asked the Postmaster-General when he will consider the Report of the Advertising Advisory Committee of the Independent Television Authority regarding misleading advertisements, which include substitute products; and what action he proposes to take, in consultation with the Authority, under Section 4 (5) of the Television Act, 1954.

The Independent Television Authority tells me that its Advertising Advisory Committee has advised it that, because of the technical limitations of the medium, it is sometimes necessary to take special measures to achieve verisimilitude in the reproduction of products; and that the use of special methods of reproduction and demonstration to overcome these technical limitations is not in itself unjustifiable. It emphasises, however, that the resultant picture should be fair and reasonable and not such as to mislead viewers about the quality of the product or its effects.

The Independent Television Authority has accepted that advice. In view of the Authority's insistence that the picture should not mislead, I do not propose to issue any directions.

Am I right in understanding from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that in many cases the picture on the screen is something entirely different from the product alleged to be advertised to the public? Is he aware that the I.T.A.'s code of principles lays it down that

"No advertisement shall contain any visual presentation of the product or service advertised which, directly or by implication, misleads."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 9th March, 1960; Vol. 619, c. 407.]

Is the right hon. Gentleman really satisfied with this extraordinary situation? Will he answer my Question, which asked when he will study this Report? He told us on 16th March that he personally would consider it. Has he done so, and what conclusion has he reached? Will he allow Members to see the Report?

It is the duty of I.T.A. to comply with the recommendations of its Advertising Advisory Committee, and it is saying to me that although certain special methods of reproduction and demonstration are in themselves desirable for technical reasons, it is proposing to insist that the picture should always be fair and not such as to mislead. If I felt at any time that advertisements on I.T.V. contravened that understanding, I should naturally reconsider taking action under the Act.

Is it not the case that when one fabricates the result it is not the real result? In that sense, is it not misleading? Will the right hon. Gentleman place this Report in the Library of the House so that Members may examine it?

I do not think that this is a question of fabricating a result. It may be justifiable, on occasion, to fabricate the means, provided that the result is an honest one. I do not think it would be right to place a copy of the Report in the Library. It was made by the Advisory Committee to the I.T.A. and not to me.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall seek an early opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Postmaster-General what further consultations have taken place on the television reception in the Weardale and Teesdale area, County Durham, with the object of improving reception.

The B.B.C. tell me it will be considering what can be done to improve television reception in Weardale and Teesdale when it plans later stages of its satellite proposals. The I.T.A. also knows that reception is difficult in some parts of this area, but it is not yet in a position to make firm plans for filling in gaps in its coverage.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is a most unsatisfactory Answer, because I received the same reply last year? Will not he give some semblance of social justice to these people? Will he approach his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and ask him to remove the annual fee, because these people are paying private enterprise in order to get some semblance of a picture? Will not the right hon. Gentleman remove this social injustice as quickly as possible?

I cannot give the hon. Member an affirmative answer to the last part of his question. I do, however, realise the difficulties in that part of the country, and so, indeed, do the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. What is needed, both in Weardale and in Teesdale—this is the view of the B.B.C—is low-powered translators, which I am assured by the B.B.C. it has in mind for the third stage of its satellite programme.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now state the terms of reference of, and the persons appointed to, the committee to examine the future of broadcasting.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to announce the formation and terms of reference of the committee on the future of broadcasting.

I am sorry I cannot add to the Answers I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) last week.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that, whilst we appreciate his difficulty in finding persons for the committee, that does not prevent him telling the House the terms of reference or constitution of the committee? Will he try to be a little more forthcoming with the House in this important matter?

If I were to add to what I have said, it would not promote the object that the right hon. Gentleman has in mind. Therefore, I prefer to say no more.

asked the Postmaster-General when he now expects to receive and publish the report of the Television Advisory Committee on lineage, colour, and the future use of available channels in Bands III, IV and V.

I am glad to say that I have today received the Report of the Television Advisory Committee and I should like to take this opportunity of publicly thanking the Chairman, Admiral Sir Charles Daniel, and his colleagues for all the work they have put into it. In view of the general interest of hon. and right hon. Members in this Report, I have already asked for it to be printed as rapidly as possible and I will send each hon. Member a copy so that they may study at leisure the highly technical matters with which it deals.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has now decided when he will authorise the expenditure by the British Broadcasting Corporation of the money for provision of television and very high-frequency broadcasting services in the Western Isles; and if he will make a statement.

I have been considering the B.B.C.'s plans for the second stage of their satellite station scheme and I expect to be able to say something about them very shortly.

May I thank the right hon. Gentleman for introducing a new note of hope into the reply which we have been getting for the last few years that we could not be given any sort of starting date? Can the right hon. Gentleman give any estimate—for example, whether it will be 1961 or 1962 —so that the B.B.C. can do what it wants to do, that is, plan ahead and order equipment?

I hope to make a full statement on the matter later this week, when I think the hon. Member and his Scottish friends will be pleased by what I say.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider a reduction in the postage rates for the official journals of charitable organisations.

