asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he estimates that Admiralty work in Malta dockyard will increase or decline during the next two years; and whether, together with the work undertaken by Messrs. Baileys, this will provide a stable level of employment in the dockyard.

The forecast given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on 31st July, 1958, still stands—Admiralty work in Malta dockyard is expected to decline after the end of 1960. The question of the level of employment in the dockyard is one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is of the utmost importance to attract civil work to Malta dockyard? Is he aware that, according to Press reports, it is due to disagreement between his Department and Messrs. Baileys that the conversion of the dockyard to civilian use is being held up? Can he enlighten the House on that point?

I agree with my hon. Friend that the ultimate success of the dockyard must depend on its efficiency and on its prices being competitive enough to attract the necessary commercial work. I am afraid that, without notice, I cannot comment on the Press statements to which my hon. Friend referred.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what has been the cost to the Admiralty of maintaining ships and establishments in Malta during each of the past five years.

Expenditure by the Admiralty in Malta during the last five financial years is estimated very roughly at £9·5 million, £11 million, £11 million, £11·5 million and, last year, £12 million.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that these figures illustrate that, even in these days, the defence forces make a great contribution to the economy of Malta? Can he say whether the figures that he has given represent Admiralty expenditure only?

Yes; we are making an enormous contribution to the economy and well-being of Malta. That is why the standard of living in the island is immeasurably higher than in other Mediterranean countries. I would add that the figures I gave are in addition to the £5·8 million of financial aid announced by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and also the £32·25 million development plan already announced by the Secretary of State.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what were the average weekly earnings of manual workers in Her Majesty's Rosyth Dockyard, in the years 1950 and 1959, respectively.

In October, 1950, the average weekly earnings of the adult male industrial employees in Rosyth Dockyard wore £6 10s. 3d., the average hours worked being 47·8. In October, 1959, the average weekly earnings were £11 9s. 2d. for 45·7 hours worked.

Is the Civil Lord aware that, having regard to the considerable reductions in the value of the £ during those nine years, great hardship will be caused if the assisted travel scheme is dispensed with? Will he give an assurance that, in looking after the interests of the taxpayers, he will not attempt to offset the £100 million lost on Blue Streak by saving £45,000 at the expense of the employees in Rosyth Dockyard?

Even taking into account the changes in the purchasing power of the £ between the two dates mentioned, the average man is considerably better off, in real terms, in 1959 than he was in 1950, although he works two hours less per week. With regard to the other point raised, I have assured the House and other hon. Members who have asked me about it that we will consider the matter, but I have made it clear that the assisted travel scheme was never considered as part of the wages of the men who worked there.

Is the Minister aware that the statistical figure of average wages which he gave disguises the low level of the unskilled labourers, who earn £8 4s. a week? In travelling to the dockyard they have to leave their homes at 5 o'clock in the morning, and they do not get back until 6 o'clock at night. Will the Minister bear in mind the hardship involved to those earning low wages in the forthcoming review of conditions in the dockyard?

I am aware that the average weekly wage may be misleading, but I was asked for it and I quoted it. I will bear the other point in mind.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether there has been any recent progress in the disposal of the former Donibristle Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard to an industrial undertaking.

We have not yet found a purchaser for this site, but there are now several possible purchasers showing a definite interest.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that is a satisfactory Answer so far as it goes? Does he appreciate that the site has been available for a very long time? Failing these offers, would he consider using the excellent facilities of the Central Office of Information for publicising this and other available sites in order to attract industrialists?

We will certainly consider any methods of publicising the availability of this property for disposal. In this way, I am grateful for the hon. Member's Question, which gives further publicity to the need to find a good buyer.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what was the number of Spanish citizens employed by his Department in Gibraltar on the latest date for which figures are available; what were the average wages paid to Spanish citizens, as compared with rates paid to Gibraltarians; and if he will give comparable figures for 1941.

1,950 on 1st July, 1960. The average basic pay for Spaniards and for Gibraltarians is 72s. 6d. a week. In addition, both receive a cost of living allowance which is 24s. a week for Spanish personnel and 48s. for Gibraltarians to meet their higher cost of living.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, whilst the rates he quoted are well below British standards, they are more than double the rates paid to shipyard workers in Barcelona, and that 50 Barcelona shipyard workers are on trial today for trying to form a trade union thirteen years ago? Do not the figures quoted for 1941 prove that the Spanish workers employed at Gibraltar were not supporters of the present Foreign Minister of Spain, who tried to stab Britain in the back by opening a second front against Gibraltar—during this nation's greatest danger? [Interruption.]

