asked the Minister of Health what percentage of births in Nottingham take place in hospitals; and what is the national percentage in this respect.

About 68·5 per cent. and 65 per cent. respectively in 1960.

asked the Minister of Health what is the shortage of trained midwives and of pupil midwives in Nottingham hospitals.

At 30th September, the hospital authorities estimated that they required a further 37 trained midwives and 18 pupils.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state for each region the number of applications considered by Mental Health Review Tribunals up to the latest date for which figures are available; and in how many cases the patient was discharged.

The following are the figures:

APPLICATIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNALS TO 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1961
Region	Number of applications considered	Number of patients discharged
Newcastle	25	3
Leeds	25	1
Sheffield	112	5
East Anglia	5	nil
North West Metropolitan	62	6
North East Metropolitan	7	1
South East Metropolitan	14	3
South West Metropolitan	19	2
Oxford	11	4
South Western	50	7
Wales	30	5
Birmingham	25	2
Manchester	55	10
Liverpool	86	8
Wessex	19	1
Total	545	58

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the case of Susan Wiper, details of which have been sent to him; and whether he will now arrange for assistance to her parents for the purchase of a Multitone Mark 1 School Aid.

I am inquiring into this case, about which the hon. Member wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17th October. I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the latest available figures for tuberculosis cases among West Indian, Irish, Indian and Pakistani immigrants, respectively; and how these compare with the average figures for the United Kingdom.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health which drugs he has contracted to purchase centrally; from whom and at what prices; how the prices compare with those previously paid for similar drugs manufactured in Great Britain; whether royalty payments have yet been agreed with patent-holders; and what annual savings he estimates will accrue.

Tetratcycline, chloramphenicol, chlorothiazide, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline. It is not customary to disclose the firms to whom, or the prices at which, Government contracts are let, but the total saving, before payment of royalties, is estimated at about £½ million.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what special contributions have been made to the United Nations expenses in the Congo by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom, respectively; and what is his policy with regard to a continuance of contributions in view of recent military activity by United Nations troops in Katanga.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have refused to pay their assessed contribution to the operation and they have made no voluntary contribution, apart from a waiver of some 1·3 million dollars in respect of initial airlift costs and the provision of certain food supplies. Her Majesty's Government have paid more than 15 million dollars to the operation, in cash and kind. It is their policy to meet their obligations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has yet had a report on the work of the advisory mission sent to South Vietnam to deal with police and administration; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal under what circumstances Her Majesty's Government agreed to send an advisory mission to South Vietnam; what are to be the tasks of this mission; and what will be its cost to the Exchequer.

The Government of the Republic of Vietnam, one of whose major problems is the lack of a sufficient number of trained administrators, requested Her Majesty's Government to provide expert assistance in the field of administrative co-ordination and police matters. Her Majesty's Government agreed to dispatch an Advisory Mission to Saigon for this purpose. The British Advisory Mission to Vietnam, which arrived in Saigon at the end of September, consists of three officers and a small administrative staff led by Mr. R. G. K. Thompson.The cost of the Mission is not expected to exceed an over-all annual total of £110,000 and Parliament will be asked in due course to approve the necessary financial provision for 1961–62 by way of a Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime advances will be obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund as required.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made in the Laos talks.

The Geneva Conference has been making slow but steady progress.In Laos the three Princes representing the three main factions have agreed to accept Prince Souvanna Phouma as Prime Minister of a provisional coalition government, and the King has received the Prince in audience to discuss this. I hope that the new government will soon be formed and that Laos will be represented at Geneva by a single delegation empowered to consider and accept the final settlement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) whether he will give a list of persons resident in East Germany who have been refused permission by Her Majesty's Government to visit Great Britain, or who have had their travel documents refused, during the twelve months ended 13th August, 1961; and what is the number of British people who have been refused entry by the East German authorities into East Germany;(2) how many British subjects have been refused entry into East Berlin and East Germany since 13th August, 1961; and how many East Germans have been refused their visas and travel documents, during the same period, to visit Great Britain.

The number of East Germans who have been refused visas or travel documents for visits to this country in the twelve months up to 13th August, and from that date until 19th October, is 193 and 136 respectively. Disclosure of the names of the East Germans concerned would be inconsistent with accepted practice. I am not in a position to say how many British people have been refused entry into East Germany during these periods.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will propose that an independent inquiry be held into the allegations of atrocities and abuse of the Red Cross by United Nations troops during their operations against Katanga.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what action was taken by his Department to ascertain the facts about the behaviour of the United Nations forces and that of their opponents during the operations in Katanga; and what steps have been taken to make these facts known to the public through the organs of mass communication.

