asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the instructions given for the discontinuance of the sales of automobiles of British manufacture at United States bases in this country and the instructions to United States personnel in this country that they are to buy American; whether he is aware of the effect these instructions will have on the motor industry of this country and those employed in it; what representations he has made to the Government of the United States of America about their policy which is restrictive of mutual trade; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has made known to the United States Government his concern over the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals he has to build more advance factories in Scotland; and if, in view of the continuing high level of unemployment in the Greenock-Port Glasgow area, he will give early consideration to building there.

None at present, but the availability of factory space in Scotland is being kept under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that Mr. Kumaichi Yamamoto, Chairman of the Japanese International Trade Promotion Association, visited Peking recently, and as a consequence greater trade is being done between China and Japan; if he will give an assurance that British traders will be equally free to extend their business with Communist China; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the recent visit referred to. The consequences on trade between China and Japan have yet to be seen. So far as Her Majesty's Government is concerned British traders will remain free to expand their business with China to the fullest extent possible consistent with the balance of advantage to the United Kingdom. But the actual development of British trade with China also depends on the Chinese.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal of the corporation of Greenock that an industrial estate might be sited at Knocknairshill, Greenock, to augment the possibilities of industrial development in the area; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I am aware of this proposal; officials of the Departments concerned are arranging to examine it in consultation with the local authority.

asked the Minister of Works (1) why the proposed expenditure on works services of £50,000 on Apartment 1A of Kensington Palace is set down in the Civil Estimates, Class VII, as a provisional estimate;(2) how much public money is to be spent in 1961–62 on No. 1A Kensington Palace.

£5,000 has been provided in the New Works subhead of the Royal Palaces Vote for 1961–62. The total estimate of £50,000 is set down as provisional in accordance with the normal procedure for projects in the early stages of planning.

asked the Minister of Works if he will state the main items of maintenance and repair of Royal Palaces which account for the proposed increase in expenditure of £61,918 in 1961–62 compared with the estimates for 1960–61.

The main items are:

£6,800 for additional costs of day to day cleaning, maintenance and repair of the structure and sanitary services and

£7,500 for additional costs of operation, maintenance and repair of the engineering plant and services. Both these are primarily due to wage awards;

£1,800 for recent increases in employers' National Insurance contributions;

£10,000 for internal and external painting, of which

£2,800 is for Buckingham Palace;

£1,400 for Windsor Castle;

£3,300 for St. James's Palace (State Rooms);

£2,500 for Hampton Court Palace.

The Increase is due to wage awards and the inclusion of arrears of redecoration, previously deferred through lack of funds.

£36,000 for items of special maintenance and repair of the fabric and services, including £6,500 for repairs to eroded stonework at Buckingham Palace, £15,000 for restoration of stonework and partial renewal of lead roofs at Hampton Court Palace, and an additional £24,000 for repairs to the Longford River at Hampton Court Palace; all partly offset by reductions at Windsor Castle.

asked the Minister of Works if he will have the roadway at the entrance on the north side of Regent's Park between the canal bridge and the Outer Circle widened to take two lanes of traffic entering the park, and thus allow vehicles turning left to filter when those wishing to turn right are stopped.

The traffic advantages of this scheme would be small and it would be necessary also to widen the canal bridge to produce any worthwhile improvement in traffic flow at peak periods. It does not seem that the considerable expenditure likely to be involved would be justified by the small advantage which would accrue to those enjoying the amenities of the Park.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his conversations with the West Indian Government regarding the urgent need to control and limit immigration into the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official discussions with federal and territorial ministers in the West Indies regarding immigration from their territories.

As I told the House on 13th April, I naturally had some discussions on the problems of migration with the leading personalities in the West Indies. As I made it clear, they are very conscious of our difficulties as we are of theirs. I did not add in any discussions to the position taken by the Government in our recent debate.Great progress is being made with economic and industrial development in the Islands, but there is still the problem of population. Any assistance that any Commonwealth or other country can give will, of course, help, but we are all conscious of the difficulties involved.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official discussions with federal and territorial ministers in the West Indies regarding the constitution of the Federation.

I tried to make it plain in discussions with West Indian Ministers that it was now up to them to resolve the remaining difficulties concerning their federal constitution. I expressed the hope that at their intergovernmental conference in May they would reach a substantial measure of agreement. This would greatly facilitate our task at the conference opening at Lancaster House on 31st May when we shall, I hope, arrive at an agreed date for the independence of the Federation.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent he discussed the question of nuclear strategy and Polaris bases with the Canadian Prime Minister.

