asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of mental defectives in the age groups 16–18 and 18 and over, respectively, awaiting admission to an appropriate institution in the area of the South Eastern Regional Hospital Board; and what are the numbers in each group which have been assessed as urgent cases.

On 16th November there were 19 mental defectives in the age group 16–18, and 94 aged 18 and over, awaiting admission. Of these, four in each group had been assessed as urgent cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he did not invite the Ayrshire County Council and other local authorities on the Firth of Clyde to the recent meeting held to discuss the situation caused by the decision to establish the base for the Polaris.

The purpose of the meeting was to explore with the local authorities most immediately concerned the ways in which the establishment of these facilities may bear on the services for which the authorities are responsible. Other authorities further afield will be consulted later if the occasion arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many authorities have introduced the 40 miles-per-hour speed limit; and to what extent he has approved the adoption of the new limit by authorities controlling roads on which it could be safely operated.

No 40 miles-per-hour speed limits have so far been imposed but various proposals are under consideration. I fully approve in principle the adoption of the new limit on roads where it could be safely operated, and I have invited local authorities to review the existing restrictions on lengths of roads in their areas so as to make the speed restrictions more realistic and encourage a proper respect for it. My Department has also written to the authorities concerned offering to discuss the speed limit status of the main roads leading into and out of the four Cities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many scientists are employed by him in studying the causes of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland; and what is the annual cost.

None. Foot-and-mouth disease is a problem affecting the whole country and research into it in Great Britain is carried out at one centre, the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Institute at Pirbright, Surrey.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends introducing legislation in the present Session to reform the law of succession.

As already indicated in replies given on 8th November to the hon. Member for Stirling and Falkirk Burghs (Mr. Malcolm MacPherson) and the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel), I can give no undertaking to introduce a Bill on succession during the current Session of Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer to the attention of the Monopolies Commission the fact that there are now only two London evening newspapers.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women respectively, were employed in the factories in Sunderland administered by the Industrial Estates Management Corporation on the latest available date.

At August, 1960, 2,271 males and 3,100 females were employed in these factories

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Welsh Tourist Board in favour of the Sunday opening of public houses in Wales.

None, and none against.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent, when giving his recent advice to smaller firms about methods of increasing their exports, he included advice about the advantages to be gained by requiring their overseas representatives to be proficient in foreign languages.

Whenever a suitable opportunity arises the value of proficiency in foreign languages as an aid to promoting exports is emphasised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that the free import of ready-made clothing from Hong Kong is not prejudicing the position of cotton manufacturers in this country; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that imports of ready-made clothing from Hong Kong have increased but the undertaking of the Hong Kong textile industry to limit exports of cotton goods to the United Kingdom provides for a corresponding reduction in the quota for cotton piece goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now decided on the location of the new advance factory in Scotland.

On 25th October I told my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Sir H. Legge-Bourke) that we proposed to build a new advance factory of about 25,000 sq. ft. in Scotland. After consultation with the Secretary of State, I have now decided that this factory should be located at Shotts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the list recently published by the Royal Institute of British Architects of local authorities who do not employ architects; and what steps he has taken to encourage those local authorities to remedy this deficiency.

Yes; I have seen this list and also the associated circular entitled "The Architect in Local Government". The list refers to authorities who do not employ chief architects; a number of them do in fact employ architects although not in chief posts. Within recent months I have frequently expressed my concern, both in Parliament and at meetings of local authority representatives, about the standard of design in local authority building, some of which is very good, but by no means all. I am considering whether there is anything more I can do to ensure a higher standard all round, and I am taking account of the views expressed by professional bodies.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the Pippard Report on Thames pollution is expected to be published.

I hope to receive the Report fairly early in the New Year. I shall publish it as soon as possible after I receive it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will seek to resolve the dispute between the Claro Water Board and the Ripon and Pateley Bridge Rural District Council, in order to expedite the supply of piped water to the village of North Stainley, and in order that public money, which has already been expended, is not wasted.

I have no immediate jurisdiction. But I now understand that there are good prospects of an early settlement of the dispute.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the 57 local authorities to whom the special discretionary subsidy for house building has been approved: and what amounts of subsidy have been given in each case.

