asked the Minister of Defence to what extent he has agreed that British forces should participate in a military intervention in East Germany designed to preserve the status quo in Berlin.

I have been asked to reply.There is no such agreement.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he was consulted before the recent appointment to a senior naval post in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of a German admiral who took a leading part in the direction of Hitler's sub marine campaign against British shipping during the war.

I have been asked to reply.Appointments of N.A.T.O. commanders other than N.A.T.O. Supreme Commanders require only the consent of the Governments concerned. As Her Majesty's Government are not concerned in the particular area covered by this command, the question of consultation with me did not arise.

asked the Minister of Defence what the total sum to be spent by West Germany on buying arms from the United Kingdom will be over the next four years; and what it has cost to date to maintain and equip British forces in Germany.

This sum has not, as far as I know, been decided. An estimate of the total cost of equipping and maintaining the British forces in Germany is not available, but since the Federal Republic attained full sovereignty in May, 1955, the net amount which we have spent in deutschmarks on our forces there is the equivalent of about £165 million. This is the amount by which our expenditure has exceeded the payments received from the Federal Republic.

asked the Minister of Transport what study he is making of the Jack Report on Rural Transport; whom he is consulting; and when he will be able to make a statement.

I am examining the Report in conjunction with other Ministers concerned. Associations representing local authorities and bus operators have been asked for their comments. I will make a statement as soon as I can, but the problem is complex and I cannot yet say when this will be.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department is keeping in touch with new developments overseas in the design of motor cars so as to ensure the maximum safety to passengers in the event of accidents; in particular, whether a study has been made of the potentialities of a certain design, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for East Ham, North, produced by a United States insurance company; and what steps he is taking to stimulate the production of similar vehicles in this country.

Yes. My Department keeps in close touch with all developments in vehicle design in this country and overseas which are likely to increase road safety. The information at present available to us about the design to which the hon. Member refers has been carefully examined by my technical advisers, and we are seeking further information. Some of the special design features of this model are of a practical character and are already incorporated in other models now in production; some appear to be neither wholly suitable nor easily adaptable for incorporation in normal cars, and one or two seem to be of doubtful value.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement concerning his future policy with regard to flyovers as opposed to roundabouts at all important road junctions.

As I explained to the hon. Member in answer to his Question on 23rd November, 1960, I intend to provide flyovers in place of roundabouts at major traffic intersections where this is practicable and the volume of traffic justifies the additional cost. Some roundabouts will, however, continue to be built where they offer the most suitable form of junction. In appropriate cases new roundabouts are so designed as to permit conversion to a grade-separated junction should this become necessary later.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the mileage of unclassified roads which have been upgraded to Class III roads and the mileage of unadopted roads which have been constructed under the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, and taken over by each of the county councils in Wales during the last three years.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is 0·59 miles. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food informs me that the lengths of unadopted road improved under the Agriculture (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, and taken over by each of the eligible county councils in Wales are as follows:

County	Mileage
Brecon	3·50
Caernarvon	Nil
Cardigan	Nil
Carmarthen	2·27
Denbigh	4·36
Flint	3·89
Glamorgan	6·00
Merioneth	0·98
Monmouth	1·00
Montgomery	1·11
Pembroke	5·37
Radnor	Nil

NOTE.—The figures relate to the three years ending 31st March, 1961.

asked the Minister of Transport what consultations he had with the Forestry Commission about tree planting along newly-built motorways and other roads before deciding on the species of the half million trees and shrubs mentioned in his Department's Press circular, dated 28th March, 1961, and entitled Spring Offensive on the Roads.

The species of trees to be planted are chosen by my Advisory Committee on the Landscape Treatment of Trunk Roads on the recommendation of my Department's Horticultural Officer. Each scheme is considered on its merits, bearing in mind the existing tree life of the surrounding countryside. For many of these schemes, the planting is being undertaken by the Forestry Commission. In these cases the Commission's views are sought before the schemes are finally approved.

asked the Postmaster-General whether loud speaking equipment is now available for purchase by private individuals from the Post Office whereby they can carry on a multiple conversation; and what is the cost or rental of such equipment.

