asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations how many teachers for primary and secondary education are now employed in the Bechuanaland Protectorate; and what are their monthly salaries.

At the beginning of 1960, 1,022 primary and 38 secondary teachers were employed in the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

I will, with permission, circulate the Answer to the second part of the Question, which contains a number of figures, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

While I am grateful for that reply, may I ask my hon. Friend if he can say whether the figures that he will circulate are lower than the average throughout the rest of South Africa? My information is that they are, and this makes it particularly difficult for teachers to stay in Bechuanaland. Can my hon. Friend also say, on the figures that he has given, how many, in fact, are Africans and how many are Europeans?

I think that my hon. Friend had perhaps better look at the figures, which will enable him to appreciate the position more accurately. In reply to his supplementary question, I would say that the salaries of all Government teachers were improved last year as a result of the recommendations in the Surridge Report.

Is the hon. Gentleman able to say what is the difference in the monthly salaries of teachers in the European, the coloured and the African schools?

Not without notice, but I think that if the hon. Gentleman will study the figures he will get some information.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what is being done to increase the number of teachers and the educational facilities within the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

The salaries of Government teachers have been increased and the High Commissioner has arranged for a review of salaries of non-Government teachers.

A Colonial Development and Welfare grant of £16,500 has been authorised for the construction of a hostel for African boys at St. Joseph's College, Khale. Other wider plans are under consideration, but I am not yet in a position to give details.

While thanking my hon Friend for that reply, may I say that I realise, and I hope that he realises, that other plans will be greatly appreciated as long as they are carried through in haste? Will my hon. Friend answer the question whether this will bring the facilities in the Bechuanaland Protectorate up to the standard in the other Protectorates in South Africa?

We are certainly anxious to do that.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what assurances he has sought from the Government of India that the agreement between that country and the United States of America for the shipment of 17 million tons of wheat and rice from the United States of America does not entail flag discrimination to the disadvantage of British shipping; and what assurances he has received.

None, Sir. As the Minister of Transport said yesterday, the Governments of the United States and India are well aware of our views concerning the imposition of shipping conditions in transactions of this kind.

The whole of this agreement cannot be considered to be a very friendly act either on the part of the United States or of a member of the Commonwealth. Is my hon. Friend aware that quite recently American ships have been chartered to carry wheat from the United States to India at a fixed rate of freight of £9 at a time when the ships of the United Kingdom were compelled to accept a rate of freight only 2s. 6d. over £3? Can my hon. Friend say whether under this agreement the U.S.A. will not only obtain a monopoly of the carriage of 8½ million tons of grain but will also gain competitively by receiving a very high rate of freight?

The amount of carriage reserved to the United States under this agreement is 50 per cent. and in that respect the agreement does not differ markedly from three earlier ones. My hon. and gallant Friend will recall what my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport said to him yesterday, that he will watch this position carefully, and, if necessary, make representations if that seems appropriate.

Does not my hon. Friend agree that this agreement is a breach of G.A.T.T. by the United States? Will he draw the attention of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to that fact in the forthcoming negotiations for a revision of the terms of that treaty?

I am certain that my right hon. Friend will take notice of what my hon. Friend has said on that subject.

What commercial freedom has India had in these transactions? Is this a free bargain between two independent countries, or is this grain part of a gift, a loan or aid of some sort, in which case any representations should be directed to the United States? Does not it appear that the United States is applying pressure, because of its willingness to supply the grain?

That is broadly correct. These agreements are subject to United States legislation, which requires a shipping clause in aid grants, and the beneficiary under the shipping clause is the United States.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what constitutional proposals are now being considered for the establishment of a legislature in Swaziland.

The High Commissioner has asked the Acting Resident Commissioner to initiate consultations with the European Advisory Council and the Swazi National Council on the next steps to be taken in the field of joint consultation, with a view to making progress towards establishing a joint committee or council.

I welcome the fact that steps are being taken in Swaziland following those taken in Basutoland and Bechuanaland, but in his discussions will the Minister be careful to maintain the principle of direct election, which has been applied in the case of the local councils in Basutoland, rather than allow all power to be in the hands of the chiefs?

I am sure that the Resident Commissioner will have those considerations very much in mind. We had better wait until he has completed his discussions in connection with this proposed advance.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations to what degree the administrative staff in Basutoland is below establishment.

