asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many local authority and private enterprise houses were completed in Sunderland in 1960: and how these figures compare with those for 1950 and 1959.

In 1960, 931 houses were completed by Sunderland Corporation and 430 by private enterprise. The comparable figures for 1950 were 1,036 by the local authority and 1 by private enterprise; and for 1959, 1,011 by the local authority and 550 by private enterprise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is his policy with regard to the acceptance of claims for flood damage after a certain date in those cases where the damage is not apparent until some time after the floods occurred.

Some though not all local appeal funds have announced a closing date for the receipt of claims. If for good reasons any claims are received after such date, I hope that the Fund Committees will consider them sympathetically.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will meet representatives of local authorities to discuss the difficulties caused by restrictions on speeches and votes of their members who are council house tenants.

I do not know of any general difficulty caused by these restrictions. Where an authority has a special problem, I or my officers would certainly be prepared to meet its representatives to discuss it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what moneys are available from the liquidation of German assets in Tanganyika for the development of an inter-territorial university in the Territory.

The Tanganyika Higher Education Trust Fund, which is almost entirely derived from the proceeds of the sale of ex-enemy property, is at present valued at approximately £800,000. I understand that the interest on this sum is already hypothecated for other purposes connected with higher education but the trustees of the Fund have agreed to bear the cost of appointing a consultant to plan the site of the proposed University College and, subject to the submission of specific proposals, to finance the purchase of the site itself.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are his plans for Colonial Development and Welfare Fund moneys in the South Cameroons after the forthcoming plebiscite.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 24th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the recent and continuing acts of violence, he is still satisfied that everything possible is being done to maintain law and order in Nyasaland: and whether he will make a further statement.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that everything possible is being done. In most cases where acts of physical violence have been committed the police have secured the arrest of the principal offenders. Cases of political intimidation are extremely difficult to prove and check, but in the course of 1960, 109 convictions were secured for this offence.The reinforcement of police in Nyasaland is proceeding under the approved programme for the expansion of the Force by an additional 40 gazetted officers, 62 inspectors and 1,037 other ranks, over the establishment at 31st March. 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish as a White Paper the Report of the Adu Committee on the Nyasaland Civil Service together with the Government's recommendations arising from it.

The Report has already been published and is now available in this country. Copies have also been placed in the Library. The Report is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the situation in Uganda, the decisions of the Buganda Lukiko and the Bunyoro Rukurato, and the present policy of Her Majesty's Government in these matters.

As regards the situation in the Protectorate generally and the policy of Her Majesty's Government I would invite attention to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on 27th October, 1960. Protectorate-wide Common Roll Elections to the Legislative Council are expected to be completed by 24th March. In view of the fact that Her Majesty's Government regard secession by Buganda as a quite unrealistic concept in present circumstances and harmful both to Buganda and to the rest of the country, the Acting Governor of Uganda, with my right hon. Friend's authority, rejected a secession resolution by the Buganda Lukiko dated 31st December. I am aware of a resolution by the Bunyoro Rukurato calling for suspension of the Buganda Constitution. The Governor has rightly taken the view that no action should be taken on this resolution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement giving the number of workers in each trade employed and unemployed, respectively, in and in connection with the Malta dockyard for each year since it was taken over by Messrs. Baileys, and up to the latest convenient date.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Governor to consult the company to see what information can appropriately be made available and he will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the doubts concerning the scope of the terms of reference of the Blood Constitutional Commission now in Malta, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North, if he will take steps to clarify the terms of reference; and if he will make a statement.

The terms of reference of the Malta Constitutional Commission did not restrict the Commission's freedom to hear and report any evidence which might have a bearing on Malta's future. On the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) and the hon. Members for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) and Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the findings of the East African Salaries Commission.

