asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the Committee of Inquiry on Rural Transport; and whether he will make a statement.

The Committee hopes to present its report to me before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in studying vehicle noise, with a view to standardising tests and producing a suitable noise measuring instrument; and when he expects to be able to introduce regulations prescribing permissible noise levels for vehicles of various classes.

It is hoped that the British Standards Institution will complete, within the next few months, specifications for methods of vehicle noise measurement and for noise measuring instruments. When both these specifications are available it should be possible for suitable meters to be produced. I shall then be in a position to propose new regulations.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the names and positions of the civil servants who served on the Stedeford Committee which advised him on the reorganisation of the British Transport Commission, and of the witnesses who appeared before it; what were the committee's rules of procedure; whether it has now completed its work; whether all its recommendations have been sent to the British Transport Commission; and when he proposes to publish these recommendations together with the evidence upon which they are based.

As I explained to the House in a debate on 13th April, 1960, the Special Advisory Group was not set up as a formal committee. It had, therefore, no formal rules of procedure. The Group has now completed its work, each of its Recommendations having been sent simultaneously to the British Transport Commission and myself. The Ministry of Transport representative was a Deputy Secretary in the Department and the Treasury representative an Under Secretary.As regards publication of the Group's Recommendations, I have nothing to add to the statement which I made to the House on 13th April and the further statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary in the debate on 26th October.I do not think it would be proper to list the names of individual witnesses, but the greater part of the evidence taken by the Special Advisory Group came from members and officers of the British Transport Commission.

asked the Minister of Transport what capital sanctions he has recently given to the British Transport Commission in connection with the improvement of public transport in London.

The amount provisionally allocated to the L.T.E. within the limit on the B.T.C.'s capital investment for 1961 is £16 million; compared with £13 million for 1960. In addition, some expenditure by British Railways will be for the benefit of public transport in London.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will indicate the proportion of vehicles which, when submitted for test under the Vehicles Testing Scheme, have failed.

I do not expect to have country-wide figures based on the first six weeks of the Scheme until next month, but at the Ministry's testing station at Hendon nearly half the vehicles presented during this period have failed at the first test. Over half of those which failed have so far returned to Hendon for a re-test, and about 90 per cent. of these have passed. In the country as a whole, out of 70,000 vehicles tested during the last three weeks of September, 40 per cent. failed the initial test.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to make it obligatory for trolley drivers, covered by Section 6 of the Regulation of Railways Act, 1871, to report accidents to the police.

No. Such an obligation would place a stricter requirement on trolley bus drivers, in relation to the police, than is placed on drivers of other road vehicles. I am writing to my hon. Friend to explain the position.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce a scheme in this Session of Parliament for cheap travel facilities for pensioners in the London Transport area, as requested in the petition organised by the Needy Old-Age Pensioners' Coal and Food Fund Society, Manor Park, E.12, which was presented to the House of Commons on 23rd June, 1960.

No. The granting of travel concessions on British Railways and on the road and rail services of the London Transport Executive is a matter for the British Transport Commission.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the investigation being undertaken by the sub-committee of the Shipbuilding Advisory Committee concerning the future of the shipbuilding industry.

I am not yet able to add to my Answer of 26th October to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement about the progress of discussions for a nuclear-powered British merchant ship; and when he expects such a vessel to be launched.

As regards the first part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 26th October. A nuclear ship could be launched within two to three years of the placing of an order, but it would be a further two years or so before it would be in commission.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will arrange that future accounts of the British Transport Commission show, separately, the capital value of the assets used in connection with their shipping services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and also the annual profit from running these services.

No, I would prefer not to consider changes of this kind in the form of the Commission's accounts at the present juncture.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to be able to sanction the starting of work on the King's Lynn by-pass.

The recent traffic survey has shown that the eastern section from A.47 to A.149 deserves considerable priority, but I cannot yet say whether it can be included in the programme for the next three years. The trunk road section to the South is less urgent and I cannot forecast a starting date.

asked the Minister of Transport when he hopes to be able to begin work on providing a roundabout at Bullington Cross, Hampshire, at the junction of A.34 and A.303.