The establishment is 33, and there are seven vacancies.

Does my hon. Friend agree that, besides their normal work, the administrative officers in the Protectorate now have to carry out the administration of what amounts to a Parliamentary system in addition to their normal work? Does he not agree that there is a case for increasing the establishment, and will he try to recruit from England rather than from South Africa?

I am aware of the seriousness of the position in Basutoland. The Colonial Office, which recruits candidates for administrative posts in this country, is making every endeavour to fill the vacancies, but there is a shortage of candidates for the Overseas Civil Service generally. Steps are also being taken to find suitable Basuto to fill some of these vacancies.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he is aware that 13-year-old children are being employed in Basutoland as underground miners; and if he will take steps to prevent this illegal practice.

There are no underground mines in Basutoland.

The hon. Member is perhaps misled by a feature appearing in the Daily Herald of 7th March last of an alleged Basuto boy miner of 13. The Rand agent for the High Commission Territories and members of his staff interviewed the youth and examined his records. They satisfied themselves that he was 18 years of age; had never been underground and had been employed on planting tree seedlings in one of the parks and washing dishes. He accounted for the fact that he was wearing a miner's hat at the time the photograph was taken by saying "I borrowed the hat from a friend of mine because it was raining and I did not want to get my head wet".

Is the Minister aware that further extensive inquiries were made into this and other incidents, and that considerable breaches in the law concerning the employment of young people were actually reported? Will he give an assurance that the law enforcement officers will take every step to prevent the employment of child labour in this Territory?

There is no question of child labour, so far as I am aware, but if the hon. Gentleman has any information which he would like to send to me, I should be glad to consider it. I hope at the same time that the paper concerned will publish the answer I have given.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is aware that Nathaniel Ramotala, a British-protected person from Basutoland, now living in South Africa, has been arrested by the South African police; and whether he will take steps through the High Commissioner, to secure his immediate release.

One N. Ramotala has been detained in the Union of South Africa under the Emergency Regulations. The High Commissioner is making inquiries as to his citizenship status.

I thank the Minister for that reply. Is be aware that, according to a very reputable source of information in South Africa, which I am not at liberty to disclose to him for fear of victimisation, this man has never been involved in African politics and that at the time of his arrest he was ill with a heart attack at his home in Johannesburg? Is the Minister aware that his detention has spread fear among other British protected persons in the Protectorates? Will he, therefore, get some general agreement through the High Commissioner with the South African Government that British protected persons shall not be detained in this way as a by-product of South African policy?

The hon. Lady will remember that I have said on a previous occasion that it is important to establish the status of the individual concerned. I am not aware of the details which the hon. Lady has now given but, as soon as it is established that the man in question is either a United Kingdom citizen or a British protected person, I can assure her and the House that a representative of the High Commissioner will visit him as soon as possible.

May I ask haw many British protected persons are still under arrest and how many have been released since I last asked about these people?

I should be obliged if the right hon. Gentleman would put down a Question so that I may give him the latest and up-to-date information. I do not think we have any information that there has been any substantial increase in the numbers which I gave previously.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what facilities are provided by his Department for correspondents of South African newspapers in the United Kingdom to obtain full access to official information; and to what extent these facilities are arranged on a basis of reciprocity.

Access to official information is provided by the News Department of the Commonwealth Relations Office for correspondents of South African newspapers in the United Kingdom on exactly the same basis as for other United Kingdom, Commonwealth and foreign correspondents. These facilities are not arranged on a basis of reciprocity.

I thank the Minister for the answer to the first part of the Question, and hope that these facilities will be continued. Is he aware that there has been some disgraceful treatment of British newspaper correspondents in the Union? In particular, is he aware of the case of Miss Blomberg, who was released from prison on condition that she no longer acted as correspondent for the Daily Herald? Will he make representations to see that this intimidation is brought to an end?

So far, neither my noble Friend nor I have received complaints on this subject from British correspondents, but if the hon. Member will let me have further details of specific cases I will look into them. It is important that correspondents of all Commonwealth countries should have ready access to all the sources of information that are available with regard to our views in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations have been made to the United Kingdom Government by the Government of Pakistan for financial assistance to overcome their economic difficulties.