Order. That supplementary question is wildly out of order in relation to the original Question.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) what is the weekly rental being charged for the purpose of permitting the storage of whisky in his Department's buildings at Carfin, Lanarkshire;

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) if he will state the name of the whisky firm at present occupying the Admiralty buildings at Carfin. Lanarkshire;

There is no whisky firm occupying these buildings at Carfin. The buildings, which were specially constructed for storage purposes, are for sale with the whole of the Carfin depot. In reaching a decision my noble Friend will consult my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I am delighted to hear that no whisky people are occupying the premises? Is he aware that we were informed that whisky people were occupying the premises and that the President of the Board of Trade, apparently, thought that they were, because he said that he would not intervene? Can I impress upon the hon. Gentleman that these are splendid industrial buildings containing nearly 500,000 square ft. within a mile of the great new steel strip mill under construction? Will he do everything he can to see that they are properly advertised and that some suitable firm takes them over which can provide employment in that area?

I said that no whisky firm was occupying the buildings. It is true, however, that a firm has shown interest in the buildings for storage purposes. I should emphasise that these buildings were constructed for storage purposes and that very extensive alterations would have to be made under the Factory Acts if they were to be used for other purposes. I agree that the wider the publicity given to the availability of this site, the better. We have already got people interested. If more people are interested we shall be glad to hear from them as soon as possible.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his original Answer amazed us because the information we had was that a whisky firm had secured the premises? To that extent, therefore, we are satisfied. Will he take into account, when considering this matter, that if any companies in Scotland are able, and have the resources, to build space for themselves, it is the whisky firms, and that these splendid premises should be left for industrial capacity?

The hon. Gentleman raised this with the President of the Board of Trade. The wider the publicity given to the availability of these buildings the better we shall be pleased. It will benefit the taxpayer and the employment situation.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what further consideration he is giving to providing Fleet Air Arm display at Farnborough next year.

I explained on 22nd June to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey) the operational reasons which had to take priority over our participation at Farnborough. In the uncertain state of the world today it would be rash to give a firm undertaking, but I can confirm that we are keen to take part next year.

I have studied the hon. Gentleman's Answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if the Fleet Air Arm does intend to take part in this display next year, to do so requires many months of preparation, which means that he must make some decision very soon? Will it be a favourable one, because this is the only occasion when thousands of people get a little glimpse of what they pay so much for?

There are other opportunities of seeing the Royal Navy, and many hon. Members have an opportunity of seeing its Shop Window. I reiterate that we are keen to take part and hope that it will be possible. There are still fifteen months before Farnborough, 1961.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what further orders for Scimitar aircraft he proposes to place.

None, Sir.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that my main interest in this is that many of my constituents work at the Vickers-Armstrong factory at South Marston and had been led to believe by the management that there would be a further order of 25 to 30 Scimitars? This would mean extra work for them at a time when the factory is in danger of closing down. Will he have a word with his right hon. Friends mainly concerned and ask them to look at the uncertain situation at this factory?

The Scimitar is to be succeeded as a strike fighter aircraft by the NA.39. I could not undertake, on behalf of my noble Friend, to order aircraft which are not essential for operational reasons for the Royal Navy, but I will bear the hon. Member's point in mind.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give an assurance that naval shipbuilding orders will not be diverted from private shipbuilding yards to naval dockyards.

We do not at present plan to change our long-standing policy of building a few ships in the Royal Dockyards, but I can assure my hon. Friend that by far the greater part of naval new construction will continue to be built by contractors.

Could my hon. Friend state roughly the percentage of new construction which he has placed in commercial yards? Could he also tell me whether new ships are likely to be built shortly in the commercial yards?

The percentage varies from time to time—it is now about 90 per cent.—and this large part will continue to be built in commercial yards. We are about to invite competitive tenders for three of the new Leander Class frigates. Orders are also in the offing for several fleet auxiliary vessels.

In reaching his decision, will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the primary consideration must be the pockets of the taxpayers?

That is why I announced the competitive tenders. We have this very much in mind.

Will my hon. Friend also bear in mind that the pockets of the taxpayers will be helped if we have a strong Navy defending the security of this country?

I am very glad to have such a robust ally.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what instructions are given to Royal Fleet auxiliaries regarding the discharge of oil sullage before entering the South-Western approaches to the English Channel.

Royal Fleet auxiliaries are under strict instructions to observe all regulations made under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1955, including those which forbid the discharge of persistent oils in the United Kingdom prohibited zone.

In thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, I am glad to note that Royal Fleet auxiliaries carry out the provisions of the Act by discharging oil sullage before reaching the statutory limits. Is he aware that the oil pollution on beaches on the South Coast is extremely bad—as bad as it was two or three years ago? I hope that merchant ships also obey the Act and carry out these rules.