My discussions with Mr. Diefenbaker were, in general, confidential. I am not prepared to disclose particulars of any discussions that I may have had with him about defence matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether he discussed with President Kennedy the need to maintain or increase the British conventional contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

The question of the organisation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation did arise in the course of our discussions. There is, I understand, to be a general review in the North Atlantic Council of the Whole problem of the character and size of forces. Meanwhile, we have Treaty obligations which we are carrying out.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the approximate cost of travelling expenses per head of persons employed in his Department for 1960.

The approximate cost of travelling and subsistence expenses in 1960 per head of persons employed in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was £94.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many loans have been made to private woodland owners in England and Wales, separately, in each of the last five years; how much they totalled in each year; and what were the highest and lowest loans.

The number of loans made and the annual amounts are shown in the following table. The highest loan was £8,000 and the lowest £250.

LOANS MADE TO PRIVATE WOODLAND OWNERS IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN 1956–1960
Year ended 30th September		England		Wales
		Number of Loans	Total amount	Number of Loans	Total amount
			£		£
1956	…	7	11,850	—	—
1957	…	11	18,890	—	—
1958	…	10	17,050	2	3,250
1959	…	15	26,400	2	1,300
1960	…	8	19,950	2	1,750

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many grants have been paid to private woodland owners in England and Wales, separately, in each of the last five years; how much they totalled in each year; and what were the highest and lowest grants.

The number of schemes on which grants were paid and the total annual payments are shown in the following table. The highest individual grant payment was £4,840 and the lowest £3 15s.

GRANTS PAID TO PRIVATE WOODLAND OWNERS IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN 1956–1960
Year ended 30th September		England		Wales
		Number of Schemes	Total Payments	Number of Schemes	Total Payments
			£		£
1956	…	2,730	253,319	562	41,302
1957	…	2,999	298,992	539	55,564
1958	…	3,554	352,252	537	64,538
1959	…	3,283	483,228	534	81,379
1960	…	3,180	625,065	504	97,337

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sums have been paid to the Forestry Commission in aid of the Forestry Fund in England and Wales, separately, in each of the last 10 years.

The grant-in-aid of the Forestry Fund is voted for Great Britain as a whole. The following table shows the annual net amounts issued from the Fund for operations in England and Wales, with an estimated apportionment of central expenditure, such as salaries and capital items of equipment:

Year ended 31st March			England	Wales
			£	£
1951	…	…	2,127,000	1,376,000
1952	…	…	1,968,000	1,579,000
1953	…	…	2,085,000	1,676,000
1954	…	…	2,329,000	1,677,000
1955	…	…	2,570,000	1,729,000
1956	…	…	2,810,000	1,906,000
1957	…	…	3,289,000	2,077,000
1958	…	…	3,407,000	2,169,000
1959	…	…	3,524,000	2,362,000
1960	…	…	4,098,000	2,465,000

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the functions of the Advisory Council on Rabbit Clearance.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to extend the purview of the Advisory Council on Rabbit Clearance to include other agricultural pests. The members of the Council have been good enough to agree to an extension of their terms of reference. These are now:

"To advise on measures for expediting rabbit clearance and on other matters referred to them in connection with the effective control of mammals and birds harmful to agriculture."

My hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to my Department will be Chairman of the reconstituted Council.The Land Pests Advisory Committee has been dissolved and I do want to express my thanks to the Committee for the help which I have received from it. Mr. A. D. Middleton and Mr. F. W. Ward, formerly members of the Committee, and Mr. J. F. Holman and Mr. W. B. Swan have been appointed to the new Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is to be the future use of the United States Air Force base at Sculthorpe, Norfolk; and if he will make a statement.

I have no statement to make.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what factors are taken into consideration when the work of an officer is being assessed to decide if an annual increment should be paid to him.

The decision is for the Governor, and the efficiency, diligence and fidelity with which an officer has discharged his duties are taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the head of a department reports that an officer's work and conduct have been so unsatisfactory as to merit a recommendation that his probationary appointment be terminated, under what circumstances an annual increment can still be paid to him.

Increments are payable by sanction of the Officer Administering the Government who has authority to decide in what circumstances they may be paid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why annual increments for having, in accordance with Colonial Regulations, discharged his duties with efficiency, diligence and fidelity, were paid to Mr. D. C. Hill for each year of his probationary service in Malaya, even after the termination of his appointment, in view of the fact that his appointment was terminated on the grounds of inefficiency.

The decision to grant Mr. Hill increments was a matter for the High Commissioner, and I have no information about the grounds for his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has decided on a date on which the new constitution of Malta will become operative; and if he will make a further attempt to reach agreement with the representatives of the Maltese people before that date.

