asked the Minister of Education when St. George's School, Taunton, will be rebuilt.

It was not possible to include this project in the 1962–63 building programme. I accept the need for rebuilding this school, but there are other urgent projects in the area and I am glad to know that money has recently been spent on making the premises more tolerable.

asked the Minister of Education how many school dentists are available in Oldham: and what plans he has for covering effectively the dental needs of more than 18,000 children in the local schools.

Oldham have the equivalent of just over two full-time school dentists. Following consultations with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health meetings to discuss measures for securing improvements in the school dental service will shortly take place with the local authority and professional associations. It may be some time before the effect of these is felt in particular areas.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to control the proportion of money spent by public libraries in England and Wales on the purchase of books, salaries, and wages and other purposes.

No. But the working party which I am setting up to examine the technical implications of the recommendations of the Roberts Report about the basic requirements for an efficient public library service will, I hope, produce more detailed information on these matters which will be of value to both the local authorities and myself.

asked the Minister of Education if he is yet in a position to announce the names of the re-constituted Central Advisory Council for Education in England.

The following have so far accepted my invitation to serve on the new Council under Lord Amory's Chairmanship:Mr. John Newsom (Vice-Chairman)—Director, Longmans Green & Co., Ltd.Mr. R. H. Adams—Principal, Kingswood Training and Classifying Schools, Kings-wood, near Bristol.Miss C. Avent—Careers Advisory Officer, Central Youth Employment Service.Mr. D. B. Bartlett—Chief Education Officer, Southend.Mr. S. W. Buglass—Youth Supervisor, Imperial Chemical Industries.Alderman S. M. Caffyn, C.B.E.—Chairman, Education Committee, Eastbourne.Mr. A. B. Clegg—Chief Education Officer, West Riding of Yorkshire.Professor Basil A. Fletcher—The Institute of Education, University of Leeds.Mr. F. D. Flower, M.B.E.—Principal, Kingsway Day College, London.Dr. H. Frazer—Headmaster. The Gateway School for Boys (Secondary Technical). Leicester.Mr. A. J. N. Fuller—Headmaster. Oldborough Manor Secondary School, Maidstone.Miss B. A. Godwin, O.B.E.—Trades Union Congress.Miss M. Green—Headmistress, Kidbrooke (Comprehensive) School. London.Reverend H. W. Hinds—St. Peter's Rectory, Walworth, London.Mr. R. M. T. Kneebone—Headmaster, Beck-field County (Secondary Modern) School, York.Miss N. Newton-Smith—Principal, Hertford College of Further Education.Dr. Kathleen Ollerenshaw—Member, Education Committee, Manchester.Miss B. Paston Brown—Principal. Homerton College, Cambridge.Miss E. M. Pepperell—Industrial Welfare Society.Alderman A. H. Quilley, M.B.E.—Chairman, Hampshire Education Committee.Mr. J. Scupham. O.B.E.—School Broadcasting Council.Miss E. L. Sewell—General Secretary, National Association of Mixed Clubs and Girls' Clubs.Miss A. M. Simcock—Headmistress, Moss House Secondary Modern School. Manchester.Mr. W. J. Slater—Department of Physical Education. Birmingham University

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what help was rendered in Nigeria for the development of co-operative societies in each of the three years preceding independence; and what arrangements were made to ensure that such help did not cease suddenly.

In 1957, my right hon. Friend's Adviser on Co-operation visited Nigeria and made recommendations. In 1958, a training course for Senior Cooperative Department staff in Africa, arranged at Buea in the Southern Cameroons, included a study tour in Nigeria, and six Nigerian officers attended the course.In reply to the second part of the Question, the development of co-operative societies in Nigeria subsequent to independence is, of course, a matter for the Government of Nigeria, and I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to his Questions to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations on 9th and 23rd February. The Nigerian authorities were advised of the arrangements which would in general be available for technical assistance from the U.K. after independence. These could, of course, include assistance in regard to co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision he will make for increasing the resources of the land bank and Settlement Board in Kenya to ensure that suitable land offered for sale is taken up at fair values to make new farms for both Europeans and Africans and so give confidence for the further farming development which is essential to the economy of Kenya.

Her Majesty's Government have provided £4 million in Exchequer loans towards the Colony's development programme in 1960–61 and within that programme the Colony have allocated £300,000 in loans to increase the irredeemable capital of the Land Bank. Her Majesty's Government have also agreed to make available for the Colony's land settlement scheme over £3½ million in loans and grants in the period to the end of March, 1964. This and the money that it is hoped to obtain from the International Bank and other sources will enable the Settlement Board to undertake the purchase of the largest acreage of suitable land that can be efficiently handled by the Board in the period of the current scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements he is making, in response to the request of the Kenya African National Union, to visit Kenya to discuss with them and with other political parties the release of Mr. Jomo Kenyatta.