As I have tried to make clear, although we are not governed statutory-wise by this Act, we try to stick as strictly as possible to it. If my hon. and gallant Friend knows of any case where that has not been done. I would be glad to hear about it.

Is my hon. Friend aware that in the West Country the coast is extremely badly oil-polluted? I have been getting telegrams about it. Will he take steps to ask the naval air station in the extreme west of Cornwall to increase patrols to make certain that no oil is discharged within the statutory limits?

The policing of this is not really the business of the Navy. I will, however, bear that point in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Manual of Military Law, Part II, Section V, is complied with in the case of the Bank of England picket.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on 29th June.

With all due respect, that does not answer the Question I put. Can my hon. Friend now tell me whether this provision in the Manual of Military Law is complied with, especially in regard to paragraph 36, which says that the civilian authorities shall not obtain labour more cheaply than they would by the employment of civilians, and the employment is therefore charged for soldiers at the recognised civilian rate? Is that done or not?

This is an institution which has run for many years, and it is one which we do not in any way propose to do away with. The point which my hon. Friend raises is really one of the interpretation of the order.

Would my hon. Friend agree that, although it may be an institution, so far as the Manual of Military Law is concerned it is an illegal institution?

No, because the section comes into force only in the event of the troops being asked for to support the civil power. There is no question of these troops being used in support of the civil power. [Interruption.] They are there as guardians of the Bank, and, quite honestly, it is not a question of the civil power.

Does the Under-Secretary feel that the Bank of England could not afford it?

Answer.

When my hon. Friend said that this is an institution which the War Office has no intention of doing away with, was he referring to the Bank of England? In that case, all I can say is that the whole City of London will sigh with relief.

Is not this a very happy arrangement between two nationalised undertakings?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take steps to see that the Bank of England picket obeys paragraph 1459 of Queen's Regulations regarding traffic precautions by marching troops; and on what authority bodies of troops ignore this regulation.

The officer in charge of the Bank of England picket is instructed to cause as little inconvenience as possible to traffic. He ignores the regulations quoted by hon. Friend only where, in his judgment, this will reduce obstruction or delay.

Is my hon. Friend aware that, by personal observation, I know that this picket wheels to the right, wheels to the left, hops on and off the pavements, ignoring all signals, regulations, the Highway Code, the lot, and that it is only by motorists stopping suddenly, as I have seen myself, with a screeching of brakes, that accidents are prevented? Would he look into it again?

No, Sir. I have absolutely no intention of abolishing this picket. [Interruption.] Every regulation must be interpreted with intelligence, and years of experience have shown the Bank picket how to get there, and that the quickest way to get there is the way that causes the least disturbance to traffic.

If my hon. Friend will not abolish it, will be at least make it a legal body?

Under the law, it is perfectly legal when it is marching through the City of London.

If the picket is carrying out Government policy, would not the hon. Gentleman agree that his hon. Friend's description of what it does applies exactly to Government policy?

In this case, it shows the flexibility and intelligence of the modern Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of final appeals the War Office Medical Board has heard in the last 10 years as to the medical suitability of candidates for Sandhurst, and the number of times, expressed as a percentage, they have found in favour of the applicant.

Precise figures over 10 years are not available, but the records which we have suggest that there were about 60 appeals in that time, of which rather more than half were successful.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the unsatisfactory position arising from the conflict between the leading civilian and military experts as to the medical condition and consequent suitability of a candidate for entry to Sandhurst, particulars of whom have been sent to him by the honourable Member for Belfast, North, he will arrange for an independent examination by a civilian specialist which would be accepted as final by both his Department and the applicant.

No, Sir. I sympathise with this young man's anxiety to enter Sandhurst, but his medical condition has been most carefully considered and found to be below the standard required. Medical standards in the Army depend on a knowledge of service conditions, and must remain a matter for decision by my right hon. Friend and his medical advisers.

Is not the precise question in this case whether this boy had renal tract disease or not? If he has that disease, he is obviously unsuited for the Army, but is it not a fact that this disease was first diagnosed by a very junior Army doctor, and that it was then found not to exist by a leading civilian urologist in Britain, Professor Bull, and that that was confirmed by the War Office Board? Will not my hon. Friend seriously look at the matter again to see that appearance is given that this has been the subject of proper civilian scrutiny?

I have gone into this matter with my hon. Friend in the War Office most carefully, and must stick by the decision of the final Army Medical Board.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the estimate of annual cost to maintain the Army in the proposed bases in Cyprus.