I cannot at present add to my statement of 8th March. I said I hoped it would be possible to hold elections before the end of the year. Of course I remain very willing to meet representatives of any or all the Maltese political parties, if they so wish, to discuss the reintroduction of elected government in Malta. I have told Mr. Mintoff this in reply to a recent approach by him. My statement of 8th March makes clear the basis on which such consultations could usefully take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether the arrangements recently made by Her Majesty's Government in the Overseas Service Act have been accepted by Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

The Nigerian Federal Government and the Regional Governments decided after careful consideration that they did not wish to avail themselves of the arrangements offered by this scheme.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now give a date for the publication of the Report of the Working Party on the Special Hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

The report is published today. Its main recommendations are as follows:

1. All three Special Hospitals should be used for patients with dangerous, violent or criminal propensities, whether they have been before the courts or not.

2. Patients in these Hospitals should be grouped according to their medical needs and there should be greater specialisation.

I accept these recommendations and am considering the rearrangements which will be necessary at the Hospitals.3. Patients should be accepted for admission to the Special Hospitals only after other possibilities have been carefully examined and found to be unsuitable.4. To reduce the need for admissions to the Special Hospitals, Regional Hospital Boards should arrange their psychiatric services so as to provide various types of hospital unit, including some secure units.I accept these recommendations. Hospital authorities have been asked to implement No. 4, and will be advised on the steps they should take to enable me to implement No. 3.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the approximate cost of travelling expenses per head of persons employed in his Department in 1960.

Including travelling, subsistence and removal expenses, as these cannot readily be separated, the approximate figure for Home Office staff was £32 10s. The corresponding figure for Prison Commission staff, excluding the cost of escorting and conveying prisoners, was £25 15s.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the approximate cost of travelling expenses per head of persons employed in his Department for 1960.

The cost per head of travelling expenses and subsistence, which I cannot separate, was approximately £59 in 1960. About one-third of the staff of the Department have to travel constantly in the course of their duties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what were the amounts spent each year since the National Parks Commission was set up on the acquisition and management of land, separately, under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.

The Minister's power to acquire land in a national park by agreement, and to arrange for its management, has not been exercised.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what were the sums granted to the National Parks Commission in each year since it was set up.

The expenses of the National Parks Commission are mainly defrayed out of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government's Vote, the cost of accommodation, printing and other services being met out of the Votes of other Departments. The total cost in each year is shown below:

				£
1949–1950	…	…	…	1,642
1950–1951	…	…	…	17,569
1951–1952	…	…	…	24,776
1952–1953	…	…	…	22,441
1953–1954	…	…	…	23,843
1954–1955	…	…	…	27,287
1955–1956	…	…	…	33,539
1956–1957	…	…	…	38,359
1957–1958	…	…	…	40,920
1958–1959	…	…	…	42,174
1959–1960	…	…	…	45,737
1960–1961	…	…	…	52,431

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what have been the amounts of grants each year since the National Parks Commission was set up to local authorities in respect of expenditure incurred in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The amounts of grants paid in England and Wales were:

				£
1954–1955	…	…	…	2,956
1955–1956	…	…	…	7,497
1956–1957	…	…	…	3,475
1957–1958	…	…	…	5,017
1958–1959	…	…	…	4,784
1959–1960	…	…	…	6,546
1960–1961	…	…	…	14,122

No grants were payable before 1954, when the grant regulations came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the list of 46 further education establishments providing pre-employment courses in the session 1959–60, with the numbers of students attending each establishment; and if he will indicate in a comparable table what proposals he intends making to local education authorities for the expansion of such courses in Scotland in the new session 1961–62.

The following is the list:

Name of Centre	No. of Students
Aberdeen, Robert Gordon's Technical College	27
Aberdeen Trades College	159
Aberdeen Pre-Nursing College	166
Aberdeen Commercial College	236
Dundee Institute of Art and Technology	22
Dundee Trades College	208
Dundee. Seymour Lodge Pre-Nursing College	131
Dundee Commercial College	125
Edinburgh, Leith Nautical College	122
Edinburgh, Dean College	316
Edinburgh, Castlehill School of Baking and Catering	26
Edinburgh, School of Building and Crafts	109
Edinburgh, W. M. Ramsay Technical Institute	163
Edinburgh, Torphichen Street Commercial Institute	402
Glasgow, The David Dale College	446
Glasgow, Langside College	270
Glasgow, Stow College of Printing	42
Glasgow, Stow College of Building	54
Glasgow, Logan and Johnston College	231
Ayr Technical College	65
Ayrshire, Kilmarnock Technical College	151
Dumfriesshire, The Barony School	14
Dumbarton, Lennox Technical College	28
Fife, Kirkcaldy Technical College	233
Fife, Pre-Nursing College	82
Fife, Buckhaven Technical College	52
Fife. Cowdenbeath Technical College	74
Inverness Technical High School	35
Kirkcudbrightshire, Castle Douglas School of Commerce	26
Lanarkshire, Burnbank School of Engineering	210
Lanarkshire, Cambuslang School of Building	60
Lanarkshire, Coatbridge Technical College	423
Lanarkshire, Kersewell College	10
Midlothian, Esk Valley College	122
Moray and Nairn, Elgin Girls' Technical School	25

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the decisions which have now been made by the appropriate local authority, he will now authorise the replacement of the 300-year-old Cairnhill House, Airdrie, which is being used as a home for blind persons.