Much as I sympathise with the object of these organisations, I am sorry I cannot reduce the postage rates exceptionally for their official journals.

Is my hon. Friend aware that one of these charitable organisations, the Royal Air Forces Association, has to spend about £4,000 a year on postage in order to keep in touch with its members by means of its journal? Does not she agree that this is a very heavy burden?

I appreciate the burdens upon such organisations, but we have to consider that the printed paper post is already running at a loss of about £1·8 million a year and the newspaper post at about £1·3 million. Even if I thought these postal concessions desirable, we just could not afford them.

asked the Postmaster General if he will authorise the establishment of a sub-post office in the parish of Old Catton, near Norwich.

I have considered this matter carefully, but I am sorry that I should not be justified at present in doing as my hon. Friend asks.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the ancient parish of Old Catton has about 2,000 inhabitants and that this number is increasing? Is she further aware that the nearest post office is a mile away and not on a bus route, that the fare to the nearest post office on a bus route is 10d. return. Will she, therefore, look at this again?

The part of the parish of Old Catton concerned in this Question contains only 339 houses, with a population of 850 and only one shop. In the other part of Old Catton, to the south, there is a sub-post office. There is also a sub-post office at Catton Grove, which is three-quarters of a mile away, and there is a good bus service into Norwich, where most people have to do their shopping. I have gone into this question very carefully, but I cannot accede to my hon. Friend's request.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to improve the postal service to Congleton, Cheshire, details of which have been sent to him.

I am taking all possible steps to eliminate the causes of delay. In particular, parcel mails from Mount Pleasant, London, to Congleton have recently been re-routed in an effort to avoid delays in transmission by rail. I am writing to my hon. Friend about the individual cases to which he has drawn my attention.

While thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask her whether she is aware that letters travelling four miles from Congleton to Biddulph take about 36 hours via Macclesfield and cover a distance of 30 to 40 miles? While there has been an improvement, it has taken place only since this matter was ventilated in the Congleton Chronicle when the Question was tabled. Will my hon. Friend try to improve on this service to facilitate local business?

We have gone into the question thoroughly. The transfer from the sorting office to Macclesfield head office will improve the service, in addition to the improvement I have mentioned in re-routeing the mails from Mount Pleasant.

asked the Postmaster-General how many prosecutions have been instituted during the past year under Section 66 (b) of the Post Office Act, 1953, which prohibits the sending of false telegrams for the purpose of causing annoyance.

None, Sir.

Does that Answer mean that the Postmaster-General has decided not to institute proceedings concerning the false telegram about which evidence was given by a G.P.O. investigator and others in the recent case of MacPherson v. the Duchess of Argyll? Is not he aware that this matter has been before the Post Office since 1957, when the complaint was originally made?

I did not prosecute the sender of this telegram for two reasons. First, under the Act, a prosecution has to be launched within 12 months of the date of the offence, and I was not Postmaster-General in 1958. Secondly, even if I had been in my present office, I should not have known who to prosecute because the Post Office did not know who the sender of the telegram was.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will reconsider the proposal to close the sub-post office at 45 High Street, Penge, S.E.20, following the opening of a new Crown Office in the centre of Penge, in view of the widespread desire of the public that this sub-post office should not close.

This sub-post office is rather less than 400 yards from the site of the new Crown Office, and I am sorry I should not be justified in keeping it open.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the consideration she has given to this problem, but in view of the large public interest in the matter lately, will she consider postponing the closure of this sub-post office for six months to see whether there is sufficient business to justify keeping both of the offices open?

My hon. Friend has discussed this matter with me fully and I appreciate his determination to leave no stone unturned. For the reasons I have already given him, however, I am afraid that I cannot accede to his request.

asked the Postmaster-General what is his policy in respect of the opening of post offices on Sunday mornings; and if he has considered the desirability of opening a post office in the borough of Leyton during such time, particularly in view of the recent Sunday morning closure of the post office in the adjacent borough of Walthamstow.

Post offices are to be kept open on Sunday only where the expense involved is justified by the use people make of them for transactions which cannot be carried out elsewhere. Very few people used the Walthamstow office except to buy stamps; and, as these can be obtained from machines, it was decided to close the office last October. Telegrams can, of course, be dictated from any telephone kiosk. I feel sure that circumstances in Leyton are much the same as in Walthamstow, and that I should not be justified in opening an office there on Sunday.

Why did the Walthamstow post office remain open for so long before it was at last closed down? Was it because it was paying its way until that date? If not, what was the sudden reason for the decision to close the office in view of the fact that it had served the district for so long?

The policy is to keep offices open where justified. This one was kept open so that we could test whether there was justification for keeping it open. The Sunday business at Walthamstow was falling away rapidly, however, and the average business was one telegram, 35 stamps, three or four registered letters, three or four savings withdrawals, and so on. In view of these figures, we decided that we must close the office.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the Post Office engages in renovating its buildings and property by its own employees, by arrangement with the Ministry of Works and by private contract, respectively.