The extra cost, compared with that of keeping the same troops in the United Kingdom, will be about £4½ million a year. This excludes capital expenditure.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I do not want to know the extra cost? I want to know the estimated actual cost.

The gross cost would be about £13 million per year.

Is not this a lot of money to spend on this? Surely the War Office does not intend to spend £13 million a year on maintaining a base in Cyprus? Is that really necessary?

I tried to make it clear in reply to the right hon. Gentleman that what we have to consider here is the actual difference in expense between keeping these troops in this country and keeping them in Cyprus, and the difference is £4½ million.

What was the capital cost?

That is an annual expenditure—I am prepared to give an answer about capital cost afterwards—and, surely, on these figures, we should consider not the gross cost but the difference in the cost. I believe that this money is well spent.

Will the hon. Gentleman agree that the capital cost is in the nature of £90 million, and that this gives a very different impression of the total cost?

The actual sum to be spent over the next six, seven or eight years on capital cost is £16 million.

Will the hon. Gentleman help the House in relation to tomorrow's debate? It has been said that the presence of troops in Cyprus is going to mean something like £16 million a year to the economy of that country. How does this tie up with the figure of £13 million which he has just given?

If the hon. Gentleman will wait until tomorrow, I think he will get the estimates of all the Services' expenditure.

Is not this becoming a very expensive business, what with this £12 million which Makarios has blackmailed us into giving to the Cyprus administration, the capital cost, and the money spent in the last two years, and now the annual cost? Is this adventure worth while?

No one knows more than the right hon. Gentleman himself that defence is an expensive matter. We believe that it is a good investment, and the Government are in no doubt of the need to maintain our base and a balanced, acclimatised military force in the Eastern Mediterranean, and this is the way we will do it in Cyprus.

Would he not agree that, taking past capital cost and current expenditure, which must be well over £100 million, if this money had been spent on an airlift and a central strategic reserve it would have given us far better value in terms of security in the Middle East?

I believe that both these things are necessary. We must have a base and an airlift, and both, we think, are of considerable importance.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the problems connected with television and sound broadcasting which will call for decisions before the expiry of the British Broadcasting Corporation licence and the Television Act.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the Report of the Television Advisory Committee.

I would ask the hon. Members to await a Statement which, with permission, I intend to make after Questions.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has now received proposals from the British Broadcasting Corporation for improving television in areas remote from main transmitters; and if he will make a further statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received detailed proposals beyond Stage 2 of the B.B.C.'s satellite station plan which he gave to the House on 20th May. The B.B.C. tell us, however, that, in planning Stage 3, they will consider the needs of all towns with poor reception, including those in North Devon.

Is my hon. Friend aware that, in answer to a Question which I asked the Postmaster-General on 2nd March, I was told that there have been no proposals for doing something about that part of the world and, further, that they were preparing a scheme—so that there was a certain contradiction in that information Will my hon. Friend please press the B.B.C. to do something about this urgently because, as I said at that time, our reception is shockingly bad but we are paying exactly the same sum for our licences as are people who have good reception?

We recognise the difficulties in places such as North Devon, and we are sure that the B.B.C. are taking these matters into consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General how much advertising has been broadcast by the Independent Television Authority during peak hours in recent weeks; and whether he will make regulations under subsection (4) of section four of the Television Act, 1954, to enforce a maximum amount of six minutes advertising in any hour.

The Authority tells me that for the month of June the average amount of advertising between 7.0 and 10.0 p.m. was 6·8 minutes. The daily average was 4·6 minutes. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No".

Is the Minister aware that the decision of the Authority to bring down the amount of advertising to 6½ minutes in an hour will be warmly welcomed by viewers? Does he recall the assurance given in Parliament when the Act was passed that the maximum would be 6 minutes? Why is the figure now to be 6½ minutes instead of 6? Further, why was not this regulation enforced years ago when the Act came into force?

My understanding is that the maximum allowed by the I.T.A. at the moment is 8 minutes in any one clock hour, and that is being progressively reduced to 7 minutes and then to 7½ minutes towards the end of this year. As the hon. Gentleman well knows, my responsibility in this matter is simply to see that the amount of time given to advertising is not so great as to detract from the value of the programmes. One must take a balanced view of these matters. The implications of this question go very wide. That is why I hope that the hon. Gentleman will await the statement I am making at the end of Questions.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that very specific undertakings were given in the House by his predecessor and other members of the Government during the passage of the Act? Is he not aware that we were told that advertising would never equal more than 6 minutes in any hour? Now that has been spread over the 24 hours so as to get 8 minutes in some hours and very little in other hours, the 8 minutes being always at the time when the advertisements will bring the greatest revenue? The Postmaster-General must have some responsibility to the House in this matter.

