asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates would be the gross value which an estate would need to reach today to yield the same purchasing power after payment of Estate Duty as was yielded in 1938, also after payment of Estate Duty, by estates valued at £5,000, £50,000, £100,000, and £150,000, respectively.

About £15,000, £350,000, £920,000 and £1,650,000, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions he has reached upon the official proposal to introduce a decimal currency system.

My right hon. and learned Friend is still studying this question but he has no announcement to make at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has given his consent to the immediate issue by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency of its fixed interest bearing stocks to the public whilst the Bank Rate is 5½ per cent. instead of waiting for a lower Bank Rate when higher prices would be obtainable; and whether he will make a statement.

So long as the Government is a long-term borrower it has to pay the prevailing rate for money. It makes little or no financial difference to the Exchequer whether it does this by issuing securities of its own on appropriate terms or by selling at their current market price other securities which it already owns.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in each year from 1948 to 1960 the cost to the Exchequer of the Income Tax relief in respect of National Insurance contributions.

The estimated amount of tax relief to insured persons on their own National Insurance contributions is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, for the latest convenient period, he will state the cost of reduction of insurance contributions and their relation to the individual's liability where Income Tax relief is given on National Insurance contributions, and similarly in respect of individuals who do not qualify for Income Tax relief; and if he will calculate the figures on weekly contributions.

I am not clear what my hon. Friend has in mind, but if she will write to me I will see if I can provide the information she wants.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a statement on the salaries of the lower judiciary, following the increases, announced on 6th August, for certain grades in the higher Civil Service.

Yes. The Government have agreed that comparable increases in salaries should be awarded to those members of the lower Judiciary and to certain officers of the Supreme Court on corresponding salary levels.2. The increases are comparably applied to salaries up to £4,100. The effective date is the same as for posts at corresponding levels in the Civil Service, except for Metropolitan Magistrates. Their salary changes must, under the Judicial Offices (Salaries and Pensions) Act, 1957, be effected by Order subject to affirmative Resolution in both Houses of Parliament and the increase must be from the date of the Order. A draft Order was laid before both Houses of Parliament on 1st November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will assist employment in the motor industry, between now and April, by reducing Purchase Tax.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. and learned Friend said on this question when, together with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, he met representatives of the industry on 26th October. On that occasion my right hon. and learned Friend stated in regard to Purchase Tax that it constituted such an important element in the national revenue that any change could only be considered in relation to broad and long term fiscal objectives. Having regard to all the considerations which were in his mind, he did not believe that a change in Purchase Tax should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the repeated and recently expressed opinions of High Court fudges that robbery with violence is a crime for which flogging would not be out of place, he will introduce legislation to make this possible; and whether he will make a statement.

I accept the conclusion of my Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders in its report, which was presented to Parliament on 14th November, that the re-introduction of corporal punishment as a judicial penalty would not be justified. I will be dealing with this matter when introducing the Criminal Justice Bill on its Second Reading today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Police on the noise measuring device which was recently made available to them by the Noise Abatement Society.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that tests have been carried out with the instrument. The Commissioner does not consider that the use of an instrument of this kind would assist the police to enforce the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take on the Ingleby Report on Children and Young Persons.

The Criminal Justice Bill deals with a considerable number of those recommendations of the Ingleby Committee which are within the scope of the Bill and which the Government are ready to accept. My right hon. Friend is considering, in consultation with the organisations principally concerned, what action should be taken on the remainder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made for girls from the north of England who are committed to a period of borstal training, after the closure of the girls' borstal at Durham Prison.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the Written Answer given on 10th November to the hon. Member for Durham (Mr. Grey).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the magistrates at a Bristol juvenile court recently apologised to parents for sending their son of 16 years of age to prison to await committal for borstal training at the next quarter sessions because there was nowhere else to send him; and what steps he is taking to provide suitable accommodation for cases of this character.

I am aware that there is widespread concern about the lack of remand centres to which young persons can be committed. I share that concern, and progress is being made with the provision of remand centres. I cannot at present say when a centre will be available for the South-West.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that two pedestrians have been knocked down by vehicles recently in Whitton Avenue, on the boundary between Wembley and Ealing; and if he will state the causes of these accidents.

