asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state in tabular form the number of naval officers employed at the Admiralty or in other offices in 1936, 1946, 1956 and on the latest possible date, respectively; and if he will state for the same years

asked the Minister of Education if he will give details of the work done by the 32 photographers employed on the staffs of the museums and art galleries under his jurisdiction.

The eight photographers at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the four at the Science Museum produce photographs of museum collections and individual objects for record and other internal purposes and for sale to the general public. Lantern slides are produced both for museum use and for sale or loan.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long he expects to keep in being the Civil Service Pay Research Unit.

On the assumption that the first part of the Question refers to the numbers of naval officers in the various Admiralty Headquarters Offices, the information asked for is as follows:

No term has been set to the life of the Civil Service Pay Research Unit, which was set up on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service (1953–55).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an account of the work done by the five catering advisers employed on the staff of the Administration Section of the Treasury.

Staff restaurants in the Civil Service are managed by committees representing the users. To help the committees to run the restaurants efficiently, the Treasury provides an advisory service of qualified caterers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate with the OFFICIAL REPORT a table in similar form to that published in Appendix IV of the Report of the Select Committee on Members' Salaries, 1954, classifying the amounts of Members' expenses allowed for Income Tax purposes against their salaries as Members of Parliament for the latest available year.

The following table classifies the amounts of Members' expenses allowed for Income Tax purposes against their remuneration as Members of Parliament for the year 1959–60 (ended 5th April, 1960). It includes only those Members whose expenses claim related to the full year. Ministers have not been included.As Parliament was dissolved for a short period during the year, the maximum remuneration of a Member during the year was £1,654.Final figures for the expenses of nearly one quarter of the Members are not available; in these cases the amounts which have been included in the table are the amounts provisionally allowed in the codings for the purpose of determining P.A.Y.E. deductions. It is not expected, however, that on the whole the final figures will be very different from the provisional figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in revenue in a full year, at the existing rates of taxation, of raising the personal allowance for single persons from £140 to £150, of raising the wife's special earned income relief from £140 to £150, of raising the personal allowance of married men from £240 to £260, and of widening the lowest reduced rate band from £60 to £100, leaving others unchanged, respectively.

Based on the year 1960–61, the estimated costs are £22 million, £5 million, £57 million and £127 million. In making each of these estimates, it has been assumed that the change in question is the only one being made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the number of Experimental Officers and Assistant Experimental Officers employed by the British Museum, Natural History, has been increased from 71 to 103.

The latest figure for 1st April, 1961, is not 103 but 101 Experimental Officers and Assistant Experimental Officers. The explanation of the increase of 30 since 1st April, 1960, is that 20 Assistant (Scientific) posts were regraded to Assistant Experimental Officer as a result of inspection of the work involved and 10 new posts were added to the complement to deal with expansion of work. Of these four were added to cover work performed by the Museum on behalf of the Overseas Geological Survey on a full repayment basis.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the amount of superannuation now payable to clerical officers, executive officers, higher executive officers and senior executive officers, respectively, on the basis of 40 years' pensionable service, having attained the maximum salary of the grade for at least three years before retirement, and on the assumption of retirement on 1st January, 1940, 1950 and 1960, respectively.

The annual pensions (including appropriate increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts) now payable

asked the Minister of Health by how much nonmedical staff, excluding all nursing and midwifery staff, employed by regional hospital boards and hospital management committees have increased in numbers between 1949 and 1959; and what is the total increase in salaries paid to such persons over the same period.

About 39,000 and £75 million (including about 7.400 and £13 million in respect of administrative and clerical staffs).

asked the Postmaster-General what representations he has received during the last two years suggesting that he take action under Clause 15 (4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation Licence and Section 9 (2) of the Television Act.

I have received a very wide range of representations calling for stricter control over children's programmes and quiz programmes and the banning of a variety of programmes including some on current affairs, and others involving crime techniques, drinking, violence, swearing and cruelty. I have also received representations critical of programmes on the finances of programme contractors, of items containing alleged anti-Russian propaganda and others with alleged anti-American propaganda, disc boosting programmes, simulated news announcements and family planning.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been paid to the owner-occupier of Stanstill Farm, Caithness, as compensation for the farm's rejection for hill cattle subsidy; and if he will make a statement.

No such compensation has been paid. The farm has been receiving hill cattle subsidy regularly since 1952 on that part which my Department have accepted as hill farming land within the meaning of the Act. There is discretion under the Hill Cattle Subsidy (Scotland) Scheme to allow cattle to be wintered, under certain circumstances, on lower ground and after a further inspection by my Department in 1960 this discretion was exercised in the case of Stanstill farm. There is no provision for compensation in terms of the Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why payment of hill cattle subsidy is made to the tenant of Borgie Mains Farm, Caithness, in view of its rejection by inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, who found that the farm did not qualify and reported accordingly.

The function of the inspectors in this matter is to report on the facts and make recommendations; and not to reach decisions. In the light of the various reports which have been made from time to time and of other relevant considerations, subsidy has been paid in respect of Borgie Mains Farm for each year since the introduction of hill cattle subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the letter from the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland on the re-letting of a croft at Brora; and when he expects to reply.

I replied to the hon. Member on 23rd March, 1961.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how often the National Joint Council has met to discuss the teachers' salary claim, since 1st January, 1961.

The Committee to which the Council, in accordance with its normal practice, has remitted this claim has met once.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how often the National Joint Council met to discuss teachers' salaries in each of the last three years.

In 1958, the National Joint Council to deal with the Salaries of Teachers in Scotland met four times

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state in tabular form the total numbers employed

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that, in addition to other direct and indirect taxes, approximately £1 million was paid in taxation by owners of motor vehicles in Lincoln; and approximately what proportion of this amount will be spent on road construction and maintenance.

Government expenditure on roads is not related in any way to particular sources of revenue. The hon. Member may rest assured that within the system of national priorities Lincoln will receive its share of the available funds.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state in tabular form the numbers of generals employed in offices, the number of officers and others engaged at the War Office and other offices, respectively, and the total costs in 1936, 1945, 1955 and on the latest possible date.

The following is the information.at Royal Ordnance Factories in 1936, 1946, 1956 and on the latest possible date; what were the numbers employed in offices and the numbers employed on production, respectively; and what was the total cost, for the same years.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any plans for Gurkha units to serve in the United Kingdom.

Yes. The 1st Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles accompanied by H.Q. 63 Gurkha Brigade and some ancillary units will come to the United Kingdom from Malaya at the end of this year. This will broaden the scope of their training and provide an opportunity for them to serve in a temperate climate. I hope and believe that the opportunity for a formation of these loyal and valiant fighters to serve in our home country will be widely approved.

asked the Minister of Works what he intends to do with the piece of ground belonging to his Department, adjacent to the British Legion Club premises at Edinburgh Road, Dalkeith, Midlothian.

Following is the information.

This piece of ground is at present let for car parking. The intention was to build an employment exchange on it, but negotiations are now in hand to provide the exchange elsewhere in the town. If these negotiations are successful the ground in question will be sold.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give details of the proposals put by the Governor of Northern Rhodesia before the delegates to the constitutional talks in Lusaka.

The Governor has communicated confidentially to the political groups in the territory suggestions which illustrate how the outline plan in the White Paper on constitutional change in Northern Rhodesia might be put into effect in detail. These suggestions were put forward on a basis for further consultation with the groups and I consider that it would be better for consultation to continue in confidence for the time being.