I do not agree that the assurances given by my predecessors to the House were quite so specific as the right hon. Gentleman indicates.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to eliminate delays in the operation of the international telex system within his sphere of responsibility.

I recently took special steps to overcome the staff shortage, and I think they will be effective. More over, from the end of this year most incoming calls from Europe will be handled automatically. I am sorry the service is not as good as I should like, but I am confident that there will be a marked and progressive improvement.

My right hon. Friend will be aware, of course, that this service is of enormous and growing importance to merchants and brokers. Will he give an assurance that in the long-term—some time next year, perhaps—it will be adequate to meet the demands and that every possible effort will be made in the interim to provide a reasonably speedy and effective service?

Yes, indeed. I gladly give my hon. Friend that assurance.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is yet able to make a statement on the possibilities of a postal cheque system being introduced in the Post Office.

I am afraid this is taking rather longer than I had hoped and it may be some time yet before I can make any statement.

Has not this question been under consideration for some months? Will the Postmaster-General tell us why the delay? Can he not at least indicate whether it has been favourably or sympathetically considered?

There has been no undue delay. This business of a giro operated by the Post Office is a very large subject indeed. I have given it an enormous amount of exhaustive study, but I should not like to make a pronouncement to the House until have reached my conclusions.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to overcome the staff shortage at the central overseas telegraph station at Electra House.

I would refer the hon. Member to my replies of 21st June to the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) and of 22nd June to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason). The recruitment position is now encouraging and I hope that there will be a progressive improvement in the service.

Is the Minister aware that my constituency depends a good deal on good communications with Pakistan and that there have been some shocking delays in cables between this country and Pakistan? Is it not rather strange that in a great capital city such as London we have these very inadequate international communications? Will he not consider paying more money to the people concerned to get more staff?

I have considered and acted on more than one suggestion. The service at Electra House is not satisfactory at present. I concede that at once. But I have arranged for the level of pay at recruitment level to be increased, I have shortened the duration of training courses and I am pressing on more rapidly with mechanisation. I am doing all that is humanly possible.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is considering to increase the remuneration of sub-postmasters.

The expenses of running scale payment sub-offices are being reviewed with the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, but it is too soon to say what the outcome will be.

While welcoming that reply, may I ask the hon. Lady to consider as a matter of urgency the problem which arises as a result of the great increase in property values in some towns, particularly in the centre of London, where the square footage of a shop let at a modern rent has to earn its living and where fewer shopkeepers feel able to take the responsibility of being sub-postmasters, too? If they did not do this, it would be a very serious blow to the amenities as well as to the working of the Welfare State arrangements, which depend to some extent upon the Post Office.

I assure the hon. Member that all those considerations will be taken into account.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if these sub-postmasters can be regarded as living on small fixed incomes, they come within the category of the Prime Minister's pledge? Will she bear that in mind in the negotiations, which we hope will be successful?

All those considerations are already being taken into account.

Will the hon. Lady keep it in mind that the House will look with scant regard upon the Treasury if there is any delay in these negotiations? That is the bugbear which always faces the Post Office in these matters.

Is my hon. Friend aware that, apart from the remuneration, many sub-postmasters are suffering very grave staffing problems? Will she do her best to see that they are helped as far as humanly possible to solve these problems, otherwise there is a considerable danger that many sub-post offices will have to shut down?

I recognise the difficulties of sub-post offices, but one of my personal difficulties is that more and more people are always applying to open sub-post offices.

asked the Postmaster-General how many sub-offices in Paddington have recently closed; and what steps he is taking to replace them.

One in Elgin Avenue, W.9, in December, 1959, and another, in Connaught Street, W.2, this month. We are advertising the vacancies extensively and canvassing the areas.

Cannot the Minister put some sense of urgency into this? Is she not aware that this has been a matter of great concern in Paddington for some time and that she and the Postmaster-General have had large numbers of representations from private citizens? They have had petitions, and representations from the borough council and elsewhere. Will they not recognise that the difficulty in finding substitutes for those that are closing down underlines the necessity of looking again at the remuneration of sub-postmasters?

I must ask of the hon. Member some indulgence for the House. This is very long.

I do recognise the seriousness of this problem in Paddington, but I assure the hon. Member that it is not typical of the London area as a whole, and it certainly is not borne out by our experience in the country as a whole. In 23,000 sub-offices we have about 200 vacancies a month, most of which are very quickly filled. However, I recognise the special difficulties of this area.

asked the Postmaster-General why the Central Office of Information is the only Government office which does not have its telephone number in the latest edition of the London Telephone Directory.