I have ascertained that the police are aware of three cases in the past month in which pedestrians were knocked down by vehicles in this road. In two cases the pedestrians received fatal injuries. I am not in a position to state the causes of the accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent the Government of Northern Ireland from holding people in custody beyond 24th December next, unless they are charged with an offence against the law as established at the time of their arrest.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is proposing to take to restrict the possession of firearms, in view of the increasing number of armed robberies.

No national figures for robberies with firearms are available. Under the existing law no person may possess a firearm, other than a shotgun or air weapon, without holding a firearm certificate issued by the police. This control is very strictly applied, and my right hon. Friend is watching the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the sale in sweet shops of confections containing as much as 11·7 proof spirit; and if he will consider the introduction of a provision in his proposed Licensing Bill which will make this practice illegal.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given today to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, West (Mrs. McLaughlin) and the hon. Members for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mrs. Slater) and Swindon (Mr. F. Noel-Baker).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that magistrates in Leeds have recently complained that there have been no places in remand homes for juveniles; and how soon he expects to remedy this situation.

My right hon. Friend is aware that there has been pressure on remand home accommodation in the Leeds area and he has had the position under review in consultation with the responsible local authorities. A new remand home in the West Riding is expected to be available early next year and plans have been approved in principle for the replacement by larger buildings of three existing homes in Leeds, Sheffield and County Durham. The opening this month of a new approved school for girls will also, I hope, ease the situation by reducing waiting time in the remand homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what authority the Metropolitan Police permit a person believed to be entitled to diplomatic privileges to leave his car hearing the CD plates in a restricted area, contrary to the laws on parking.

Persons entitled to diplomatic privilege are not amenable to criminal process. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that the police endeavour to secure the co-operation of such persons in avoiding obstruction and in complying with the parking regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what discussions he is having with the Government of Southrn Rhodesia to ensure that the Southern Rhodesian delegation to the forthcoming Federal Constitutional Review Conference is fully representative of local opinion, in view of Her Majesty's Government's overriding constitutional authority for the Federation and for Southern Rhodesia.

Article 99 of the Federal Constitution, which was establishd by this House, provides that the delegations to the Review Conference shall be chosen by their respective Governments. The composition of the Southern Rhodesia delegation is thus a matter for the Southern Rhodesia Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many United Kingdom citizens and British protected persons, respectively, have been arrested in Southern Rhodesia under the Vagrancy Act.

477, of whom 443 were subsequently released or asked to be repatriated.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when he proposes continuing discussions with the Southern Rhodesian Government about the reform of the Southern Rhodesian Constitution.

At his suggestion, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia is coming to London a week before the opening of the Federal Review Conference so as to have informal talks with me about the Constitution of his territory

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what aid is being given to the Government of Pakistan to assist relief work following the recent cyclone in East Pakistan.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave on 10th November to a Question by the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison).

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will initiate talks with the Government of Pakistan regarding the desirability of ensuring regular supplies of raw jute from Pakistan to the United Kingdom at stable prices.

The recent shortage of supplies and high prices were due to the failure of the early rains and other reasons which could not have been obviated by any action by Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will invite representatives of Commonwealth countries to a Commonwealth Conference to consider the subject of human rights and liberties, having regard to the fact that new member countries have now joined the Commonwealth.

There are no plans for any special meeting on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many British protected persons from Basutoland were killed or injured in the shooting at Sharpeville; and what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to press for compensation from the Government of the Union of South Africa on behalf of the victims or their relatives.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to a similar Question from the hon. and learned Member for West Ham, South on 10th November.

asked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Wolfenden Committee on Sport and the Community, recently published by the Central Council of Physical Recreation; and what steps he intends to take to implement the proposals contained therein.

Yes. I have nothing at present to add to my right hon. Friend's observations on this subject during the debate on the Address on 7th November.

asked the Minister of Education how many school children who were due to leave school at the end of the summer term returned to school after the holidays; and for what reason.