We hope to start work on this roundabout as soon as detailed drawings can be prepared and the necessary land acquired.

asked the Minister of Transport how much money has been spent over the last 10 years in constructing and altering roundabouts, some of which are already causing traffic congestion.

I regret that this information is not readily obtainable, but if my hon. Friend has any particular roundabout in mind I will gladly look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress he has to report on the building of a motorway from Hull to Liverpool via Huddersfield.

I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 1st June to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith). I cannot yet say when work on this project will start.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the congestion caused by single-line traffic in each carriageway of A.1 at Apex Corner, Hendon; and when the improvement of the roundabout there will be completed.

As part of the general improvement of the junction at Apex Corner, pedestrian subways are being built, and congestion is occurring in the northbound lane since the subway in that area has to be built through the existing carriageway. Work on this subway is at present scheduled to be complete by 21st March and on the whole roundabout by mid-April. I have authorised double-shift working to speed matters and I am exploring other measures to ease the situation.

asked the Minister of Transport when the proposed new bridge over the Usk river in Newport will be built.

If Parliament passes the Newport Corporation's Bill to provide for the bridge in the current Session, I hope to authorise the scheme in 1961–62. If I am satisfied with the details I have no doubt that the corporation will put the work in hand as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now name a date for the commencement of the trunk road improvement scheme in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I shall not be able to say when this scheme can be included in the programme until the preparatory work on it is much further advanced.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the improvement of Bowes Road is included in the three major improvement schemes proposed for the North Circular Road, listed in the official statement made on the 26th July.

No. The eastern end of the improvement scheme described in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 26th July, 1960, as Bowes Road to Great North Way is at the junction of Bowes Road and Wilmer Way, B.1452.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give priority to constructing that section of the proposed North Orbital Road which forms a by-pass to Rickmansworth.

Planning of the North Orbital Road in this area is not sufficiently advanced to determine dates of construction. In any event I could not regard this section as having high priority in relation to many other urgent schemes throughout the country.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals have so far been made by the London Traffic Management Unit for the improvement of traffic conditions in London; and when if is intended they will be carried out.

The London Traffic Management Unit has been engaged in preparing a number of major schemes for improving London traffic. I expect to be able to announce some of them shortly. Many other less important traffic schemes have also been prepared and have been put into effect. In addition, the Unit has undertaken the examination of the increasing number of parking meter schemes submitted to me by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport what conclusions he has drawn from observations of the effect of the experimental traffic signals at Gants Hill roundabout, Ilford.

These signals are reducing delays at peak periods. The Road Research Laboratory experiment is still going on and any further adjustments to the signals which may prove desirable should lead to even better results.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the outcome of his review of traffic conditions and road safety since the closure of the gaps in the central reservation in Eastern Avenue, Ilford, between Gants Hill and Ley Street; and what changes he proposes to make in the regulation of traffic along that stretch of arterial road running through a residential area.

There has been a reduction in accidents since these gaps were closed but experience over a longer period is desirable. No further changes are proposed for the time being.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the dangerous traffic conditions and serious congestion on A.337 at Highcliffe, that a scheme for diverting 78 per cent. of the traffic away from the shopping centre has been prepared, but that no grant has yet been made by his Department towards the carrying out of this proposal; and when he proposes to make such a grant.

I am told that serious congestion on A.337 occurs only at peak periods during the summer. A diversion to relieve Highcliffe's shopping centre of traffic is included in the county development plan, but the county council has not yet made application for grant for it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now announce the revision of the basis for estimating future traffic volumes laid down in Circular 727 of 30th April, 1956.

This will be included in a general circular on the design of roads in rural areas about which we hope to consult the local authorities' associations in the near future.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the provision of parking garages by a number of local authorities is being delayed because of the expectation that the Government will subsidise their construction; and whether, in these circumstances, he will make a statement to clarify the position and, at the same time, take action to assist local authorities to expedite their plans in this field.