I have received no such request but, in any event, this is not a matter in which intervention by me would be appropriate. The Governor has only very recently, and with my full agreement, made the position in regard to Kenyatta clear.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what percentage of the electorate voted under the revised constitution for British Honduras; and to which political parties the 18 elected members belong.

80 per cent. of the electorate voted.The People's United Party secured all 18 elected seats.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has taken note of the Blood Commission's opinion that Her Majesty's Government should make plain what financial help can be expected over a period of years; and whether he will make a statement on the suggestion made by certain members of the Commission that Her Majesty's Government should pay for the maintenance of the Malta police force while ultimate responsibility rests with the Governor.

Yes. Clearly it is desirable for the Government of a territory which is still so dependent on external financial assistance as Malta, to have a clear idea of what it may expect in the way of such assistance. At present United Kingdom financial assistance is devoted almost exclusively towards meeting Malta's capital expenditure. It was for this purpose that Her Majesty's Government made £29¼ million in aid available to Malta for the quinquennium ending in 1963–64. So long as Malta remains the responsibility of Her Majesty's Government it will continue to be eligible for assistance from funds voted by Parliament for development purposes.Experience of the past few years has shown that it should be quite possible for the Maltese Government to meet its recurrent expenditure from its own resources, and the work of the interim Government in administering Malta's finances should make this easier in future. Her Majesty's Government has in the past contributed towards the cost of certain services in Malta such as civil defence, stockpiling and civil aviation, It is intended to make provision for a contribution, in so far as this is needed, during the coming financial year.The suggestion that Her Majesty's Government should pay for the maintenance of the Malta Police was not made by the Commission as a whole. As the Police will remain a force of the State of Malta, even though responsible for the time being to the Governor, it is right that the cost of the Force should continue to be borne on the Maltese budget.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average net farm income on farms of 100 and 200 acres, respectively, in the years 1958 and 1959, indicating the percentage increase or decrease shown by these figures.

My information on farm incomes in England and Wales is obtained from a sample survey conducted by agricultural economists at the Universities. The results of that survey indicate that the average net farm income on farms of between 50 and 150 acres declined by 12½ per cent. from £1,033 in 1958 to £902 in 1959. For farms between 150 and 300 acres the figures were £1,683 and £1,389, a reduction of 17½ per cent. These farm size groups are those most closely corresponding to the sizes referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to call a conference of European fishing countries to consider the future of the available fishing grounds, the exploration of new fishing grounds and the conservation of fish.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and the Commissions established under the 1946 Convention and the Convention for the North-west Atlantic, already provide machinery for consideration of these problems.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce to Parliament details of the Annual Price Review.

I hope to be able to make a statement next Thursday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the recent provisional agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Norway relating to fishing limits, will involve re-equipment and remodeling of British distant-water fleets; and what steps Her Majesty's Government proposes to assist the British fleets in the necessary reorganisation.

The agreement with Norway about fishing limits is among the factors which may make some reorganisation of the distant water fleet necessary. The Government will consider, in the light of the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into the fishing industry, what help should be given to the industry for this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if, in view of the importance to masters of British fishing vessels of the exact limits of fishing granted under the new agreement with Iceland, he will now issue a White Paper with maps delineating clearly the limits agreed on between the British and Icelandic Governments;(2) if, in view of the importance to masters of British fishing vessels of the exact limits of the fishing grounds in the new agreement with Norway, he will now issue a White Paper with maps delineating clearly the limits agreed on between the British and Norwegian Governments.

The Anglo-Norwegian Agreement has already been published as a White Paper (Cmnd. 1224) and the Exchange of Notes with Iceland will be similarly published in due course. It is not proposed to publish detailed charts but, in accordance with the usual practice, all sections concerned in the industry have been provided with full details of the Agreements so that owners can give the necessary instructions to their skippers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that Lord Justice Pearce said in the Court of Appeal on 1st March that it was not without regret that the court allowed an appeal of a hire-purchase company claiming £200 compensation for a breach of hire-purchase agreement on a car, that it was unfortunate that Parliament had not chosen to put fetters on transactions of this type and that the remedy was legislative and not judicial; if he will take steps to meet the situation; and if he will make a statement.