This is due to an unfortunate error, for which I am sorry. The Central Office of Information asked that their main entry should be transferred from the E to K part of the Directory (under "Information—Central Office of") to the A to D part (under "Central Office of Information"). These two parts are published at different times, and the operation went awry. The main C.O.I. entry will appear in the new A to D issue, to be published in October next.

Have we not reached a pretty pass when the Ministry responsible for information in this country cannot check whether its own telephone number is in the telephone directory? Is it not possible—as publishers do—to put an erratum or some slip in the directory to make things easier?

The slip has been made.

As has been said, the slip has already taken place. I gladly exonerate the Central Office of Information from this error. It is my responsibility. If my hon. Friend would like to know, the correct number is Waterloo 2345.

asked the Postmaster-General what decrease there has been on the waiting list for telephones in Reading during the last six months; and what action he is taking to speed up the delivery of telephones in this area.

The numbers of applications on the waiting list and in course of being met, taken together, are virtually the same as six months ago. There are now 206 applicants on the waiting list and I hope that all these will be given service during the present financial year. Seven hundred and seventy-two telephones have been installed during the past six months.

While thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether she realises that the figures given by her right hon. Friend about the Reading area make this one of the half-dozen worst areas in the country? It is little use encouraging people, by lower charges, to use the telephone if they have no telephone installed.

All the waiting applicants are held up by a shortage of cable. I remind my hon. Friend that there are 13,718 working lines in the Reading area and that those waiting represent a very small proportion of the lines at present in use.

asked the Postmaster-General what approaches were made by his predecessor to Commonwealth Governments with a view to introducing more cheap night rate telephone calls between Great Britain and other Commonwealth countries, as is done in the service with Canada.

None, Sir. It was necessary to defer such an approach pending a more general review of Commonwealth telephone rates in connection with the decision to provide a Pacific telephone cable. We are, however, about to begin consultations with other Commonwealth countries on the possibility of a cheap rate.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider installing an emergency number such as 999 on all rural telephone exchanges.

The Post Office has gone a long way towards this, but we cannot complete the process until all telephone exchanges are automatic. We are converting manual exchanges as quickly as our resources allow. The 999 service is available to 92 per cent. of automatic telephones, including many in rural areas. For technical reasons I am afraid we cannot provide it at those automatic exchanges connected to manual exchanges where the equipment design is not suitable for the 999 service.

While thanking my hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask her to bear in mind that lonely people in isolated cottages and farms in the country regard the telephone as their lifeline, and that in the event of fire, sudden accident or, above all, burglary, the absence of an immediate answer from the exchange, which they do not get on manual exchanges, removes a very great element of security?

I assure my hon. Friend that I will bear that in mind. As a matter of fact, at the week-ends I come into that category.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to introduce subscriber trunk dialling at the telephone exchanges in the Beckenham constituency.

We hope to introduce subscriber trunk dialling at the Spring Park Exchange during 1963, at Ravensbourne by 1965, and at Sydenham by 1966. We are looking at the position at Beckenham, where adaptation of the existing equipment presents special problems, and we cannot yet give a date for Beckenham.

In view of the public interest in this admirable innovation, will my hon. Friend inform me when a target date can be set? Will she take every step to see that this is introduced there by 1965, at the latest?

I shall be delighted to give my hon. Friend the information which he requires.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state the quantity of tunics and skirts of old pattern, Women's Royal Air Force uniforms, for disposal; and if he will consider making some of them available for issue to members of the Women's Junior Air Corps, members of which have to purchase their own uniforms.

We have no surplus tunics, but there are about 5,000 battle-dress blouses and 4,000 skirts which the Women's Junior Air Corps can buy from us cheaply if it wishes.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that, in view of the importance of all the youth movements, of which the Women's Junior Air Corps is one, it would greatly encourage recruitment if he gave them some of these old uniforms which, if he disposes of them in the normal way, will fetch next to nothing anyway?

The Women's Junior Air Corps is an independent organisation. While we gladly help it in a number of ways, we cannot make free gifts of public property in this way. We have, however, decided that surplus uniforms should be offered at a price which I think the Corps will find not too onerous.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why the staff of his Department has increased in each of the last two years.

In these two years non-industrial civilians have replaced servicemen in about 3,600 posts. Since the total number of these civilians rose at the same time by only 1,144, there has in fact been a real reduction in staff.

In that case may I offer my right hon. Friend my profound congratulations?

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell his hon. Friend that, although this may have happened, the proportion of senior officers in the Air Ministry to look after this staff has increased very rapidly?