Mr. Shoaib, the Pakistan Minister of Finance, discussed with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the question of future United Kingdom financial assistance for Pakistan during his recent visit to London. My right hon. Friend undertook to examine the matter and this is now being done.

Does the hon. Member realise the importance of the economic stability of both Pakistan and India? As the unification of this part of the world might produce a favourable outlook towards the Western part of Europe, may I take it that the generosity shown to Pakistan will be equal to that which is being shown to her neighbour?

I am obliged to the hon. Member. We should not lose sight of that fact. As I have just returned from a visit to Pakistan, those considerations will be in my mind.

Will not my hon. Friend agree that this is a particularly appropriate time for seeing what else we can do to help Pakistan, in view of the fact that it has now managed to achieve a creditable degree of political stability, which provides a sure foundation for wide investment in that country?

Yes.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will consult Commonwealth Governments in respect of joint Commonwealth appeal or action to be taken in respect of the international situation resulting from the recent failure to hold a Summit Conference.

We have, of course, kept in close touch with Commonwealth Governments over the recent events in Paris and will continue to do so as the international situation develops. I do not feel that action of the kind the hon. Member contemplates would be appropriate at the present time.

Will the hon. Gentleman look at this matter again, and also bring the idea to the attention of the Prime Minister, particularly in view of the statement made by Sir Claude Corea only a short time ago? Would it not be highly desirable if the Commonwealth itself and the Union of South Africa would take this action, and would it not have a very beneficial effect at the present time?

I think that any collective action would be a matter for agreement amongst the Commonwealth Governments concerned, but the hon. Gentleman will recollect a statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister last Friday, and I think that he will see in it that any action which would be conducive to an improvement in the situation is one which would not be excluded by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will take steps to invite British Commonwealth countries to a further Commonwealth Conference to resume consideration of the inconclusive talks in London recently on the subject of human rights and liberties.

No, Sir. In any case, I cannot accept the hon. Member's description of what took place at the recent Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Meeting.

Does not the Minister agree that the Commonwealth Conference is one of the most constructive links in the Commonwealth, and that the recent conference was largely frustrated by a concentration on one particular problem, which was left unresolved? Would it not, therefore, be a beneficial thing, in the interests of Commonwealth solidarity, to enable the Conference to reassemble to resolve that particular problem, as well as other outstanding problems?

I would certainly accept all that the hon. and learned Gentleman has said about the importance and prestige of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference, but it is not for us alone to reconvene this body. I do not see that it is up to me to put any fresh gloss on the communiqué which ten of the world's most distinguished men agreed to at the end.

If the hon. Gentleman cannot accept my hon. and learned Friend's version of what took place at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference, would he accept the version of the Prime Minister of Ghana or that of the Prime Minister of Malaya?

I am concerned with the communqué, which I think is a very reasonable document to rest on.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of the success of the Leeds Day Training College in recruiting 100 candidates for teaching above the normal age for training college recruitment, he will establish a day training college for mature students in every region of England with a comparable population catchment area.

Yes, Sir, wherever this is possible. Our aim is to establish day training facilities in the most populous areas to attract older students.

I thank the Minister for some progress in that direction. Is he aware that last year about a thousand men suitable for training were not able to get into training colleges, and that probably there are many hundreds, possibly several thousands, of mature students willing and able to take advantage of day training facilities? Will the right hon. Gentleman press on with the programme with maximum speed and energy?

I will, and I hope before long to announce the names of the new colleges.

Is it not true that the Minister is relying largely on mature students for 1962 when there will be no three-year students coming out of the training colleges, and ought not these colleges to have been ready for the coming September term?

Some of them are and a number of students are already coming forward. I hope very shortly to announce the names of five colleges.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to ensure that, where secondary modern school pupils, at their own or their parents' request, wish to sit for the General Certificate of Education examination, they are enabled to do so.

We are improving the staffing and premises of the secondary modern schools so that increasing numbers of pupils may have the opportunity of taking G.C.E. and other extended courses. It is for head teachers to say what examination a pupil should attempt.

I applaud the progress made in secondary modern schools to enable pupils to take the G.C.E. Is the Minister aware that there are still complaints from some areas that parents who desire their children attending secondary modern schools to take subjects for G.C.E. find that they are prevented from doing so by the local education authority? Will the Minister exercise some influence over the local education authorities in order to ensure that a higher number of secondary modern schools put in pupils for the G.C.E.?

The local education authorities must make what they consider to be the best use of the teachers available. If the hon. Member would like to send me any information of cases which he has, I will look into them.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will take into account the views expressed to him by the Urban District Councils' Association before implementing that recommendation of the Roberts Committee on the structure of the public library service in England and Wales which will prohibit a borough or urban district from becoming a library authority unless it has a population of 50,000.

Yes, Sir.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it was—I hope it still is—Government policy to devolve responsibility on the lower tiers of local authority, and in that connection will he bear in mind that there is a large number of authorities in this country with populations near, and perhaps under, 50,000 which have the will and enthusiasm to become library authorities?

I will, and I am now beginning my conversations with the local authority associations on this matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects to be able to introduce legislation on the subject, and can he ensure that the House has an opportunity of discussing it before he does so?

The answer to that depends on how well I get on in my conversations with the local authorities. I am as anxious as the hon. Gentleman that we should press this matter to a conclusion.

asked the Minister of Education the number of graduates who have been refused the status of qualified teacher in each of the last five years, after having failed to obtain a diploma in education.

The numbers are as follows:

Do I understand that this implies that a person who has graduated and goes straight to a university is classified as a qualified teacher but a graduate who stays on for an extra year, and tries to achieve a diploma in education and fails, is classified as an unqualified teacher and paid accordingly? If that be so, will my right hon. Friend rectify that anomaly?

It appears anomalous, but the numbers are small and refer to teachers who in the opinion of the training institute concerned were not suited to teach at all.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall endeavour to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Education the number of men who have left the teaching profession to take up other work in each of the last five years.

The first years for which figures are available are the two years ending March, 1958, in which 4,750 men left contributory teaching service other than on grounds of age or infirmity. In the same period 2,100 returned. Figures for later years are not yet available.

Does not the Minister feel that those figures give cause for concern? Would not he agree that one of the great grievances of men leaving the teaching profession is the small salary paid to them, and has he any plans for rectifying this situation?

I cannot agree with my hon. Friend. As a matter of fact, these wastage figures are very good, because, as my hon. Friend will know, a large number of teachers leave contributory service in order to teach in independent schools.

Can the Minister give comparable figures regarding women teachers who have left the profession? Can he assure the House that the proportion of men to women teachers remaining in the profession has increased during the period?

Without notice, I cannot give the figure for women, but the wastage figure is much greater than for men. It is true that the proportion of men in service has steadily increased. The number of men teaching has increased by 14 per cent. since 1956.

asked the Minister of Education the number of full-time county school dentists in the West Riding of Yorkshire in each year from 1954 up to the latest available date.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given on 19th May to the hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. Sylvester).

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for that reply, which he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract (Mr. Sylvester) and which was totally unsatisfactory, may I ask him to ask his right hon. Friend at least to do something about this matter rather than to offer us platitudes? Is it not a shocking disgrace that in the twentieth century in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which is proclaimed to be one of the most progressive local authorities, there are many places in which there is not a one day a week school dental service?

I fully endorse the hon. Member's description of the West Riding authority. It is doing its best to recruit more dentists for the school dental service, but it is faced with the problem, common to all authorities at the moment, that dentists are very hard indeed to come by.

asked the Minister of Education how many men and women applicants, respectively, for admission to training colleges in September, 1960, have not yet secured places; and how many places in training colleges still remain vacant for this date.

About a thousand places, two thirds of them for women, have not yet been filled. I am glad to say that the number of candidates still being considered is substantially higher but I have no precise figure.

May I ask two supplementary questions? Would the right hon. Gentleman consider sending out another circular to training college principals asking them to make more arrangements for boarding out teachers and, on his side, providing a staff ratio of one in ten and finance to deal with the matter? Will he make arrangements in the 250-odd surplus places in domestic science colleges for the boarding of ordinary teachers and for their teaching?

In reply to the first part of that supplementary question, I have asked training colleges to do their best and I anticipate that they will be taking a record number this year. That is very good, considering how full they were last year. In reply to the second part of the supplementary question, I am obliged to the hon. Member for the suggestion and I shall look into it.

When will the right hon. Gentleman let us know the details of his plan to provide an additional 8,000 educational places in training colleges, and what form that will take? Will it be in the form of a White Paper or a statement in this House?