Her Majesty's Government have already received reports on developments in Katanga and they do not intend to ask for an independent inquiry into the allegations against either side.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what investigations he has made during the last three months into the effects of British entry into the Common Market on the British fishing industry and the British shipbuilding and ship repairing industries, respectively; what have been the results; and if he will make a comprehensive and detailed statement on the subject.

As regards shipbuilding and ship repairing, the direct effect of entry would be very slight. On the fishing industry, I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food said in reply to a Question by the hon. and learned Gentleman on 13th July.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) why he is proposing to reduce information expenditure in foreign countries; and what form the proposed reductions will take;

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his statement of 25th July said that he looked for a saving of 10 per cent. in the financial year 1962–63 in the cost of diplomatic and various administrative services overseas. While expenditure on information services and the British Council in foreign countries must be considered in the light of this statement, it is too early to say exactly what reductions will have to be made or how they will be found.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the recent Note from the Soviet Government dealing with the question of Berlin air corridors.

The Note repeats the Soviet view that the Allies have no unrestricted right of air access to Berlin. These views were totally refuted in Her Majesty's Government's reply on 8th September to a previous Soviet Note.The present Note produces no new arguments of substance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give consideration to the extension to six miles of the fisheries limits round the British coast.

Consideration is frequently being given to this as circumstances alter. For the present, no change is contemplated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what examination of the strontium 90 content of milk is now being made by the Milk Marketing Board.

None. But the Agricultural Research Council has, for the past three years, measured the strontium 90 content of milk and other foods, and a statement reviewing the position on radioactive fall-out will be made to the House by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary for Science tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grant is to be made towards the prevention of flooding at Ongar Road, Abridge, Essex, which affects Hillmans Cottages.

I understand that the Essex River Board acting as the Internal Drainage Board for the area is preparing a scheme for this purpose. Its proposals, if approved, would attract a grant of 50 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's proposals on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Common Land, and in particular on that recommendation relating to the vesting of village greens.

I am not yet in a position to make a Statement but hope to do so shortly.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is satisfied that there are adequate supplies of smokeless fuels to meet winter demands; and Whether he will make a statement.

Stocks of solid smokeless fuels are high and the production of specially reactive fuels is increasing. There may from time to time be local shortages of particular types but supplies generally should be ample to meet demand.

asked the Minister of Aviation what developments have taken place since July in the develop- ment of a satellite launcher for peaceful purposes; and what response there has been to his proposed programme by European countries.

Discussions have taken place with the other countries represented at the Strasbourg conference and are continuing.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he has now approved the purchase by British European Airways of three United States helicopters; and whether he will make a statement on the development of a helicopter service.

This proposal is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Aviation if, in the course of his investigation into the causes of fatal accidents involving aircraft owned by private companies, he will pay particular attention to the standard of efficiency required of pilots employed by these companies; and if he will ascertain, and inform the House, how many pilots who have been dismissed by British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways are now flying privately-owned aircraft.

I am concerned to ensure that the highest standards of efficiency are met by the pilots of all British companies.The answer to the second half of the Question is that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Aviation how often the regulations concerning charter air flights operating from the United Kingdom to places abroad are revised; what was the date of the last revision; and if he will make a statement.

The regulations were comprehensively reviewed and consolidated as recently as August, 1960, and since then there has been a major amendment in the introduction of a system of safety control of operators through air operators' certificates last March.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will arrange for publication by his Department of the document entitled, "Flight Safety Focus", published privately by the Transport Flight Safety Committee, in view of public disquiet and the need for publicity to this matter.

No. Responsibility for the content, printing, and circulation of "Flight Safety Focus" is with the Flight Safety Committee. It serves a very useful purpose, but it is possible to hold the view that this purpose would not be helped and might be hindered by general publication.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he is aware of the need for a speedy reconciliation of the rights of charter companies and the need to protect the public against contravention or inadequate safety control by such charter companies; and, in view of the delay in dealing with cases involving air transport safety and the publication of findings by his Inspectorate, whether he will institute a Departmental inquiry to examine the American method, operated by the Federal Aviation Agency, whereby speedier findings are published and action taken against delinquent air transport companies.

