asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will make a statement on the present operation of British radio services beamed to the Middle East and on British television services in that area.

The Arabic, Persian and Hebrew services of the B.B.C. are specifically designed for, and direoted towards, Middle East territories. The General Overseas Service in English is also broadcast to the Middle East. I know of no British television services in that area, but the Official Information Services provide material to local television stations.

asked the Minister of Power how many coalminers are now certified to be suffering from pneumoconiosis; and if he has any plans to combat further the ravages of this disease.

The number is approximately 51,000. My right hon. Friend aims to make sure that research into the causes of the disease is pursued with vigour; that there are satisfactory arrangements for diagnosis and medical treatment; that suitable employment exists for men with the disease; and that the dust to which miners are exposed in the course of their work is reduced to a minimum.

asked the Minister of Power what is the total loss sustained by the National Coal Board on the export of coal during the current year.

It would not be proper for my right hon. Friend to disclose details of the current trading operations of the National Coal Board beyond the information given in the Board's published accounts.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how much of the proposed in-crease in retirement pensions he estimates will be absorbed by the increases in the cost of coal;(2) to what extent, when deciding the new level of retirement pensions, he took into account the present cost of coal.

Apart from the normal price change at the end of the summer reduction period, the increase in house coal prices is 6d. a cwt. and this, when fully taken into account on any reasonable estimate of consumption, is equivalent to only a very small part of the proposed pension increases of 7s. 6d. for a single person and 12s. 6d. for a married couple.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that many aged, needy people still attach the stigma of relief to National Assistance, and will not as a consequence seek relief even when in great need; and if he will remove this misapprehension by changing the words to Supplementary Pensions Benefit.

As I told the House on 27th July, 1959, the Board has already changed the description on its order-books and leaflets to "Supplement to pension or other weekly grant".

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much of the forthcoming 3s. 6d. increase in National Assistance scales for single pensioners he estimates will be needed on the average to cover the 1s. 8d. per hundred-weight rise in the cost of coal since October.

I think the hon. Member has misunderstood the position. All but 6d. a cwt. of the recent change in coal prices amounts to no more than the regular seasonal withdrawal of the summer reduction in coal prices. And, as the House knows, changes of this order in the price of particular commodities are well covered by the substantial advance in the standards of National Assistance which came into operation last autumn.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many cases occurred during the past 12 months from any convenient date of women being refused the maternity allowance payable under the National Insurance Scheme because they applied for it less than 14 weeks before the expected date of confinement.

I think my hon. and gallant Friend is under some misapprehension as to the position. This allowance is payable from the eleventh week before the expected week of confinement. Although an advance claim can be put in from the fourteenth week before the date of confinement, no benefit is lost unless the claimant fails to claim by the end of the week in respect of which she becomes eligible for the allowance. I regret that the number of claims in the past twelve months in which some benefit was lost because of lateness is not available.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the average waiting period for eye patients at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary after they have been told that they will be inpatients;(2) what is the number of people awaiting admission to the eye wards in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary.

The average waiting period is 9½ months and there are 477 on the waiting list.

asked the Minister of Health how much was contributed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the malaria eradication special account of the World Health Organisation during 1960; how much has been promised by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for 1961; and how much will be given by the United Kingdom.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in the period 1st January to 30th September, 1960, contributed in kind—not in currency—the equivalent of $250,000 to this account. The amount promised for 1961 is not known.As regards the last part of the Question, I have nothing to add to my predecessor's reply to the hon. Member on 28th March.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will in future submit independent memoranda containing the views of Her Majesty's Government direct to the Ten-Nation Committee on Disarmament, instead of submitting joint memoranda which, as shown in the Annexes to Command Paper No. 1152, have been prepared in collaboration with other Powers.

If the Ten-Power Committee meets again we shall submit memoranda either singly or jointly with other Powers, as seems best.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what proposals he will make to the Ten-Nation Committee on Disarmament for the establishment of an atom-free zone in Central Europe.

The Ten-Power Committee has not met since 27th June. Her Majesty's Government's attitude to proposals for atom-free zones remains unchanged.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the official discussions which took place between the United Kingdom representatives and Spanish representatives within the Trusteeship Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations in connection with the Spanish colonial territories in Africa.