I have seen a report of the judgment to which my hon. Friend refers: since the issue is still subject to appeal, it would not be right for me to make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that step-stools of a maximum height of 22 inches are subject to 5 per cent. Purchase Tax whereas to those over that height a rate of 12½ per cent. is applicable; for what reason such a difference exists; and whether he will afford similar treatment to all step-stools, ladders and like climbing equipment, including public library ladders for higher shelving, by applying a uniform rate of 5 per cent. Purchase Tax as for furniture.

Under the tax law, a stool has to be distinguished from a stepladder, and height is a sensible criterion for doing so. As to the rest of the Question, I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that bunk-beds where one bed is set above the other as a single piece of furniture, generally for the use of children in a small room, attract Purchase Tax at 5 per cent., whereas the ladder supplied as part of the equipment and without which a child cannot safely climb aloft is subject to Purchase Tax at 12½ per cent.; why this inconsistency exists; and what remedy he now proposes.

There is no inconsistency; a bunk is a bunk and a ladder is a ladder.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the reasons why Civil Defence Report Forms, F. Sigs. 52, large and small, which are purchased by all bodies having a Civil Defence Organisation, carry Purchase Tax; and whether, as these forms are a necessary part of the defence organisation, he will takes steps to discontinue this practice.

These forms are statutorily liable to Purchase Tax as Stationery.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken by the National Savings Movement to dissociate itself publicly from the chain letter, now being circulated by the National Savings Bank, in which recipients who do not wish to participate are asked to return the letter to the National Savings Movement.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me this opportunity to make it clear that these chain letters have no connection whatsover with the National Savings Movement. The Movement has condemned them for many years, both by announcements in the Press and on the Radio, and by answer to individual inquiries Also in its own publications the Movement warns voluntary savings workers against the letters and asks them to dissuade others from taking part. My advice to anyone who receives such a letter is to destroy it at once.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now reconsider the restriction which prevents embassies from obtaining supplies of Scotch whisky duty free.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners absconded from the open prison at Thorp Arch during 1960.

Twelve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the circumstances in which a 17-year-old boy, whose name has been supplied to him, who is an idiopathic epileptic, has been detained in Cardiff Prison for more than a month without any stabilisation treatment; why it was unknown to the prison authorities that they were receiving an idiopathic epileptic; and whether the boy will be removed from this adult prison to an institution where he may receive appropriate medical treatment.

This boy has already been transferred to the Borstal Reception Centre at Latchmere House. I am inquiring into the case and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will authorise the entry into this country of Miss Charlambia Papadimas, on whose behalf the Woodland Management Association Limited wrote to him on 15th February.

Yes

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from Dartmoor Prison in each of the last 10 years; and how many have escaped in 1961 to the latest convenient date.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of immigrants from the West Indies for the month of January, 1961, as compared with January, 1960.

The estimated net inward movement was 1,900 as compared with 700.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the number of immigrants from Pakistan and India, respectively, for the month of January, 1961, as compared with January, 1960.

It is estimated that in the case of Pakistan there was a net inward movement of 400, as compared with a net outward movement of 170: in the case of India, a net inward movement of 570. as compared with one of 80.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many British officials from the United Kingdom are now serving on temporary secondment with the Cyprus Government; how many Cypriot officials are serving with the United Kingdom Government and Colonial Governments or undergoing training in the United Kingdom or Colonies; and what other technical co-operation is now taking place or is planned between the two countries.

One official of the British Government is serving on secondment with the Cyprus Government. No official of the Cyprus Government is serving with the United Kingdom or any Colonial Government. Eight officials of the Cyprus Government are now training in the United Kingdom. No specific projects for technical co-operation have been agreed between the British and Cyprus Governments. But within the terms of the financial settlement between the two countries we should be ready to consider such projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations on what grounds permits are required from the authorities before meetings can be held in Bechuanaland.

In accordance with customary Tswana law the permission of the Chief of an area is required before any meeting, other than a normal Kgotla can be held in his area. A similar customary law is followed in African communities organised on a tribal basis and living outside the tribal areas. Otherwise no permits are required.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science (1) what are his proposals for improving the facilities of existing British seismological stations for which he is responsible;(2) if he will give details of scientific personnel employed in his department's seismological stations at Aberdeen, Bids-ton, Cambridge, Durham. Edinburgh, Jersey, and Kew.

All but two of the seismological stations referred to are the responsibility of universities and none of them is under the control of bodies for which my noble Friend is responsible. As regards the improvement of university facilities, I would refer the hon. Member to the Written Reply which I gave him on 2nd March.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he proposes to pay the compensation of £243,838 for refusal of planning permission to the Lower Thames Land Development and Construction Company to the Central Electricity Generating Board.

I do not. I propose to pay it to the Lower Thames Land Development and Construction Co., Ltd.