The Report is under urgent consideration by the East African Governments and the High Commission. They have been told that Her Majesty's Government regard the recommended rates of inducement allowance as broadly acceptable for the purposes of the Overseas Service Aid Scheme, and that the recommendations about the length of tour, passages and allowances are a reasonable basis for negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the talks he had recently with the East African Governors.

The talks were in the series of informal and confidential discussions which my right hon. Friend holds from time to time with the East African Governors. They naturally discussed a wide range of matters affecting East Africa, but their talks were primarily concerned with the recommendations of the East African Economic and Fiscal Commission, whose report will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is proposed to resume the Northern Rhodesian Constitutional Conference.

The Conference resumed yesterday, with my right hon. Friend in the Chair.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been, and will be, made to record, for historical purposes, by photo-stating the most important reports and diaries of officers, employed by him in the Colonial Service, made at district and provincial levels, in countries now independent and in countries still under partial control of the British Government.

The reports and diaries in question form part of the official records of each Colonial or former Colonial Government and the preservation of these records is the responsibility of individual Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of prosecutions in Hong Kong in each quarter of 1959 and 1960 for breaches of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and Regulations in respect of women and young persons being employed for seven days per week.

The institution of prosecutions began towards the end of 1959 and the first hearings came on in 1960. The number of cases determined in each quarter of 1960 were: women 22, 59, 41, 48; young persons 2, 6, 10, 13.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what measures he is taking to developing secondary industries in Fiji; and whether he will consider setting-up a Fiji Development Corporation to stimulate industrial and agricultural development.

There is an Agricultural and Industrial Loan Board which provides finance far suitable undertakings, and a Fiji Development Corporation has been established as a subsidiary of the Colonial Development Corporation. Steps are being taken to establish a Land Development Authority in which it is hoped the Colonial Development Corporation, the Loans Board, and private enterprise will participate.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to discuss the execution of allied policy governing the future of Krupps with the German Chancellor during his forthcoming visit.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Members for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) and Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 1st December.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce a Bill to abolish the death penalty in Scotland;(2) if he will consider introducing a Bill to amend the Criminal Justice Acts so that no person can be hanged in Scotland before reaching the age of 21 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation so to amend the Homicide Act, 1957, as to give the courts power to inflict the death penalty for murder by rape in Scotland.

Her Majesty's Government have, of course, been watching carefully the working of the Homicide Act which became law in 1957. They will continue to keep the situation under close review but are not yet convinced that the case for amending legislation has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many beds will be available for aged and chronic sick patients in Kirkcaldy General Hospital when the present orthopedic beds are transferred to Victoria Hospital.

About 50. These are included in the figure of 224 beds expected to be available in East Fife by 1965, which I gave in answer to the hon. Member on 24th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons the programme for roads in Scotland fell short of the estimates; and why the unused money, labour, and materials were not transferred to other urgent projects.

The shortfall in annual expenditure in certain years resulted mainly from over-estimates of the rate at which payments would build up under the expanding programme. The money not used in one year was revoted and used in the succeeding year when the expected payments matured.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an assurance that Scotland's share of national expenditure on roads will not be cut down by failure to implement the programme; and whether he will produce estimates Which will use the maximum road building capacity to deal with the urgent needs of Scottish highways.

Under the current programme road schemes involving Exchequer expenditure of £40 million were to be authorised in four years. In the first three years which will end next March I shall have authorised nearly £35 million. There has, therefore, been no failure to implement the programme and it is to be further expanded as I explained in my announcement of 28th July last.The size of our road programme, of course, must ultimately be governed by the resources of the nation rather than those of the civil engineering industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he has refused permission to the Fife County Council Direct Labour Department to build the Torbain infant school in Fife, in view of its experience in this type of contract and the speed, efficiency and quality of its work.

Competitive tenders were publicly invited for this project and there appeared to be no good reason why the lowest offer should not be accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received expressing objection to allowing licensed bars on buses or motor coaches; and what replies he has sent.