There have been no such discussions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what contribution has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Algerian refugees fund; when the last payment was made; and, as the need for help is increasing daily, if he will consider making a further grant immediately.

Her Majesty's Government allocated £50,000 of their final contribution to the United Kingdom Committee for World Refugee Year for relief for refugees from Algeria. This final contribution was paid to the Committee on 3rd August. Her Majesty's Government have also given just under £13,000 to the League of Red Cross Societies for the purchase of edible oil for these refugees. Her Majesty's Government will carefully consider any appeal for aid to refugees from Algeria which may be made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the 182,000 holdings in England and Wales that are of less than 30 acres are situated in river board areas.

River and catchment board areas cover the whole of England and Wales except the County of London and a small adjoining area. All but a very small percentage of agricultural holdings are therefore included.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the foot-and-mouth disease situation, including the numbers of livestock slaughtered and the compensation payable.

Up to midnight yesterday 148 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease had been confirmed since 6th November. Of these 71 were in East Anglia, 21 in the North-East of England, 1 in Cumberland and 44 in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the circumstantial evidence collected by his Department that the recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease originated with infection brought by Argentine beef, he will notify the Argentine authorities that, as from an early date, consignments to this country will be accepted only from meat works which undertake to draw their supplies of cattle and sheep exclusively from districts declared free from foot-and-mouth disease.

There is no evidence as yet that the present series of outbreaks can be definitely attributed to infected South American meat. My right hon. Friend is advised that it would not be practicable to restrict imports in the way suggested by my hon. Friend. I would remind him, however, that meat imports from South America are only allowed from approved frigorificos which are inspected by the Department's veterinary officers in South America.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has considered the information, sent to his predecessor on 4th April, 1959, by the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight, concerning a method of providing immunity from foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he will consider instructing his Department to investigate thoroughly and to test the product used in such a method with a view to its possible use in the United Kingdom.

Foot-and-mouth disease is not endemic to this country, and the Government's policy is to use all practical safeguards against its introduction and to slaughter animals infected or in contact with the disease. It does not permit vaccination or other prophylactic measures, so I would see no advantage in investigation of this product.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of unemployed registered at the Barking Employment Exchange, Essex, at the latest convenient date; and if he will give the figures for the corresponding dates in 1948, 1950, 1955, and 1959.

On 14th November, 1960, the number was 263. The corresponding figures were: for 1948, 456; for 1950, 231; for 1955, 148 and for 1959, 310.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of young persons registered as unemployed at the employment exchanges, respectively, of Lanark, Carluke, Lesmahagow, East Kilbride, Larkhall, and Sanquhar at the latest convenient date; and what was the number of unfilled vacancies at each.

At 14th November, 1960, 30 young persons were registered as unemployed at Lanark, 18 at Larkhall and 34 at Rutherglen Youth Employment Offices and 15 at Sanquhar Employment Exchange. At 9th November, 1960, there were 14 notified vacancies remaining unfilled at Lanark, 22 at Larkhall, 59 at Rutherglen, and one at Sanquhar.Separate figures are available only for Sanquhar. Figures for Lanark and Carluke are combined under Lanark; those for Lesmahagow and Larkhall under Larkhall; those for East Kilbride are included under Rutherglen.

asked the Minister of Labour how many were registered as unemployed in the Cowdenbeath Employment Exchange area at the last count; and how this compares with the figures at the same time last year.

865 on 10th October compared with 994 on 12th October, 1959.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the ratio of boys under 18 years of age registered as wholly unemployed in the Cowdenbeath Employment Exchange area at the latest convenient date to the number of unfilled notified vacancies.

13 boys to three unfilled vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now make a statement on progress with call-up to the Forces under the National Service scheme.

It has already been announced that there will be no further call-up of men to the Forces under the National Service scheme after the end of this year. In fact, it has been found convenient to complete the arrangements during November. The men who received enlistment notices instructing them to join their units on 17th November are accordingly the last to be called up under the scheme, and no further enlistment notices will be issued.I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to all members of hardship committees, conscientious objector tribunals and others who have given advice and assistance in the human and industrial problems which call-up has inevitably raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how long cattle, infected with foot-and-mouth disease, were accommodated in the Marts at Aberdeen before Wednesday. 9th November.

