asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when Scottish university awards will be increased to the level of those now obtaining in England and Wales by applying the system of standard figures of maintenance as recommended by the Anderson Committee.

The Government have not completed their consideration of a number of the Committee's recommendations, but a statement will be made as soon as possible.

Would my right hon. Friend agree that students and parents in Scotland would be justified in awaiting this future statement in a mood of optimistic expectancy?

Far be it from me to forecast decisions not yet taken, but I have much sympathy with the point which my hon. Friend has in mind.

Will the Minister bear in mind the need for more generous treatment for Scottish students who, for academic reasons, pursue their courses at universities outside Scotland?

I am well aware of the point, but I think it necessary for it to be dealt with in the context of the Report as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions are to be made in the specifications for the approach and other roads in connection with the new Forth Bridge to facilitate safe driving during conditions of low visibility; and whether there are to be reflecting studs, reflecting kerbs and all safeguards against accident.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland on 15th November.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that this matter is important enough to set up a committee to consider the provision of lighting for this bridge so that we can give a lead to the world? So far the replies given do not seem to me to have been satisfactory. May I further ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will make a statement concerning what form of prevention of accidents is to be taken on this bridge?

I fully respect the right hon. Gentleman's enthusiasm in this very good cause, but, on the question of reflecting kerbs, I think he knows that we are carrying out experiments with a number of different types and that the specification is sufficiently flexible for us to have the best kind when all the experiments are completed.

The right hon. Gentleman is limiting his reply to something which happened on previous Questions. I am asking about a much wider point—what protection is to be given to a driver crossing this bridge at night in fog conditions and what kind of lighting is to be used?

I will certainly consider whether at some time I can make a fuller statement about exactly what is being done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now prepared a plan for dealing with the teacher shortage in Scottish schools.

I propose to continue measures which have proved successful in recent years in encouraging recruitment to the teaching profession, and also to seek to attract more married women teachers back into service.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the widespread fear in Scotland that his new plan will be a retrograde step, as it proposes to replace quality with maturity as an entrance qualification for the teaching profession? If that be so, does he realise that it is bound to lower educational standards, to reduce the status of teachers and to do great harm to the nation at large? Can the right hon. Gentleman give any assurances to the contrary?

I repeat what I have said about this—that I have not made any proposals at this stage. A review of the training regulations is overdue and I have circulated, as a basis for discussion with the bodies particularly concerned, a memorandum which raises the questions which must be considered in this comprehensive review, and I must await comments.

Before the right hon. Gentleman makes any firm decisions on this question, will he take care to read a report, which, we understand, will be issued this week, on recommendations to increase the strength of the police force? If he regards the teacher as a person as important in the community as a policeman, will he take steps to increase the numbers of teachers comparable to those it is contemplated taking to increase the number of policemen?

Doubtless, I will read many things to be published later this week, but I point out and emphasise that the number entering training has increased substantially in recent years and by no less than 40 per cent. in the last four years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the difference between Scotland and England in the law relating to the adoption of children, namely, that in Scotland adopted children are not entitled as of right, as they are in England, to inherit property on the intestacy of their adopted parents is an anomaly which inflicts hardship on adopted children in Scotland and which has been under consideration by Her Majesty's Government for many months with a view to its removal, if he can now state when he proposes to remove it.

The succession rights of adopted children must be considered along with other aspects of the law of intestate succession in Scotland, but I have already indicated in reply to earlier Questions that I can give no undertaking to introduce a Bill on succession during the current Session of Parliament.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think it invidious that Scottish children should be deprived of rights which English children enjoy in similar circumstances? If there is a specific objection to this amendment of the law, will the Secretary of State, in justice to the children of Scotland, specify what the objections are?

The hon. and learned Gentleman knows that this is a complex question and one has to be very careful in making changes in something which has existed for a great many years. We had intended to do something last Session, but, for good reasons, as the hon. and learned Gentleman knows—because of the very full discussion which went on in Committee on another very important Bill—time was not available. I cannot undertake to say when time will be available.

When the right hon. Gentleman promised in the Queen's Speech before last that he would introduce a Bill to reform the law of succession, he must have had the time factor in mind—or was he quite irresponsible when he made that promise?