This information could not be obtained without a great deal of detailed inquiry.

asked the Minister of Education what were his reasons for refusing the Staffordshire County Education Committee permission to purchase sites in connection with school building in 1958, particularly in view of the increase in the value of the sites for which permission for purchase has now been granted; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot trace any refusal by my Department to approve the purchase of school sites in Staffordshire in 1958.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement with regard to the visit of a deputation from the Cornwall Education Committee to his Department to discuss the cuts in the Cornwall school building programme for 1962–63.

Officers of my Department had a useful discussion with the deputation about future building requirements in Cornwall. They informed the authority's representatives that my right hon. Friend could hold out no prospect of increasing the 1962–63 programme. They explained however that the projects already announced for 1963–64 and 1964–65 were not necessarily the complete programmes for those years. Consultations will continue about other projects which the authority wish to undertake.

asked the Minister of Education what is the incidence of verucca amongst schoolchildren; and if he will make a statement.

This subject is discussed in the forthcoming report of the Ministry's Chief Medical Officer for 1958 and 1959, but no national statistics on the incidence of verucca amongst schoolchildren are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet reconsidered the future of his Department's Research Establishment at Greyhope Road; and, in view of its successful services in the field of food dehydration and otherwise, if he will now allow the expert staff employed there to continue the use of the elaborate and expensive apparatus installed there.

I see no reason to alter the decision already announced that the development work at Aberdeen will, by the 31st March, 1961, have reached a stage at which private enterprise should take over. The considerable interest which a number of firms are showing in the process evolved at Aberdeen confirms this conclusion. There is good reason to hope that private firms or organisations will be interested in taking over the Premises and equipment to exploit the accelerated freeze drying process. Inquiries for the use of the factory are about to be invited by public advertisement. Meanwhile, I am considering whether alternative arrangements can be made for continuing the fundamental research work which is at present in progress at Greyhope Road.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the case of a baker who was fined for giving his customer more bread than he paid for; and if he will take steps to amend the law so as to restrict its application to persons who give short measure to their customers.

The public must be protected and the basis of the present system is to require bread to be sold in specified weights which can easily be recognised by the housewife. That may mean occasionally that a baker with a loaf which does not conform to the specified weights commits an offence. The Weights and Measures Bill now before Parliament will, in fact, continue the present requirement, and if the hon. Member so wishes he may like to take up the matter when that comes before the House. Meantime, I should not feel justified in altering this long-standing provision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the Fleck Committee report; and when this Report will be published.

The Chairman of the Committee has promised that the Report will be presented to Ministers before the end of the year. It will be published as soon as possible after it has been received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many scientists are employed by him in studying the causes of foot-and-mouth disease; and what is the annual cost.

My Ministry does not employ scientists on research into foot-and-mouth disease. At the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Institute at Pirbright, however, which is supported from Government funds through the Agricultural Research Council, 40 scientists and 158 supporting staff are so engaged. In the current financial year, the cost of this research will be about £300,000, excluding capital expenditure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will stop the proposed building by Rootes of a motor factory in Scotland, in view of the difficult situation of the industry in Coventry.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will relax existing hire purchase restrictions between now and next April, in order to assist employment in the motor industry.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already said, these restrictions will be eased as soon as the Government judge it safe to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the provisional October trade return figures released by his Department on 14th November.

The October trade figures were affected by the strike of tally clerks at the London Docks. It is not known how big the effect was, but it is thought that it was larger on exports than on imports. The distortion of the figures will probably continue, and this will make interpretation difficult for the next month or two.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what stage has been reached in his further negotiations with the United States Government on the matter of tariff barriers adversely affecting the export of British woollen cloth to the United States of America.

There has been no opportunity yet for further negotiations.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of increases in National Insurance contributions since 1951, the ratio of increases between employers' and employees' contributions and the amount of money collected from such increases in contributions; and what is his estimate of the new total increase in contributions in the proposed legislation on the subject.

So far as the information asked for in the first part of the Question is concerned, "Yes." As regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the Government Actuary's Report (Cmnd. 1197) on the Bill now before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware that in many districts there is short supply of household coal; and if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board to ensure adequate supplies of coal during the winter months.

