asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value, in the most recent 12 months computed to a convenient date, of escheats to the Crown for default of legal heirs or successors; and what amount has been repaid to claimants for ex-gratia recognition.

The hon. Member will find the information he requires in the Crown Nominee Account. This account is published annually by the Stationery Office, and the account for 1959 was published last May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the starting

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is a condition of Treasury approval for the sale of the British-owned shares in Ford Motors of Dagenham to Ford Motors of Detroit that the shares shall be paid for in dollars.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Ginsburg) in reply to his Question No. 17 on today's Order Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage of

About £5,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total cost to the Exchequer of the interest charged on the National Debt for the present financial year to the latest date, the comparable figure for 1959–60, and the increase which this year's figure shows, as compared with that of the comparable period of last year.

Following are the figures:coal was imported into the United Kingdom from the Republic of Ireland in the months of August, September, and October, 1960; and what information he has on the country of origin of this coal and its pithead price.

Imports of coal into the United Kingdom from the Irish Republic in the months of August, September and October, 1960, were 1,404 tons, 2,272 tons, and 1,731 tons, respectively. I regret that no information is available about country of origin or pithead prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of wheat flour has been imported into the United Kingdom from the Republic of Ireland in the current year.

Imports of wheat flour (including semolina and wheat germ) from the Irish Republic during January-October, 1960, were 257 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with hire purchase companies over their proposal for a rating system for personal credit.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he now proposes to relax the restrictions on hire purchase trading.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said on 17th November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement following consideration of the details sent to him by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford of the offer by a firm of furnishers to supply any article on hire purchase without a deposit and on similar terms to those offered before the latest hire purchase restrictions were introduced.

My right hon. Friend is having matters which the hon. Member brought to his notice investigated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date an application was received by his Department for permission to export the manuscript log book and journal of Captain Cook.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date he received an application to export Captain Cook's journals outside the British Commonwealth; and whether he will make a statement.

An application was received yesterday and is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions are imposed by the terms of the Foreign Assets Control Regulations established under the Trading with the Enemy Act, 1917 (United States) on the export to China of goods produced in Britain by British labour and not restricted for exports by the British embargo list; and to which companies manufacturing in Britain these regulations apply.

These regulations prohibit any United States controlled business from exporting to China without specific authorisation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, wider his regulations, he will grant licences to enable such retirement pensioners as are approved by an appropriate welfare organisation to rent television receiving sets and aerials without payment by the pensioners of the statutory three months' advance rentals.

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member in his letter of 19th October, he regrets that he is unable to grant exemptions from the requirements of the Order even in favour of pensioners.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the fact that the Federal Government of Germany does not officially recognise the German Democratic Republic, nevertheless they have for many years had official trade agreements with that Government, and that negotiations are now proceeding for a new official trade agreement between the two countries; and whether, in view of this, he will invite the same officials who are representing the German Democratic Republic in the current trade negotiations with the Federal Government of Germany to visit this country to discuss with his officials the signing of a similar trade agreement with Great Britain.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the demand in Nigeria for British-made transistor and other radio sets; and what encouragement has been given to firms to supply these, and similar goods, to the Nigerian market.

My right hon. Friend is aware that there is an important and increasing demand in Nigeria for transistor and other radio sets. The Board of Trade have been in communication on this subject with the radio industry to whom our normal export services are of course available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the export of umbrellas from this country has suffered from competition from Hong Kong and from foreign countries during the past three years; and in which type of these goods British firms have found it impossible to compete owing to low wages paid overseas to workers in umbrella manufacture.

Exports of umbrellas from this country have fluctuated very little in value during the last three years. My right hon. Friend has no information on the second part of the Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the application of Finland for membership of the European Free Trade Association, in view of the Russo-Finnish trade agreement.

Her Majesty's Government are still studying the new Finnish-Soviet agreement and will wish to discuss this with their E.F.T.A. partners at the earliest opportunity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade where it is proposed to build further advance factories in the United Kingdom.