Electrical and heating work apart, the amount of renovation done by Post Office employees is negligible. Renovation of Post Office buildings and property is undertaken in the main by the Ministry of Works, but some of the smaller jobs, such as work on unattended telephone exchange buildings, and repainting of letter boxes, are let directly to private contractors.

Is there any kind of liaison between the Ministry of Works and the Post Office in view of the fact that sometimes, apparently, the Ministry of Works does not perform its task to the satisfaction either of the Post Office or the general public?

I assure the hon. Member that in general there is very close liaison between the Ministry of Works and the Post Office.

Can the hon. Lady inform the House how much private work was introduced into the Post Office during the tenure of her right hon. Friend's predecessor?

I cannot give figures. It would be difficult to ascertain the proportion of private and Ministry of Works building work. The share of the Ministry of Works is, of course, very much the larger.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of Post Office uniforms in terms of price is purchased in Scotland; and what was the relevant proportion in 1950.

8 per cent. in 1959–60 and 5 per cent. in 1950–51.

Will the hon. Lady bear in mind that, since private enterprise and the Government generally seem unwilling to induce private enterprise to come to Scotland to provide employment, she and her Department could influence expenditure in this way to take up the slack in that part of the United Kingdom?

I should like to remind the hon. Gentleman that an increased share to Scottish firms for the supply of uniforms is largely due to the efforts of the Post Office to stimulate tenders.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of Post Office telephone and electrical equipment, including cables, is purchased in Scotland; and how this proportion compares with similar purchases in 1950.

About ½ per cent. in 1959–60 and 1 per cent. in 1950–51.

Does this not show that the trend indicated by the earlier Answer has certainly not been borne out in the much more important matter of developing modern industries? Would he not use his Department's buying power to see that Scotland gets a share of this very important electrical and cable business?

I should be delighted to if there were suppliers of this equipment in Scotland, but the fact is that Scotland has got very few indeed. I should like to make it perfectly clear that where the Post Office can help in giving contracts to Scottish firms we do so—for instance, the cable ship which is being built on the Clyde.

asked the Postmaster-General which of the Post Office Research Establishments are established in Scotland; and what proportion of the cost of Post Office research is spent in Scotland.

Post Office research is centred at Dollis Hill. There are a few small outstations but none is in Scotland.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of youths in training for Post Office work in the United Kingdom; what percentage of these was being trained in Scotland; and how this percentage compares with the similar percentage for 1950.

The figures were, respectively: 1,657: 5 per cent. and 10 per cent.

While thanking the hon. Lady for that reply, may I ask whether she does not feel that her Department could do much more to alleviate the gross unemployment of youth in Scotland?

Over the last five years the figures of adult and juvenile labour in Scotland have remained fairly steady. Recruitment is, however, expected to increase in the next year or so.

Can my hon. Friend say whether the decision to bring the Transatlantic cable into Britain via Oban is providing or will provide any more employment in that area or in Scotland generally?

Yes, I am glad to say that in this instance we shall be employing more Scottish craftsmen, but hon. Members will realise that the amount of labour which is actually employed at the terminal centre is. of course, very small.

asked the Postmaster-General by what date he estimates that there will no longer be a need for telephone subscribers in the St. Marylebone area to share a party line with another subscriber.

The cable system is being steadily expanded in Marylebone and elsewhere, but I cannot say when there will be sufficient cables to make sharing unnecessary. I should like everyone to have the kind of telephone service he wants, and I am only sorry that this is not possible at present. My ability to do this depends on the capital resources available for the development of the system and the rate at which new applications are received.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that it is unsatisfactory that he cannot give a definite date when shared lines will no longer be possible? Surely he knows what his programme of expansion is and the likely increase of subscribers. Will not he try to make an effort to give the information so Chat subscribers in St. Marylebone may know when they no longer need to share a party line?

The proportion of people in my hon. Friend's constituency who have party lines is very much smaller than in the rest of the country, but I assure my hon. Friend that I am by no means complacent about this matter. I want to see the telephone system expanded, as it ought to be.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to convert the Boxmoor telephone exchange to automatic operation; and by what means the conversion can be speeded up.

I expect the conversion to take place in 1964. A new building is required, and discussions are proceeding with the local planning authority. I do not think that I can undertake to convert the exchange before 1964, but, as I have already told my hon. Friend, I will do so if I can.

Could not my right hon. Friend take a commercial view of this matter? I thought that he had been freed from Treasury control. A very large number of firms in the new town of Hemel Hempstead are in desperate need of an efficient telephone service, which they had when they were in London. What is needed is an expansion of the facilities and equipment. Surely no private enterprise firm would go to its customers and say, "We cannot give you the service you want for a further four years".