I have received a resolution from the British Women's Temperance Association, Scottish Christian Union. The Association has been told that the terms of its Resolution have been noted and will receive careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of running the Crofters Commission when it was inaugurated; and what is the cost today.

The cost was £39,375 in the fiscal year 1956–57 and is estimated at £71,000 in the current year. This is exclusive of the cost of part-time services given by the Department of Agriculture's outdoor officers, and the cost of office accommodation, printing and stationery which is borne on the Votes of other Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were employed on the administrative staff of the Crofters Commission when it was first inaugurated; and how many are employed today.

The office staff numbered 23 in October, 1955, and numbers 67 today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will prohibit the parking of vehicles on the A.8 road from Edinburgh to Glasgow, with a view to reducing the accident rate on that road.

Since September last year, eleven additional lay-bys have been constructed and four more are being provided. Extra draw-ins for buses are also being constructed. It seems desirable to see what effect these have on reducing the number of accidents before considering whether parking should be generally prohibited.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the growing importance of forestry to the economy of Scotland, he has any proposals for establishing a fully-equipped forest research station in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider the establishment of a Forestry Research Station in Scotland.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Galloway (Mr. Brewis) on 12th April, 1960, the Forestry Commission has a research sub-station in Edinburgh. I am satisfied that Scottish forestry problems are receiving proper attention, and that a separate station in Scotland could only duplicate effort and waste scientific manpower.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the necessity for implementing the Report of the Mackintosh Committee on the Law of Succession; and what replies he has sent to these.

Some months ago I received representations from several business and professional women's clubs about the law of intestate succession and recently several hon. Members have sent me copies of a circular letter from the Scottish Law Agents' Society pressing for legislation to amend this branch of the law. I am replying to the recent represeitations to the effect that I regret that I can see no prospect of legislation on that subject during the current Session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in constructing a new out-patient department at the Greenock Royal Infirmary.

It has been agreed that future hospital developments in Greenock should not take place on the site of the present Greenock Royal Infirmary. As soon as another site has been settled by the hospital authorities, the detailed planning of the new outpatient department will he completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is now proposed to start work on the proposed extension to the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Greenock.

The extension to the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital is approved in principle. In view of their other commitments in the immediate future, however, the regional hospital board is not yet able to say when work can start.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how soon he intends to provide thirty additional maternity beds for hospital accommodation in Greenock.

The extension to the Maternity Hospital is approved in principle. In view of its other commitments in the immediate future, however, the regional hospital board is not yet able to say when work can start on this project.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state in respect of each police authority area the number of road accidents per 1,000 of the population during the most recent convenient period.

The figures are as follows for the year 1960:

ROAD ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURY SCOTLAND, 1960
Police Area	Number of accidents	Accidents per 1,000 population
Angus	450	4·61
Dundee	722	3·99
Argyll	214	3·82
Ayr County	1,015	4·00
Ayr Burgh	192	4·32
Kilmarnock	81	1·77
Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk	417	4·68
Caithness	62	2·37
Dumfries and Galloway	610	4·05
Dunbarton County	936	5·20
Fife	1,187	3·65
Inverness County	267	4·86
Inverness Burgh	79	2·77
Lanark County	1,558	4·40
Airdrie	42	1·26
Coatbridge	124	2·30
Glasgow	3,761	3·49
Hamilton	174	4·18
Motherwell	301	4·14
Lothian and Peebles	927	3·44
Edinburgh	1,825	3·88
Orkney	40	2·08
Perth and Kinross	535	5·80
Perth	160	3·89
Renfrew and Bute	713	4·03
Greenock	175	2·23
Paisley	461	4·75
Ross and Cromarty	148	2·50
Scottish N.E. Counties…	980	3·59
Aberdeen City	993	5·31
Stirling and Clackmannan	992	4·21
Sutherland	21	1·62
Zetland	29	1·59
Total	20,191	3·88

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the numbers of persons over 65 years of age who were certified as being insane in the years 1959 and 1960.