The hon. Gentleman must know that it is not always possible to be dead accurate in one's estimate of how long individual Bills will take to get through the Scottish Standing Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the advances made in the development of the stern fishing factory trawler; and what further steps he now plans towards increasing the number of such trawlers.

Three stern fishing factory trawlers are at present fishing from British ports. Further development of this type of vessel is primarily a matter for the fishing industry.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that this is a very important modernisation which should be encouraged energetically in the interests of not only the fishing industry but the consumers of fish in this country?

These ships are undoubtedly very interesting but, as the hon. and learned Member knows, other interesting developments of a comparable kind are taking place, although on somewhat smaller ships. The industry must be allowed to continue experimenting and we will all watch with interest what comes out of those experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of statistics which show that in the last three years there were 1,000 accidents of which 44 were fatal on the A.8 Glasgow-Edinburgh road, he will now authorise the completion of the dual carriageway from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

I am puzzled by the hon. Member's figures as official records show, for the period in question, 173 accidents involving personal injury on the length of A.8 between the Edinburgh and Glasgow boundaries, 36 of which were fatal. As regards the reconstruction of this road, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend, the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis) on 15th November.

Will the Secretary of State bear in mind that the figures are quoted from the journal of a very important road authority? Was he aware of them when he made his statement to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis)? Will he bear in mind that many of the accidents on this road occur as a result of overtaking and meeting other vehicles head-on, and that that fatal element could be removed by having a dual carriageway from Glasgow to Edinburgh?

I would be the last to talk down the seriousness of the situation on this road, but I must re-emphasise that one of the facts which we have to face in this problem is that all the evidence suggests that about half of the accidents on this road occur at junctions, while very few can be definitely attributed to the three-lane layout as such.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest position regarding the shipping services to the North Isles of Orkney.

Designs are being prepared for new vessels for these services and tenders will be invited at an early date In the meantime I have offered to assist the Orkney Steam Navigation Company to maintain their present services and I am in negotiation with them about the operation of the services in future. I have been fortunate in obtaining the services of Sir Douglas Thomson, a Director of the Ben Line, to advise me on the shipping matters involved.

Is the Secretary of State aware that, apart from ordering new ships, it is very important to get on with deciding the timing and frequency of the services? Will he make sure that in this matter the opinions of those who live in the North Isles are fully considered?

I am well aware of the importance of the last part of the hon. Member's question, and I agree that it is extremely desirable to get arrangements for operation fixed as soon as we possibly can.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to ensure that Scottish shipyards are given the chance to tender for the construction of these ships?

I should be horrified if Scottish shipyards were not given the chance to tender for them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will adopt the principle of granting subsidies for the building of two-bedroom houses for aged couples where the local authorities want to build this type of house for their old people.

While I should be prepared to consider such proposals where an authority can point to special circumstances, I should normally expect the housing needs of old people to be met by smaller houses more suited to their requirements.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many people in Scotland, including the more progressive local authorities, will be shocked by that Answer? Does he not regard a one-bedroomed house as quite unsuitable for an old couple when illness occurs? Will he bear in mind the fact that hospital accommodation is often overtaxed because, when an elderly person becomes ill, a daughter cannot move in and so the elderly person has to be taken to hospital? Will he live up to what he says about the man in Whitehall not knowing best and allow local authorities to decide the type of house which they will build?

As I have said before, I recognise that there are some elderly households where two bedrooms are required, and I am quite ready to consider any special cases put to me by local authorities which find that they have a relatively large number of such households to provide for.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that if local authorities know the needs of their areas, it would be a good thing to allow them to build two-bedroomed houses for old people? Is he not aware that many old people like occasionally to have their families staying with them? Why should they be denied that comfort in their old age? Why should they be denied the comfort of having someone to live with them when they are ill? Does he not agree that in many ways it would help if two-bedroomed houses were supplied?

I have already made it clear that I am prepared to be flexible in my approach, but I repeat that there are many cases in which elderly people want to have the smallest practicable house, although there may be cases where it is desirable to have diversity of accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities were not building any houses at the latest convenient date; if he will indicate the number of houses being built by the remaining local authorities; and if he will state the relation between that number and the number he estimates is needed throughout Scotland.