The shortage of junctions has been largely overcome by the provision of additional junctions. As my hon. Friend said, it is perfectly true that we are to make a more commercial approach to the Posit Office, but when he has been in this place a little longer he will realise that there are many components to government.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the large number of cases where charges for trunk calls which have not been made are demanded from telephone subscribers; if he is satisfied that the telephone subscriber is adequately protected from over-payment under the present system; and if he will make a statement.

My experience does not support the first part of the hon. Member's Question. Though errors sometimes occur, sample checks of callers' numbers show that the proportion of calls wrongly booked is very small, and when they come to notice they are carefully investigated. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind, I will be very glad to make enquiry.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the case I have in mind is my own case in connection with two telephones for which I am financially responsible? In both accounts charges were made for trunk calls which I had never made. Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that the telephone subscriber who is liable to be charged for calls made by other people should be protected by his Department? Judging from his reply, it would appear that he is doing nothing about the matter. If it can happen to me twice, surely it can happen to all telephone subscribers. Will the right hon. Gentleman do something about it?

I hope that the incorrect charges to the hon. Gentleman have been waived by the Post Office. I ought to tell him, however, that we make regular checks on these calls in about 10 per cent. of the cases, and our investigations show that incorrect charges are made in about one case in 8,000. Having said that, I admit that the present system is by no means foolproof, and the more rapidly we can move over to subscriber trunk dialling, which will minimise the liability to error, the better.

Has the right hon. Gentleman considered the very interesting experiment being conducted by his predecessor, and about which he told the House, of installing in subscribers' homes a machine automatically to register the calls so that there is an adequate check against the charges? What has happened to that?

I am deeply grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that suggestion. I will certainly have a look at it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction with the British telephone service, in particular with the time it takes to obtain a directory inquiry, a trunk call and a subsequent disconnection; and if he will make a statement on his long-term plans to improve these services, with estimates of the time it will take to effect the various improvements.

In most parts of the country the service is, I believe, very good. There are some places where, because of shortage of staff, buildings or equipment, the quality of service is not as good as I would wish. In these places we are doing what we can to bring about an improvement.

As regards the latter part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the plans described in the White Papers of November, 1957, on Telephone Policy, and March, 1960, on Post Office Capital Expenditure in 1960–61.

Will my right hon. Friend accept that the British telephone service is a disgrace to a modern country, and will he do something about it?

I certainly do not accept that very sweeping generalisation, but, on the other hand, I am perfectly willing to concede that in the Birmingham area, where there has been an immense new demand for a telephone service during the last year or two, the situation is not as good as it ought to be. As I indicated, I am doing what I can to improve it.

It is just as bad in London.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made in the inauguration of subscriber trunk dialling; and whether he is satisfied that his target for 1960 will be achieved.

Three centres now have S.T.D. and two more will have it in the next few weeks. I hope that we shall generally achieve our target of 40 places by the end of 1960. Since the 1957 White Paper the long-term programme has been speeded up so that 60 per cent. of users will have S.T.D. within five years and 90 per cent. within ten years.

In view of this rapid development of S.T.D., will the right hon. Gentleman agree that as we are to have a cheaper service with greater efficiency because of subscriber trunk dialling, it is absolutely necessary at this stage to have more advertisements to try to attract more people to use the telephone?

Yes, Sir. That is one of many matters that I am examining.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the telephone information service, specially provided in London to give details of daily events to tourists, has proved a success.

This service, which gives a diary of events in English, French and German, has been well received. About 1,000 calls are made to it each day.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to make this service more widely known and, in particular, consider the suggestion that a display card should be prepared to be put in London hotels so that tourists can take immediate advantage of it?

I entirely agree with the hon. Member that this service does not have the publicity which it should. I am considering that suggestion. I will see that an advertisement is put in the opening pages of the London telephone directory and, in addition, we will use other media.

asked the Postmaster-General how many requests he has had for provision of public telephone kiosks in the Western Isles in the past two years; how many have been agreed; and how many have been refused.

Twenty-four requests have been received and eight have been met. In five other places a telephone is being provided on a rental basis in an individual house.

Does not the Postmaster-General think that it is somewhat shabby to have to resort to the device of obtaining a community service by getting an individual to apply for it and then to get his neighbours and himself to share the rent? Would it not be much better simply to face the need for community service in these areas and to provide it?

The Western Isles are not doing too badly. Altogether, they have about 170 telephone kiosks. I recognise that social needs come into this matter, but, at the same time, I have to bear in mind that the Post Office is losing about £3½ million a year on public telephone kiosks. Where it is possible to assist small local communities by putting a telephone in an individual house, that helps.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what will be the size of the three large balls which are to form part of the Fylingdales early-warning station.

They will be 140 ft. in diameter.

Was the right hon. Gentleman entirely serious when he seemed to think it possible to landscape such gigantic balls so that they would harmonise with their natural surroundings? Would it not be better to leave them stark and white, as an interesting example, perhaps, of functional architecture, with a certain macabre beauty of their own, and as an appropriate symbol of the general insanity in which we are involved?

