asked the Minister of Transport what was the total net revenue received from the issue of driving licences, after deduction of all costs of issue, in the last financial year.

We cannot accurately calculate the net revenue accruing from the issue of driving licences alone, as the local authorities' staff engaged on this work carry out other duties, such as the issue of vehicle excise licences. But the gross revenue received from the issue of driving licences during the twelve months ended 30th November, 1959, was £4·4 million. The gross expenditure incurred by local taxation authorities in the financial year ended 4th April, 1960, is estimated at £3·1 million.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the work of the sub-committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee will include investigation into the construction of marine engines.

The first task of the sub-committee is to consider the prospects of and the problems facing the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry. The question whether the sub-committee should proceed to consider the problems of the marine engineering industry will be further considered when it has made progress with its first assignment.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a further statement on the work of the sub-committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee to consider the future of the shipbuilding industry.

The Shipbuilding Advisory Committee has now set up its sub-committee with terms of reference "to review the prospects of, and the problems facing, the shipbuilding and shiprepairing industry and to make recommendations". It held its first meeting on 5th May.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration his Shipbuilding Advisory Committee has given to the question of the tonnage of vessels ordered by United Kingdom shipowners from foreign yards; and what advice the committee has given.

The Shipbuilding Advisory Committee has not itself considered this question but it will be one of the matters which the sub-committee, which has been set up to consider the future of the industry, will no doubt wish to consider.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the recent alteration in the personnel and policy of the special sub-committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee, and on its future programme of work.

This sub-committee was formally constituted on the 5th May, when it held its first meeting. Membership and terms of reference were given in a Press Notice on the same day.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now able to publish the report of the Chandos Committee.

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said in reply to Questions on 4th May, this Report is confidential. However, I recognise the interest of the House and I will make a further statement as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the Chandos Report; and if he will make a statement.

I received yesterday the Report of the Committee which has been presided over by Lord Chandos. This Report will now be considered urgently by the Government, but I would like to take this opportunity of expressing the Government's gratitude to Lord Chandos and the members of the Committee for the very great effort and care which they have given to this task.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the total cost of applications for road or bridge improvement schemes, road widening and maintenance received in the last two financial years from the county borough of Oldham and the urban district of Chadderton; and what proportion has received his sanction.

The total cost of the three major improvement schemes for which the Oldham Corporation formally applied for grants amounts to £18,900. Two were authorised at a total cost of £2,470. Grants for maintenance and minor improvement works are not payable in county boroughs.The Chadderton Urban District Council formally applied for grants for two major improvement schemes with a total cost of £4,110, and both were authorised. The Council asked the Lancashire County Council to approve maintenance and minor improvement work amounting to £72,820, and the County Council, taking into account our annual grant for this purpose, were able to agree to work costing £52,500.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects the repairs to Keadby Bridge over the Trent near Scunthorpe to be completed.

The present work is expected to be completed by the end of August. Further work will be necessary later to provide a new cantilevered footpath so that the present one can be incorporated in the carriageway.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state in detail the evidence in his possession which led him to the conclusion that a one-day concentration of effort in the form of a dedicated Road Safety Day would not promote road safety.

Two such special days were dedicated to road safety in the United States in 1954 and 1955, and one in the Midland counties of this country in 1955. The results were unfavourable or inconclusive.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the disturbance caused by the announcement of aggregate amounts allocated or proposed to cover compensation for owners of property or for tenants affected by road developments for which his Department is responsible, which give reason to those concerned to believe that their compensation will be inadequate; and if he is satisfied that adequate preparatory consideration is given before announcements are publicly made, particularly in order to avoid misunderstanding and possibly needless alarm.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind what was said at the public inquiry held at Leyton on 17th and 18th May into the proposed Eastern Avenue extension scheme. I regret that the figure of £400,000 was wrongly mentioned as the estimated cost of the land acquisition; this was corrected to £780,000 later in the inquiry. The amount of compensation paid to property owners for land acquired by us for road development is governed by statute and is in no way limited by any estimate that may be given in advance of the cost in relation to any particular project.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that severe traffic congestion often occurs at the junction of Watford Road, Kenton Road and Sheepcote Road, on the boundary of Harrow and Wembley, especially during peak hours; and what plans are proposed for regulating the flow of traffic at this junction.