Yes. An instrument is now available in limited quantities at a quarterly rental of £5 and an installation charge of £2.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the need for telephone-box facilities in the Gilesgate area of Durham; and if he will meet this demand.

Yes. A new kiosk is to be provided in Sherburn Road, and we propose to put another at the eastern end of Gilesgate itself if a suitable site can be found. This will make six kiosks in all in this neighbourhood.

asked the Postmaster-General what reply he has sent to the Town Clerk of Leeds in answer to a letter of 16th May, 1961, about his failure to provide police headquarters in that city with an efficient telephone switchboard.

My right hon. Friend expressed his regret for the delay for which the Post Office was responsible, and promised to do everything possible to speed up the supply of the new switchboard.

asked the Postmaster-General how many pillar boxes are now available to the public which will take envelopes of an approximate width of 13 inches.

None, unless the envelopes are folded. But, following a suggestion by my hon. Friend in 1957, all pillar and wall boxes are now being made with posting aperture 10 inches wide instead of the 8 inches or less used for the older boxes. So far, about 1,300 boxes with the larger apertures have been put up.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has now found it possible to include 2½d. stamps in the 10s. book of stamps; and if he will consider issuing a £1 book of stamps, including 6d. stamps for use on letters to foreign countries and with somewhat thinner paper for the interleaving.

It will be some little time before we are in a position to make the review of stamp books mentioned in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke), on the 26th April: when we do we shall certainly bear the hon. Member's suggestions in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will list the countries into which the United Kingdom can transmit television over the Eurovision network;(2) if he will give the number of Eurovision relays of transmission and reception, respectively, in which the United Kingdom has been involved over the past five years.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, West Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. Participation in Eurovision is a matter for the broadcasting authorities. I understand, however, that, over the past five years, there have been some 500 outgoing programme items and some 1,000 incoming programme items.

asked the Postmaster-General what recommendations his Department intend to place before the Stockholm Conference on the questions of lineage and colour television.

The Conference is primarily concerned with international frequency planning problems. Its task is to review the use made of the V.H.F. bands and to concert the frequency plans of each country for the use of U.H.F. broadcasting in the European area. United Kingdom plans are flexible enough to allow for a changeover to 625 lines or the retention of 405 lines, and for the introduction of colour television.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is aware that the High Commissioner for Refugees is still short of funds to carry on his work in North Africa; how much Her Majesty's Government have given to date; and if he will make a further grant for the purpose of carrying out this essential programme.

Yes, I am aware of the situation. In 1959 Her Majesty's Government made available about £13,000 for the purchase and freight of one month's supply of edible oil for these refugees. In 1960 £50,000 of Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the World Refugee Year was allocated for their relief.As announced by the United Kingdom representative at the meeting of the High Commissioner's Executive Committee in Geneva last week, Her Majesty's Government propose, subject to Parliamentary approval, to contribute 10 per cent. of the total sums donated by the other 24 members of the Committee in response to the High Commissioner's latest appeal. No upper limit has yet been fixed, but naturally our contribution will be subject to a reasonable ceiling.

asked the Minister of Labour how the British Government re presentative voted in the recent debate in the Governing Body of the Inter national Labour Organisation on the proposal to appoint an additional assist ant director-general from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The proposal was to create an additional post of assistant director-general and the Government representative voted in favour of it. When this proposal was under discussion, the director-general expressed the view that to meet the needs of the work an assistant director-general should be appointed who understood the whole of the eastern European area.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the persistent piracy on the north-east coast of North Borneo, Her Majesty's Government will station a frigate at Tawau.

The Royal Navy's operations against pirates in this area take the form of frequent but irregular patrols by all suitable classes of ship. The patrols are planned in close collaboration with the Governor of North Borneo and the local police. During 1961 there have been so far 22 piracies. As a result three people were killed, three are missing and 21 were wounded. Three suspected pirate vessels and 35 suspected pirates were arrested last month. The Admiralty agrees with the local assessment that operations on the present lines are more effective than would be the permanent stationing of one vessel in the area.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the fact that a Danish Government gunboat fired at and injured the Merchant fishing vessel "Red Crusader" in fishing grounds off the Faroes during the last few days, if he will now state in detail what protection he plans for British fishing vessels in these waters.

