asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent the Air Transport Licensing Board will inquire into the professional or trading standard of the tour operators who are coupled with air operators in the 800 or more pending applications for X and Y licences officially announced on 1st July last.

This does not lie within the scope of either the Air Transport Advisory Council, which is considering these applications, or of the future Air Transport Licensing Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many cases British subjects or persons of British parentage, employed by the Nigerian Governments, have been refused re-engagement on the grounds that they were born or educated in South Africa; and if he will take steps to discourage such discrimination.

Re-engagements are the responsibility of the Federal and Regional Governments in Nigeria but so far only the case on which my hon. Friend has written to me has come to my notice.This is a question of policy which must, I think, be left to the Nigerian Governments at the present stage of constitutional development.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, taking the internal purchasing value of the£ sterling as 20s. in October, 1951, it had declined to 18s. 1d. in June, 1954, and to 15s. 11d. in June, 1957; and what was the comparable figure for June, 1960.

Yes, on the basis of the index of retail prices. The comparable figure for June, 1960, is 15s. 2d.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the numbers of deaths amongst 1914–18 war disabled pensioners in each of the past three years, the numbers of war widows' pensions awarded in respect of those deaths, and the amount by which the war widow's pension exceeds the National Insurance widow's pension to which they would otherwise have been entitled; whether the contributory effects of severe war disablement towards causes of death are related to this differential; or whether causes are required to be wholly due to effects of war disablement.

Deaths among 1914–18 war disablement pensioners in each of the past three years ended 31st March numbered 12,820, 12,299 and 12,117, of whom 7,684, 7,525 and 7,436 respectively left widows. I regret that I have no figures of awards of war widows' pensions relating to these deaths but the number of awards of pension to widows of 1914–18 pensioners in the three years were 623, 669 and 613 respectively.The standard rate of war pension for a widow of an ex-private is 16s. more than the standard rate of National Insurance widow's pension but this differential has no bearing on entitlement to a war widow's pension. Such a pension may be awarded if death is certified by our medical officers to be wholly due to or to be materially hastened by the pensioned war disablement.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the steps taken by his Department to draw the attention of widows of severely disabled war pensioners to the procedure for application for a war widow's pension, in view of the fact that widows themselves do not always realise that there may be entitlement; and how many war widows have been invited by his Department to complete such applications in each of the past three years.

The pension order books of war disablement pensioners contain a reference to the procedure for application for a war widow's pension. When a war disablement pensioner dies a personal letter of sympathy is sent to his widow in which she is invited to get into touch with my Department if she needs help in pension or other matters. Cases of severely disabled war pensioners are automatically examined at death and where there are reasonable grounds for thinking that entitlement to war widow's pension might be established a claim is invited. I regret that the figures asked for in the last part of the Question are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the proposals for the improved treatment of the mental health of prisoners made by Mr. Edward Bishop and adopted at the 25th Annual Conference of Boards of Visitors and Visiting Committees in London last month; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The resolution adopted by this Conference is in harmony with my own views. I fully recognise the importance of providing full facilities for the treatment of prisoners suffering from mental illness and the arrangements for providing this are under regular scrutiny with the aim of extending and improving them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement about the appointment of a Civil Defence Controller for the Eastern Zone.

Yes. Sir Ronald Thomson, who has held this appointment for nearly seven years, has asked to be relieved of it for reasons of health. Colonel Sir James M. Miller, who is at present the Civil Defence Controller of Berwickshire, has accepted the appointment as his successor from 1st January, 1961. I should like to take this opportunity of recording my warm appreciation of Sir Ronald Thomson's services to civil defence, not only in the Eastern Zone but in Scotland as a whole.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in connection with the revision of the Merchandise Marks Act, in the light of recommendations of the Molony Committee, he will obtain a copy of the proceedings of the next meeting of the Council of Europe's Committee of experts on wines and spirits, with a view to considering the adequacy, or otherwise, of the Merchandise Marks Acts with regard to the nomenclature in this country of wines and spirits.

My right hon. Friend regularly receives copies of the proceedings of the Committee of Experts and will consider them in the light of any advice that he may in due course receive from the Molony Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport when it is intended to introduce legislation to amend the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 so as to include general lighthouse authorities in the payment of rates on their properties.

The question of the rating of Trinity House property in England and Wales is one of the matters being considered by a Working Party of Departmental and local government representatives which was set up by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in accordance with his announcement in the House on 16th April, 1959, to review rating and valuation. Until the recommendations of the Working Party have been considered it is not possible to decide finally what form any amending legislation should take.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received a recommendation from the Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel Committee regarding the the scale of toll charges to be levied.

No. The Dartford Tunnel Act, 1957 requires the Kent and Essex County Councils to submit a schedule of tolls to me for confirmation between six and twelve months before the expected date of the opening of the tunnel to traffic. The necessary preparatory work is now being undertaken by the Dartford Tunnel Committee.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the changes in the population of this country since 1949, when the Report of the Royal Commission on Population was published, and in view of the fact that great increases in immigration has occurred, if he will appoint a further committee to study the changed position since 1949.

It is considered that there are already effective arrangements for providing the relevant factual information, including in particular the census to be taken next April. As to the effects on policy, the study of population trends has implications, as the Royal Commission's Report shows, over a very wide field and I doubt whether a new inquiry over the whole of that field would be useful. But if there is any particular aspect of Government policy in which my hon. Friend considers that the latest population trends are not adequately taken into account, she will no doubt raise the matter with the responsible Minister.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Minister for Science, what is the estimated annual cost of the new developments in psychiatric research referred to in the Report of the Medical Research Council, 1958–59; what will be the total expenditure by the Council on psychiatric research in the current financial year; and what proportion of the whole expenditure of the Council this represents.