I am sorry, but I am not ready yet. I am working on it, but it is a very big operation to provide 8,000 places on top of the 16,000 which we are planning now.

asked the Minister of Education how many residential schools for overseas students are inspected by his Department.

At their request, five residential establishments which provide courses for overseas students over compulsory school age have been inspected by Her Majesty's inspectors and been recognised by my Department as efficient.

What about the other residential schools? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of these schools which have foreign students take advantage of the fact that parents cannot easily check up on them and are charging very high fees for poor food conditions and tuition? Would he agree that it is of the greatest importance to ensure that students who come to this country are property and fairly looked after?

I agree with the last part of the hon. Member's supplementary question. While not accepting his description of these residential colleges, the fact is that I have no power to arrange for an inspection of independent establishments providing courses solely for students over compulsory age unless they ask me to do so.

asked the Minister of Education the terms of the resolution on the practice of apartheid in South Africa considered by the recent United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation conference; which delegations voted in favour of and against the resolution; and the reasons for the vote of the British delegate.

The resolution submitted to the Executive Board of U.N.E.S.C.O. was not specifically concerned with apartheid, but with the recrudescence of racial hatred in many regions. An amendment was proposed mentioning South Africa; the United Kingdom's representative voted against it on the ground that a reference to a specific instance would place the resolution beyond the proper scope of the Organisation. Subsequently, when the amended resolution was put to the vote the United Kingdom's representative abstained for the same reason. The voting on the amended resolution was: for, 16; against, none; abstentions, 5. Three members did not participate in the vote. The individual voting is not recorded. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the final form of the resolution.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that very full reply, may I ask if he would agree that it is disgraceful that the British vote in an international organisation should not be given against racial discrimination in education, which reaches its climax in South Africa? Is it not the case that the Bantu Education Act means that the great majority of African children are educated only to the scale of being wretchedly paid manual labour?

I have sympathy with what the hon. Member says, but the resolution would have been carried unanimously and done much more good, in my judgment, if an amendment had not been moved citing a particular country. I think it a pity that that was done.

asked the Minister of Education which secondary modern schools submitted by the Durham Local Authority for inclusion in its 1954–55 building programme were not approved for inclusion by his Department.

One at Peterlee and the other at Barnard Castle. In fact, only four out of the ten projects approved for that year were started on time.

Could the Minister tell me how many denominational schools needed reorganisation in Durham and how much it would have cost in 1954–55? When he made the recent attack on Durham County Council was he attacking their efforts as well?

I shall have to ask the hon. Member to put down a Question about the number of denominational schools, because I do not carry the figures in my head.

asked the Minister of Education why the Telling Heworth, the Hartlepool, West View and the Birtley/Chester-le-Street secondary modern schools were not included in the Durham Local Education Authority's building programme 1955–56 although submitted for inclusion by the Durham Local Education Authority.

Because twelve other projects were considered to be more urgently needed. Of these twelve, only one was started on time.

Could the Minister tell me what his inspectors' comments were on the state of overcrowding in Durham, the Hartlepool and Birtley areas, and the difficulties which teachers are experiencing in those areas? Does he not consider that, in the light of the fact that his Department has cut the programme for Durham County Council over the last seven years, he should be decent and apologise to Durham County Council?

I shall write to the hon. Member about what Her Majesty's inspectors have said, but of course it is very true that the delays in the building programme have added to the difficulties.

asked the Minister of Education which secondary modern schools submitted by the Durham Local Education Authority for inclusion in its 1956–57 building programme were deleted by his Department.

Nine schools, at Hartlepool, Stockton, West Auckland, Egglescliffe, Peterlee, Spennymoor, Durham, Ushaw Moor, and Seaham Harbour. The large carry-over of unstarted projects from the previous year's programme made it necessary to introduce a starting date procedure. As a result, only two out of nineteen approved projects were started in 1956–57.

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how many all-age schools would have been eliminated had he been prepared to accept the modern school building programme of the county council?

It is no good accepting a programme if the authority does not carry it out.

asked the Minister of Education how many secondary modern schools were deleted from the Durham Local Education Authority's building programme for 1957–58 by his Department; and what percentage these schools formed of the number of secondary modern schools submitted by Durham that year.

Fifteen proposals were submitted of which twelve, or 80 per cent., were not approved.