As a result of their detailed examination of the congestion which occurs at this left-hand staggered junction, the Middlesex County Council, which is the highway authority for all these roads, is now investigating various alternatives including traffic signals, duplication of the bridge and the organisation of a circulatory system.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the public concern that no comprehensive analysis of road accidents is available; and if he will defer decisions on advice tendered on road safety measures until his own analysis is completed.

Analyses of road accidents in their various aspects are constantly being carried out, and their results are taken into account in the formulation of road safety measures.

asked the Minister of Transport what information the now has showing the results of the survey of accidents to young motorcyclists during the summer of 1958.

Figures showing the main results of the survey of accidents to motor cyclists under 21 years of age during three months in the summer of 1958 have been made available to me. This intricate research task was undertaken by the Social Survey Division of the Central Office of Information on behalf of the Road Research Laboratory, with assistance from local taxation authorities, the police and my Department. A complete report, containing considerable incidental information about motor cyclists of all ages, will be published as soon as possible.Information was collected during the summer of 1958 relating to the use which 10,000 motor cyclists of all ages made of their machines, and about accidents causing injury in which 5,000 motor cyclists aged less than 21 years were involved. This information has been analysed with regard to three main factors in order to determine what effect each factor on its own appears to have had on the accident rate of these young motor cyclists. The three factors were the age of the rider, the size of his motor cycle, and the period for which he had been licensed to ride.

asked the Minister of Transport what were the numbers of deaths due to accidents on the roads during 1959 in England and Wales, respectively.

5,627 in England and 289 in Wales and Monmouthshire.

asked the Minister of Transport by what date he expects the bridge and viaduct work on the motorway from Birmingham to Preston to be completed; and whether, when that has been done, he proposes to carry out the rest of the scheme in one operation, so as to make the best and most economical use of road-building equipment and machinery.

The major viaducts and rail bridges on this motorway should be completed in the spring of 1962. Tenders have already been invited for the road works on the Lancashire section, the Stafford by-pass, and a small part of the Cheshire section. Further progress will depend upon the funds available.

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations he has had with firms engaged in the road-construction industry, so as to ensure that expensive road-building machines do not stand idle.

I have discussed the capacity of the industry with the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors. The availability of road-building machinery is, however, only one of the factors which bear on the size of the road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the information he has now received from a Highland deputation and the hon. Members for Ross and Cromarty and Caithness and Sutherland, he will refer to the appropriate consultative committee the consideration of the possibility of postponing for three months the closure of stations and services north of Inverness.

No. After giving careful thought to the views put forwards by the deputation, I do not think I should be justified in asking the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Scotland to re-consider these proposals.

asked the Minister of Defence whether, as H.M.S. "Bulwark" is now based on Singapore, he will see that a second commando carrier is provided for the Persian Gulf area.

Although H.M.S. "Bulwark" is based on Singapore, she is readily available for requirements which may arise anywhere east of Suez.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the difficulties caused to the United Kingdom fishing industry, what protest or representations he has made to the Norwegian Government about their decision to extend Norwegian fishing limits to 12 miles; and what action he now proposes to take.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he proposes to take, in view of the Norwegian Government's decision to extend fishing limits to 12 miles and the danger that other Governments may now take similar unilateral action, to convene a European or North Atlantic Conference with a view to obtaining a regional agreement on fishing limits.

I will, with permission, answer this Question and No. 67 together. As regards the Norwegian Government's statement of 13th May, my right hon. Friend informed my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 19th May that we have been in touch with the Norwegian Government and, as was announced on 24th May, exploratory talks between United Kingdom and Norwegian officials are to be held this week in Oslo to discuss the problem of stabilising fishery relations.With regard to the question of a possible regional agreement, we are continuing the consultations referred to by my right hon. Friend on 16th May in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Goole (Mr. Jeger).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on how many occasions in the last two years he has made representations to the German Government about the appointment of former Nazis as judges and prosecutors; what replies he has received; and in how many cases action has been reported.