Veterinary investigation indicates that infection was introduced into Aberdeen Market early on Thursday, 3rd November. Symptoms of the disease did not become apparent, however, until 9th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will appoint a committee to inquire into the status and responsibilities of the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow, with terms of reference sufficiently wide to allow the recommendation that the college be granted the status of a two-faculty, degree-granting technological university.

I would refer the hon. Member to the report in University Development 1952–57 (Cmnd. 534) of the University Grants Committee's consideration of the College's functions and status. I see no ground for any special inquiry at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that in Scotland there is widespread concern about the delay in the implementation of the recommendations of the Mackintosh Report on the law of succession, Command Paper No. 8144; if he will state the cause of this delay; when he intends to take stops to implement these recommendations; and whether he intends to do so singly or in one comprehensive measure.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply which I gave on 8th November to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for amending the law of rating and valuation in Scotland.

The Rating and Valuation Bill, introduced on Thursday, 17th November, extends only to England and Wales. The Government propose, however, that one of its main provisions, the full rating of industry and freight transport, should be applied to Scotland in 1963 or, if that proves impracticable, as soon thereafter as possible. Legislation to this effect will be introduced in due course. I also propose to consider, in the light of the outcome of the Scottish revaluation in 1961, whether any further amendments of the Scottish law of valuation and rating are required, and in particular whether there is any need in Scotland for a power to reduce the rateable value of dwellinghouses on the lines of that provided in the English Bill.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty when he received the communication sent to him by the hon. Member for Dunfermline Burghs concerning the losses to pension and gratuity rights incurred by an Admiralty employee at Her Majesty's Dockyard, Rosyth; when he will reply; and if he will take stops to end this hardship to a category of employees who have given long service to his Department.

The letter was received on 14th November. It raises a general point of principle affecting the Civil Service as a whole and is therefore a matter for my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to whom I have referred the correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) why the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes have opened a petrol-filling station at the Royal Air Force Station, Marham, and are selling petrol at less than retail prices;(2) what steps he proposes to take to stop the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes petrol-filling station at the Royal Air Force Station, Marham, from undercutting petrol prices and adversely affecting local garages.

N.A.A.F.I. were permitted to set up a petrol-filling station at Royal Air Force Station, Marham, because there was a demand from the Royal Air Force personnel there for petrol supplies to be more readily accessible. Service customers pay the full retail price for their petrol, but receive dividend stamp which they may cash at intervals. The issue of dividend stamps is a customary form of N.A.A.F.I. trading.

asked the Attorney-General what rules relating to statutory tribunals have been made under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958.

The Tribunals and Inquiries Act, 1958, did not confer any power to make rules of procedure, but before a Minister, or the Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland, makes or concurs in procedural rules for any of the tribunals mentioned in the First Schedule to that Act, or for any other tribunal added to the First Schedule by virtue of an Order made under Section 10 of the Act, he must consult the Council on Tribunals. This has been done in the case of the following rules:

• The Patents (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Designs (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Determination of Claims and Questions) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations, 1959.
• The Family Allowances (Determination of Claims and Questions) Regulations, 1959.
• The National Insurance (Non-Participation—Appeals and References) Regulations, 1959.
• The Lands Tribunal (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Performing Right Tribunal (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Scotland) (Amendment) Rules, 1959.
• The Agricultural Holdings (Specification of Forms) (Scotland) Instrument, 1960.
• The Mental Health Review Tribunal Rules, 1960.
• The Goods Vehicles (Licences and Prohibitions) Regulations, 1960.
• The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the recent intimidation of medical and agricultural teams, he is satisfied that there are sufficient police to safeguard law and order in Nyasaland.