The large carry-over of unstarted projects from the previous year's programme made it necessary to continue the starting date procedure introduced a year earlier. As a result, only one out of three approved projects was started in 1957–58.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the replies to my Questions are a sufficient indication in themselves of the determination of the Durham County Council—[Laughter.]—to make up the leeway which occurred during the depression years between the two world wars? Is it not a fact that a Tory Minister is holding the county council back to some extent?

If the hon. Member is patient he will see that the story gets better.

asked the Minister of Education the names of the secondary modern schools submitted by the Durham Local Education Authority for inclusion in its 1958–59 building programme and deleted by his Department.

Five schools, at Billing-ham, Peterlee, Ryton, Stockton and Whickham. At that time there were large arrears of earlier projects not yet started, but during the year the Authority began to make better progress. It started six out of sixteen approved projects.

Is it not true, even though hon. Members opposite may laugh, that Ministers of this Administration have deliberately forbidden local authorities to go ahead with school building and that there was a period when this Government called a moratorium on it? Ought not the Minister, occupying his present office, to accept the responsibility for the shortfall in his Administration rather than blame it on people whom he denied the opportunity to do the job when they wanted to do it?

I think that the hon. Member will agree that if the Minister gives the local authorities schools to build, it is then up to the local authority to build them.

Surely it is not as simple as all that. If the Minister says that the arrangements in this county have not been satisfactory, he has a staff, including architects and inspectors, and it is surely his responsibility at the Ministry of Education, if he thinks that there are these difficulties, to make certain that something is done to put them right.

They are getting much better. If Question No. 51 is reached the hon. Lady will see the result.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of the Durham Local Education Authority's secondary modern school building programme, 1959–60, was deleted by his Department.

Twelve projects were submitted, of which seven, or 58 per cent., were not approved. Despite improved progress, seven projects from previous years remained unstarted in April, 1959.

May we have an assurance from the right hon Gentleman that next year when we ask similar Questions he will not blame us for not building the schools which he would not give us permission to build this year?

I 'had very much hoped that Question No. 51 would be reached, because from the reply to it the hon. Member will get comfort. He will see that the Durham authority is now building very much better.

Is it not a fact that, in spite of all the Minister's jibes, the provision of additional school places in the last five years in Durham has been very satisfactory?

I am not jibing at the county council. I have been asked for information, which I have given.

Can my right hon. Friend say how this Durham record compares with the record of the neighbouring North Riding County Council?

I should have to look into that.

As one of the Members very closely affected by this, may I give notice that I shall do my best to raise the matter on the Adjournment?

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Atomic Energy Authority will in future be able to obtain supplies of essential materials, such as chemicals, on less onerous terms than those referred to in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Report on the authority's balance sheet.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newton (Mr. Lee) of 12th May.

In general, the Authority does not have the same difficulty in obtaining supplies of essential material as it did in the particular case referred to in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Report.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House the name of the chemical manufacturer which has used its position as a powerful private monopoly to hold the public interest to ransom? Do not the strictures of the Comptroller and Auditor General in this case constitute an overwhelming argument, either for the nationalisation of the manufacture concerned, or for allowing the A.E.A. itself to manufacture its own vital supplies?

I cannot accept all that the hon. Member has said—indeed, any of it—but the name of the firm is Imperial Chemical Industries.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, how much of the £300 million spent by industry in 1958 on research and development was out of public funds; and how much of the total £300 million was for research and how much for development.

The total proportion out of public funds is estimated to be a little more than half, but exact figures are not available. It is not possible to make an apportionment as between research and development.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that it means that industry, out of its own funds, is spending three times as much on advertising as on research? Does he think that these are satisfactory figures, and have the Government no responsibility here?

I have no responsibility for the advertising expenditure of industry, but I can say on behalf of my noble Friend that an important change has taken place in recent years, both in the total amount of money spent on research and the amount of that total supported by private funds.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the House and the country are largely in the dark about the criteria which have to be satisfied before the State steps in and pays for research and development conducted by private industry? Will he consider stating—either by circulating the details in the OFFICIAL REPORT, or putting a copy in the Library—the principles by which his Department has acted in this matter?

I shall certainly refer to my noble Friend what my other noble Friend has said.

Is it not true that while expenditure on research is rising, expenditure on advertising is rising even faster?

I am afraid I have no information on that.