Because of exceptionally high sales during the summer, merchants began the coal winter with lower stocks than usual. The National Coal Board is already taking special steps to meet requirements.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the total number of people gainfully employed, the number of people belonging to trades unions, and the number of trade unionists who contracted out of paying the political levy, at the nearest convenient date.

At the end of December, 1959, about 22,550,000 people were gainfully employed and about 9,600,000 belonged to trade unions. The Report of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies for 1959 states that trade unions which collected contributions to political funds had 7,688,000 members, of whom 917,000 had "contracted out" of paying the political levy.

asked the Minister of Transport what modifications have been made to the contract documents for the 26-mile length of the Birmingham-Preston motorway between Preston and Warrington which should make possible a substantial reduction in the cost of the eventual motorway without any reduction in standards; and why these modifications were not incorporated in the contract documents when originally drawn up.

The vertical alignment of the motorway has been altered in places to reduce to a minimum excavation of material that would be unsuitable for use in embankments; the drainage system has been modified to reduce the amount of expensive piping, whilst still catering fully for the expected rainfall; and the earthworks quantities have been adjusted to take account of a revised assessment of the proportion of excavated material likely to be suitable for use in embankments. Considerable saving is also expected in the cost of additional filling material in the light of later information.The line of the motorway involves some very difficult engineering problems because of the soil conditions and the climate in Lancashire. While some of the changes which have been made might possibly have been made earlier most of them resulted from the very full investigation of the contract details carried out by my Department, the county council and the Road Research Laboratory which took account of the longer contract period now proposed.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether, in order to provide an up-to-date guide for highway authorities, he will revise Design and Layout of Roads in Built-up Areas, published by his Department in 1946;(2) to what standards highway authorities are working for urban road development corresponding to those contained in Circular 727 for rural roads.

It is not practicable in urban areas to work to standards precisely corresponding to those prescribed for roads in rural areas in Circular 727. In general, highway authorities in urban areas have regard to the recommendations in the Report on the Design and Layout of Roads in Built-up Areas, varying their application of them as local circumstances may require.As indicated in my reply of 9th November to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner), the standards for roads in rural areas are being revised and I hope to be in a position to issue a revised circular to highway authorities before long. Thereafter the recommendations in the Report on Design and Layout of Roads in Built-up Areas will be reviewed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the improvement in the flow of traffic, at least in off-peak hours, which has occurred in Park Lane and the East Carriage Drive, Hyde Park, following the introduction of one-way working; and what plans he has for further one-way working in Greater London.

Yes. A number of schemes involving one-way working are at present being worked out by the London Traffic Management Unit. I expect to be able to announce some of them shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what special arrangements he proposes for dealing with traffic in Central London this Christmas.

This year's Pink Zone scheme will start on 28th November. Its object will be to keep traffic moving and so help motorists and shoppers. The scheme is an improved version of last year's.The Zone will be extended to cover the Victoria area and access routes into the Zone particularly through the City will be given special attention.Apart from the 4,600 parking meters which will be available (there were only 1,100 last Christmas), 20 temporary car parks will be provided free. There will be about 50 per cent. more car-spaces than last year in the car-parks most convenient for shoppers. They will be open each weekday from 10 a.m. to midnight (with one exception). Last Christmas all car-parks closed by 10 p.m.At important or difficult junctions in or leading to the Zone there will be yellow line markings on the carriageway. Here, no waiting, loading or unloading will be permitted between 8.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 1.30 p.m. (on Saturdays).Waiting restrictions will extend until 10 p.m., on Mondays to Saturdays inclusive in the decorated streets—Oxford Street, Regent Street, New Bond Street and Old Bond Street, and except at meter bays in the first 100 yards of any street leading off these streets. The extension to 10 p.m. will also apply to the following streets (but not to streets leading off them): Piccadilly (east of Bond Street), Piccadilly Circus, Coventry Street, Leicester Square (north side), Cranbourn Street, Charing Cross Road (south of Great Newport Street), St. Martin's Place and Trafalgar Square.Information will be given to the public in leaflets and posters, copies of which I am placing in the Library.I take this opportunity of thanking all authorities and organisations who have co-operated to make the scheme possible.