Yes. The difficulties encountered by these teams arise from non-co-operation of the general population which sometimes, but not always, stems from intimidation. In cases where the teams have been hindered by physical intimidation the police have frequently been successful in arresting and securing the conviction of offenders.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) if he will ask for reports based upon samples of water taken from the River Trent at convenient points within the City of Stoke-on-Trent, and publish the results in the OFFICIAL REPORT;(2) if he will ask for reports based upon samples of water taken out of the River Irwell at convenient points before it enters the Manchester Ship Canal, and of the water in the Ship Canal at Barton, Eccles and Warrington; and if he will publish the results in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

River boards are required by Statute to make reports on conditions in the rivers and water courses within their jurisdiction. Copies are sent to my right hon. Friend and are placed in the Library of the House of Commons. I do not think it necessary to ask for supplementary reports.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will ask for reports on the effects of pollution of the Manchester Ship Canal from the Salford, Eccles, Stretford, Irlam, Urmston, and Warrington Rural District Councils and other authorities; if he will forward copies to all hon. Members who represent these areas; if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT his conclusions on the reports; and what action he proposes to take.

As their annual reports show, the river board are well aware of conditions in the Canal and are making continued efforts to have them remedied: in which they have the co-operation of the local authorities. I do not think there would be advantage in calling for special reports. A great deal of work to improve the quality of effluents draining into the Canal has been approved and is in hand.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he has considered the minutes and report of the meeting of representatives of local and other authorities held in the Manchester Town Hall on 30th June, 1960 at which his Department was represented; what conclusions he has reached; and what urgent action will be taken on the pollution of the Manchester Ship Canal, and the air pollution created by the increasingly offensive smells from the Ship Canal.

My right hon. Friend has seen a report of this meeting. It does not appear to add to the information already available about pollution of the Ship Canal. The remedial action required is primarily for the local authorities and industrial interests in consultation with the river board.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that the model standards for residential and holiday caravan sites laid down by him are being interpreted too rigidly by some local authorities, particularly as regards sanitary provision, and that a sufficient period is not always given for effecting improvements; and whether, in order to avoid undue hardship, he will give further guidance to local authorities on this matter.

The model standards are intended as a general guide, to be applied with discretion and in the light of particular circumstances; they should be used to bring the bad site up to a satisfactory standard, but not to penalise the site which is already satisfactory. Where further works are required, I should expect a reasonable period to be given for carrying them out.As regards holiday sites, the model standards apply only to those in continuous use, as distinct from occasional or week-end sites. I should hope that the standards for sanitary facilities on sites would be applied with due regard to the facilities likely to be provided within the caravans themselves.I have no reason to think that these points are not generally understood by local authorities, and there is of course a right of appeal to the magistrates in particular cases. I am however keeping the matter under review and will be prepared after a few months' more experience to issue further guidance to the local authorities should this seem to be required.

asked the Minister of Transport when the traffic survey for the Greater London area will be made; who will conduct the survey; and what are the terms of reference.

The traffic survey will be the joint responsibility of my Department and of the London County Council which is co-operating fully with me. A firm of consultants will be appointed to conduct the survey. The broad objective is to obtain the basic information on traffic in Greater London required to establish where new and improved roads should be provided for the County of London.The completion of the survey and full analysis of the results will probably take 18 months, but the planned programme of road improvements will not be held up meanwhile.

asked the Minister of Transport when it is expected that the widening and resurfacing, in its entire length, of Scotchman Lane, Morley, will be completed.

Work was completed earlier this year on widening and resurfacing about half the length of this road. A scheme has been agreed in principle for improving a further 600 yards, and land acquisition is proceeding. I understand that the county council has no proposals for the remaining length of about 400 yards, where the road is built up and the present surface is satisfactory.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones are on the waiting list in Falkirk; and how many of these it is expected will be connected by the end of 1960 and the end of 1961, respectively.

Excluding applications under inquiry or in course of being met, there are 82 people on the Falkirk waiting list. Thirty of these will be connected shortly and I hope to clear the other 52 within the next 12 months.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the waiting list for telephones in each telephone area in Great Britain and Northern Ireland at 30th September, 1960; what proportion this bore in each case to the total number of subscribers in the area; and by what date each area will reach the position in which requests for connection on a telephone can be put in hand immediately they are received.

I give the figures below.I cannot say when it will be possible for the connections of telephones to be put in hand immediately on request. Our ability to do this depends partly on the capital resources available and partly on the rate of demand for telephones which is now higher than ever before.