To meet this need, all operators of public transport aircraft of more than 5,000 lb. weight have, since March of this year, been required to obtain from my Director of Aviation Safety, an air operators' certificate that they are competent to operate services safely. The standards of the certificate are enforced by my inspectors and those of the Air Registration Board as regards training, maintenance and operating practices generally. The certificate system has already had beneficial results and will assist operators in securing a progressive raising of safety standards.Accident investigation, including methods followed abroad, has recently been most thoroughly reviewed by an independent Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Cairns, whose Report was published on 1st March last. The Report does not suggest that the adoption of different methods in this country would result in speedier findings.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will list the number of private air companies operating in this country, the number of aircraft they each operate, and the mileage per accident which has been flown jointly in the last twelve months and five years, respectively.

There are 65 private air companies in this country owning a total of 508 aircraft. Of these, 55 are engaged in public transport with 463 aircraft, and 32 of them use aircraft over 5,000 lb. weight, for which they need an air operator's certificate. The list of such operators and their aircraft is as follows:

Company	Aircraft Types	No. of Type
Air Couriers (Transport) Ltd.	Rapide	2
Airlines (Jersey) Ltd.	Dakota	8
	Heron	4
	Herald	2
Air Links Ltd.	Dakota	2
Air Safaris Ltd.	Hermes	6
	Viking	8
Autair (Luton) Ltd.	Dakota	3
BKS Air Transport Ltd.	Viscount	2
	Ambassador	4
	Dakota	3
	Bristol 170	3
British United Airways Ltd. (including associated companies).	Britannia	6
	DC6	2
	DC4	5
	Bristol 170	9
	Dove	7
	Heron	3
	Rapide	3
	Viscount	11
	Dakota	3
	Westland S51	5
	Westland S55	12
	Hiller	18
	Consul	1
Cambrian Airways Ltd.	Dakota	2
Christchurch Aero Club	Rapide	1
Claydon Aviation Ltd.	Viking	3
Cumberland Aviation Services Ltd.	Rapide	1
Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd. (including associates).	Britannia	3
	DC6	3
	Viscount	2
	Viking	3
Dan Air Services Ltd.	Ambassador	4
	York	4
	Dakota	2
	Bristol 170	3
	Dove	2
Derby Aviation Ltd.	Dakota	6
	Marathon	1
East Anglian Flying Services.	Viking	3
	Bristol 170	2
	Dakota	6
	Dove	2
Executive Air Transport Ltd.	Dakota	1

Company	Aircraft Types	No. of Type
Hampshire Aeroplane Co. Ltd.	Rapide	1
Lloyd International Airways Ltd.	DC4	1
Mayflower Air Services Ltd.	Rapide	1
Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd.	Viscount	3
Mercury Airlines Ltd.	Heron	2
North South Airlines Ltd.	Heron	1
Portsmouth Aero Club Ltd.	Rapide	1
Silver City Airways Ltd. (including Manx Airlines).	Bristol 170	15
	Dakota	11
	Hermes	4
	Dove	1
Skyways Ltd. (including Skyways Coach Air Ltd.)	Constellation	4
	York	7
	Dakota	4
Starways Ltd.	DC4	3
	DC3	3
Tradair.	Viscount	2
	Viking	7
Trans-European Aviation Ltd.	Constellation	2
	Bristol 170	1
	Rapide	2
Tyne-Tees Air Charter Ltd.	Dove	2
Westair Flying Services Ltd.	Rapide	1
Westpoint Aviation Ltd.	Dakota	2
World Wide Aviation Ltd.	DC4	2

During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1961, approximately 50 million aircraft miles were flown by independent operators on public transport services per fatal aircraft accident. The comparable figure for the five years preceding that date was of the order of 17 million aircraft miles.

asked the Minister of Aviation if, in view of the higher accident rate of private airlines as compared with the State-owned airlines, he is satisfied that safety standards prescribed for private airlines are adequate; and if, with a view to allaying public concern, he will conduct an inquiry into the general safety standards of all the private companies.

The safety regulalations for public transport operations apply to private airlines and the Corporations alike.Since March, operators have been required to hold certificates that they are competent to operate safely and these certificates are enforced by inspection. This is improving standards, and I shall consider whether the regulations generally should be tightened further when information about the causes of the recent accidents becomes available.

asked the Minister of Aviation what facts he elicited from his fact-finding tour to Norway in relation to air safety.