One hundred and two local authorities had no houses under construction at the end of September while 23,698 houses were then being built by the remaining 129 authorities, and 4,060 houses were being built by the Scottish Special Housing Association and the New Town Development Corporations. Because of social changes and the progressive deterioration of older houses it would be extremely difficult to express Scotland's housing needs in terms of a total number of houses at any given date.

Is the right hon. Gentle man aware that that was a roundabout if tactful Answer, from his point of view? Will he agree that local authorities and the Scottish Special Housing Association are building far fewer houses and that hundreds of thousands of houses are still needed in Scotland because of deterioration, grossly overcrowded conditions, and people living in sub-let tenancies? Will he try to equate his mind to the size of the problem instead of jollying along with the puny figures now being produced?

If the hon. Member talks of puny figures, let us look into history and compare what we have done with what the party opposite has done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prevent the future movement of cattle to Scotland from England when cases of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred in the latter country.

No, Sir. When an outbreak occurs full use is made of the powers to declare infected and controlled areas and to prohibit movement of stock over broad stretches of the country. I am satisfied that this is the right way to deal with the problem.

Would not my hon. Friend agree that there is oonsiderable traffic in beef cattle from England to Scotland, particularly to Aberdeen, which is not normally bona fide movement, and which, quite apart from anything else, is likely to spoil the reputation of Scottish beef? Could bona fide traffic of this kind not be dealt with by licences? If not, is there any radical difference between cattle and hens, because fowl pest is dealt with in precisely the same way?

I would not like to comment at short notice on the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. On the second part, about whether some system of licensing would be desirable, I think he will appreciate that, in view of the incubation period for the disease, which can be seven days or more, a licensing system would not be effective unless it was permanent, and a permanent licensing system might have unexpected and rather grave consequences on a very important trade.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is another step which he could take to achieve the result which is desired, and that is to give further encouragement to people to breed more cattle in Scotland so that the traffic from England would not be necessary?

I hope that that will be duly noted by all those who might be interested in breeding cattle in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the alterations to marketing arrangements consequent on the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Store markets are prohibited in both controlled and infected areas. All movements within these areas must be licensed by local authorities and no animals may be moved out of either controlled or infected areas. Fatstock markets may be conditionally licensed but not within five miles of an outbreak.

Does that mean that all Orkney marketing is now stopped? Has the right hon. Gentleman any information as to how this disease has spread to Orkney?

It is still rather early to give a definite answer to the second part of the hon. Member's question. I should like to write to him. I received some information this morning which I have not yet been able to digest. The position with regard to marketing is governed by my original Answer. Unless a conditional licence is granted, marketing must be at a standstill.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to issue a further Suspension Order this year to the Grey Seals (Protection) (Scotland) Act, 1932, so that further attempts to cull grey seals may be made.

Yes, Sir. A draft of an Order suspending the close season for a further year was laid before the House on 12th July. As the statutory period during which a Resolution could be passed against the Order expired last week, I propose to make the Order and bring it into force on the expiry of the present Order.

Will the Order apply to the Fame Islands, where it is alleged that grey seals are increasing to an alarming extent and spreading up the Angus and Kincardineshire coast, where they are doing a lot of damage to fishing interests?

The Fame Islands do not come within my responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to co-ordinate the Scottish Departments in publicising Scotland's assets in order to attract new industries.

Publicity at home and abroad about all matters that are the concern of the Scottish Departments is co-ordinated by the Scottish Information Office.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his efforts have been very unsuccessful indeed, because his noble Friend, an Englishman, in another place, with a Scottish title, representing Scotland, when speaking in Wales, was reported in the Glasgow Herald and attacked in well-known Scottish newspapers in no uncertain terms because of the speech he made in Cardiff denigrating the workers in Scotland? Will the right hon. Gentleman immediately take steps to make this noble Lord redundant in Scotland for not knowing his business, and for not knowing the workers in Scotland, and have him transferred to a Welsh Department free of transfer fees?

My noble Friend the Minister of State for Scotland has in recent months made extremely effective speeches in his various travels, not only in this country but in other countries. I cannot pay too high a tribute to the value of his work in the interests of Scotland. If the hon. Gentleman studies the report of what my noble Friend said, as reported in the Glasgow Herald, he will find that he did not criticise Scottish labour or its adaptability. He emphasised some of the reasons why industrialists go to Wales, with the very proper moral that the more we do in Scotland to advertise our advantages, including the availability and adaptability of labour, the better it will be for what we want to achieve.

