asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now introduce legislation to provide for the health, welfare and safety of shop workers on the lines proposed by the Gowers Report of 1949.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the length of time before the Probation Service Report is to be expected, he will now ask for an interim report covering the salaries aspect.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) on 17th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the nature of the objections to the Road Traffic Bill conveyed to him by the Police Federation of England and Wales on 23rd June, and the nature of his reply.

The Police Federation express objection to the introduction of the fixed penalty procedure and the appointment of traffic wardens. In reply, I am informing the Federation that I have noted their views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Authority given to Her Majesty's Consul, Bucharest, for the issue to Mrs. Barbara Scharer, Arad, Roumania, Str. Goidu No. 16, Apartment 9, of a visa for entry for permanent residence in the United Kingdom is still valid; and when, and for how long, it is being renewed.

The visa authorised for Mrs. Barbara Scharer ceased to be valid after six months, but on 11th July it was revalidated for another six months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce a scheme to compensate butchers for losses incurred in buying attested cattle in good faith which are condemned after slaughter because they are infected with tuberculosis.

Representations have been made to me on this matter on behalf of the meat trade. I have no power to pay compensation for seizure of meat on account of bovine tuberculosis, and I regret that the Government could not accept responsibility for this commercial risk, which has already been greatly reduced and will continue to diminish as a result of the Government's eradication measures.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what degree of co-ordinated research exists throughout the Commonwealth on salt water conversion; and if he will make a statement.

Several Commonwealth countries, particularly South Africa and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom, are taking an active interest in salt water conversion. There is close liaison at all times between those engaged in this research. This liaison is conducted through the British Commonwealth Scientific Committee, which is at present meeting in this country; through the British Commonwealth Scientific Liaison Offices in London and in Washington; and through the direct exchange of information and visits. The Washington Liaison Office maintains contact with those engaged in salt water conversion within the United States.In addition to this continuous liaison, a number of Commonwealth countries participated in the International Water Desalting Group sponsored by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (O.E.E.C.) and in a specific research project carried out in the Netherlands. A partial consequence of this co-operative research has been the installation of a plant which is understood to be the biggest of its kind in the world, at Welkom in the Orange Free State, for the conversion of 2 million gallons of salt water per day at a cost of less than 2s. 6d. per thousand gallons.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations how many copies of "The Commonwealth We Live In" have been distributed; and what action he is taking to widen the field of distribution.

"The Commonwealth We Live In" is being sold at Her Majesty's Stationery Office bookshops and through normal commercial channels. The selling price is 2s. 6d. Since the 5th May (when it was put on sale) 9,953 copies have been distributed, of which some 4,000 have already been sold at the Commonwealth Exhibition bookstall during Commonwealth Weeks in Cardiff, Leicester and Tynemouth. Further editions will be produced as necessary. An oversea edition is being prepared. 85,000 copies will be ready in the autumn for free distribution through the Overseas Information Services. I shall be glad to consider suggestions for further distribution.

asked the Minister of State for Comonwealth Relations whether he is aware of the desire of many African administrations, now or shortly to become independent, to have the services of British medical personnel what requests he has received for the provision of such personnel; and what action he is taking to implement them.

In October, 1957, the Ghana authorities asked through our High Commission in Accra if the United Kingdom could provide persons experienced in Public Health Administration to fill the places of four or five regional medical officers of health in Ghana while the latter went to the United Kingdom for courses in public health of one year's duration. It was not possible to meet this request.In February, 1958, Miss E. G. Preddy, Matron of the Radcliffe Infirmary at Oxford, visited Ghana for two weeks to investigate and report on the Ghana Nursing Services as a preliminary to the formulation of schemes for the training of Ghanaian nurses. As a result of this report the United Kingdom Government have undertaken at the request of the Ghana Government to provide and finance training for twelve Ghanaian nurses each year for two or more years. The second group of twelve Ghanaian nurses is at present receiving training in this country.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what proposals he has received from the Government of Southern Rhodesia for consideration at the forthcoming constitutional talks; and whether he has accepted an invitation to attend such talks in September.

My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations is in correspondence with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia on the subject. Meanwhile, I have nothing to add to my statement of the 9th May.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what further representations he proposes to make to the Indian Government concerning the employees of the British Overseas Airways Corporation who have been declared persona non grata in India and who as a result have been dismissed by the Corporation with a month's notice, without any evidence having been produced of any criminal offences having been committed.

Following discussions in which a member of the United Kingdom High Commission participated, the Indian authorities reconsidered those cases in which the employees affected had appealed through the British Overseas Airways Corporation and, in consequence, withdrew their objections in five cases. They have indicated that they are prepared to consider any fresh information in individual cases if submitted through the Corporation. I have no doubt that the British Overseas Airways Corporation will immediately forward to the Government of India any such information which may be submitted. The advice and assistance of the United Kingdom High Commissioner would of course continue to be available to the Corporation in this matter.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made in his consultations with the Minister of Labour on the reduction of school leaving dates from three to two.