No. As I have said on a number of occasions, the Government have no intention of subsidising the construction of garages, because they regard the provision of off-street parking as a local authority responsibility and a field for private enterprise. I am, of course, willing to assist local authorities with their proposals and to consider sympathetically applications for loan sanction and compulsory purchase orders.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement about the proposed Victoria line and other measures to meet the increased overcrowding of the Underground at rush hour, revealed by the figures recently issued by London Transport in their census of passengers and vehicles entering the West End and City of London, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Chigwell.

Orders recently placed by London Transport for the new "silver" passenger stock bring the total number of underground cars now ordered, or in course of delivery, to nearly 1,700 and to a total value of more than £30 million. With their greater carrying capacity they will provide a marked improvement in travelling conditions on the Central, Piccadilly and Metropolitan Lines. The campaign for the staggering of office hours continues, and I hope that it will be carried much further. I am not in a position to make a statement about the proposed Victoria Line at the moment.

asked the Minister of Defence what facilities are to be provided in Scottish ports for tendering United States Polaris submarines.

The facilities to be provided are moorings in the Holy Loch itself, some logistic support and liaison arrangements with the Royal Navy, and the provision of land and buildings on a very limited scale.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent the decision to establish the Polaris base at Holy Loch will increase defence expenditure.

If any costs fall on the United Kingdom they are likely to be very small.

asked the Minister of Defence what would be the additional cost of removing the anomaly whereby widows of officers of the Services and their children receive different rates of pension depending on whether the officer died before 4th November, 1958; and whether he will now arrange to pay all such pensions at the 1960 pension rates.

I am afraid that I cannot agree that there is any anomaly. Much as I should like to help, I am afraid that I cannot depart from the usual practice, which is not to apply the terms of a new Pension Code to those already on pension at the time of its introduction. The direct cost of adopting my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion would be about £350,000. The indirect cost would be far greater. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "No."

asked the Minister of Defence what proposals have been received for the training of Congolese cadets at military establishments in the United Kingdom; and with what result.

In July, Her Majesty's Government were asked by the Congolese authorities to accept some 50 cadets for training in this country. With the agreement of the United Nations authorities, we undertook to meet this request as part of our contribution to the United Nations' effort in the Congo. Subsequently, the United Nations Secretary-General asked us to postpone the arrangements which had been made, and we did so.

asked the Minister of Defence what impact on recruiting generally has been made by advertising or television.

I am much encouraged by the results so far achieved. These show that, in areas where the campaign has been tried out, there has been an appreciable increase in the rate of Regular recruiting.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the present position with regard to the provision of surface-to-air guided weapons for the Armed Forces; and what efforts to achieve weapon standardisation have been made.

The plan is to equip the Royal Navy with Seaslug for the defence of the Fleet; the Army with Thunderbird for its defence in the field; and the R.A.F. with Bloodhound for the defence of fixed bases. Seaslug will be fitted to the guided missile destroyers now under construction. Thunderbird Mark I is already in service with the Army and Bloodhound Mark I with the R.A.F. A decision has now been taken to place orders for the Mark 2 versions of both weapons.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the number of retired officers of the three Armed Services, including the Indian Armed Services, in receipt of retired pay; and how many of them retired before the 1939–45 war.

About 50,000, of whom some 8,700 retired before the 1939–45 war.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in talks with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning permission being granted to Mrs. Natasha Whitehead to visit the United Kingdom in connection with her divorce proceedings.

Miss Natasha Vasbor, also known as Mrs. Whitehead, wishes to leave the Soviet Union and come to this country to appeal against the Decree of Nullity granted to Mr. Whitehead in an English Divorce Court in 1950. So far, despite many approaches which we have made, the Soviet authorities have not granted her the necessary exit permit.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how the British delegate on the Steering Committee of the United Nations voted on the motion that the question of Oman should be placed on the agenda of the General Assembly; and which delegates voted for the motion, which against, and which abstained.