As already announced advance factories are to be built at Pembroke Dock, on the border of Jarrow and South Shields and at Shotts; in addition two buildings at Carfin, Lanarkshire, are to be made ready for immediate industrial use.

asked the Prime Minister when the next conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers will be held.

I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to Questions on this subject on 29th November and 1st December.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the report from the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, that radioactivity in the atmosphere as a result of atom and hydrogen bomb tests is lessening, if he will give an assurance that Her Majesty's Government will not start another series of tests, and, in view of the fact that most fall-out debris has now settled and is rapidly dissipating with a resultant cleaner atmosphere, if he will instruct Her Majesty's Government's representative to intensify his efforts to obtain a permanent cessation of tests agreement.

We have stated that we will not resume testing as long as useful discussions continue at Geneva. This is still our position. As regards the second part of the Question, it remains Her Majesty's Government's firm intention to work for a Treaty providing for a ban on those tests over which control can be made effective, coupled with a moratorium on the smaller underground tests.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will accept the invitation to join a meeting of Heads of Government of the European Economic Community; and whether prior consultation will take place between all the member nations of the European Free Trade Association.

I have received no invitation to join the meeting of Heads of Government of the European Economic Community; as to the second part of the Question, we are, of course, in constant touch with our European Free Trade Association partners.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of his acceptance of responsibility for the safety and security of the proposed Polaris missile submarine base in Holy Loch, when it is proposed to set up a National Radioactive Waste Disposal Service under the Radioactive Substances Act, 1960.

I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind in the first part of his Question. Responsibility for safety and security measures rests, of course, with the two Governments. Naturally, I take a close interest, but the Minister most immediately concerned are my noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.So far as the second part of the Question is concerned, I am informed that a National Radioactive Waste Disposal Service will probably be established within a year.

asked the Minister of Works on what basis the architect was chosen for the proposed new Embassy in Rome.

My right hon. Friend invited Sir Basil Spence to design the new Embassy offices because he believes that this architect will produce a fine building on this important site.

asked the Minister of Works what plans he has for the completion of a new Jewel House.

A scheme for a new Jewel House has been agreed in outline by the various authorities concerned. Details are still being worked out and I hope funds will be available to enable work to start within the next two or three years.

asked the Minister of Works how many visitors paid to see the Tower of London last year; and how many paid to see the Crown Jewels.

1,018,621 visitors paid for admission to the Tower of London in 1959. 666,288 paid to see the Crown Jewels.

asked the Minister of Works, what progress has been made in freeing the Banqueting Hall, Whitehall, for use as a centre for the arts.

My right hon. Friend is still in consultation with his colleagues and with the Royal United Services Institution.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what conclusions were reached by the working party set up to consider changes in the distribution of the general grant under Section 15 of the Local Government Act, 1958.

As regards the distribution of general grant under Section 1 of the Act of 1958, I would refer to the General Grant Order, 1960, and the Report under Section 1 (6) now laid before the House. As regards the transitional payments under Section 15, the Grants and Rates (Transitional Adjustments) Regulations, 1960, also now laid, provide for the payment to losing authorities of 80 per cent. of their assessed loss for 1961–62 and 70 per cent. for 1962–63.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he intends to take on the representations made to him in the petition by residents in the new town of Peterlee on the proposed increase in rents.

Decisions on rents in any new town are a matter for the development corporation. The decision of the Peterlee Corporation to make small increases was taken, I know, after careful review of all the relevant circumstances. That being so, it is not for me to intervene.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to preserve the security of tenure now afforded to tenants under the Rent Acts; and whether he will consider introducing legislation extending a similar measure of security to tenants of council houses.

The Government have given an assurance that during the lifetime of the present Parliament they will not take action to extend decontrol to property still subject to control under the Rent Act. They do not however propose to extend control to property which is already exempt from it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of students from Kenya now studying in Great Britain, the United States of America, Communist countries and Makerere College, respectively.