As I told the hon. Gentleman last week, we are, of course, taking the advice in this matter of an expert landscape consultant.

Would the Secretary of State deny that the erection of these three brass balls is a visible sign that we are in pawn to Uncle Sam in this part of the National Park?

I know that some hon. Gentlemen on the opposite side would like to blackball the whole project, but personally I think it is a very useful one.

asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) what progress has been made in the provision of new school accommodation for the children of Royal Air Force parents at Aden; and when he expects to be able to provide all the children with school places.

(2) in how many cases he is still unable to provide school places for the children of Royal Air Force parents at Aden; what educational provision is being made for these children; and what help has been given by his Department.

Work on the new school at Khormaksar is well advanced, and part of it is already in use. As I told the hon. Member on 16th December, it should be completed early next year. Meanwhile my Department is paying fees for 121 children at civilian schools. No children are without school places.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on several occasions he has said recently, and as recently as the Air Estimates debate, that he is going to move very rapidly on this project? Does he recall that this very long delay has put it three or four years behind and that it is really a disgrace that 120 children still cannot be accommodated who should be accommodated by his Department? Therefore, will not he do something to urge this project on more rapidly?

On the contrary, this new school is making excellent progress. Certainly, during the Air Estimates debate I gave this date of early next year, and that is still the date. As to the delay which the hon. Gentleman has alleged to have taken place, I have explained to him several times the various factors which have complicated the schools problem in Aden. I hope Chat he will be glad to hear that we are now making good progress.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the payment of school fees does not answer the main and most serious problem, that there is an obligation to Service families sent abroad to provide places for the education of their children without swamping the limited local facilities provided by the Colonial Government for a quite different purpose?

We are doing our best to provide places for everybody. As I said, this should be by early next year. The hon. Gentleman knows very well that the population of Aden has increased so rapidly that it is physically impossible to keep pace and build all the school places we need.

Will the right hon. Gentleman not run away from the fact— I do not want to recall the Question I asked in 1956—that this school accommodation was definitely promised by his Department for the year 1957 and that by the time that these children are accommodated it will in fact be 1961?

The plan which was originally designed to be finished in 1957 was a quite different and much smaller plan. Since then the population of Aden has increased so rapidly that we have had to alter the plan twice since then.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of his repeated refusal to include in his programme the construction of the north-south by-pass at Shrewsbury, whether he will authorise the Shrewsbury Borough Council to proceed with a road between Monkmoor Road and Ditherington as a classified road.

Since we cannot include the whole by-pass in the programme for some time, we are now considering whether we can include a scheme for a shorter by-pass, part of which would lie between Monk-moor and Ditherington. I am at present unable to say how soon funds might be found either for this or for the less attractive proposal of building only the section between Monkmoor and Ditherington as a classified road scheme.

Would my hon. Friend bear in mind that at Shrewsbury, due to its peculiar geographical position, a large proportion of the traffic which approaches the town is funnelled through the town by the river, and that there is no short solution to this except by the selection of one of these two roads?

Yes, that is why we are hoping to provide the interim by-pass to which I referred.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications by local authorities for permission to install pedestrian crossings have been turned down by his Department over the last five years.

About 950.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his right hon. Friend took part in a broadcast on 30th April and said:

"It is no good writing to me about parking problems and pedestrian crossings. Why should I think that I could control all these things from the centre? It is absolute nonsense to think Whitehall can control matters needing detailed local knowledge. That is the job of the town hall."?

Did the right hon. Gentleman mislead the public of this country when he said that? Is it not true that he turned down hundreds of local authority applications for the constructing of pedestrian crossings? Will the Minister be a little more careful, when next he takes part in a broadcast, not to use such misleading language?

To turn down 950 applications over five years is an annual rate of about 200 a year.

Too many.

In the period no fewer than 1,149 new crossings were approved.

Can the hon. Gentleman explain why his right hon. Friend said that it was no use writing to him about the lack of pedestrian crossings when it is the right hon. Gentleman who has the power to say yes or no?

Simply because I was asked in the original Question to say how many pedestrian crossing applications had been turned down. If the hon. Member wants to ask me what my right hon. Friend said, he is barking up the wrong tree.

Is it not clear from the figures given that the Ministry of Transport turned down only slightly fewer than the number it approved? Would it not be very wrong for the Minister of Transport to lay the blame on local authorities for failure in their share of the responsibility for road safety as was implied in the Minister's broadcast?

I do not accept that what my right hon. Friend said bore that implication at all. We have just over 14,365 pedestrian crossings and we have reduced the number to this figure since 1950 when it was 32,684. The whole problem in the past has been that if we have too many crossings they are not observed by motorists and do not provide adequate safety measures.

asked the Minister of Transport how many schemes for constructing and improving roads, sub- mitted to him by local authorities, have been refused by his Department during the last five years.

