unanimity on this matter and my right hon. Friend and his colleagues will have to weigh very carefully the factors involved before making a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the regulations, or what is the normal procedure observed by Metropolitan police stations, both in respect of persons evicted from their homes who apply for accomodation for the night and in respect of their furniture removed to the street; and approximately how many applications were made last year in the first instance and incidents reported in the second instance.

It is not the duty of the police to provide accommodation or to deal with property in these circumstances. However, the police give what assistance they can to homeless people to find accommodation. Furniture that has been abandoned in the streets is removed by the police to a place of safety. Applications for assistance in finding accommodation were received in respect of 139 persons who had been evicted; 5 cases were brought to notice in which furniture was moved into the street.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of convictions during the past year for wilful damage to London Transport vehicles and railway carriages by catapults, stone-throwing or shot guns and for wilful damage to the interiors of these vehicles and carriages.

In the time available it has not been possible to obtain statistics in such detail as the hon. Member requires. My right hon. Friend is, however, informed toy the British Transport Commission Police that in 1959 there were 61 convictions for malicious damage to London Transport property of all kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many housemasters in approved schools have been appointed during the last three years as headmasters or to other senior posts in the approved school service; and what percentage these appointments form of the total number of housemasters.

During the last three years one approved school housemaster has been appointed to be a headmaster and five others have been appointed to posts of special responsibility within the service. These appointments represent about 5 per cent. of the average total number of housemasters in post during the period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his intentions as a result of the Interim Report of the Committee on Consumer Protection.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave today to Questions by the right hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Gordon Walker) and the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Darling).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to announce a change in the law relating to air guns and pistols owned by children.

This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of public concern about the methods of criminal investigation employed by the Metropolitan Police fraud squad; and whether he will institute a Departmental inquiry into the function and present scope of activity of this section of the police.

No. I think that the fraud squad is generally recognised to be performing a necessary task with great efficiency; and that an inquiry is not called for.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his discussions with the representative of the Government of South Africa during the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference on the question of the expulsion of Miss Hannah Stanton from South Africa.

1: I have been asked to reply.As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations informed the House on 2nd May, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed with the Minister of External Affairs of the Union of South Africa the declared intention of his Government to deport Miss Stanton. During these discussions he made as clear as he could the strong feelings which are held in this country on this subject. I cannot add to this.

asked the Prime Minister if he will, in the course of the Summit discussions, propose an international agreement under which the Powers would refrain from espionage by means of aerial photography.

I have been asked to reply.An international convention for the suppression of espionage, though perhaps an attractive idea, might be rather difficult to enforce. In any event I cannot see why it should be restricted to aerial photography.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent it will be his policy at the Summit Conference to make regional settlements with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics dependent on the relaxation of tension in every part of the world.

I have been asked to reply.It is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to make particular settlements depend on the relaxation of tension in every part of the world.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will urge at the Summit Conference that an invitation be given to China and India to take part in the disarmament discussions.

I have been asked to reply.No. The present composition of the Conference was agreed with the Soviet Government and it would be premature to consider widening it before it has made solid progress in the field of disarmament.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has considered the recent approaches by the countries of the Common Market; and what arrangements are being made between the various Government Departments with a view to making reciprocal approaches by the United Kingdom and the countries of the Free Trade Area.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the Answer given on Tuesday, 10th May, by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger). I repeat that Her Majesty's Government warmly welcome the reported proposal of the Ministers of the European Economic Community that talks should be held with the Ministers of the European Free Trade Association. Any such proposals will of course be examined in detail and we shall consult with our partners in the European Free Trade Association. It is too early to say what reciprocal proposals might be made

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement regarding the matters which have been discussed at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

I have been asked to reply.The Prime Ministers hope to issue a final communique on their deliberations tomorrow evening. I am sure that the hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate it.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what duties in the United Kingdom are carried out by his information officers; to what extent the reports received from his overseas information officers are disseminated here; through what channels of publicity this is done; and whether action is taken to counteract in the United Kingdom an unbalanced presentation of political issues in Commonwealth countries such as Ghana.