1,159 in Great Britain, 440 in the United States of America, 51 in Communist countries and 396 at Makerere College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will increase the emoluments of High Court judges in Northern Rhodesia, in order to ensure the continuing availability of men of high calibre for these positions.

The emoluments of judges in Northern Rhodesia are a matter for the Government of the territory. They are well aware of the importance of remunerating their judges adequately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans are currently undergoing training for commissioned rank in the Northern Rhodesian police force; what is the length of training; and what steps he is taking to increase the number.

Vacancies in the gazetted ranks are filled by promotion from those who have the necessary personal qualities and have passed the requisite examinations. There is no special course of training for promotion to gazetted rank as such, but there has been expansion locally of training facilities designed to qualify members of the force generally for promotion through the subordinate ranks. In addition training courses in the United Kingdom are arranged for African policemen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent his efforts to interest Commonwealth Governments in the possibilities of emigration to British Honduras have succeeded.

Progress is being made in the extensive preliminary work, both in London and in British Honduras, necessary to prepare the way for immigration. Informal inquiries have been made by a number of Commonwealth Governments, but preparations have not yet reached the point at which practical steps can be taken to invite or introduce immigrants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of secondary schools in British Honduras; and how many of them are public authority schools.

There are 13 secondary schools in British Honduras, of which one is maintained by the Government. There are no secondary schools maintained by public authorities other than the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet completed his consideration of the proposals for a pension scheme, submitted to him by the Sheriff Substitutes Association in April, 1959.

I have been in touch with the Association about these proposals, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state in detail what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, and what tribunals he has set up, to implement the provisions of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act.

I intend that the Mental Health (Scotland) Act should be brought into operation by stages. The first stage will be to repeal the existing Lunacy Acts to the extent necessary to allow informal admission of patients to mental hospitals, in the same way as patients are admitted to general hospitals.The second stage will be to bring into operation Part II of the Act dealing with local authority services. I have already issued to local health authorities a statutory direction which imposes on them a duty to make arrangements for the purpose of the prevention of mental disorder and the care and after-care of persons who are or have been suffering from mental disorder. I have also informed them that I will be calling on them to submit their proposals for mental health services, once I have received the advice on this subject of the Standing Advisory Committee on local authority services of the Scottish Health Services Council.The final stage will be to bring into operation the major part of the Act, dealing with the establishment of the Mental Welfare Commission, the procedure for patients who have to be compulsorily detained, and other matters. Introduction of this part of the Act involves consultations and the preparation of explanatory material for all those concerned with its operation which must necessarily take some time.With regard to the last part of the Question, the Act does not provide for the setting up of any tribunals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a list of the education authorities which have agreed to exempt children from attendance at school in order to engage in postal work during December; and if he is satisfied that in these areas alternative labour is not available.

The following education authorities have agreed to release pupils for Christmas postal work, if required.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the rateable values of property for the financial year 1961–62 will be made available to local authorities.

Section 15 (7) of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act, 1956, requires assessors, not later than the 15th April, 1961, to estimate the rateable value of each county and burgh for 1961–62 and to send certified copies of the estimate to each rating authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the state of recruitment for nurses in Scotland; and what steps he will take to ascertain the views of nurses about their working conditions.

While there are some local difficulties, the recruitment of nurses in Scotland generally is satisfactory. In hospitals, nurses are able to make their views about working conditions known through their staff associations and the Joint Consultative Committees of management and staff; and, at the national level, my Department is in close touch with the nursing organisations These regular contacts make any special inquiry unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost per week of feeding a patient in Kirkcaldy General Hospital, at the latest convenient date, and on the corresponding date for the years 1951 and 1955.