Highway authorities apply to us for grants towards the cost of major improvement schemes on classified roads. The large number of such schemes in relation to the funds at our disposal makes a priority system necessary whereby schemes are selected for grant on the basis of need and urgency. This means that schemes must often be deferred, but outright refusal is rare. Systematic records of any such refusal are not kept.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that during the broadcast to which I have already referred his right hon. Friend said:

"The initiative for constructing, improving and maintaining over 95 per cent. of our roads is the responsibility of local authorities …"

Is he aware that the right hon. Gentleman said:

"I am anxious and willing to do my part,"

and that, speaking to his radio audience, he added:

"You must elect local authorities eager to do theirs."?

It is obvious that the councils have been eager to show initiative and that it is the deadly hand of the Ministry that is stopping them getting on with the job.

If only the party opposite when it had responsibility for these matters had got on with the job we would not have so many schemes that we cannot do now.

But is the hon. Gentleman not aware that in trying to defend himself and the Minister he must take into account the fact that local authorities resent very much the implication that the right hon. Gentleman created that the local authorities have been responsible for holding up these plans?

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that local authorities are submitting schemes for constructing and improving roads in accordance with the national road planning requirements of the areas over which they have control; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. The schemes which I invite local highway authorities to submit for grants are those which I have agreed with them individually as being most important either for the national economy or for road safety.

Is the Minister aware that his Answer contrasts very markedly with his statement in the broadcast to which reference has already been made? Is he aware that I have had representations from local councillors in my area who resent the implied criticisms of local authorities, other than those manned by Conservative politicians? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has consistently turned down schemes which my local authorities have submitted to him, and will he now apologise for this unseemly conduct?

What, again?

I am sorry that the hon. Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Loughlin) has been disappointed with his local authorities and the recent results. The Ministry of Transport rarely turns down. It has a system of priorities, but the initial choice must rest with the highway authorities themselves, since they have statutory responsibility for improving the classified roads.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the difficulty is that there is no public national plan for road building in this country? Is he aware that civil engineering contractors complained only a few days ago that they have as many road-building machines idle as they have in use? Is he aware that what is required is the publication of a White Paper by the Government setting out their plans for road building over the next five years?

The hon. Member has a later Question on that subject and had better wait until we reach it. If the hon. Member compares what is being done now in building and improving roads with what was done by his party, I think he will find an improvement.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the Road Research Laboratory's detailed report on Christmas road accidents; if, when he receives it, he will publish it as a White Paper; and if he will call for similar reports to cover the Easter period and to cover a normal week.

I expect to receive the full report by the Road Research Laboratory on road fatalities over the Christmas period in about four weeks' time; some preliminary information may be available before the end of this month. The publication of the report and the desirability of calling for further detailed inquiries of this kind are questions to be decided when I have received and read the report itself.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that we have very little accurate information about the causes of road accidents? Would it not be possible to devise some means whereby we can obtain and see a detailed report, at any rate about fatal accidents, so that we can decide more easily what action is necessary to prevent them?

That is precisely why I asked the Road Research Laboratory to undertake this rather detailed investigation. It is an exceptional investigation by a specially qualified staff and they are taking a great deal of time and trouble. I think the next move ought to await their report, and we shall then see what we can do.

Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that a sufficiently large staff has been employed on this inquiry? It seems to have taken a considerable time.

Yes, Sir. There are nine full-time people on the job. They are not only going into coroners' reports but visiting the sites of accidents. This is the most detailed investigation that has ever been undertaken.

If the preliminary figures are available, as the Minister expects, by the end of this month, will he undertake to make them available to the House, even if in duplicated form, so that we may have them before us when we debate the Order which is to bring into force a 50 m.p.h. limit for Whitsun?

The two things are quite unrelated. I think I take the House with me when I say that it is desirable for me to wait until I receive that detailed report, which is not only about the figures but about reasons for the accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of accidents on the road in the last twelve months have not involved a private car.

I regret that the information asked for is not available for 1959. In January and February, 1960, about 46 per cent. of all accidents did not involve private cars.

Does this mean that a new set of statistics is now being obtained for the right hon. Gentleman which was not previously obtained? Can the hon. Gentleman say what relation the 46 per cent. not involving private cars bears to the total number of vehicles on the roads? Does it show that private cars are concerned in more accidents or fewer accidents than the other categories?

I hesitate to try to answer the second part of the hon. Gentleman's question without notice. If he will put down a Question I will give him the answer. With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, the position is that as from the beginning of this year we are able to get statistics about private car and other types of vehicle accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that local authorities are taking all necessary steps to assist him in his campaign for safer roads; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in this House last month, the Government can never be satisfied that enough is being done for road safety. I greatly value the co-operation which I receive from local authorities, who are doing excellent work in their own right. This does not mean that the effort of every local authority is as extensive, strong and effective as it could be. I urge all councils to review the position in their areas to ensure that everything possible is done which will help to cut down road accidents.