I flew to Norway to acquaint myself personally with the topography of the Stavanger area and the operational techniques involved in landing at Sola airport. My purpose was to enable me fully to understand the final accident report of the Norwegian authorities.

asked the Minister of Defence what economies in the defence programme he has effected in the last three months.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 2nd August, when I said that a review of the defence programme had been put in hand but that I had no statement to make about it.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent Russian possession of 100-megaton bombs necessitates a new appraisal of his defence strategy.

Russian possession of 100-megaton bombs would in no way necessitate a reappraisal of our defence policy.

asked the Minister of Transport when the A.34 road improvement scheme in Newcastle-under-Lyme will be commenced.

I hope that work on the first section of this scheme will start early next summer.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of the Great North Road in Lincolnshire on 1st October had dual carriageways; how many had not; and what plans there are to increase the mileage of dual carriageways before 1st October, 1962.

The total length of the Great North Road in Lincolnshire is just over 22 miles. 6¾ miles had dual carriageways on 1st October, 1961 and 151 had not. A further 10¼ miles of dual carriageway now under construction should be completed by 1st October, 1962.

asked the Minister of Transport how many miles of the Great North Road on 1st October had dual carriageways; how many had not; and what plans there are to increase the mileage of dual carriageways before 1st October, 1962.

On 1st October, 1961, 131 miles of the Great North Road between London and Newcastle had dual carriageways and 139 miles had not. It is expected that a further 30 miles of dual carriageways will be completed by 1st October, 1962.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, have lately increased on the Epping New Road, A.11; to what factors he attributes this increase; and what provision has been made with the provision of lay-bys.

Personal injury accidents on the Epping New Road have not increased recently. There were 41 in the first 8 months of this year as compared with 61 in the comparable period last year and 51 the year before. The siting of the proposed lay-bys on this road is still causing difficulty. Further discussions with the Conservators of Epping Forest about sites between Wake Arms and Buckhurst Hill are to be held very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects that traffic signals will be installed at the junction of Harrow Road with Bridgewater Road and District Road, Wembley.

The Middlesex County Council, which is the highway authority, has submitted proposals for the construction of a roundabout at this junction in preference to traffic lights. I am now considering its application for the payment of grant on this scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now make a further statement about the progress which has been made in arranging official discussions with the French Government about the construction of a Channel Tunnel and possible alternative schemes which have been put forward; and what further plans he has for accelerating the reaching of official decisions in this matter.

The French Government have agreed to the suggestion made some time ago by Her Majesty's Government that talks should take place about the construction of a Channel Tunnel. I have already discussed this project and possible alternative schemes informally with M. Buron, the French Minister of Public Works and Transport, in London on 2nd October. I hope to have further discussions with him in Paris on 20th November.

asked the Minister of Transport what action the Government propose to take on the recommendation of the Jack Committee's Report on Rural Bus Services; and whether he will make a statement.

I will make a statement on this difficult matter as soon as I can, but am not yet in a position to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the criteria of social need he adopts when overruling a British Transport Commission proposal to close a branch railway line.

In considering recommendations made to me by the Transport Users Consultative Committees about railway closures, I take into account all the factors which they bring to my notice. These normally include the financial savings which the British Transport Commission hopes to achieve and the Committee's assessment, in the light of the alternative services which will be available, of any hardship which may be caused to users. I have not so far given a direction to the Commission about a closure.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to adopt the recommendations of the Guillebaud Report for wages and conditions for British Transport Commission employees.

No. The Railway Pay Committee of Inquiry—generally known as the Guillebaud Committee—was set up by, and reported to, the British Transport Commission and the Railway trade unions. The settlement reached between these parties on 24th June, 1960, took account of the conclusions of the Committee.

asked the Minister of Education how many children between the ages of 5 and 11 are now being educated otherwise than in maintained primary schools; and how many children between the ages of 11 and 13 are being so educated.

In January of this year, there were 218,000 children over 5 and under 11 years of age and 182,000 over 11 and under 14 being educated in direct grant and independent schools.

asked the Minister of Education what secondary modern schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire now have grammar school streams.

Courses leading to G.C.E. Ordinary level are available at most of the Authority's secondary schools, but in addition a full grammar school course is provided for selected pupils at the Withernsea and Hessle secondary schools.

asked the Minister of Education on how many occasions in the last three months, he has consulted representatives of teachers' organisations about the proposed salary increases and the machinery for negotiation between teachers and their employers.