My right hon. and learned Friend has made no such representations, as judicial appointments in the Federal Republic are, and have been since 1949, entirely the responsibility of the German authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the resumption of the 10-Power Disarmament Conference and the Nuclear Tests Conference.

I have nothing to add to the statement which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made to the House on 20th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of recent developments, he will take steps to seek international agreement to a definition of the airspace of nations.

I hardly think this is necessary at present. The Chicago Convention, 1944 (Cmd. 8742) indicates where the lateral limits of the airspace of nations may be deemed to stand. As to the upward limit, I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Privy Seal in another place on 11th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when his Department will make available copies of the minutes of the Ten-Power Disarmament Committee to interested persons and organisations, such as the International Department of the Labour Party; and what is the reason for the delay in making this material available.

Three sets of verbatim records of all meetings but the last of the Ten-Power Disarmament Committee were sent to the International Department of the Labour Party on the 18th of May. Three copies of the record of the final meeting were sent as soon as they became available in London, that is on 24th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Soviet or Soviet allies' diplomats have had to be recalled or have been expelled from the United Kingdom since 1945 for engaging in espionage activities.

The number of such cases reported in the Press is six. Apart from this I cannot add to what my right hon. Friend said on 16th May in answer to Questions on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement about the future of the tenancies of the Royal Ordnance Factory houses at Kirkby, Lancashire.

As the Royal Ordnance Factory is to be closed these houses will no longer be needed by the War Department. We shall follow the normal procedure for the disposal of Government property, bearing the interests of the tenants in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the 94 ex-Ministry of Supply houses, or units of accommodation, at Oakdale, Poole, are still vacant; and how much longer it will be before a decision is reached as to whether these can be occupied by people who have been waiting for houses for a long time.

Twenty-eight houses and fiats are vacant. They will be repaired and used as married quarters for soldiers.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that urgent needs for telephone services remain to be satisfied in the Whitchurch, Rhiwbina, and Lisvane areas of Glamorgan; and what steps he will take to satisfy present outstanding applications.

Yes. Over 500 telephones were installed in these three places during the past 12 months and the order list has been reduced by 54. New cables are being laid and I expect to provide telephones during the current financial year for all those at present waiting.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to introduce the automatic telephone system in the Morpeth exchange area; and whether he will make a statement.

A new exchange is needed and work on the new building has started. I expect that the new exchange, which will provide subscriber trunk dialling facilities, will be in service early in 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made with the modernisation of Morpeth Post Office; and whether he will make a statement.

The Morpeth Head Post Office will be replaced by a new building on site after the telephone exchange has been removed to its new premises. They are now being built, but the exchange is unlikely to be ready for service before early in 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the number of queries which he is receiving on the siting of sub-post offices, particularly because of the many scattered areas of population not receiving the service they require, he will reconsider his basic demands on siting requirements.

My aim is to provide sub-post offices wherever there is sound justification, and I am keeping very much in mind the basis on which we judge the merits of individual cases.

asked the Postmaster-General which parent station will share the projected satellite television station to be built in north-west Wales.

The B.B.C. tells me that the technical arrangments for linking the Caernarvon station with the B.B.C.'s television network have not yet been worked out, but it hopes to be able to link the station with its existing television stations in Wales.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proportion of the Items headed "Aircraft and Stores" in the Air Estimates is purchased in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proportion of the radio, radar and electrical equipment purchased by the Royal Air Force is purchased in Scotland.

The form in which the Department's records are kept does not show the proportion of a particular class of store for a single Service purchased in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the recent increase in the number of forest fires, what steps are being taken by the Forestry Commission to control them, in the shape of wide fire breaks and other methods, bearing in mind the great financial losses involved and the spoliation of the countryside for long periods.

The Forestry Commission has improved methods of fire protection and fire-fighting in plantations by extending the use of radio and modern appliances, introducing better training methods and promoting closer co-operation between its local staff, neighbouring landowners, the fire services and the general public.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has given approval to the new voluntary-controlled primary school at Bradwell, East Suffolk; and when he expects building to be completed.