I am glad that the Minister has emphasised that he is not quite satisfied, but is he aware that I have had representations made to me about the broadcast he made and his criticism of local authorities in the matter of road safety campaigns? Is it not about time that the Minister of Transport acted in a responsible manner befitting a Minister of the Crown? If he cannot do that, is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to resign?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Transport what encouragement he is giving to local authorities to construct automatic multi-storey garages as a means of solving town centre parking problems.

I am always ready to view sympathetically applications by local authorities for loan sanction and compulsory purchase orders for the purpose of providing off-street parking facilities. These may include automatic multi-storey garages where appropriate.

Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn to the pioneering work done in this matter, without the Ministry's encouragement, by Woolwich Borough Council, a much more enterprising body than the Ministry of Transport? Will he circularise other local authorities with the results of the Woolwich experiment?

I agree that Woolwich is to be commended on this multi-storey garage, but it is untrue to say that the Ministry has been unhelpful. We have tried to help Woolwich in this respect, and we will try to help all local authorities which wish to provide multi-storey parking, because I think that it is extremely important in the stream of traffic today.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is not much point in asking local authorities to erect multi-storey garages or any other garages unless adequate notices are provided so that motorists know where the garages are? Will my right hon. Friend do his utmost to emphasise to local authorities the importance of providing adequate directions for motorists to enable them to park their cars in garages?

I will bear that in mind, and I am sure that Woolwich will, too.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, while on the one hand he says that he wants to encourage local authorities to build multi-storey garages, in a Standing Committee he has refused to allow local authorities which are building garages to sell oil and petrol? How can he justify that?

Local authorities cannot trade in oil and petrol, but they can provide the facilities. There is no reason why a local authority which wants to provide off-street car parking should be given entitlement to do a whole heap of other things as well.

Garages for the rich; no houses for the poor.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for improving communications by road from East Angilia to the Midlands, having regard to their inadequacy at the present time, and in view of the growing importance of the ports in that area due to the creation of the European Free Trade Association and the need to attract more industry.

We have to consider the claims of these roads in relation to needs elsewhere in the country. I am afraid that comprehensive improvement cannot be undertaken at present, but a scheme for a new bridge at St. Neots estimated to cost £690,000 is being prepared. In addition a number of smaller improvements to the total value of about £500,000 are under construction or are to start shortly.

Is my hon. Friend aware that people living in East Anglia feel that they are not getting a fair share of the money which is being spent on road improvements, that our rail communications are shocking and that our unemployment position leaves much to be desired? Will he try to do something to help us so that more employment can be brought into the area?

It is a false conception to imagine that individual areas of the country should obtain a fair share of the money available for road improvements. We have, as I said in answer to an earlier Question, had to establish a system of priorities based upon traffic needs and not upon geographical location. We have no doubt at all that the roads of East Anglia are the least heavily trafficked of any in the country, and, therefore, their priority is, I am afraid, at the moment correspondingly less; but we will do what we can as and when we can.

Is my hon. Friend aware that if he compares the London—Colchester—.North-East Essex road with the roads to the South Coast, there is something to be said for giving priority to the area so that we can make proper use of the port facilities of Harwich?

We have all these considerations in mind but have to balance the demands of one road against the demands of many other roads throughout the country.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, in conjunction with Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners, to remedy the defects in the pontoon docks at Aberdeen Harbour.

The Harbour Commissioners agreed at a meeting with us on 5th November, 1959, to bring all the local interests together to study the problem of the pontoon docks. This they have done and a report is now being prepared.

A working party has been engaged on this problem for several months past. Will the hon. Gentleman say what steps he is taking, in conjunction with other Ministries, to provide the finance necessary for the job they are trying to undertake?

I think it better to await the report I have referred to in my original Answer. The working party has been at work for some time, as the hon. and learned Gentleman says, but we should like to be able to carry local interests with us in all this, and I think it better to wait for the report before we decide what to do.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to have a nuclear-powered merchant ship at sea at the earliest possible moment.

I have invited tenders from five firms for two types of nuclear reactor suitable for installation in a tanker of 65,000 tons deadweight. The closing date for the receipt of tenders is 29th July. The decision whether to build a tanker, and which type of reactor it should have, will be made in the light of what the tenders disclose and of progress with other types of reactor which show promise of application to shipping.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that this country will be able to put such a nuclear-powered vessel to sea as soon as four or five of our competitors?

I think that the Americans will be the first in the field because they are already half-way in the construction of a nuclear ship. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] They started before anybody else and I think they will finish before anybody else. I am bound to say that, so far as we are concerned, the first thing to do is to invite these tenders so that there shall not be any delay on that account in the building of a ship if that is considered necessary.

Does the right hon. Gentleman contemplate on behalf of the Government building a ship at Government expense? Is that what he is saying, that the tenders are out now and he is waiting for them to come in and he can then estimate the cost? Does he intend that the Government will build the ship, or is it contemplated that it will be built by private shipowners or shipbuilders, and if so, has he any idea where they will get the money to build the ship?