Does not the published report of the speech of the Minister of State for Scotland make it clear that he was informing his Welsh audience that one of the impediments in the way of Scotland getting more industry was the trade unions in Scotland? Apparently the trade unions in Scotland are one of our liabilities in attracting new industry. Does this represent the views of Her Majesty's Government?

I recommend that the report be read very carefully. The only extraordinary thing is that these questions should be asked, because they imply criticisms that do not exist. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman should not be so sensitive as to draw such inferences from this speech.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will authorise proposals from local authorities to raise the speed limit from 30 to 40 miles per hour on suitable stretches of road in Scotland.

A circular letter was issued in August last drawing the attention of local authorities in Scotland to the powers available under the Road Traffic Acts to impose speed limits of 40 m.p.h. and indicating that I would welcome the raising of the limit where-ever appropriate. So far one application of this nature has been received. My officials are hoping to discuss the speed limit status of particular lengths of road with certain authorities in the near future.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether local authorities have been made aware of the Report by the Departmental Committee on Road Safety, that where this experiment has taken place on suitable stretches of road in the London area there has been no increase in the accident rate?

Yes, I think that that information has been made available, but I will check and make certain that it is.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to increase the rate of house building by new town development corporations.

My noble Friend the Minister of State has already met the chairmen of East Kilbride and Cumbernauld new town development corporations on this question. He proposes shortly to have a further discussion at a joint meeting with the three corporations.

Is it not disturbing that figures for new towns for the third quarter of the current year for both houses completed and the number of houses under construction at the end of the period show substantial reductions? Now that the Secretary of State for Scotland has, after a long and unnecessary delay, granted the principle of a fourth new town for Scotland, will he not do something about speeding up the programme of existing new town development corporations, with particular reference to Glasgow's overspill problem?

I said that the Minister of State for Scotland is discussing the possibility of speeding up programmes. I do not accept the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question when he said that there was an unnecessary delay in going on with a fourth new town, because I am certain that if we had made the decision earlier it might well have been the wrong decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what objections he has received to the proposal for additional county council representation for Glenrothes; and whether he will give an assurance that the public local inquiry will be completed in time for the May, 1961, local elections.

I have received three objections from members of the county council. The public local inquiry will be held on the 19th December, and it should be possible for me to reach a decision in time for the local elections next May.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that decision. It will do something anyhow to remove the impression that the decision to set up a public inquiry was the result of political pressure from the three objectors who, I believe, are all Conservative councillors. Will he repeat the assurance that this will give the local organisations some time to get their candidates into the field for the May elections?

Obviously political considerations cannot come into my mind on the question of public inquiries, but I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I have already given, which explains the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the rheumatology unit at Baird Street Hospital, Glasgow, will be ready to receive patients.

It is impossible to be definite until the detailed planning has been done on the adaptations required, but the unit might be open by the end of 1961.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether alterations have begun? My information is that the stage at present reached is that negotiations are taking place between the Western Regional Hospital Board and the body which owns this clinic. Would it not have been far better for the Western Regional Hospital Board to have used Belvedere Hospital? If that had been done, the patients would now have been receiving treatment. Instead, there has been this long delay, which means that we shall have had to wait from 1957 until perhaps 1961 before any accommodation is available for this very important purpose.

I think I am right in saying that it is still in the detailed planning stage. On the other point about Belvedere Hospital, I would hate to comment on that in reply to a supplementary question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage private owners of rented houses to provide the standard amenities of bath, wash basin, hot water supply, water closet and food store.

Forty-five thousand copies of a leaflet describing the special grants available to owners for the provision of these basic amenities have been distributed, and practical demonstrations and displays have been held or are planned in a number of different areas. The hon. Member may have seen the very successful display at a recent exhibition in the Kelvin Hall.

Since the number of privately-owned rented houses in Scotland which are lacking either one or all of these amenities must be of the order of about 500,000, is it not absolutely shocking that the total applications by private landlords for assistance in the first nine months of this year totalled just over 100? Is this not a demonstration of the fact that private landlordism in Scotland is not able to do this job? When is the right hon. Gentleman going to draw the conclusion from this that this is something which the local authority ought to be allowed to do on a grand scale? The houses should be turned over to them so that they can do the job which is desperately needed.