The local authorities concerned and the number of houses approved in each case are set out in the table below. Subsidy approved has been £30 per annum for 60 years for each house.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now take steps to ease the cost of house purchase for owner occupation.

I take it the hon. Member is referring to the rates of interest charged by building societies, as the Government have already abolished the Stamp Duty on houses costing £3,500 or less.Societies can only lend what they can borrow, and it is the terms they must offer to attract savings which govern the terms on which they can lend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which are the 50 or 60 local authorities where the hard-core of Slum clearance work remains; and if he will state, for each authority separately, the number of houses declared unfit in 1955 and the number cleared since that date.

Following is the answer:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will initiate new measures to give additional help, financial and otherwise, to those local authorities faced with the excessive burden of slum clearance work.

I share the hon. Member's desire to see slum clearance go ahead more rapidly in areas where there are very large numbers of unfit houses, but I do not believe that the local authorities concerned are prevented from speeding up the rate of clearance by lack of resources at the present stage. The urgent need is for additional technical staff, and this difficulty will I hope lessen as more and more authorities elsewhere come to the end of their slum clearance programmes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many resolutions he has received from organisations and individuals for and against, respectively, the Sunday opening of public houses in Wales.

From organised bodies I have received four resolutions in favour and 230 against, the latter being almost entirely from Nonconformist churches and organisations. From individuals I have received four letters in favour and five against.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is satisfied that adequate provisions exist for the enforcement of law and order in Nyasaland; and what proposals he has to improve it.

I am satisfied that the Governor is taking all possible steps to enforce the law and has adequate powers and resources at his disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much money is made available annually by Her Majesty's Government for agricultural development in Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia, respectively.

Over the last four years Her Majesty's Government have made grants for agricultural projects

asked the Minister of Aviation when he intends to make available in the Vote Office copies of the preliminary draft of the amendment to the Air Navigation Order, 1960, which will implement Section 1 (2) (a) of the Civil Aviation (Licensing) Act, 1960.

I have arranged for copies of the draft Air Navigation (Amendment) Order and the draft Regulations to be made under the Amendment Order to be available to Members in the Vote Office today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many aliens are registered as residing in Swindon.

1,797.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the Advisory Council on the Employment of Prisoners since its appointment.

The Council has been very active since its appointment at the beginning of the year. The members have visited numerous prisons and borstals and sub-committees have reported on some of the main prison industries. The Council has made recommendations to me and to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, about the appointment of local advisory committees on the employment of prisoners at some of the larger prisons. It is at present studying the possibility of adjustments to the present system of prisoners' earnings and the best methods of training prisoners for work in prison.The Council expects to make its first general report in the New Year. We shall consider in consultation with the Council whether the report should be published, and we are much indebted to the members of the Council for the time and trouble they are giving to this valuable work.

asked the Minister of Health whether children who have received only one injection or two injections for diphtheria are classified as immunised or unimmunised.

The recommended primary course of immunisation against diphtheria consists of two injections. A child who had received only one injection would not be regarded as immunised.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the countries with which he has signed reciprocal agreements for medical treatment.

Her Majesty's Government have reciprocal agreements for medical treatment with Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia, and similar arrangements have been made with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, except Sark. Medical treatment is also available for residents on an insurance basis under agreements made with Belgium, France, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands, and, subject to certain limitations, with Australia and Switzerland.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the demand from pensioners and others in the neighbourhood he will arrange for a sub-post office to be opened on the Mossley Estate, Bloxwich.

I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that an office is to be opened on the estate as soon as a suitable candidate can be found for the sub-postmastership.

asked the Postmaster-General who are the members of the local Post Office advisory committee for Accrington; who is the secretary; when the committee last met; and whether the committee will now be reconstituted.

Appointments to these committees are not a matter for me.However, I am informed that at a very recent meeting the committee decided to hold regular meetings and to review its membership.

asked the Minister of Works what proposals he has for the Porta Pia site in Rome, formerly occupied by the British Embassy; and whether he has chosen an architect.

I propose to retain this site for use by Her Majesty's Government and, in consultation with the appropriate Italian Authorities, to go ahead with the erection of Embassy offices on it. I have invited Sir Basil Spence to act as architect for the building and I am very glad to say that he has accepted the commission.