This incident was not characteristic of the good relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Danish Government. The facts are not yet established, and it would be premature to consider varying the present arrangements which allow for periodical visits to the Faroe Islands by ships of the Royal Navy's Fishery Protection Squadron.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will announce the result of the competitive tenders to build Discovery II.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will announce the name of the firm that has won the contract to build the new oceanographic research ship Discovery II.

The new research ship for the National Institute of Oceanography will be built by Messrs. Hall Russell and Company, Limited of Aberdeen. The cost of the ship will be shared equally between the Admiralty and the Development Fund. The ship is expected to be ready for service towards the end of 1962. Her displacement will be about 3,000 tons and she will have a range of 15,000 miles. She will be specially equipped with the most modern oceanographic equipment.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why the commander-in-chief of the South Atlantic station was in H.M.S. "Leopard" for her recent visit to Angola; and whether this admiral had any official talks with the naval and military authorities in Angola.

The Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America was returning in this ship to Simonstown from Freetown where he had represented the Admiralty at the celebrations of Sierra Leone's independence. The Commander-in-Chief paid courtesy calls on the Portuguese naval authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that certain regiments of the British Army will only take new officers who have had a public school education; in which regiments this is the practice; and whether he will take steps to end this discrimination.

I am not aware of any discrimination of this kind by regiments, which I would deplore.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements to enable the magazine, Soldier, to be printed with a greater use of colour.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this suggestion, but I regret that it is not at present practicable, since the greater use of colour would be expensive and could not be guaranteed to increase the magazine's circulation enough to justify the extra cost.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on his decision to develop a standard vertical take-off and landing strike/fighter jointly with West Germany.

As the House knows, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence and I have agreed with the Federal German Minister of Defence to conclude an early agreement for the joint development of a vertical take-off and landing strike/fighter based on the Hawker P. 1127. In addition, we have agreed with the French and German Governments jointly to develop the Rolls Royce RB. 162 jet lift engine. These are important steps forward in the Government's policy of co-operating with N.A.T.O. countries in the development of military equipment suitable for meeting national and N.A.T.O. needs.

asked the Minister of Aviation what arrangements he has made with the German Defence Minister for the further development of Blue Streak.

None.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will make a statement upon the joint development with the German Government of vertical take-off and landing and other military aircraft, and of the sale of British military aircraft to Germany.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I have given today to the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Rankin). On the second part, it is not the practice to give details of exports of military equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) which political parties will be represented at the forthcoming constitutional conference on Mauritius;

The following political parties who have representatives in the Mauritius Legislative Council will be represented at the conference:

• Mauritius Labour Party.
• Muslim Committee of Action.
• Independent Forward Bloc.
• Parti Maurician.

The Tamil United Party is a new organisation formed in February, 1961. It is not represented in the Legislative Council and has, therefore, not been invited to send a representative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the resurgence of Mau Mau in Kenya, and the growing apprehension among European settlers and loyal Africans, why he has recently permitted a reduction in the strength of the Kenya Police by 462 uniformed men and 58 civilian employees.

In a Written Reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir A. Hurd) on 31st May, I explained the circumstances in which it had been possible to make certain economies in the establishment of the Kenya Police Force.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of the Bank of England note issue; and by what value of gold and bullion it is backed.

On 31st May, 1961, the amount of the Bank of England note issue was £2,325,361,499, of which £361,499 was backed by gold coin and bullion,£760,697 by coin other than gold coin, and the remainder by Government debt, Government and Government-guaranteed securities and other securities as set out in the Bank of England Return for that date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the ruling rates of interest charged to local authorities borrowing from the Local Loans Fund.

It was provided by a Treasury Minute made on 31st May that loans to local authorities from the Local Loans Fund on and after 3rd June, 1961, until further notice, shall carry the following rates of interest:

	Per cent.
Loans for not more than five years	6⅜
Loans for more than five years but not more than fifteen years	6⅜
Loans for more than fifteen years but not more than thirty years	6½
Loans for more than thirty years	6¼

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases non-proprietary clubs have been proceeded against under Section 17 of the Betting and Gaming Act, 1960, for installing gaming machines on their premises; what were the circumstances in these cases; and what were the results of such proceedings.

I regret that the information is not available.