The hon. Gentleman and I have often debated that before, and I think that he is quite clear about the reasons for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what recent complaints he has received about the bad quality of the food, and the unhygienic preparation of it, at the Royal Air Force station, Khormaksar, Aden.

None, Sir.

I am surprised at that reply. Is the Secretary of State aware that I have information that the food is so bad in the sergeants' mess at this camp that sergeants complain that the food is worse than it was during the war, that even the bread is rancid, and that the meat dishes are worse? The wife of one sergeant serving in this camp who lives in my constituency has complained that the food is so bad that he just cannot eat it. He is exhausted and is now applying to have his ration money so that he can eat outside.

It is a very pathetic story, but I must remind the hon. Gentleman that Questions giving information are out of order.

May I ask the Secretary of State if he will look into the specific complaint that I have in my possession and remedy this as soon as he can, because this is having a detrimental effect not only on the Service men but on their wives at home?

I can only repeat that the Air Ministry has received no complaints, nor has the Command. If the hon. Gentleman has any specific complaints I should be glad to look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers of the Royal Air Force have been sent to the United States of America in the last three years for training on U2s.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why Royal Air Force officers were sent to the United States of America for training on U2 aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

For reasons which have already been given to the House, I think it would be wrong for me to answer these Questions.

Does not the Secretary of State realise that it is quite futile to try to draw the security screen over this? Is not his Department aware that facts, which have never been repudiated, were printed as long ago as July, 1958, in the aviation journal Flight, which gave the names of officers and other details about Royal Air Force complicity and association with training on U2s? Has his Department studied these publications? Is it not ridiculous to maintain this attitude when such details are being published?

There is a later Question about a specific case which I will deal with in due course.

Will the Secretary of State clear up the confusion which must be in the minds of hon. Members after his reply? The Prime Minister yesterday stated it as his view that the flights which had taken place of U2s from Lakenheath airport were not connected with intelligence. The Secretary of State for Air, in replying to an earlier Question on this and in his reply to my hon. Friend's Question, has admitted that the U2 aircraft is concerned exclusively with intelligence activities. Will he inform the Prime Minister of this and ask him to stop misleading the House and the country about this?

Answer.

My right hon. Friend made the position perfectly clear yesterday.

If these flights are merely for weather purposes, why does the Minister refuse to answer? Is it not a fact that such flights at 68,000 feet over Russia cannot be followed by British radar? How, therefore, do we know, and how can we control, where the American U2 flights go to from British bases?

I am sorry to appear unhelpful, but there is really nothing that I can add.

Is the Minister aware that this Question seems to be concerned with the training of British officers in America? What has that to do with security? Why should he not tell us to what extent we can be grateful to the Americans for providing us with this invaluable service to our security?

What I am saying is that I do not think that it would be right for me to add anything to what has already been said in this House about this particular type of aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Air on what date the late Squadron Leader Christopher Walker was sent to the United States of America for training on U2 aeroplanes; and during what period he underwent such training.

Squadron Leader Walker was posted to the United States of America for flying duties with the United States Air Force in America in March, 1958. He was killed in an aircraft accident on 8th July, 1958.

Whilst we all deplore the tragic death of this officer, may I now ask the Secretary of State to answer the question that I previously put to him, namely, is he aware of the facts published in the aviation journal Flight in this country in July, 1958, alleging the sending of several outstanding Royal Air Force officers to the United States for training on U2s? Were those facts correct or not correct? If they were not correct, why have they not been repudiated?

The death of this officer was announced by the United States Air Force at the time. The hon. Gentleman asked me about the dates, and I have answered that.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what study is being made in the Meteorological Office of the development of weather forecasting, using photographs of weather in the earth's atmosphere taken from satellites in space.

The Meteorological Office is keeping itself closely informed on work in this field, both through the World Meteorological Organisation and by direct contact with the United States authorities.

Will the Secretary of State impress on his colleagues that even a very modest contribution towards space research will directly benefit the weather forecasting, even if it can do nothing about the weather?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Government are not yet ready to make an announcement about their plans in the space research field generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many V-bombers will require adapting to enable them to use the Skybolt; and whether new types of bomber aircraft will be constructed for this purpose.

On the first part of the Question, I am not prepared to disclose numbers. On the second part, our Skybolt force will for a number of years consist exclusively of V-bombers.

Is it not possible to get any information out of this Government at all? Did not the right hon. Gentleman make reference to this subject in the course of the debate on the Air Estimates and speak about the need for adapting our bombers to the use of the Skybolt? Surely I can ask him how many adaptations are to take place? Cannot I ask him what the cost will be, and whether we will construct new bombers, and what type they are? Can we not get any information about these matters?