Yes, on 16th March last. The local education authority expects to start work on the site this month, and to have the job completed early next year.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of boys and girls in the 17-year-old age group, at the last convenient date, was in receipt of full-time education in secondary schools in England and Wales.

10·4 per cent. in January, 1959.

asked the Minister of Health if he will list the categories of disabled who have received vehicles from his Department, stating separately the numbers of disabled in each category and the type of vehicle issued to them.

For power-propelled invalid tricycles I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) on 11th April. The categories are the same for war pensioners and National Health Service patients.On 4th April my right hon. and learned Friend announced his intention to provide small cars for those war pensioners disabled in the service of their country who are eligible for Government power-propelled tricycles. Until that date to be medically eligible for a car a war pensioner had to be in one of the first two groups described in the reply on 11th April and receive 100 per cent. pension for his locomotor disability.The number of cars and power-propelled tricycles on issue in England

and Wales to war pensioners and National Health Service patients in each of the three group my right hon. and learned Friend then referred to was, on 31st March:

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of deaths due to accidents in the home during 1959 in England and Wales, respectively.

A provisional figure for England and Wales as a whole is 6,820 deaths. Figures are not available for England and Wales separately.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Minister for Science, whether his representative on the International Atomic Energy Agency has taken note of the success of the French Ministry of Health's treatment of leukaemia with a concentrated dose of radiation and the treatment of radiation sickness administered to survivors of a reactor incident in Yugoslavia; and whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the future possibilities of these new treatments.

I am aware of the treatment given in this instance. The treatment of leukaemia on similar principles is still, however, in the experimental stage, as is emphasised by the French authorities. Research, both in animals and in the treatment of human disease by this means, has been carried out in a number of centres in the United Kingdom during recent years, but no actual assessment of its value can yet be made.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women, respectively, from the Stornoway area, placed in jobs since the April count, have had to leave the islands to take up the employment offered.

In the period 7th April to 11th May, 1960, 16 men and 43 women were placed by the Stornoway Employment Exchange in employment in other areas.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the figures of unemployed in the Stornoway area at the March count in each year since 1949.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour what number of young persons in the Stornoway area left school last summer; what number and percentage have not yet been placed in employment; and how many have been placed locally.

Of the 257 young people recorded at the Stornoway Youth Employment Office as having left school last summer 22, or 8·6 per cent of the total, were still registered for employment on 16th May. 72 have found work locally.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the total figures of unemployed in the Outer Hebrides for each of the last 12 months.

The following Table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will name those employment exchange areas in Scotland where the percentage of unemployment was more than 8 per cent. but less than 10 per cent., more than 10 per cent. but under 15 per cent., more than 15 per cent. but under 20 per cent., and more than 20 per cent. at the most recent count, respectively.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a White Paper, indicating the main items of United Kingdom exports to the Six, the values involved, the current tariffs and those operative under the common tariff, so that the House may be able to assess the extent of the damage which the United Kingdom may suffer from exclusion from the European Common Market.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th May, 1960; Vol. 624, c. 31], supplied the following:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that the weavers of Harris tweed in the Western Isles are denied unemployment insurance benefit and industrial injuries benefit by reason of their being classed as self-employed; and whether he will now take the initiative in opening, or proposing, discussions with the representatives of the weavers and of the producers, with a view to devising some means of bringing the weavers within Class I insurance benefits.

My duty is to secure that the classification of insured persons follows the principles of the National Insurance Act, 1946. As I have told the hon. Member, the people to whom he refers are properly classified as self-employed persons under that Act. It is no part of my duties to take the initiative in altering the arrangements made for the carrying on of the weaving or any other trade; but if the circumstances of this trade should change I would be very glad to consider whether the effect of such change was to enable the classification of those concerned for national insurance purposes to be altered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of deaths due to accidents in the home and on the roads, respectively, during 1959 in Scotland.

The numbers were 1,088 and 603, respectively.

asked the Minister of Works if he will arrange for the roads in Richmond Park to remain open after dark during the winter months for the benefit of the evening rush hour traffic.

Yes. For an experimental period these roads will remain open until 8 p.m. or dusk, whichever is the later.