The United Kingdom Representative, together with the Representative of France, opposed inscription. The motion was supported by the Representatives of Bulgaria, Ceylon, Costa Rica, Haiti, Iraq, Japan, Libya, Pakistan, Panama, Roumania, Soviet Union, Sudan, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Representatives of Canada, Italy, China and the United States abstained.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) whether he is aware that, whilst Great Britain is operating a complete ban on the granting of travel permits and documents for East Germans to visit this country to discuss trade matters, the West Germans are permitting these same businessmen to travel freely to West Germany to discuss the same trade matters, to the financial detriment of British business firms; and whether he will make a statement of Government policy in this matter;(2) whether he is aware that the present travel restrictions which Her Majesty's Government are operating against East Germans visiting this country are not being carried out by the rest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries; and whether he will therefore end this restriction on travel.

I gave a full explanation of the position in my speech in the House on 4th November, to which I would refer the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of the fact that the Federal Government of Germany are encouraging travel between East and West German businessmen whilst the Tripartite commission are insisting that other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, such as Great Britain, must enforce a travel ban on East Germans visiting Great Britain, if he will instruct the United Kingdom member of the Commission to arrange for further discussion of this matter with a view to reconciling the action being taken.

I gave a full explanation of the position in my speech in the House on 4th November, to which I would refer the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the increasing anxiety in Central West Fife concerning the employment opportunities available, especially to young people; and what steps are being taken by his Department to alleviate the problem.

The area is scheduled as a development district under the Local Employment Act. My officers and the youth employment officers in the area are doing all they can to help adults and young people who are seeking work.

asked the Minister of Labour how many industrial undertakings in the county of Durham have informed his Department that it is their policy to increase substantially their intake of boys into skilled occupations during 1961, 1962, and 1963.

The Industrial Training Council informs me that many firms have made plans for expansion of intake, but I have no separate information for the Durham area.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment situation in Dundee, with particular reference to the jute industry and the refrigerator industry.

On 10th October, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,809 workers registered as unemployed in Dundee, and in the Dundee and Broughty Ferry area as a whole 2,908, representing a percentage rate of 3·3. There is a small amount of redundancy and short time working in the jute industry in Dundee which may increase. I am informed that a refrigerator firm in Dundee will also be introducing short time working in the near future.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of unemployed, male and female, in the Gateshead district at the most recent date, together with the figures expressed in percentage rates of unemployment.

At 10th October, there were 1,393 males and 395 females, 2·8 per cent. and 1·8 per cent. respectively, registered as unemployed at employment exchanges and youth employment offices in Gateshead, Blaydon and Felling.

asked the Secretary of State for War what facilities have been provided during the last 12 months for training in Great Britain, or with British units abroad, of paratroops or other military forces of the Union of South Africa.

During the past year seven South African Officers and three Other Ranks have attended Army courses in the United Kingdom and British Army of the Rhine, in addition to those who are being trained at the Royal Air Force Parachute School, and to whom my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air referred in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade) on 26th October. 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for War what agreements he has entered into with the Union of South Africa providing for the training during 1961 of South African military units in Great Britain or with British forces abroad.

These arrangements run in financial years. No training has so far been arranged to take place after 31st March, 1961.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Dorset Territorials will become redundant on the amalgamation of the Dorset Yeomanry and West Somerset Yeomanry, whose proposed headquarters are to be at Yeovil.

These figures will not to be known until the re-organisation of the Territorial Army is further advanced. I appreciate the concern of my hon. Friend and other hon. Members, and I shall make the information available as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give sympathetic consideration to the question of allowing old people who have retired from work concessionary rates for wireless and television licences.

I have given consideration to this suggestion but I am sorry I am unable to adopt it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has had his attention drawn to recent complaints about delays experienced in making telephone calls to Ireland and other places; and what steps he intends to take in order to mitigate this state of affairs in the near future.