Separate figures for patients alone are not available. The cost of provisions per person fed in hospital per week at 31st March, 1960, was 25s 9d. compared with 28s. 4d. at 31st March, 1955. The reduction is to be attributed to improved managment, not to lower standards of feeding. No comparable figures are available for 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons over 25 years of age have contracted poliomyelitis in Scotland during 1959, and to the nearest convenient date in 1960; how many of these cases were of the paralytic form; and how many persons died from poliomyelitis.

In 1959 in Scotland there were four accepted notifications of poliomyelitis in persons aged 25 and over, all of them of the paralytic form. In 1960 up to 26th November there were two notifications of poliomyelitis in the same age group; one of these was of paralytic form. Three deaths from poliomyelitis took place in 1959, two being of persons aged 25 and over; no deaths have occurred this year up to 30th September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to have the 30 miles-per-hour speed limit enforced to a greater extent than at present on Whitton Avenue, on the boundary between Wembley and Ealing, especially during peak hours.

This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police. He tells me that close attention is paid and will continue to be paid by the police to the enforcement of the speed limit on this road.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further provisions he will make to render the purchase of firearms more difficult.

I have no proposals for amending the existing law, under which a person under the age of 17 may not purchase a firearm of any kind, and a person over 17 may not purchase a firearm, other than a shotgun or air weapon, unless he holds a firearm certificate issued by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is intended to use traffic wardens on traffic control duties, in particular to assist pedestrians in crossing the road at dangerous points; and whether any such wardens have been or are being trained for such duties.

Under the Functions of Traffic Wardens Order, 1960, traffic wardens may be employed to enforce certain provisions of the law relating to stationary vehicles and, in certain circumstances, to act as school crossing patrols or as parking meter attendants. It is too early to consider any extension to their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if corporal punishment is permitted in detention centres.

No.

asked the Minister of Defence if the arrangements for a Polaris base at the Holy Loch include a provision for terminating the agreement in the event of nuclear radiation being detected in or near the waters of the Clyde.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library of the House reports of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and other relevant documents, showing the progress of vaccination and other measures enforced on the Continent to check the spread of infection.

I have placed a copy of the latest report in the Library of the House. I will write to my hon. Friend with details of the further information which is available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls, respectively, have left schools in the Don Valley area since the 1st January, 1960; and how many remain unemployed.

Seven hundred and ninety-seven boys and 773 girls in the area of the Don Valley Youth Employment Office have left school since 1st January, 1960; eight boys and five girls remained unemployed on 14th November.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can now state what were the figures for unemployment in respect of Commonwealth and colonial immigrants in the Midlands area for August, 1960, and November, 1960, respectively.

I must apologise to my hon. Friend and the House for inadvertently giving incorrect figures in answer to a supplementary question last Wednesday (OFFICIAL REPORT, 30th November, col. 375). The figures I gave then related to the North-West Region.In the Midlands Region, the number of unemployed Commonwealth immigrants rose from 1,397 in August to 2,610 in November, including a rise in the number temporarily stopped from 1 to 310. Nearly all of these 310 had been in employment in motor-car firms or in allied industries, but hardly any of the remaining 903.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now authorise a roundabout at the junction of Northfield Avenue and Rothwell Road Junction in Kettering; and when the hon. Member for Kettering can expect to hear from him on the matter.

I have now received a report on the discussion with the Kettering Borough Council and am arranging for the council to be invited to complete the preparation of this scheme as my agents. As a first step, it will be necessary to prepare and publish a draft order under Section 9 of the Highways Act, 1959. This will be done as soon as practicable, but until the necessary statutory procedures have been completed I cannot say how soon it will be possible to authorise construction. In the meantime the existing "SLOW" sign on Northfield Avenue will be replaced by a large "HALT" sign and three trees will be felled to improve visibility at the junction.

asked the Postmaster-General how many committees have been appointed during the last four years to inquire into post office activities; what were the specific fields of inquiry of each committee; and how many of them have reported.

There have been many internal committees covering various aspects of our work; but I presume the hon. Member is thinking primarily of committees which take a broad and fundamental look at our services to the public and related methods. There have been four of these in the last four years.