The information staff of the Commonwealth Relations Office maintain contact with the British, Commonwealth and foreign Press, and with radio, television and film organisations in the United Kingdom. They advise the Secretary of State on the public relations aspects of all questions of Government policy which affect Commonwealth relations. They help to formulate and implement information policy. They exercise policy and budgetary control over United Kingdom information posts in Commonwealth countries, and over the official material produced by Government agencies in the United Kingdom for these posts. In addition the Information Division is responsible, in conjunction with other Departments, for the campaign for the projection of the Commonwealth in Great Britain.Reports received from information officers overseas are official documents, and are not published.As regards the last part of the Question, Commonwealth High Commissioners in London have of course their own information staffs, but the help and advice of the Information Division of the Commonwealth Relations Office is always available to them.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement on the official discussions with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and Mr. Michael Mawema, President of the National Democratic Party, on the future status of that territory.

I would refer the hon. Member to my statement on 9th May about the discussions with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale) on 5th May about the deputation to my noble Friend from the National Democratic Party of Southern Rhodesia. Mr. Mawema. the leader of the deputation, has now returned to Southern Rhodesia, where he is reported to have informed the Press that Her Majesty's Government accepted the deputation as representative of the African people in Southern Rhodesia. I would therefore take this opportunity to make clear that Her Majesty's Government do not accept that the National Democratic Party is the sole representative of Africans in Southern Rhodesia.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations whether, in view of the situation in South Africa, he will relieve the High Commis- sioner in South Africa of his responsibilities in the High Commission Territories, and bring the people of these territories under the protection of his Department until they attain self-government.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) and for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly) on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Education the number of industrial workers, peasants, and housewives, respectively, from overseas territories who took part in workers' study tours under the auspices of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation during the years 1958 and 1959.

In 1958 and 1959 respectively, 154 and 114 persons from Europe came to this country under U.N.E.S.C.O.'s programme of study tours for workers. I am sending the hon. Member details of their occupations.

asked the Minister of Education if an item to cover workers' study tours in Europe has now been included in the draft programme and budget for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation for 1961–62; and if he will make a statement.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will give the number of teachers that would be required by the Derbyshire Education Authority to reduce the size of classes to the statutory limit of 40 in primary and 30 in secondary schools.

About 900 additional teachers.

asked the Minister of Education the respective responsibilities of county medical officers, district medical officers, and local school medical officers who are not medical officers of health, in the control of radioactive substances used in schools.

Before I am willing to authorise the use of radioactive substances in a particular school I satisfy myself among other things that there has been consultation between the school and the county medical officer about the health hazards involved and the arrangements in case of accidents.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, whether he has approved the terms of a contract estimated at £1,750,000. entered into by the Atomic Energy Authority with an unnamed manufacturer, to supply a chemical unobtainable in bulk from any other firm, on conditions which guarantee a minimum profit of 17 per cent. in the first year rising to 45 per cent. in the fifth year; what efforts are being made to provide alternative supplies; and whether he will make a statement.

I understand that the Public Accounts Committee will shortly have the opportunity of hearing evidence on the Comptroller and Auditor General's Report from the Accounting Officer for the Atomic Energy Vote and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority. I feel sure the House would wish to await the outcome of the Committee's deliberations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts and nature of the existing commitments of the United Kingdom for ovarseas capital expenditure from public funds during either the calendar or the financial year 1960, whichever is more convenient; and what estimate he has made of the probable private overseas investment during the same period.

Under existing commitments it is estimated that overseas capital expenditure by the United Kingdom Government, during the financial year 1960–61, will amount to about £210 million; made up of bilateral loans £50 million, disbursements under commitments to international lending organisations £30 million and capital repayments in respect of loans to Her Majesty's Government £130 million.Overseas private outward investment in recent years averaged more than £300 million a year. There is no reason, at present, to suppose that the figure will differ greatly during the current year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recommendation is to be made, in the interests of safety, on the standardisation of domestic electric plugs and sockets.