The number of persons aged 65 or over admitted as certified patients to Scottish mental hospitals in 1959 was 731 and in 1960 was 698.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the damage and loss inflicted by grey seals on the fishing industry of Scotland and consumers of fish in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement on the extent of such damage and loss, indicating his plans for dealing with this problem.

I am satisfied that there is some strong evidence of damage done by grey seals to fisheries but further investigation is proceeding on the nature and extent of the control needed. Meantime, I made an Order on 5th December, 1960, continuing for a further twelve months from that date the suspension of the close season, subject to certain conditions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the cost of repairs to garden walls and fences, gates, drains, downspouts, gutters, slating and tiling and for replacement due to damage or obsolescence of any of these items in a domestic hereditament, or re-scarifying or re-gravelling garden drives or paths, are properly admissible within maintenance relief claims against Income Tax Schedule A, whether he will instruct all inspectors of taxes appropriately in accordance with provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1952, Section 101, to ensure observance of the provisions.

I presume the hon. Member has in mind claims by owner-occupiers. A distinction is drawn between expenditure incurred as owner and expenditure incurred as occupier. On this basis, the detailed Answer is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the number of maintenance relief claims in respect of Income Tax Schedule A from owner-occupiers of houses is now increasing.

It is estimated that over the last few years the number of maintenance claims by owner-occupiers has increased by about 15 per cent. a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that some inspectors of taxes admit as part of a maintenance relief claim for Schedule A Income Tax, professional fees and expenses relating to the claim including accountancy fees, whereas other inspectors do not so admit, and that some inspectors admit and others refuse to admit accountancy fees as a deduction for computing liability to Schedule D and Schedule E Income Tax; what is the reason for such inconsistencies; and whether he will make a statement.

In general accountancy fees for preparing a maintenance claim are admissible expenses of management for the purposes of such a claim, and normal fees for preparing business accounts are an allowable business expense. Except under those heads, accountancy fees do not rank for tax relief. If my hon. Friend will send me particulars of any cases known to him where inspectors of taxes are not observing these rules I will have inquiries made and write to him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ascertain the cost to the Inland Revenue of assessment and collection per £1,000,000 of revenue, respectively, for Income Tax Schedules A, D and E; and to what extent such cost has increased since 1951.

The cost of assessing and collecting Income Tax under each schedule cannot be segregated from the general cost of administering the Revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the present investment allowance for British shipping is prejudicial to forward planning in the shipping industry; and if he will take steps to increase and stabilise this allowance in a way which will not prevent British shipping from competing on equal terms with foreign shipping.

I do not believe the suggestion in the first part of the hon. and learned Member's Question. As regards the second part, I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he intends taking to attract new industries to the Seaton Delaval and Cramlington areas arising from the report received from his Parliamentary Secretary on his visit to these areas on 4th and 5th January, 1961.

This is an area where the Board of Trade would be glad to see new industrial development, and we shall continue to draw the attention of industrialists to the facilities it offers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he intends taking to attract new industry into the Sedgefield rural district in view of the redundancies taking place in the mining areas.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the need for more industrial development both in Sedgefield itself and in the development districts which border on it. We shall do all we can to encourage suitable firms to go to the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the site now vacant of the army camp at Sedgefield; and if he will enter into consultations with the Secretary of State for War with the object of establishing new forms of industry upon this site.

The Board of Trade is aware of this site, but my right hon. Friend understands that the interests of the former owners have first to be determined. If the site becomes available for industrial use, we shall certainly be prepared to bring it to the notice of suitable firms.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons, men and women, respectively, were employed in Government-financed factories in Sunderland on the latest available date.

At November, 1960, 2,187 males and 3,164 females were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what space is at present unoccupied in Government-financed factories in Sunderland; and for what time such space has been unoccupied.

One Government-financed factory of 62,000 sq. ft. has been empty since May, 1960.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industries have been assisted under the Local Employment Act to expand or to establish themselves in Aberdeen.