Seven times.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs who is now the designated burial officer of the City of London, under the Home Office Civil Defence Scheme; what is the nature of his duties; and what recent instructions have been given him.

Dr. J. G. Wilson, the Medical Officer of Health is the designated officer. It is his duty to take charge of any arrangements made in pursuance of the Civil Defence (Burial) Regulations, 1949.No recent instructions have been issued to him.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what request he has made to local authorities in the West Midlands to find land for 100,000 houses for Birmingham overspill population; whether he proposes that industry should be attracted to these sites or whether he envisages commuting across the green belt; and what proportion of the houses are to be built by private enterprise for sale.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make a statement on the request that has been sent to the councils of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire by his Department for land for the provision of houses by private enterprise for overspill population from Birmingham.

Planning officers in the West Midlands have been told that over the next twenty years it may prove necessary to find land for not less than 100,000 houses to meet the needs of the conurbation, over and above the current proposals for development under the New Towns and Town Development Acts. They have been asked to survey their areas to see what contribution each might make. This is a technical survey, and involves no decision of policy on the way in which the development might be carried out. Plainly the officers will bear in mind the importance of the relationship between the places in which people live and those in which they work.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the policy governing invitations to officers of political organisations to give the signal for the start of training flights at Royal Air Force stations.

Invitations of this kind would be given to individuals in their capacity as guests of a Royal Air Force station and not as officers of political organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why the President of the Lincolnshire Branch of the Institute of Directors was allowed, in the presence of the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Bomber Group and other senior officers, to give the signal for the start of a scramble of Vulcan bombers at the Royal Air Force station, Waddington, Lincoln, on Friday, 6th October; and whether similar facilities will be given to the presidents of the Lincolnshire branches of other institutes and organisations.

A party from the Lincolnshire Branch of the Institute of Directors led by the Duke of Rutland visited Royal Air Force, Waddington, to see the day-to-day activities of a typical bomber station. One of the things they saw was a practice "scramble" of V-bombers which, as a matter of courtesy, the Duke, who was the senior guest, was invited to start. The same privilege would be, and has been, given in similar circumstances to other guests.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps are being taken to deal with tuberculosis in Basutoland.

The Basutoland Government have accepted a generous offer from the World Health Organisation and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund of expert personnel and equipment, at a cost of about £100,000, for a tuberculosis control programme. The Basutoland Government, who will be responsible for operating the scheme, will contribute £40,000.The immediate objective is a pilot scheme involving about 30,000 people in the lowlands, to study and develop effective methods of control which would be suitable for extension to the rest of the country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that taking the internal purchasing power of the £ Sterling as 20s. in October, 1951, it had declined to 18s. in September, 1954, and to 15s. 10d. in September, 1957; and what was the comparable figure for September, 1961.

Yes, on the basis of the retail price index. The comparable figure for September, 1961, was 14s. 6d.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, for a period of 12 months to the latest convenient date, the proportion of males, under 17 and between 17 and 21, respectively, convicted for offences of violence against the person, who have had one or more previous convictions for offences involving dishonesty.

The available statistical information does not provide an accurate answer to the Question, but 23 per cent. of the persons aged under 17 found guilty in 1960 of indictable offences of violence against the person had previously been found guilty of indictable offences other than offences of violence against the person; the corresponding figure for persons aged 17 but under 21 was 30 per cent. These previous convictions would include a relatively small proportion of convictions for sexual and other offences but would be mainly for offences of dishonesty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients in the three special hospitals, separately, have been recommended for discharge by Mental Health Review Tribunals; in how many instances he has rejected the tribunal's advice; and how many cases he still has under consideration.

The appropriate Mental Health Review Tribunal has recommended the discharge of six patients detained in Broadmoor Hospital. I have not accepted the Tribunal's advice regarding two of these patients, and one case is still under consideration In the other three cases I have accepted the Tribunal's advice. No recommendation for discharge of a patient from Rampton

—	Total number or orders known to have been made	Number of patients admitted to:
		Broadmoor	Rampton	Moss Side
Hospital orders without restrictions (Section 60)	563	2	8	6
Hospital orders with restrictions (Sections 60 and 65)	85	3	21	2

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons are at present unemployed in Newcastle-under-Lyme; how many of them have been unemployed for more than two years, and twelve months, respectively; and what steps are being taken to im-

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the latest available figures of convictions for crimes committed by West Indian, Irish, Indian and Pakistani immigrants, respectively; and how these compare with the average figures in the United Kingdom.

I regret that this information is not available since the Criminal Statistics are not kept in such a way as to show the places of origin of offenders unless special arrangements have been made for this to be done in respect of a particular offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hospital orders have been made under Section 60 of the Mental Health Act since the Act came into force; how many orders restricting discharge have been made under Section 65; and how many patients in each category have been admitted to each of the special hospitals.

The following figures give the available information for the eight months from 1st November, 1960, to 30th June, 1961:prove employment prospects for these people.

129 registered disabled persons were unemployed on 16th October, of whom 35 had been unemployed for over two years and 16 for between one and two years. It is estimated that about 500 new jobs are in prospect in the district. This will help my officers in their efforts to find employment for disabled people.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the extent of short-time working in the motor industry in the Midlands.

It is estimated that in the week ending 21st October, 1961, about 19,500 workers were on short time at motor car and component factories in the Ministry's Midland Region.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made with the reorganisation of Morpeth General Post Office; and whether he will make a statement.

As the hon. Member is aware, I plan to provide a completely new head post office at Morpeth, and building work should start in about three years. In the meantime some improvements are being made in the existing public office. I am sorry to say that these are behind schedule, but the "all-purpose working" counter should be in use by Christmas.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects the rebuilding of Ashington Post Office to be completed; and whether he will make a statement.

The new public office at Ashington has been in use since August. It is, I believe, a marked improvement on the old premises. It may be possible for the new sorting office to be occupied before Christmas, although I do not now expect the rebuilding as a whole to be completed until some time in January.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of applicants for telephone service on the waiting list at Morpeth, and at Ashington, Northumberland; how long they have been waiting; and whether he will make a statement.

The figures are as follows:

—		Applications on Waiting List	Applications under enquiry or in course of being met
Morpeth	…	37	46
Ashington	…	42	17

Applications held up because of shortage of plant vary from time to time, and a reliable average waiting period cannot be quoted. About 3 per cent. of the outstanding applications have been held up for more than two years.Cables are being laid in Morpeth and are planned for Ashington. I hope to give service to the majority of those waiting by the autumn of 1962.Two hundred and five telephones were installed in these two places in the past twelve months.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when an inquiry will be held into the amenity objections to the Glen Nevis Hydro-Electric Scheme.

At the time of my announcement of the appointment of the Mackenzie Committee it was intended that the economic and amenity issues raised by the Glen Nevis scheme should be dealt with concurrently but independently with a public inquiry into objections into the scheme being held While the Committee was still sitting. On this assumption I anticipated that when both reports were available it would be possible properly to judge the scheme with fairness to all concerned.Subsequently, however, certain of the objectors represented that their views on amenity could not be developed fully before they had had an opportunity to study the conclusions of the Mackenzie Committee and, having regard to the underlying principles of the Franks Report, I have concluded that the inquiry must be deferred until the Mackenzie Committee Report is available.I have discussed with the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board the implications of this decision on its generating programme and it has decided that the situation in 1965–66, the date by which the Nevis scheme might have come into full operation, could best be met by the bringing forward in its programme of a 120 MW oil-fired steam set at Dundee which it had planned to provide later. An application for my consent under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909 has been submitted to me.So far as 1966–67 is concerned, it is essential that progress should be made now with the necessary preliminary work on other new schemes if the Board is to be in a position to meet its needs in that year by hydro-electric development. The Board proposes to proceed with this work and I have agreed that, if necessary, it should carry it to the stage of formal publication of its proposals for individual schemes. My agreement, however, is on the understanding that no order confirming a scheme will be presented to Parliament until the Mackenzie Committee Report is available; this, I understand, will be about the middle of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for War what use is to be made of land and buildings in Lincoln which are surplus to his Department's requirements.

It has not yet been possible to decide finally on our needs for land and buildings in Lincoln. I shall bear the hon. Gentleman's interest in mind and shall write to him as soon as our plans are firm.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what directions he has given to the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks to avoid in future the confusion which arose recently over the trade names of two distinct products.

The Comptroller-General has been directed:

(a) to extend his cross-searching in the manner indicated in the reply which was given to the hon. Member on 3rd August last; and

(b) if this cross-search discloses that the mark applied for would be likely, because of its resemblance to an existing mark, to confuse the public as to the suitability of any goods for internal consumption, to draw the attention of the applicant to the danger which might arise