The observations of the Committee on Consumer Protection on this and other matters are, as my right hon. Friend indicated on 27th April, under consideration

asked the Minister of Aviation what scientific manpower will be made available for other projects by the Government's decision not to proceed with the development of the Blue Streak missile.

The number that will become available will depend to a large extent on whether or not it is decided to go ahead with the development of Blue Streak as a space vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many United States U2 aircraft are based in the United Kingdom.

It would not be in the public interest to give information about the deployment of aircraft of the United States forces.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what arrangements have been made for the entertainment of visitors from overseas, who will be in London to take part in the sexcentenary celebrations of the Admiralty Court; and if he will make a statement.

The main feature of the celebrations will be a thanksgiving service in St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, 1st June, in the presence of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. There will also be a Government reception at which the Lord Chancellor and the First Lord of the Admiralty will receive the guests. In addition visits, functions or hospitality are being arranged by:

• The Port of London Authority,
• The Institute of London Underwriters,
• The Chairman and Committee of Lloyd's,
• The President and Council of The Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom,
• The Chairman and Committee of the Liverpool Steam Ship Owners' Association,
• The Corporation of London,
• The Elder Brethren of Trinity House,
• The President, Vice-President and Council of the Law Society, and
• The British-Italian and Franco-British Societies.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the programme which has been arranged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what aid has been granted under the Small Farmer Scheme in the parishes of Quarn-ford, Heathlee, Hollinclough and Faw-fieldhead.

As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 1st February, 1960, parish figures of applications under the Small Farmer Scheme could not usually be made available without undue expenditure of time and labour, and I have decided, with regret, not to make a practice of supplying them. This also applies to grants paid under the Scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for aid under the Small Farmer Scheme have been made, and how many have been granted, in the Leek Division, Staffordshire.

I regret the information is not readily available and could not be produced without undue expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in south-west Sussex.

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle and pigs was confirmed on 4th May, at Clapham, Worthing. Investigation into the origin of infection is still proceeding. Compensation totalling approximately £7,000 will be paid for the 149 cattle, 41 pigs and 2 sheep slaughtered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on his discussions with the delegation from the Somaliland Protectorate.

I informed the delegation of elected Ministers, in the course of my discussions with them last week, that, in pursuance of the policy announced by my predecessor in February, 1959, and in view of the declared wishes of the elected representatives of the Protectorate, as evidenced in the Motion adopted by the Legislative Council on 6th April, Her Majesty's Government were prepared to take further constitutional steps to make possible the independence of the Protectorate by 1st July.Good progress has been made in subsequent discussions. Agreement has been reached on essential matters. In particular we have agreed on compensation to members of the public service, and on a scheme whereby a number of expatriate officers, at present serving in the Protectorate, will be able to continue to serve there for an interim period of six months after independence as a United Kingdom Aid Mission. We have agreed that a similar arrangement should be devised to enable British personnel serving with the Somaliland Scouts to continue to do so for an interim period of six months. This interim period will enable the Somaliland authorities to devise their longer term arrangements.A suitable draft constitution for an independent Somaliland has been prepared.We have given careful thought to problems of citizenship and nationality. With the withdrawal of Her Majesty's protection these Somalis-virtually the whole population of the Protectorate- who are British Protected Persons by virtue of their connection with the Protectorate will lose that status. While a new Somaliland citizenship will be created immediately upon independence, we realised that there might well be hardship and difficulties involved for individuals before the necessary organisation for the issue of new passports and papers could be created. Her Majesty's Government will do everything possible, in the United Kingdom and overseas, to ensure that hardship and difficulties do not arise, and I have so assured the elected Ministers.In pursuance of my predecessor's undertaking regarding financial assistance, I proposed, subject to Parliamentary approval, and the elected Ministers accepted, that the sum of £1·5 million should be the amount paid during the first year after independence, of which half will be devoted to development expenditure. The elected Ministers informed me of their intention to maintain the level of economic and social services at present available to the people of the Protectorate. While Her Majesty's Government are glad to give financial help to the people of Somaliland for a period after independence, we would expect that in due course dependence upon the United Kingdom for financial assistance will diminish; and to this end the level of aid will be subject to annual review.The elected Ministers proposed and Her Majesty's Government accepted that the date of independence shall be 26th June.

asked the Minister of Power whether he has considered the report of the Committee on Solid Smokeless Fuels; what decision he has reached on its recommendations; what action the Government proposes to take; and whether he will make a statement.