The hon. Gentleman has gone rather wide in his supplementary question, but it is interesting to note that the proportion of rented houses for which applications for grants have been received has risen from 3 per cent. in the first quarter to 17 per cent. in the third quarter. They were slow to get under way, but there are good signs that private landlords are beginning to take advantage of it.

Are percentages to mean anything at all? The number of applications in the third quarter was only 72, and there are about 500,000 of these houses. How long will it take to do the job?

I can give the hon. Member a lot of figures, but I have not the one that he has mentioned. If he wants them, I will write to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will expedite the starting of a new Roman Catholic school at Carmyle.

Plans for a new Roman Catholic Primary School at Carmyle have been agreed informally between the Lanarkshire Education Authority and the Scottish Education Department, and will be submitted for my formal approval within the next week or so. Building work is expected to start in the autumn of next year.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that answer, although it is a rather belated one. Is he aware that seven years ago the Lanarkshire Education Committee promised the parents of the children in this area a school within two years? Is he further aware that I raised this matter in February, 1959, when I was promised that a start would be made within six months. According to a letter which I received from the Joint Under-Secretary a few weeks ago, a start will be made in the autumn of 1961. Parents will be very pleased to think that this project is going ahead.

The hon. Member will realise that there have been acute site difficulties in planning for this school. Only one site has been available, and that has been the cause of a bad hold-up.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans exist at the moment for the evacuation of the population of Clydeside in the event of emergency; and when he hopes to present his new plans to the House.

I cannot yet forecast when the re-examination to which I referred in answer to the hon. Lady on 16th November will be completed. Detailed plans for particular areas must await the outcome of the re-examination.

Is it not extraordinary that at a time when the Government announce their plans for a Polaris base in Holy Loch there should be extreme doubt as to the future of the population of Clyde-side? Will not the Government exercise their real responsibility in this matter and at least inform the people of Clydeside what their fate will be in the event of an emergency?

It is clear that if there were an emergency any Government would take whatever steps were necessary in the circumstances of the incident. Beyond that I cannot add to what I have said.

Can the Minister tell us what the plans are at present if there should be an emergency in the near future?

The previous proposals, which were discussed some time ago with local authority associations, are under re-examination. The hon. Lady will realise that in a matter of this kind it would be extraordinary if it were possible to keep plans absolutely static, so that the plans for one year were exactly the same as those for the next year.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the majority of people in Scotland greatly resent these attempts to spread unjustified public alarm with the object of throwing aside the responsibilities of alliance?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what stage has now been reached in the discussions of the West Regional Hospital Board of the proposed maternity unit at Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride; and if he will announce a date upon which the unit is likely to be established.

The Western Regional Hospital Board has approved in principle the establishment of a general practitioner maternity unit at Hairmyres Hospital, but it is too early to forecast when the necessary work can be put in hand.

Does not the Secretary of State agree that it is most urgent that the maternity unit should come into operation in time for the present generation of East Kilbride babies to be born In view of this fact, will not he stress the real urgency of the matter to the hospital board and ask it to announce as soon as possible a date on which it is likely to be completed?

I think the regional hospital board is well aware of the position and must be left to determine the priorities in the first instance.

asked the Lord Advocate why he has decided not to institute any legal proceedings in respect of the sale in Scotland of the book, Lady Chatterley's Lover.

At common law it is an offence to publish, circulate or expose for sale any obscene work devised and intended to corrupt the morals of the community and to create inordinate and lustful desires. Under certain statutory provisions it is an offence to publish, offer for sale, sell, or exhibit to view any indecent or obscene book.

In view of these reasons, are we to take it that in respect of every test case that appears before the English Central Criminal Court the book in question will be read by the Lord Advocate before he issues his ukase for publication of the book in Scotland? If his decision in this case is a good one, why does he and his right hon. Friend not introduce a Bill to bring Scottish law into conformity with English law, rather than trail Scottish law and lawyers far behind English practice?