I am prepared to answer any question if the answer does not give away what I regard to be important security matters. I have never disclosed, and I never will disclose, in this House the actual numbers of the proposed Skybolt front line, or, indeed, the numbers of the V-bomber front line. It is secret information, and I shall not disclose it.

But did not the Secretary of State for Air, in the course of the debate to which I have referred, explicitly say that the V-bombers would require adaptation? If he said that, cannot I ask how many there are—

No.

With great respect, Mr. Speaker, it is not what hon. Members opposite think I should ask but what I think I should ask. In view of the statement made by the right hon. Gentleman about the adaptation of these planes, cannot I ask him what percentage of the V-bombers are to be adapted? Surely, that is a perfectly reasonable question.

It is not the Question on the Order Paper.

Would not the Minister's answer be better put like this: "As I do not know whether there will be a Skybolt ever, I have no clue"? Is not that what he should have said?

Answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many Royal Air Force stations employ private contractors in conditions which allow them to make a profit out of feeding officers and airmen; and whether the number has increased during the last three years.

At one R.A.F. station, the catering is provided under a contract let in 1958. A contract is about to be let at another station, and tenders are being invited for four more. In addition, there are three small units where the servicing contracts, one of which was let during the last three years, include the provision of meals for a few Royal Air Force personnel.

Can the Secretary of State say whether this matter is still experimental, as he assured us a year or two ago in the Air Estimates debate, or is there any Government policy to hand this over to private catering?

It is really no longer experimental, but it does take time to get the thing going. Eventually, we shall have a mixture of private contract, direct labour and N.A.A.F.I.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission not to put embargoes on goods traffic without first consulting his Department.

No, Sir. This is a matter of management which is the responsibility of the British Transport Commission, and I do not consider that a general direction would be justified.

Whilst I accept that the Commission is under a legal obligation to provide passenger services, would not my hon. Friend agree that it would be disadvantageous if it refused to carry freight traffic which would be to the greatest advantage to the railway services?

Yes, Sir. It would, of course, be extremely disadvantageous, but it is the fact that the Commission naturally wishes to carry as much freight and as many passengers as it possibly can. I think that in the case to which my hon. Friend refers there were special circumstances connected with a shortage of labour in a certain area, and that required the imposition of this temporary embargo.

The Minister will be aware that that reply gives us on this side a great deal of pleasure. Is he aware that we think that the Commission is already badly enough restricted by law without further laws being imposed on it to stop natural trading?

I know that the Opposition are usually pessimistic in these matters.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal to make Bridge Street a one-way street, in order to give an uninterrupted flow of traffic down Whitehall and around Parliament Square, thereby reducing congestion and traffic delays in that area; what action he proposes to take in the matter; and if he will make a statement.

I have recently seen a report of one such proposal. The complementary one-way workings which it would involve, particularly on part of the Victoria Embankment, would appreciably increase the volume of traffic circulating round Parliament Square and would add lengthy detours to two traffic streams. I am not at all convinced that it would have the beneficial effect suggested by my hon. Friend.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider trying this as an experiment? If there is a doubt, or if it is a matter of opinion, surely it is a good thing to try out the proposal in practice to see if there is not some advantage to be obtained from it.

I do not think that the proposal is susceptible even of that kind of treatment. One of the points of the proposal is that there should be a small underpass opposite Horse Guards Avenue, and that could hardly be done as an experiment. Secondly, we calculated that at least a thousand aditional vehicles an hour would be added to those circulating around Parliament Square, and I frankly do not think that it would work.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of recent accidents on Lake Windermere, he will make rules obliging speedboats towing one or more water-skiers on a public waterway to carry both a mirror and a passenger for observation purposes, in order that the person steering the boat may give his undivided attention to where he is going.

My hon. Friend's suggestions are for consideration, in the light of local circumstances, by the authorities responsible for these waterways. The Windermere Urban District Council has applied for an Order in Council to give effect to amending Rules governing navigation on the Lake. Objections have been lodged, and my right hon. Friend is arranging a public inquiry.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary take note that it is rather a frightening thing when someone in a rowing-boat finds a speedboat charging at him with the driver looking at the water skier behind him instead of looking where he is going? Will he take note that there is a great public anxiety at what is at present happening on Windermere and other lakes, and take steps accordingly in order that accidents may be prevented?

I shall certainly see that the points mentioned by my hon. Friend are brought to the attention of the Windermere Urban District Council, and it may be that that council will wish to modify its proposals to take account of them. But these are matters for the council, in the first place.