asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will now state the results of his reconsideration of the upper yardmen scheme.

Revised arrangements for the selection and training of upper yardmen have now been made, to accord with the new training scheme for all General List officers, as recently announced. These revised arrangements will start in September, 1961.Selected ratings under 21, with the necessary minimum educational qualifications, will take a two years' academic course at Dartmouth leading to "A" level passes in mathematics and physics in the G.C.E. examination. Ratings without the initial educational qualifications but otherwise recommended, will be given special facilities to reach them for one year at a training establishment.After the first term at Dartmouth, ratings will appear before the Final Admiralty Interview Board and on passing will be promoted to cadet. At the end of the two-year course, successful upper yardmen cadets will be promoted to midshipmen and will join the Fleet at sea. Thereafter their training will merge with the direct entry midshipmen.These arrangements will need to be reviewed if experience shows that sufficient candidates of the right educational quality are not forthcoming.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the obstruction to traffic caused on 24th June by a road vehicle carrying a naval aircraft which became jammed in Quay Street, Fareham; if he is aware that this is a recurrent type of incident; and if he will route such outsize vehicles through busy roads at other than peak hours of traffic.

Whenever possible, damaged aircraft going long distances are taken by sea to avoid congestion of the roads. A road journey to a jetty is, however, unavoidable. These aircraft are always moved at the direction of the police, with whom times and routes are agreed and who escort them through towns. I understand that the police regard movement by day as safer than movement by night and try to time the movements to avoid peak traffic hours.In this instance, the aircraft was being taken to Foxbury Jetty for sea transit to Scotland, according to an agreed schedule, on roads which have been found after survey to be the best ones. The trailer was unfortunately prevented by parked cars from negotiating a corner into Quay Street, Fareham.While I greatly regret the inconvenience caused, I believe that such an incident is very rare indeed.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the recruiting figures for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines to the most convenient date in 1960.

During the first six months of 1960, 2,685 Regular recruits entered the Royal Navy and 464 entered the Royal Marines.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a statement concerning the future use of the Royal Marines Barracks, Stonehouse, Plymouth.

The review of the need for these barracks, of which I told my hon. Friend in February, is reaching its final stages and I hope that we shall be able to take a decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he is asking for a further report on 23757163 Gunner P. E. Spooner, 41st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, now stationed in Germany, as referred to in his recent letter to the hon. Member for Rother Valley.

My inquiries were made to find out how we could help this soldier with his studies. I have written to the hon. Member and I hope he agrees that the arrangements we are making are satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the explosions at Shornmead Fort, Kent, on 30th June and 1st July last, 1960, exceeded the maximum level agreed between his Department and the Shorne Parish Council.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give instructions to cease the detonation of explosive material at Shornmead Fort, Kent.

No. Students at the School of Military Engineering must be trained in the use of explosives.

asked the Secretary of State for War what orders are given to the Bank of England picket with regard to the use of firearms; and how much ammunition is supplied to each man.

Standing instructions for all Army guards apply to the Bank of England picket. Ammunition is held under the control of the officer in charge but is not issued to sentries.

asked the Postmaster-General, whether he will give an assurance that the Post Office is studying, in co-operation with other Departments, the possible future use of communications satellites in addition to, or instead of, Commonwealth and international cable lines.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Honiton (Mr. Mathew) on 6th July, 1960.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to commence work on the new Post Office at Ashington, Northumberland.

Draft contracts for the purchase of the present leasehold premises have been exchanged. If all goes well, the building alterations should begin in three or four months' time.

asked the Postmaster-General what price his Department is paying for the new design telephone instrument.

About £6.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has now given further consideration to the reduction of the charges for telephone service to premises three miles or over from the nearest telephone exchange; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. I am satisfied that the present practice is right. Capital investment in these long lines amounts to more than £3 million and the revenue hardly covers maintenance charges. With capital restrictions as they are, I could not justify the increased expenditure needed to meet the new demand that would follow a reduction in the mileage charges. Nor could I justify the extra costs that would have to be borne by telephone users generally.I have, however, abolished the special charges, and applied the standard rentals and mileage radius, at exchanges with eight subscribers or less.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that there has been adequate co-operation between his Department and the North Riding County Council in respect of the Whitsuntide traffic arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

The North Riding County Council co-operated in placing 50 m.p.h. signs on the trunk road between York and Malton. If, however, my hon. Friend is referring to the sign-posting of an alternative route between York and Scarborough it is true that the County Council has for the past few years felt unable to agree. On this point, I propose to invite the County Council to co-operate with me in carrying out a traffic survey during August on the various possible routes between York and Scarborough. This would enable us to discuss further measures against an agreed factual background.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will be in a position to make a statement on the future of public transport in rural areas in the light of the investigations of the Jacks Committee.

I cannot say until I have studied the Committee's report, which the Committee hopes to let me have in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Transport what conclusions he has drawn from the experimental introduction of 50 miles-per-hour speed limits on selected stretches of road over the Whitsun holiday period; what further experiments of this kind he proposes to initiate; and if he will make a statement.