Consultations are proceeding and I do not expect to be able to announce the Government's decision before the Recess.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's committee of experts from 35 States in the drafting of an international Convention to prevent discrimination in education; and what view has been expressed by the British member of this committee regarding such a convention.

This Committee has now completed its task of drawing up a draft Convention which will be submitted to the General Conference of U.N.E.S.C.O. in November. The United Kingdom representatives expressed the readiness of Her Majesty's Government to consider accepting a Convention.

asked the Minister of Education why the science block for the King Edward VI Boys Grammar School, Louth, which was included in the 1959–60 estimates, has not been started; when work is expected to start, and to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

The local education authority tell me that the starting date for this project, which I approved on 13th October last, has been delayed by several factors including a shortage of architectural staff. They now expect to start work in the early autumn. The completion date is not yet known, but most minor projects are completed within six months.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the continuing danger to children living on the Thames View estate, Barking, who have to cross the A13 road on their way to and from school; if, in view of this danger, he will reconsider his decision that a junior school for Thames View cannot be included in the 1960–62 programme; and if he will give an assurance that the Government's return to a restrictive credit policy will not cause any further delay in the provision of this school.

Measures have been taken to meet the danger. Some of these children cross this road by a subway, others by special transport, and others at a crossing supervised by a traffic warden. I cannot: include the new school in the 1960–62 programme, but it will be considered, in relation to other claims, for inclusion in a later programme.

asked the Minister of Education if he will set out in tabular form in the OFFICIAL REPORT the average size of junior classes, the percentage of pupils remaining at school after the ages of 15, 16, and 17 years, respectively, the number of State scholarships per thousand, the number of university awards granted, the number of students per thousand entering training colleges and the total awards per thousand in England, Wales, Scotland, Bournemouth, Surrey, Merioneth, Cardiganshire, Southport, Oxford, Cambridgeshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Manchester, Salford, and Stoke-on-Trent, respectively.

The information requested for England and Wales is as follows. (Table I.)I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State that the corresponding figures for Scotland are as follows. (Table II.)

asked the Minister of Education when he proposes to amend the law relating to maintenance allowances, so that these may be paid to pupils in day special schools over the age of 15 years.

I will consider the proposal for amending legislation as opportunity arises.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will announce his proposals for mature students who wish to undertake a three-year teachers' training course.

On the question of provision of more places, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) on 23rd June. Dependants' grants for mature students taking a three-year course of teacher training are being considered in conjunction with the Anderson Report.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to ensure that education authorities in rural areas have special funds available to pay for the transportation of temporary teachers from their place of residence to the school where they are needed.

I have no power to make special funds available for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Education if he will recommend local education authorities to pay the full expenses, including travelling expenses, of all teachers who attend approved courses.

Local education authorities pay the full travelling expenses and salary of serving teachers attending approved courses of one year or one term. The Ministry assists with the travelling expenses of those attending short courses run by the Ministry. There are no tuition fees on these courses. Authorities have discretion to assist with other expenses in the case of short courses and have been invited to consider individual cases on their merits. I am content to leave this to their discretion.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what research is at present being carried out in this country on salt water conversion; and if he will make a statement.

In the U.K. emphasis has been placed on distillation and electrodialysis and a number of British built plants, using these techniques, are in operation for the conversion of salt water to drinking water. The technique of ion exchange has been shown to be economically applicable only to waters of low salt content. Research into all three techniques is being carried out in the U.K. by a number of industrial firms. Investigations of solar distillation are being carried out by the Tropical Products Institute which may lead, if successful, to equipment suitable for use in sunny climates on a fairly large scale and also on a small scale for single households.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the nature of the representations made to him by employees' organisations concerning the proposal to abolish the assisted travel scheme in Rosyth Dockyard; what was the nature of his reply; and whether he will receive a deputation in the matter.

The Dunfermline Trades Council have represented to my right hon. Friend that changes in the assisted travel scheme could affect the pay of workers at Rosyth Dockyard and, as a result, the efficiency of the dockyard itself. He has not replied, since it is not as yet possible to say what the effect will be at Rosyth of the Government's decision to review the need for assisted travel schemes at establishments where manning difficulties may now have lessened or disappeared. In the circumstances, he does not feel that it would serve any useful purpose to receive a deputation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional applications he has received for industrial sites in the Hartlepools in recent months.

No additional applications for industrial sites in the Hartle-pools area have been received since my hon. Friend replied to a similar Question on 2nd February of this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how often the committee, set up by him to investigate the problem of extended holidays, bank holidays, the four-term school year, and summer time has met; and on what date it will report.

The Committee appointed in March to examine ways of extending the summer holiday season has met six times and hopes to present an interim report by October. The other topics referred to in the Question are not specifically mentioned in the Committee's terms of reference but in so far as they are relevant to the extension of the holiday season they will he considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is expected that the next report from the Molony Committee on Consumer Protection will be available.