Those considerations will come later. The first thing to find out is the result of the tender which has now been put out for the nuclear reactor for which we are asking. When we have that we can take the matter a stage further. Until that stage is reached it is very difficult indeed to answer a series of hypothetical questions.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that one of the most important things in this matter is that it should be a commercial venture and, therefore, a successful one?

I quite agree, because the ultimate objective is to build a nuclear-powered ship which is economically competitive with a conventional one. Anything else which is non-competitive is likely not to survive.

Is the right hon. Gentleman suggesting that we are to have a nuclear-powered merchant ship guaranteed at the expense of the State and then to be handed over to highly profitable private industry?

No, Sir.

Has the right hon. Gentleman really not made up his mind about this? Will he give the House an assurance that the Government will not carry this operation through to the stage when it becomes profitable and then hand it over to private enterprise to build and operate the ship?

I think I have made it quite clear that it ought to be a profitable enterprise and an economic ship. The first stage in the process is to find out what sort of nuclear reactor is suitable and how much it will cost. That surely is the logical process.

I may be making a mistake, in which case I apologise, but is the House to understand that my right hon. Friend is undertaking or contemplating an expenditure which has not yet appeared in any Estimate? What is his authority for doing this?

I am not contemplating any expenditure at all. All that has happened is that we have invited tenders from five firms for two types of nuclear reactor. We have given the specification and they will give the prices, and then we shall make a decision.

Is this not a very puzzling situation? The Minister has invited tenders, but he has not told us in the least what he might do when the tenders are received. What is the situation? Are we to suppose that private shipbuilding firms may put in tenders and then the Government may say, "We are not going to do anything about this but just leave it as it is"? The right hon. Gentleman must give us an idea of what is in his mind. Are the Government to build the ship? Are the Government going to invite private shipping companies to tender, or what?

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for intervening, but if he had been present during the debate on 21st March, when the subject was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemoutlh (Dame Irene Ward), he would have known that all these points were dealt with.

The Leader of the Opposition is out of date.

Perhaps I may be allowed to repeat what was said on that occasion. My hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary said:

"We shall be able to get closer estimates of costs than are available at the moment and find out a lot more than we know already about various technical problems. When we have received the tenders and have assessed them —and I must warn my hon. Friend that this will take a little time—we shall then be in a much better position than we are now to decide whether a ship should be built, and if so, which type of reactor it should have."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 21st March, 1960; Vol. 620, c. 189.]

This is the normal method of trying to make a sensible approach to a very difficult technical problem.

The Minister has not explained anything at all. Perhaps I may repeat what his hon. Friend the Member for Farnham (Sir G. Nicholson) said just now.

My hon. Friend the Member for Farnham (Sir G. Nicholson) is out of date, too.

On what authority is the right hon. Gentleman proposing that this Government expenditure should take place, and how does he expect these firms to put in tenders when they have not the slightest idea what will happen when the tenders are put in?

The fact of the matter is that they axe putting in the tenders. The fact of the matter is that the Government have not committed themselves to any expenditure and will not commit themselves to any expenditure on a ship until they receive technical information.

Was not the whole idea behind the original Galbraith Committee, which has been transferred to my right hon. Friend, to ascertain the possibilities of a commercial venture, and ought not my right hon. Friend to be very grateful for the debate which I raised? Why does he not tell the Opposition off?

I quite agree that the best thing is to make one's inquiries first and one's decision second, which is something the party opposite does not understand. There is no point in my giving the Opposition an explanation if they are determined not to understand.

Can the Minister explain why it is that, although, when the Galbraith Committee was considering this matter, its function was to advise the Government about which type of reactor would be suitable, he now appears to be asking for two different types of reactor? Have the Government not made up their mind about which type of reactor is to be used? Does he recall that his hon. Friend who was then Civil Lord of the Admiralty indicated in the House that it was the Government's intention to build the ship and actually gave us a date when it was to be in the water?

I must refer the hon. Gentleman to the debate on 21st March when all this was explained. [HON. MEMBERS: "He was there."] The hon. Gentleman should have been there; it was so interesting.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Unless my ears deceived me, you did call me for Question No. 43.

The hon. and learned Gentleman is right, I think, as to the first part of his name; I am not sure about the second part. The position was that I had not at that moment seen the Leader of the Opposition rising, and he, of necessity, owing to the convention that he does not put down Questions, is allowed to intervene. I regret that I cannot allow the hon. and learned Gentleman to put his Question now.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission that all repairs and lengthening work on its river craft shall be done in its own workshops and shipyards.

No, Sir. I understand that it is the normal practice of the British Transport Commission to undertake this sort of work in its own workshops.

Would the right hon. Gentleman ask the British Transport Commission to keep a close watch on this, as it is alleged in the Goole area that work of this kind is being given out to contractors who are doing it on overtime while there are threats of redundancy to B.T.C people in its own workshops?

British Waterways gave some contracts to outside contractors when their own workshops were full. I will see that they get the gist of the hon. Member's Question.