It would be unsafe to draw firm conclusions from the working of the Whitsun 50 m.p.h. speed limit experiment on 156 miles of roads over four days and I therefore propose to conduct further experiments which will be sufficiently large and continuous to give significant results. These will start with the August Bank Holiday and extend over a series of holiday weekends in August and September.I am consulting the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee over the part of these further experiments which are proposed for the London Traffic Area.

asked the Minister of Transport why a proposal for waiting restrictions outside Newbury Park School submitted by the Ilford Borough Council in January, 1959, has not been dealt with by his Department.

The proposal put forward by the Ilford Borough Council was one among 160 proposals made early in 1959 for waiting restrictions outside schools in the London Traffic Area. On the advice of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee I have decided to experiment with a special "School Entrance" marking on the road outside 10 selected schools, and the Ilford Borough Council were so informed on 14th April. The experiment has now begun.

asked the Minister of Transport what effect the capital cuts in expenditure he is proposing will have on the Durham County Council's road programme.

Restrictions on Government expenditure are now under consideration, but it is too early to say what they will be. So far as the road programme in future years is concerned I cannot add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26th April, 1960.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the urgent need for high priority to be given to an overall improvement of main roads to the tourist areas in the South-West; and if he will draw up a plan to deal with this problem before the next summer season.

Plans for the improvement of these roads exist, and some are in an advanced stage of preparation. The commencement of work depends, however, on the provision of funds and on this I cannot add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26th April, 1960.

asked the Minister of Transport if he wilt make a statement on the Government's intentions regarding the Chandos Committee proposals.

The recommendations of the Chandos Committee are being given urgent consideration by the Government and a statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Defence what arrangements he has made, pursuant to Section 9 of the Visiting Forces Act, 1952, for the satisfaction of claims made against members of the United States forces who have gone outside the jurisdiction of the English and Scottish courts.

asked the Minister of Defence what arrangements he has made, pursuant to Section 9 of the Visiting Forces Act, 1952, for the recovery of damages awarded by English or Scottish courts from members of the United States forces who have gone outside the jurisdiction without satisfying the court's order.

The arrangements under Section 9 of the Visiting Forces Act, 1952, for the settlement of claims against members of visiting forces were circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT Of 15th April, 1954. These arrangements operate even if the members of the United States forces concerned have gone outside the jurisdiction of the courts concerned.

asked the Minister of Defence what decision he has taken about the future of the TSR 2 supersonic military aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

There has been no change in the status of the TSR 2. Development is continuing as planned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many apprentices in Wales have now been admitted to the Government Training Centre, Cardiff, in accordance with the scheme for first-year apprenticeship training.

None as yet. It is expected that a class for engineering apprentices will open in the late summer.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of disabled persons registered for employment at the latest convenient date in 1960; and if he will give the comparative figures for the same period in 1959.

There were 48,505 on 20th June, compared with 55,079 on 15th June, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police officers, and from which stations, in the Parliamentary constituency of Dagenham are engaged on duties in connection with school crossing patrols.

In the constituency of Dagenham three school crossings are controlled by police officers, two from Dagenham Station and one from Barkingside Station. Police officers have, in addition, to devote a certain amount of time to supervising and administering the school crossing patrols in the area, and to acting for them if they are absent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Incentive Agreement made with the British Sugar Corporation on 4th June, 1958, has yet been reviewed.

The 1958 Agreement has been reviewed and as a result a new Agreement setting higher standards of performance was signed on 21st June last. This Agreement is made effective by the British Sugar Corporation Limited (Incentive Agreement) Order, 1960, laid before Parliament today.

asked the Minister of Aviation why a Pan-American Boeing 707 was allowed to leave London Airport on 2nd May during restricted hours, and thereby waking up many people.

This aircraft, bound for Hamburg, had been delayed at New York and was allowed to depart in accordance with normal procedure.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is now his policy about the future of Eastleigh aerodrome.

It is intended to cease operating Eastleigh next spring and all concerned have been notified to this effect. One of the principal operators has already moved to Hurn and facilities will be available there for the others by that time. Before disposing of the airport, I shall consult the local authorities and other interested parties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review his decision not to vary fixed interest loans for new fishing vessels received through the White Fish Authority.

The rate of interest on money advanced by the White Fish Authority is based on the rate at which the Authority borrows from the Exchequer. It would not be desirable to alter this arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the 659 teachers described in the Annual Report on Education in Scotland for 1959 as possessing qualifications below standard, were employed by each local education authority.

The information asked for is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the extension proposed for Dundee Technical College.

Detailed proposals for accommodation are at present being examined with the Governors and should be approved soon. Generally, the extension is likely to double the existing floor area of the college and to allow expansion of most of the teaching departments and substantial improvements in communal accommodation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the estimated cost of the present sewerage programme authorised by him, either already commenced or shortly to be undertaken, by the Spilsby Rural District Council; and how much of this cost is covered by a Government assistance of any form.

My right hon. Friend has approved the second stage of the Chapel St. Leonards sewerage scheme and also the Anderby Creek scheme: the latest estimated costs are £47,000 and £38,000 respectively. Neither scheme has yet been begun.The council will be receiving rate deficiency grant of about 35 per cent, on its net rate-borne deficiency as a result of carrying out the work. Sewerage schemes are also considered for grant under the Rural Water Supply and Sewerage Acts, but my right hon. Friend has not felt able to make any award in respect of the Chapel St. Leonards scheme; the Anderby Creek scheme has not yet been considered for this purpose.