The Committee's recommendations are being considered, in consultation with other Departments and organisations concerned, and I will make a statement when these consultations are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements have been made for participation in the 800th anniversary of the promulgation of the Laws of Oléron by Eleanor of Aquitaine; whether he will link this celebration with the sex-centenary celebrations of the Admiralty Court in England; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from my noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty that the central feature of the celebrations of the sexcentenary of the Admiralty Court in England is to be a service of thanksgiving in St. Paul's Cathedral on 1st June in the presence of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. At this service, a copy of the Laws of Oléron, one of the sources of the law of the sea, extracted from the Black Book of Admiralty, an early precedent book of the Admiralty Court, will be handed to the Chaplain of the Fleet for conveyance in one of Her Majesty's Ships to the island of Oléron as a gift to the people of the island. The Admiralty are arranging for H.M.S. " Wakeful" and the Minesweepers "Thames", "Venturer", "St. David" and " Bossington " to convey the gift to Oléron and to take part in the local celebrations there from 8th to 13th June to mark the 800th anniversary of the promulgation of the Laws of Oléron by Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henry II of England. A French warship, F.S. " L'Opiniâtre", will visit London from 30th May to 3rd June, in connection with the celebrations of the Admiralty Court's sexcentenary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many accidents involving motor vehicles or pedal cycles have taken place at Dulnain Bridge and on the approach road to it on the Inverness-shire side since July, 1957.

Since July, 1957, two accidents have been reported in which motor vehicles hit the bridge. No one was injured.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he is aware of the lack of parking places for vehicles in Fort Augustus and the resulting serious congestion of traffic on the trunk road between Fort William and Inverness, about which the hon. Member for Inverness has written to him; and what steps he is taking to provide parking places for vehicles and to relieve this congestion before the tourist season starts.

The provision of parking places in Fort Augustus is primarily a matter for the County Council of Inverness as the responsible highway authority and I understand that, following a meeting of the Roads Committee earlier this week, certain recommendations designed to relieve traffic congestion in the area are being made to the County Council.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for bringing special speed limits into operation over the Whitsun week-end.

Yes. I intend to introduce experimentally a speed limit of 50 m.p.h. from 6.0 a.m. on the Friday before Whitsun until 6.0 a.m. on the following Tuesday on about 150 miles of trunk routes which carry a heavy volume of holiday traffic and where the liability to accidents at these times is high. The appended table shows the routes which are being considered. I am consulting the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee about the stretches within the London Traffic Area.

List of Roads proposed for a 50 m.p.h. speed limit experiment
		miles
1.	London-Southend (A.12 and A. 127) (Gallows Corner to Southend)	21
2.	London-Maidstone (A.20) (Foots Cray to Maidstone)	18
3.	Great North Road (A.I)
	(a)Finchley Lane to Apex Corner	4
	(b)South Mimms to Hatfield	5
4.	Western Avenue and London-Oxford (A .40) (Perivale to High Wycombe)	18
5.	London-Brighton (A.23) (Northernend of Crawley By-pass to Brighton)	19
6.	Leeds-Scarborough (A.64)
	(a)Leeds to Tadcaster	9
	(b) York to Malton	18
7.	Manchester-Chester (A.56 and A.556) (Altrincham to Lostock Gralam)	9
8.	Blackpool-Preston (A.583) (whole length)	9
9.	Penrith-Carlisle (A.6)	13
10.	Gloucester-Bristol (A.38) (Newport (Glos.) to Gloucester)	13

Note: All lengths will be exclusive of portions already subject to general speed limits of 30 m.p.h. or 40 m.p.h. which will be unaltered.