I do not expect any further interim reports: the final report is unlikely to be available for some time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he accepts and intends to issue regulations to give effect to, the recommendations of the Standing Committee on the marking of certain hand tools.

I am having an Order drafted to give effect to the Standing Committee's recommendations. I hope to be able to lay it before Parliament at the beginning of next Session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a further statement about his talks with the Mauritian Ministers.

As I informed the hon. Member last week, discussions have taken place between the Mauritian Ministers and myself and officials of my Department. I have now informed the Ministers that Her Majesty's Government will, subject to Parliamentary approval as necessary, be prepared to make available to the Mauritius Government financial assistance totalling up to £6·33 million. Of this, £0·5 million will consist of a grant and £1·75 million of loans under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, and the balance of £4·08 million will be made up of grants of just under £3 million and loans of just over £1 million on the Colonial Services Vote, for which Parliamentary approval will be sought in due course.I have also agreed with the Mauritius delegation that it would be appropriate to review the situation with them in 18 months to two years' time, to consider the possibility of providing further Exchequer loan assistance, if that were shown to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reasons Miss Jean Irvine, a qualified teacher from New Zealand, was refused an entry permit to Fiji, in view of her desire to teach in the territory and the shortage of secondary school teachers in Fiji.

This is a matter within the discretion of the local authorities and it is not the practice to disclose reasons in such a case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is yet able to state the basis on which political parties will be represented at the Nyasaland Constitutional Conference.

The United Federal Party and the Malawi Congress Party will each be represented by four members, and the Congress Liberation Party by one. I have also invited two representatives of the Asian community and one of the coloured community, as well as two of the African Members of Legislative Council.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the weakness in the present law relating to road vehicles which emit smoke and fumes; and whether he will consider adding annoyance and inconvenience to danger or damage which are at present punishable offences.

This suggestion has been under consideration with the police. I will continue to examine this and all other possible means of dealing with this nuisance.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Chandos Report.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) on 13th July.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give, expressed in vehicle miles, the fatality and personal injury rate, respectively, for M.1 and M.45 for the period to the end of May.

Between November, 1959 and 31st May, 1960, the fatality rate per million vehicle miles travelled on the motorway was 0.06. For all casualties the rate was 1·23 per million vehicle miles.

asked the Minister of Labour when a Government training centre for the northern region is to be opened.

Consultations with local trade associations about the setting up of a centre to provide training for adults in a range of occupations are not yet complete. In the meantime, it has been decided to establish a class for first year apprenticeship training in engineering.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the total expenditure on public relations, publicity and entertainment, respectively, by each new town development corporation in the year 1959–60, and in the two preceding years.

This expenditure is included under the heading of "Publicity" in schedule 4 of the accounts of the development corporations, and it is not possible to subdivide the amounts into the three sub-heads mentioned. The total amounts for the new towns in England and Wales are given in the table below.

Expenditure on Publicity
Development Corporation	1957–58	1958–59	1959–60
	£	£	£
Aycliffe	442	514	1,005
Basildon	2,469	1,883	2,617
Bracknell	1,753	1,268	1,697
Corby	1,007	3,753	1,485
Crawley	1,294	3,489	2,307
Cwmbran	1,160	1,687	2,818
Harlow	3,066	2,440	3,463
Hemel Hempstead	3,331	3,878	3,953
Peterlee	413	843	2,504
Stevenage	1,760	5,846	6,569
Welwyn Garden City	1,083	831	2,909
Hatfield	682	958	1,309

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what were the annual numbers of grants made under the improvement grants scheme and the standard grants scheme for the years 1957, 1958, and 1959; and if he has an estimate available for 1960.

The answer to the first part of the Question, in terms of dwellings in applications approved for grant, is given in the following table:

DISCRETIONARY GRANTS
—		Total	Local Authorities and Housing Associations	Private Persons
1957	…	35,951	3,099	32,852
1958	…	33,997	2,638	31,359
1959	…	45,935	5,869	40,066

STANDARD GRANTS—introduced 14th June, 1959
—	Total	Local Authorities and Housing Associations	Private Persons
June-Dec., 1959	33,061	11,136	21,925
TOTAL: ALL GRANTS FOR 1959: 78,996

The rate at which applications for grants have been approved in the first five months of this year has continued to show an increase. If this is maintained, the total number of grants for 1960 is likely to be in the neighbourhood of 120,000, made up of about 45,000 discretionary grants and 75,000 standard grants.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in order to assist the export trade in telephone equipment, he will now abandon the present method of ring purchasing by his Department.

No. In my view, the existence of the Post Office bulk purchase agreements with certain firms has fostered technical progress and assisted the export trade in telecommunications equipment. Moreover, these arrangements provide that the Post Office can at any time enter into a contract with any person for the manufacture and supply of telecommunications equipment if in my opinion this would advance the interests of exports.