The estimated annual cost of the two psychiatric research units recently established by the Medical Research Council is approximately£14,875. The Council's total expenditure on psychiatric research in the current financial year will amount to about£200,000 which represents about 4·7 per cent. of its estimated total expenditure.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many units of the Battle class of destroyers were earmarked for modernisation; upon how many work was actually started, excluding those being converted for radar picket duties; and how many will not now be completed.

Excluding those being converted, no Battle class destroyer has been earmarked for, or has undergone full modernisation. Improvement of particular features has been carried out in eighteen of these ships and in every case the work was completed as planned.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations, if he will state the names of the Chiefs or Sub-Chiefs in the three High Commission Territories who are receiving salaries from the Governments of their territories for administrative and other services, and the amounts of these salaries.

The only Chiefs or Sub-Chiefs in the High Commission Territories who receive salaries from Government are the Paramount Chief and the 22 Principal and Ward Chiefs in Basutoland. The Paramount Chief receives an annual salary of£3,600. The names and annual salaries of 21 of the 22 Principal and Ward Chiefs (one Ward Chief has not yet been gazetted) are as follows:

Chief Kuini Mopeli	…	£202
Chief Tumane Matela	…	£130
Chief Letsie K. Motsoene	…	£1,220
Chief Jonathan Mathealire	…	£586
Chief Mamathe G. Masupha	…	£1,126
Chief Leshoboro Majara	…	£220
Chief Makhabane B. M. Peete	…	£538
Chief Reentsend G. Lerotholi	…	£144
Chief Letsie K. Theko	…	£740
Chief Mohlalefi Bereng	…	£622
Chief Mohale Seeiso Maama	…	£366
Chief Makopoi Api	…	£148
Chief Harebatho Q. Letsie	…	£144
Chief Lerotholi Mojela	…	£326
Chief Nkhahle Mohale	…	£220
Chief Joel Moholobela	…	£284
Chief Mamohato Bereng	…	£1,238
Chief Monare Moeketsi	…	£166
Chief Qefate Sempe	…	£970
Chief Theko Makhaola	…	£948
Chief Bofila G. Lerotholi	…	£144

The Chairman and the four members of the Standing Committee of the College of Chiefs in Basutoland receive respectively honoraria of£1,000 and£600 each.

asked the Minister of Defence what tests have been conducted

NUMBERS OF YOUNG PERSONS (15–18) REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED ON 11TH JULY AND NUMBER OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED AT 6TH JULY IN THE MIDLAND REGION, IN SCOTLAND AND IN THE COWDENBEATH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS RESPECTIVELY
—		Unemployed 11th July, 1960*			Unfilled Vacancies 6th July, 1960
		Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
Midland Region	…	287	196	483	9,441	9,141	18,582
Scotland	…	3,468	1,911	5,379	2,460	5,273	7,733
Cowdenbeath E.E. Area	…	60	51	111	—	3	3
*Provisional figures.

I would refer the hon. Member to the full explanation given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 4th February, 1958. As was then stated, there is no danger of the hydrogen bomb exploding if the aircraft crashes; the risk from radiation, if any, would be small; contamination of the ground, if it existed at all, would be limited to the immediate vicinity of the crash and could be dealt with by special teams. These conclusions are based on full investigation, including careful study of the information given to us by the United States authorities about certain accidents which have occurred in the United States.

asked the Minister of Labour how many youths were unemployed, and how many vacancies were unfilled, in the Midland Region, Scotland, and the Cowdenbeath Exchange area, respectively, on the latest date for which figures are available.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the growing tension between Iceland and Great Britain arising from the recent interference by a Danish warship with British fishing vessels in the fishing grounds off Iceland; if he will give details, with names, of this incident; and what steps he is taking to protect British fishing vessels in these waters.

I know of no interference by a Danish warship with British fishing vessels in Icelandic waters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the subjects discussed and conclusions reached at his interview on 14th July, 1960, with representatives of the British Trawlers Federation Limited; and what information regarding fishing limits and progress made towards agreement with Iceland on the current dispute has been circulated to masters and owners of trawlers as a result of the meeting.

U.K. SUPPLIES OF CARCASE MEAT ('000 tons)
1957		Home Production	Imports	Total Supplies	Home Production as Per cent. of Total Supplies
Beef and Veal	…	821·7	460·0	1,281·7	64·1
Mutton and Lamb	…	199·0	334·9	533·9	37·3
Pork	…	379·2	24·8	404·0	93·9
Bacon and Ham	…	211·5	332·3	543·8	38·9
		1,611·4	1,152·0	2,763·4	58·3
1958
Beef and Veal	…	812·6	402·4	1,215·0	66·9
Mutton and Lamb	…	190·0	339·8	529·8	35·9
Pork	…	424·3	18·5	442·8	95·8
Bacon and Ham	…	219·8	338·2	558·0	39·4
		1,646·7	1,098·9	2,745·6	60·0
1959
Beef and Veal	…	718·5	356·1	1,074·6	66·9
Mutton and Lamb	…	246·2	365·0	611·2	40·3
Pork	…	423·2	14·0	437·2	96·8
Bacon and Ham	…	215·6	348·0	563·6	38·3
		1,603·5	1,083·1	2,686·6	59·7

This was one of a series of meetings which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have been holding with representatives of the trawler owners and of the work-people's side of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Fishing Industry to keep under review developments on fishery limit matters. One of the points discussed was the recent incidents off Iceland and, following the meeting, the Associations and Unions concerned decided that a message should be sent to skippers of trawlers fishing off Iceland emphasising the importance of their observing their owners' present instructions not to fish within 12 miles of Iceland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the percentages of total supplies of beef and veal, mutton and lamb, and bacon and ham, respectively, which were home produced in each of the years 1957, 1958 and 1959.

The following table gives the information requested: