asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision he will make for a university college for Cumberland and Westmorland.

I have nothing at present to add to my right hon. and learned Friend's statement of 18th May on the subject of new university institutions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect he estimates the increased building society interest rates will have on the cost-of-living index; and how other new interest rates will affect the ultimate cost of £1,800, £1,900, and £2,000 council houses financed with loans borrowed from the usual sources.

None. The answer to the second part of the Question is that the recent change in the Public Works Loan Board lending rates would increase the charges for sixty-year loans of the sums mentioned by £125, £132 and £139, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to acquire for the nation the picture of the Duke of Wellington by Goya sold at Sotheby's on 14th June to a United States citizen.

As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade indicated on 9th June in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne), any application for an export licence for this picture will be referred to an expert adviser for special scrutiny. If the adviser were to recommend that a licence should be refused because of the picture's national importance the case would then be referred to the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. No question of acquisition of the picture for a public collection could arise until the case had come before the Reviewing Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement about his policy regarding decimal currency; and, in order to assist British trade throughout the world, if he will adopt a decimal coinage system based on the £ sterling, 10 florins and 20 pennies to the florin, to come into operation in January, 1963.

I cannot at present add anything to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann) on 16th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the pension rates for widows and orphans of each rank of police officer in the Metropolitan Police; when these rates were last increased; how they compare with pensions paid by other British police forces; and whether he will make a statement.

There is one pensions scheme which applies to all police forces in England and Wales. The pensions awarded to widows depend primarily on the rank, years of service and pay of the husband at the time of his retirement or death, and accordingly they reflect increases in police pay. The allowances for children generally depend on the rank of the parent on retirement or death and are adjusted from time to time. They were last increased in 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state, for 1950 and 1960, respectively, the number of offences of violence against the person in which the convicted person pleaded in mitigation that she had partaken of intoxicating liquor;(2) if he will state the number of persons convicted in 1950 and 1960 of indecent assault and rape, respectively, for whom the partaking of intoxicating liquor before the offence was offered as mitigation.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls and young women under 21 years of age received sentences of imprisonment of less than six months during 1960; and for what offences they were convicted.

In 1960, 133 women and girls under 21 were sentenced by magistrates' courts to terms of imprisonment of six months or less without the option of a fine. A list of the offences of which they were convicted is given below. Fifteen women and girls under 21 were sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine by the higher courts, but information about their offences and the terms of imprisonment imposed is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it possible for him to deal with grievances of Members of Parliament on police matters outside the Metropolitan area.

I should prefer to await the Report of the Royal Commission on the Police before making any comment on this suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the statement by the Prime Minister of the Federation of the West Indies that any restriction of West Indian immigration into this country would be strongly resented; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of recent statements by West Indian leaders concerning immigration, if he has any plans for legislation on this matter.

These views are among the many factors which are taken into account by Her Majesty's Government in their consideration of this complicated question.

asked the Secretary a State for the Home Department, in view of the shortage of remand homes in the north of England, if evidence was given by his Department at the inquiry held in connection with the site proposed by the Leeds City Council for a new remand home.

This inquiry arose out of an application by the Leeds City Council for planning permission to site a new remand home for boys within a proposed green belt. No evidence on behalf of the Home Office was given at the inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in dealing with the shortage of accommodation at remand homes throughout the country where no vacancies are available for the courts to remand their cases to; if he has considered the details submitted to the juvenile bench in Liverpool juvenile court on Friday morning, 9th June, 1961, in order that magistrates would be aware of the position if they desired to remand cases for report, particulars of which have been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State indicated in his reply of 13th April to the right hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale) the steps being taken to relieve the pressure on remand home accommodation. Since then there have been further consultations with authorities in the north-west with a view to increasing remand home provision for both boys and girls and additional places have been made available at a boys' remand home in the London area. Further places have also been provided in the approved school system and I am pressing on with other projects which will help to reduce the time spent in remand homes by boys and girls waiting for places in approved schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what immediate action he is taking to ensure that firearms are not in the possession of unauthorised persons.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistical evidence he has to show the relationship between juvenile delinquency and broken or unhappy homes, the sickness or frequent absence from work of parents, the misbehaviour of one or both parents or to other environmental factors.

To make a critical review of the evidence that has been adduced on this subject would be a considerable undertaking. Speaking generally, there is considerable statistical evidence to show that some environmental factors, including unhappy or neglectful homes and inconsistent discipline by parents, are associated with juvenile delinquency. Further research is in progress in this country and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the labour turnover for each 12 months in the British fire service since 1955, and up to the latest convenient date in 1961; and what plans he has for recruiting more of the right type of men.

The figures are given below. No figures for 1961 are yet available. As regards the second part of the Question, recruitment is primarily the responsibility of individual fire authorities, who are, I know, fully aware of the importance of obtaining enough men of the right kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached regarding the proposed commission of inquiry into the fire services conditions of service and rates of pay, following his discussion with local authorities; and if he will now agree to such a commission being set up.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to a Question by the right hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Gordon Walker) today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of paragraph 41 of the Defence White Paper, what progress has been made in improving protection of public water supplies, increasing the supply of equipment to the Civil Defence Services and developing the warning and monitoring system in conjunction with B.M.E.W.S.

Orders have been placed for pumps and generators to augment the reserve equipment held for maintaining public water supplies. A wide range of additional equipment for the civil defence services has also been ordered, and much of it will become available during this financial year. Contracts have been placed for the equipment necessary to ensure the immediate transmission of warning messages, and installation of this equipment will start this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in discussions on the observance of regulations excluding juveniles from the showing of A and X films.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind discussions on a proposal of the British Board of Film Censors to sub-divide the A category so as to give better guidance to parents as to the character of the films. My information is that the discussions between the Board and the local authority associations have not reached any conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that His Worship the Mayor of West Ham, in conjunction with the Stratford Express, has issued a public appeal for the widows of the two police officers recently killed in West Ham; and whether he will contribute to this fund.

I am aware that an appeal fund has been opened for the widows of Inspector Pawsey and Sergeant Hutchins. As my hon. and learned Friend announced on 8th June in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Marsh), special pensions are being paid from public funds to the widows of these two officers, and I regret that I am not in a position to supplement these by contributing to the appeal fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to lay the Statutory Instrument that will stop the continued sale in the shops of unmodified and dangerous oil heaters, especially in view of the urgency with which he called for an interim report, now over six months old, from the Committee on Consumer Protection.

The position is that I cannot yet make these regulations since a draft which has been prepared has been circulated to interested bodies for their comments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been injured by prisoners during the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available.

Figures are not available to show how many prison officers have been injured by prisoners. During 1960 there were 197 cases of assaults by prisoners on male prison staff (compared with 213 in 1959). The figures include attempted assaults and technical assaults in which no physical injury was sustained, as well as 22 cases involving gross personal violence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total establishment of the Prison Service; and what is the total number of appointments which are unfilled.

The total establishment of the Prison Service is 9,916. This includes all grades. On 1st June, 1961, 331 posts were unfilled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given to Her Majesty's Consul in Sao Paulo which led to his refusal to grant a visa to Captain Galvao.

I would refer to the statement I made during the debate on the Adjournment on 13th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of bookmakers and betting shops which have been registered since the passing of the Betting Act.

The information requested is not at present available, but I will in due course lay before the House a report giving information regarding the number of bookmakers' permits and betting office licences in force on 1st June.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Royal Commission on the Press.

The Royal Commission on the Press are meeting regularly and pursuing their inquiry energetically. But their terms of reference are wide and I think it unlikely that they will be able to present their Report in the near future.

asked the Prime Minister when he received the request to meet him from a representative of the National Democratic Party of Southern Rhodesia, who came to London for that purpose; and what reply he gave.

A request that I should receive a representative of the National Democratic Party of Southern Rhodesia was received by telephone on 9th June. The reply was that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations would be happy to see him, but he has not so far availed himself of this invitation. The request was repeated in a letter dated 13th June and I repeated the reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when he received a request for a loan for the purpose of accelerating the economic and social development of Southern Rhodesia; and what decision he has reached.

Discussions on such matters between Commonwealth Governments are confidential.

asked the Prime Minister by what special arrangements he plans to consult the Prime Ministers of Commonwealth countries about the possibility of Great Britain's entry into the European Common Market; and whether he proposes to adopt the recent suggestion by Mr. Diefenbaker for the convening of a Prime Ministers' conference on this subject.

asked the Prime Minister whether he now proposes to call a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, to consider conditions for any association of the United Kingdom with the European Common Market, before decisions are taken by Her Majesty's Government.

I would refer to the statement which I made on 13th June.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take the initiative in setting up a general staff to direct the political warfare of the Free World

I agree with my hon. Friend on the need for the greater unity of the Free World. I made a speech in Boston in April in which I tried to give expression to this idea. I said that we need a wider unity transcending traditional barriers; that we need unity of purpose, of method, of organisation. As to translating this into practice, there are frequent consultations at every level between us and our allies, and our methods of consultation are under constant review with the aim of making our unity more effective.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent Her Majesty's Government's reservation, in the interests of the members of the Commonwealth, to the signing of the Treaty of Rome covers not only their individual economic interests but also the political interest of the Commonwealth as a whole.

What I have said in regard to Commonwealth interests applies naturally to political as well as economic considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will recall the Constitutional Conference on Southern Rhodesia in order to give further consideration to provisions relating to land tenure and the rights of political parties.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (1) what representations he has made to the Canadian Government against their proposal to exclude Commonwealth ships from domestic trade in the Great Lakes;(2) if he will represent to the Canadian Government that the British Commonwealth Merchant Shipping Agreement entitles all Commonwealth shipping to equal treatment on the Great Lakes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin). I have nothing to add to that reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will negotiate an extradition treaty between Cyprus and the United Kingdom.

No. That is not the practice between Commonwealth countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what arrangements have been made with the Government of Sierra Leone to continue the financial help to Fourah Bay College, until now provided from Colonial Development and Welfare Funds.

Before independence, Colonial Development and Welfare Funds were allocated to Fourah Bay College for the construction of halls of residence, science laboratories, staff housing and the provision of equipment. At the Sierra Leone Constitutional Conference last year it was agreed that, on independence, the British Government would make a grant of £3·5 million to Sierra Leone (including the unspent balance of Colonial Development and Welfare Funds needed to complete the above schemes) and would provide Commonwealth Assistance loans of £3·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what arrangements have been made with the Government of Sierra Leone to continue the educational co-operation and the financial help provided in the past through the machinery of the Inter-University Council.

The over-head costs of the Inter-University Council in respect of its services to Sierra Leone and the cost of professorial visits by members of Durham University to the University College of Sierra Leone which are arranged by the Inter-University Council were previously financed out of colonial development and welfare funds. In response to a request from the Government of Sierra Leone, Her Majesty's Government have agreed to meet these costs under technical assistance arrangements until the end of the academic year 1963–64. Thus there will be no break in the continuity and no change in the scope of the services which the I.U.C. was providing to Sierra Leone before independence.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the increased number of places that are to be provided at training colleges for teachers during the years 1961, 1962 and 1963.

Three new day training colleges opened in January, 1961 and three more will open next September, providing a total of some 1,300 places in temporary premises. The main training college expansion programme is planned to provide 24,000 additional places in all by 1966, of which 12,000 should be ready by the autumn of 1962 and a further 4,000 are planned for completion in 1963.

asked the Minister of Education what staff in his Department are engaged in research on education; and what matters are at present being examined.

Officers of my Department and, in particular, members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate and of the Building Development Group, carry out a wide range of investigations, often in association with my Advisory Councils. Subjects under investigation at present include the education of pupils between the ages of 13 and 16 of less than average ability, through the Central Advisory Council for England; the design of premises for the Youth Service; the design of secondary schools to meet the needs of the 1970s; the improvement of methods of teaching and examining. I regard it as my primary task to encourage and stimulate research in schools and colleges, and by such bodies as the Building Research Station and the National Foundation for Educational Research (Which I grant-aid). I am now establishing a new branch in the Department to give added impetus to this work.

asked the Minister of Education what representations have been made to him by the National Union of Students about safety provisions in institutions of higher education; and if he will make a statement.

The National Union of Students have sent me a copy of their memorandum on safety provisions in institutions of higher education. This is being considered in my Department in the context of a further circular on industrial safety and the education service which I am at present discussing with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement about the shortage of teachers of mathematics.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) on 13th June.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the overcrowded condition of St. Peter's Roman Catholic School, Goresbrook Road, Dagenham, and of the desire of the parents for its enlargement; and whether he will give early priority for its reconstruction.

I have authorised the building of a new Roman Catholic School for infants. This will greatly improve conditions in the existing premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is proposing to take to secure further economic development in the British Virgin Islands.

I am arranging for an economist and a road expert to visit the Virgin Islands later this year. I shall not be in a position to comment further on economic development there until I have received their reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the conference on the future of the West Indian Federation.

The West Indies Constitutional Conference is still in session. I will make a statement when it has concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the statement made by Mr. Ngala, leader of government business in Kenya, on 31st May, regarding independence for the Colony, which was issued by the Government Information Office, had the approval of the Governor.

The statement was issued on Mr. Ngala's authority; both the Governor and I consider that his words represent a wholly responsible approach to the question of Kenya's future constitutional advance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the terms of the sentence, now being served, imposed upon Mr. Harry Nkumbula, the President of the African National Congress of Northern Rhodesia; and whether it included hard labour and restriction of visits from relatives.

The sentences were twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour for causing the death of an African constable by dangerous driving and three months' imprisonment with hard labour for failing to stop and render assistance; the sentences are concurrent. The question of visits by relatives is covered by prison regulations, which are the responsibility of the Federal Government.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the present system of the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board of red flood warnings for the River Hull; when these red warnings are operated; and why the red warning was not given before the flooding on 20th March.

The official east coast flood warning system provides for red or amber flood warnings to be issued to river boards and county police when danger levels are likely to be reached. An amber warning was issued on 20th March, but as it was difficult to forecast the behaviour of the tide on that day, a red warning was not issued for the Hull area. The unusual circumstances of this tide are being investigated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the present system of recording high tide on the River Hull, by the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board; to what extent it is by continuous automatic tidegauge; and how often, where, and by whom, is the height of exceptional high water at spring tides recorded.

The Hull Corporation Water Department maintains three continuous automatic tide gauges on the River Hull at Stoneferry, Beverley, and Hempholme. Copies of the tidal records are sent to the Hull and East Yorkshire River Board.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now make a statement on the results of his television recruiting campaign.

The results of the television advertising campaign in April and May show that the previous encouraging increase in enlistments has continued. For the months in question enlistments were 24 per cent. over the similar period in 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is his estimate of the number of other ranks serving on three-year engagements in the Army on 1st January, 1963.

About 3,000.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has yet decided whether the old post office site at Brent-ford, Middlesex, will be required by his Department.

Yes. The premises will be required for an office and for storage accommodation until the end of the lease in 1963.