My information is that the joint committee of the 23 local authorities responsible for Cairnhill House have decided not to replace the Home after they cease to use it. They intend, I understand, in the course of the next two or three years to find accommodation for the residents in Homes for the aged and infirm in the areas of the several authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional police expenditure has been necessary in the Holy Loch area during this year; and what is the estimated additional police expenditure during the next financial year.

I understand that no additional expenditure has been incurred hitherto, and that there seems to be no reason why it should become necessary in the next financial year, so far as police work in the Holy Loch area is concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a decision has yet been reached on the payment of hill sheep subsidy for the current year.

I shall lay before the House shortly Statutory Instruments re-enacting the Hill Sheep Subsidy Scheme and fixing a rate of 3s. 6d. per breeding ewe which will be calculated on the number of eligible sheep in the flock at 4th December, 1960. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is taking parallel action for England and Wales, and for Northern Ireland, in which countries 3s. 6d. will be the standard rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report an up-to-date statement including the actual or estimated starting times and the actual or estimated date of completion of the 21 new local colleges and 13 major extensions to additional colleges within the technical education building programme.

NEW EDUCATION AUTHORITY COLLEGES
—	Actual		Estimated
	Starting date	Completion date	Starting date	Completion date
Thurso Technical College	2.58	8.59	—	—
Inverness Technical College	3.59	8.60	—	—
Stow Colleges of Building and Printing, Glasgow	5.59	—	—	5.63
Commercial and Distributive Trades College, Glasgow	9.59	—	—	5.63
Falkirk Technical College	9.59	—	—	7.62
Aberdeen Technical College	2.61	—	—	1.64
Kilmarnock Technical College	2.61	—	—	5.64
Ayr Technical College	2.61	—	—	6.64
Barmulloch College, Glasgow	3.61	—	—	4.64
Dundee Trades College	—	—	4.61	Summer 1963
Arbroath Further Education Centre	—	—	4.61	11.61
Langside College, Glasgow	—	—	5.61	8.64
Anniesland College, Glasgow	—	—	7.61	10.64
Clydebank Technical College	—	—	7.61	11.63
Napier Technical College, Edinburgh	—	—	7.61	Autumn 1964
Bathgate Technical College	—	—	3.62	11.63
Galashiels Technical Centre	—	—	5.62	9.63
Esk Valley College, Midlothian	—	—	9.62	7.65
Glasgow Nautical School	—	—	11.62	8.65
Greenock Technical College	—	—	Not yet available
Dundee Commercial College	—	—	Not yet available

EDUCATION AUTHORITY COLLEGES—MAJOR EXTENSIONS
—	Actual		Estimated
	Starting date	Completion date	Starting date	Completion date
Kilmarnock Technical Further Education College	10.57	1.58	—	—
Bristo Technical Institute, Edinburgh	6.57	9.58	—	—
Stow College of Building, Glasgow	12.57	10.58	—	—
Dumfries Further Education Centre	9.58	12.58	—	—
Golspie, Sutherland Technical College	9.58	12.59	—	—
Kinning Park Catering and Bakery School, Glasgow	8.59	9.60	—	—
Perth Temporary Further Education Centre	4.60	—	—	4.61
Reid Kerr College, Paisley	5.60	—	—	12.61
Kirkcaldy Technical College*	9.60	—	—	6.66
Thurso Technical College	—	—	4.61	11.62
Stow College of Engineering, Glasgow	—	—	8.61	8.63
David Dale College, Glasgow	—	—	5.62	8.64
Buckhaven Technical College	—	—	8.61†	2.62
			7.63	7.65
* Three phases totalling £1,045,100: two years each phase.
† Temporary scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport what are his plans for improving the circulation of traffic at the junctions of Shaftesbury Avenue with

The following tables gives the required information:Prince's Circus and New Oxford Street, W.C.2.

The one-way working scheme soon to be introduced in the Tottenham Court Road-Gower Street area should considerably improve traffic circulation at these junctions.