Yes. I am sorry about these delays which are due to recruitment difficulties in some places, and to unexpectedly rapid growth of traffic. I am doing all I can to improve the service. As regards the particular case mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend more lines to Ireland are being provided.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has re-examined the system of rental charges in remote areas; and if he will take steps to reduce these charges which involve a total quarterly payment of £6 10s. for an essential telephone 16 furlongs outside the 3-mile area.

I have looked at this problem on several occasions but, as the present charges barely cover the cost of keeping these telephones in working order and make no contribution to their heavy initial cost, I am afraid I cannot agree to reduce the charges.

asked the Postmaster-General why the number of no pick-up telephone calls is increasing in the central areas of London; and what steps he is taking, either by way of new plant or improved maintenance, to reduce the number.

Normally these failures are very infrequent, but the abnormally wet weather of recent months has had its effect on the cables. These are being put right as quickly as possible and I believe that my hon. Friend will see an improvement.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the widespread use of postal orders as gifts, what plans he has for making them more attractive for this purpose.

Yes. I intend to introduce special folders to hold postal orders sent as gifts. There will be four different designs on sale at post offices from 23rd November onwards. Each folder will cost 4d. including an envelope.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, whether he will make a statement on the discussions taking place between the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and representatives of his Department and the shipbuilding industry.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave last week to the hon. Members for Edmonton (Mr. Albu) and Govan (Mr. Rankin) and to the hon. Member for Tynemouth.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of retired civil servants of the executive and administrative classes in receipt of pensions; and how many of them retired before the 1939–45 war.

The estimated figures are about 30,000 and 1,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds Mr. T. S. Mbriwa, a Member of the Legislative Council of Sierra Leone, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment.

Mr. T. S. Mbriwa was convicted under Section 15 of the Sierra Leone Tribal Authorities Ordinance for attempting to undermine the lawful power and authority of a Paramount Chief. This Section reads:

"Any person who shall conspire against or in any manner attempt to undermine the lawful power and authority of any chief or tribal authority shall be guilty of an offence. Provided that no person shall be prosecuted under this section without the prior consent of the Governor."

asked the Minister of Health what guidance he, in conjunction with the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, has given, or proposes to give, by way of a joint circular to local authorities, on matters relating to accommodation services for elderly people, with special reference to the combination of residential accommodation under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948, with the provision of specially designed local authority built houses or flats for elderly people who require only limited supervision.

My right hon. Friends are preparing a joint circular for issue to housing and to local health and welfare authorities. It will deal with ways in which they can work together, in co-operation with the voluntary organisations, to promote the health and welfare of old people, and will include guidance on the matters mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many building operatives, and what percentage of the total building labour force, were employed by local authorities in 1951 and 1959, respectively.

In 1951, local authorities in Great Britain employed 162,000 building operatives, constituting 11·4 per cent. of the total building labour force. The corresponding figures for 1959 were 183,000 and 12·8 per cent., respectively. The increase in the 1959 percentage is however misleading because the count of the total labour force included in 1951, but did not include in 1959, persons employed by firms and other bodies whose main activity was not construction. On new house-building local authorities in England and Wales employed 17,500 operatives in 1951 and 13,700 in 1959, representing 8·2 per cent. and 5·2 per cent., respectively, of the total labour force employed on such work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now announce his decision regarding representations made to him by the Middlesex County Council for alterations of electoral divisions in the borough of Enfield, which were the subject of a public inquiry held before his inspector at Enfield on 26th January, 1960.

The Middlesex County Council has been informed that I regret that I do not feel justified in making an order to give effect to its representation for an alteration of the boundaries of two county electoral divisions within the borough of Enfield.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions of employers who failed to notify the court of men in respect of whom attachment orders were in force leaving their employ have been undertaken since the coming into effect of the Maintenance Orders Act, 1958.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Maintenance Orders Act, 1958, so that the responsibilty of prosecuting an employer who fails to notify the court when a man, in respect of whom an attachment order is in force, leaves his employ be placed on a Government Department.

I am aware that there is some doubt as to who should prosecute in such cases. I do not think that it would be appropriate to place this responsibility on a Government Department, but I am having the question studied further.