I do not think the hon. Member is right in what he says. Although the law in this matter in England and Scotland may not be entirely similar, I do not think it differs as much as he suggests. In any event, although the proceedings in London and the verdict of the jury were in no way conclusive in respect of the position in Scotland, they were factors which I could not entirely ignore. But I came to the decision after considering the law as it is and after having read the book—which, whatever literary merit it may have, appeared to me to be extremely dull and tedious.

Is the Lord Advocate aware that he has shown extreme common sense in this matter? He has shown much more common sense than the Attorney-General, who has wasted public money in Britain. It is clear that when a book is banned people are encouraged to read it. Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that my illustrious constituents, Robert Burns and James Boswell, would heartily approve of him?

While not going the whole way with the hon. Member, I am grateful for the first real compliment he has paid me since I came into the House over five years ago.

As the law in Scotland differs from the law in England, and as an English jury has had an opportunity of considering and deciding upon this case, does not the Lord Advocate think that it would have been a Fair and right thing to take the opinion of a Scottish jury on the same question?

No, Sir. The recognised and proper procedure is that I should not institute proceedings in a case where I do not consider an offence has been committed.

If the Lord Advocate takes this extremely reasonable view, why on earth did he not use his influence to stop the Attorney-General instituting proceedings in an English court?

My writ runs only to the Tweed, and no further South.

On a point of order. In view of the constitutional impropriety which I consider is consequent in the right hon. and learned Gentleman's Answer, and in view of the doubtful allies of the Lord Advocate——

I constantly seem to be asking hon. Members to adhere to the traditional formula.

I was trying to remember it, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now prepared to make more money available to local authorities for housing and other work of social importance at rates of interest comparable with official loans made to private firms.

The rates of interest at which loans are now made available to local authorities for housing and other works of social importance are well known. I see no need for a change in present Government policy on this matter.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that a number of local authorities are no longer building houses for the general need and that the Government's present economic policy is having a crippling effect on local authority finance?

I would not accept what the hon. Member has said.

Quite apart from the fact that here the Chancellor is flying in the face of the Radcliffe Report, would the right hon. and learned Gentleman say whether any of the arrangements for loans to private companies bear a lower rate of interest than those charged to local authorities?

So far as two particular loans are concerned, I think the right hon. Gentleman knows that the loan to the Cunard line is 6¼ per cent.—the same rate as to local authorities—and to Richard Thomas and Baldwin the figure was 6 per cent., which is the same as the rate to nationalised industries.

Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman know that Richard Thomas and Baldwin is a nationalised industry? Would he give us the figures for Colvilles?

No loan has yet been made to Colvilles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now lay a White Paper showing the total amount of public money committed to privately owned industries and firms by subsidy, grant or loan, stating in detail the terms and conditions on which such payments have been or are to be made.

As I have already said, I am prepared to give this information in a convenient form, with the reservation that the details of grants and loans made, for example, under the Local Employment Act, have always been confidential. On the question of when this information will be published, I am considering when it would be most convenient to do this.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that what he has said about the confidential nature of the information regarding individual firms coming to unemployment areas is probably acceptable to the whole House and that we are not pressing him on that particular?

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. I will try to give the information at the most convenient time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to obtain for the Exchequer some share of capital appreciaition in purchases of share capital.

No, Sir.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this latest example of Fords shows how ridiculous it is that great sums of money free of taxation should be paid to people without any effort on their part, while the rest of the community is left to pay the whole of the cost of running the country?

I think the right hon. Gentleman is making proposals in this Question of a budgetary nature. He is well aware that it would be contrary to precedent for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss such matters at this time of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now declare the extensive and repeated flooding in the south-west of England and in other areas as a national disaster, and give a lead to a national flood disaster fund to relieve the personal loss and damage suffered by victims.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now set up a committee to examine and report on the problems connected with the introduction of a national disaster fund in this country, in order that the House may have a basis for the discussion of the creation of such a fund.

There are difficulties about the idea of a National Disaster Fund. I am not convinced that it would be an improvement on the present position from the point of view of those who suffer loss. There would be great difficulties of definition and administration. I am inclined to think that it is better to continue as at present, i.e., for the Government to encourage local appeals and to promise to supplement them should they prove insufficient to meet the need. I do not think that a committee would add to our knowledge in this matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that as a result of there not having been a national fund and the collection of the money being left to local funds, in the County of Devon alone the claims on the county fund exceed the money collected by no less than five times? Does not he think the time for reviewing and considering this matter is past and that a national scheme should now be initiated?