Two. Assistance has also been offered to one non-industrial project.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to introduce legislation to give local authorities powers to deal with vehicles left derelict on the highway.

I expect soon to make regulations which will give local authorities as well as the police the power to remove abandoned vehicles from the highway.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state his plans for the prevention of accidents on British roads; and what reports he has received from the Departmental Road Safety Committee and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents on conditions on British roads so far as they affect road safety.

As announced in the Gracious Speech, I hope to lay those of my proposals which involve legislation before Parliament during this session.I am pressing for more training in road safety far young people; the Government are making a grant to the Royal Automobile Club to promote the expansion of the R.A.C./A.C.U. scheme for the training of young motor cyclists. I am hoping to arrange for an experiment involving the greater segregation of pedestrians and vehicles; I am pressing on with road improvements and vehicle testing.Since the hon. Member's Question of 25th May last, the Departmental Committee on Road Safety has met once and has made recommendations to me about the regulation of reflectorised and illuminated advertising signs on vehicles and about the possibility of holding a Road Safety Day. I am considering these recommendations. The Committee is to meet again next week. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is in close and constant touch with my Department on all matters affecting road safety.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the Government of Northern Ireland asking for an inquiry in the shipping services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and what answer he has given.

The Government of Northern Ireland recently accepted a Motion in the Northern Ireland Parliament calling for such an inquiry. In response to a request by the Government of Northern Ireland, Who have themselves no power to deal with shipping questions, I have decided to appoint a Committee with the following terms of reference:

"To consider the shipping services for both passengers and freight between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to report whether they are satisfactory in the following respects:

(a) types and frequency of service;

(b) standards of service; and

(c) reasonableness of charges."

I will make a further statement as soon as possible about the membership of the Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the supplementary report of the Working Party concerning 'the provision of a pontoon dock for Aberdeen Harbour.

The Joint Working Party set up by the Aberdeen Harbour Commission have not yet had replies from all the interests concerned in the future of dock facilities at Aberdeen. It is not therefore possible to say at present when its supplementary report can be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders are known to the police for 1960, including those of manslaughter which have been excluded from the category of murder cases by the the Homicide Act, 1957; and what were the strictly comparable figures of each of the previous nine years, respectively.

The numbers of murders known to the police in each of the calendar years 1951 to 1959 were given in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 15th December, 1960. The provisional figure for the number of murders known to the police in 1960 is 152. Twenty other offences originally recorded as murder by the police in 1960 were reduced to manslaughter in the same year under Section 2 or Section 4 of the Homicide Act, 1957, and the corresponding figures for 1957, 1958 and 1959 were 16, 21 and 16 respectively; it cannot be assumed, however, that all these offences would necessarily have been dealt with as murder but for the operation of the Act.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will make a statement regarding the development of light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation at the Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern.

This new area of research, called LASER, is concerned with the generation of light waves of a special kind that have the characteristics of radio waves. It opens up the possibility of using the light wave part of the frequency spectrum for radio communications. Some experimental work has already been done in the United States, and the results are being studied by the Royal Radar Establishment and by other research laboratories in this country. When these studies are complete we shall decide whether to start experimental work ourselves. The importance of the project is fully realised, but there are many difficulties to be overcome before practical applications can be considered.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will set up a Sports Development Council with an annual grant from the Exchequer, as recommended by the Committee on Sport presided over by Sir John Wolfenden.

The Report of the Wolfenden Committee on Sport and the Community covers a very wide field, and the proposal for the establishment of a Sports Development Council is linked with a number of other recommendations for Government action. These recommendations are being carefully studied, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what steps the Government are taking to ensure the application of existing scientific knowledge, beneficial to the development of the national economy.

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority devote considerable sums to the communication of results through publications, the various publicity media and technical information and advisory services. In addition, both organisations and the National Research Development Coporation grant licences for the application of patents in industry, and the U.H.A.E.A. provides special training faclities for industry.The results of agricultural research are conveyed to the farmer by the Departments of Agriculture through their advisery services with the advice of the Agricultural Improvement Councils.The programme of the Medical Research Council includes extensive research on problems affecting the health of industrial workers. The results of research are published in the scientific Press.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what was the cost of pharmaceutical prescriptions in the last available year as a percentage of the cost in 1950 adjusted to the 1950 price level, or in any other fashion, to show a real comparison;(2) what was the cost of the National Health Service in the last available year as a percentage of the cost of 1950 adjusted to the 1960 price level, or in any other fashion, to show a real comparison.

The following table shows 1959–60 expenditure for Great Britain as a percentage of expenditure in 1950–51 after adjustment for the change in the Price Index of Consumers' Expenditure from 1950 to 1959:

	Per cent.
Gross cost of National Health Service (excluding local health authority services)	124
Gross cost of pharmaceutical prescriptions dispensed in the year	148

asked the Minister of Labour how many males and females were registered as unemployed at the Bexhill, Hailsham and Rye employment exchanges on 15th December; and how many of them were over 55 years of age,

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE BEXHILL HAILSHAM AND RYE EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AT 12TH DECEMBER, 1960
—		Men			Women
		Aged 18 to 54	Aged 55 and over	Total	Aged 18 to 54	Aged 55 and over	Total
Bexhill	…	62	149	211	34	6	40
Hailsham	…	22	39	61	6	4	10
Rye	…	30	30	60	6	4	10
Total	…	114	218	332	46	14	60

In addition to the above there were 10 boys and 4 girls under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at the Bexhill Youth Employment Office, which also covers the Rye, Hailsham and Battle areas; all of these had been employed at some stage since leaving school.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government will make a special contribution to the Endowment Fund of the International Institute for Labour Studies, apart from the normal United Kingdom contribution through the budget of the International Labour Organisation.

The Government do not contemplate making such a contribution.The United Kingdom pay approximately one-tenth of what is contributed to the Institute through the ordinary budget of the organisation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal at precisely what time, and on which day, the Order in Council under the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act was published in Bahrain in respect of Rahman al Baker and two other political prisoners; what decision he has come to, following the investigations made by his Department, regarding the legality of the removal of these men to under 18 years of age, and school leavers, respectively.

The table below gives the information desired:H.M.S. "Loch Insh" and, subsequently, to St. Helena; and if he will now order their release from custody.

To the best of my information and belief this Order was published in Bahrain by being posted on the official notice board of the Political Agency just before 8.00 a.m. local time on 28th December, 1956.As regards the second part of the hon. Gentleman's Question, I would refer him to the Answers I gave in the House yesterday afternoon.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of the lessening of international tension due to the Russian Government's decision to release the RB.47 prisoners and President Kennedy's decision that no further U2 flights are to take place over Soviet territory, what new initiative he proposes to take to bring about a disarmament agreement.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answers which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for St. Helens (Mr. Spriggs) on 26th January.

asked the Minister of Works what reply he has sent to the communications sent to him by the National Farmers' Union and other bodies by way of protest against the closing down of the Government Research Station in Aberdeen in relation to the work there on the accelerated freeze drying of food.

I have received no such communications.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the number of gunner regiments in the Regular Army and the Territorial Army, respectively, on the following dates, namely, before the Territorial Army doubled in 1938, at the end of the war in 1945, and after the completion of the present series of amalgamations, due to end on 1st April, 1961.

The numbers of Regular and Territorial gunner regiments before the doubling of the Territorial Army in 1938 were 76 and 102 respectively. It is not possible to give the comparable figures for the end of the war in 1945, but for January, 1947, when the Territorial Army was re-formed, they were 106 and 347 respectively. The planned figures for the Territorial Army on 1st April, 1961, are 45. It would not be in the public interest to give the number of Regular Army regiments.