I am not sure that a national scheme would improve the situation. In my position as Chancellor of the Exchequer I have gone a very long way to meet the needs by saying that the Treasury will supplement to the degree required what is raised by local funds.

In view of the difficulties to which the Chancellor has referred, would it not be a good idea if an outside committee had a look at these things and reported on the difficulties so that we can see whether it is advisable or not? Arising out of that, how is it that if these things are so difficult a member country of the Commonwealth has set up a fund which, I understand, is very efficient?

I should be grateful if my hon. Friend would send me particulars about that. It is a fact of which I was not aware. I have to come to a decision on the information available to me. Regarding the present series of disasters, I do not think that the institution of a national disaster fund would help, but I am certainly prepared to consider future action in the light of our experience and what has happened this year.

When the Chancellor is considering these matters, will he bear in mind that the local situation is extremely unsatisfactory? Is he aware that the amount of money collected—I have had some experience of this—depends on where the disaster occurs, what other news appears in the newspapers at the time, what time of year it occurs and how much publicity is given? Is he aware that there is a great deal to be said for having a national fund to cover all national disasters in whatever circumstances they occur?

I am not at all certain what would be the extent of voluntary contributions to such a fund.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total of nominal holdings in 3½ per cent. War Loan.

About £1,909 million.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman reconsider the reply he gave me in correspondence with reference to the case of Mrs. Heys, who has applied to him, through me, for the redemption of 3½ per cent. War Loan? I wrote to the right hon. and learned Gentleman about this matter in view of the real domestic hardship, which has occurred in the case of a widowed mother with three children who has great difficulty in existing on the miserable sum of just over £5 to supply the needs of four people? Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman reconsider his reply and see whether he can get his colleague to agree with him to redeem all these loans?

I am aware that there may be hardship for particular people, but it is difficult for me to make an exception to the general rule. The position regarding the general rule was put carefully by hon. Friend the Economic Secretary when he answered my hon. Friend the Member for Torrington (Mr. P. Browne) on 10th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, before considering exchange control consent to Ford Motors of Detroit to extend their control of Ford Motors of Dagenham to 100 per cent., he will seek an undertaking that Fords of Detroit will not use their control to prevent the British company from trading in the same way as other British companies, and will also refrain from the exercise of that control for political purposes contrary to the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

I would remind my hon. Friend that Fords of Detroit already have effective control of Ford Motors of Dagenham; and the past trading record of the Dagenham Company, while this control has existed, speaks for itself. I have, however, been assured by the American Ford Company that they have no intention whatever of preventing the Dagenham Company from continuing to trade as hitherto in the same way as other British Companies. If any issues of a political nature should arise in the future they will of course have to be resolved between Governments rather than by the industrial companies.

Would not my right hon. and learned Friend agree that it was undesirable that the American Government should so bring pressure on Fords of Dagenham that they were not allowed to export tractors to China which, whatever one may think of that as a commercial proposition, was part of the policy of the Government? In view of the immense defence importance of this factory, would not my right hon. and learned Friend consider getting further undertakings that this pressure would not again—I use the word "again" advisedly—be used?

Today is the first time I have heard of that suggestion. In the past few days I have heard a good many suggestions about what has happened regarding Fords at Dagenham, but this is the first time I have heard of that.

Since this was raised yesterday in the debate and not replied to, are we to take it from the answer of the right hon. and learned Gentleman that he has now a clear assurance that Fords of Detroit will not interfere with the trading freedom of Fords of Dagenham in the way in which it did with Fords of Canada?

Regarding Fords of Canada, I am not at all certain that the facts are as the right hon. Gentleman said. I think that is a matter of some considerable doubt. What I do say is that if there is any attempt to take into account political considerations of this sort, it seems to me that is a matter for the Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will state approximately the total British capital invested in industry overseas;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the estimated total of British capital invested in American industry;

I regret that figures of the total amount of United Kingdom capital invested in industry in the United States and other countries are not available. According to United States Government estimates, the book value of direct private investment by United States companies in the United Kingdom amounted to £884 million at the end of 1959. Information about the direct investment of other overseas countries in the United Kingdom is not available.

Would not some of these figures be a great help in making an objective judgment on the value of inter-trading across frontiers?

I agree that it would be interesting to have these figures, though the Radcliffe Report indicated that it would be a task of tremendous complexity. I am always being encouraged to reduce the number of civil servants, and I am not sure whether it would be possible to get more figures.

When the Chancellor expresses his belief in the uncontrolled freedom of investment across national frontiers, he is referring to American investment in this country. Would he give a similar welcome if President Nasser tried to buy shares in the Manchester Ship Canal Company?

I think that a very hypothetical question.

In reply to Question No. 32, is my right hon. and learned Friend able to say what proportion of British capital invested overseas is long-term and what proportion is short-term, and what proportion of this is reflected in our balance of payments and invisible exports?

Not without notice and, even with notice, I doubt it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now state the membership and terms of reference of the Working Group on the Historical Monuments Commission.

The Working Group under the Chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary, will be composed of Ministers representing the other Departments concerned. It will consider and where necessary reassess the nature, scope and organisation of Exchequer-financed work throughout Britain on identifying, recording and research into historic monuments and buildings.

Is it the intention of my right hon. and learned Friend to make a further announcement when the work of this group has been finished?

I am quite certain that my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary will make such a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the Bank Rate in Belgium and Germany is 4 per cent., in France and the Netherlands 3½ per cent., and in the United States of America only 3 per cent., what are the reasons for maintaining the United Kingdom Bank Rate at 5½ per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

In considering movements in the level of Bank Rate I have to bear in mind its effect on the strength of sterling abroad and the state of the economy at home. There are thus many factors to be considered apart from the level of similar rates in other countries; it was after taking all these into account that I approved a reduction in Bank Rate from 6 per cent. to 5½ per cent., on 27th October last.

Would not my right hon. and learned Friend agree that this "hot" money that comes in as the result of a nigh Bank Rate is tending to build up a short-term liability which may exceed our immediately realisable international assets, and is not that of great danger to us? Secondly, why should we pay high rates of interest to what is international "funk" money, which can only be dangerous for us in a real emergency?

I have to consider the question of the strength of sterling, and I think it is of paramount interest to this country that sterling should remain strong. I am aware that a certain proportion of this money is what is called "hot" money. I think also that there is considerable investment, showing a high confidence in the strength of sterling and our future prospects.

Can the Chancellor say why this country alone should have this very high interest rate, which Mr. Cobbold, Governor of the Bank of England, described as a "crisis rate"?

We have discussed these matters, and I have set out the considerations, which are not solely those concerned with foreign rates, and I approved a reduction, from 6 per cent. to 5½ per cent., on 27th October.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new industries have been established in Dunbartonshire from 1959 to date; and what steps he is taking to encourage new industries to come to this area.

Two new industries, both small, were established in Dunbartonshire in 1959 and three others will, it is hoped, shortly be moving there. The Board will continue their efforts to encourage new industries to go to those parts of Dunbartonshire which are development districts, and the facilities of the Local Employment Act are available to firms establishing themselves there.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we have a new town—Cumbernauld—being developed in Dunbartonshire, that the coal industry in Dunbartonshire is not likely to hold out much longer, that the state of the shipbuilding industry on the Clyde is very bad indeed, and that, as he knows, there is a big shipbuilding yard in Dunbartonshire? Is he taking steps to increase the amount of new industry coming to Dunbartonshire, because to claim that only two new industries have come in two years is indeed a very poor achievement towards countering the situation there?

We shall certainly continue to do our best. So far as Cumbernauld is concerned, there are 2,440 jobs in prospect there, as the hon. Gentleman knows.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he took to estimate the supplies of English barley before licensing imports of barley from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Barley may be imported under open general licence from all sources and the question of licensing imports from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics does not therefore arise.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a growing feeling among the agricultural community that there is a sad lack of co-operation between the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture? Will he try to see, if he is to continue to have anything to do with imports of food, that his regional officers at least become known to the farming community, that they visit the markets and make themselves known locally?

I can assure my hon. Friend that the closest possible co-operation exists between my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture.