asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the situation in Northern Rhodesia.

The present political and security situation in Northern Rhodesia was dealt with in the debate on 19th October by my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Secretary and myself. The security situation continues to improve, although the Governor is not yet in a position to advise me that disorder has ceased. I am in consultation with the Governor who is investigating any specific allegations that have been made against the conduct of the Police. As soon as he can report to me I will see that an account of these matters is given to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many European and how many African persons are employed by the Government of Northern Rhodesia in clerical occupations.

1,062 Europeans and 912 Africans are employed by the Government of Northern Rhodesia in clerical occupations. Of the former more than 800 are female, most of whom are employed on a temporary basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on recent political developments in Kenya.

The talks in Kenya between the leaders of KADU and KANU and the Governor on constitutional advance and other related matters were suspended when it was found that the Parties could not agree over the composition of an interim Coalition Government. This has provided an opportunity for me to discuss the whole situation with the Governor personally, and he is arriving today for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the statement of the Governor of Kenya in his broadcast on Sunday, 8th October, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

In his broadcast the Governor emphasised the need for the two major African political parties to make a joint approach to the problems facing Kenya. In this view he is fully supported by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) why he is proposing to reduce information expenditure in Colonial territories; and what is the size and nature of the proposed reduction;(2) why he is proposing to reduce British Council activities in Colonial Territories; and what form he proposes that the reduction shall take.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is now taking to implement the Burns Report on Fiji.

Following the recommendation of the Report, the Fiji Government have enacted legislation covering land development, drainage and local government. A Development Commissioner was appointed on 1st October and he will be Chairman of the Land Development Authority. Nearly £2 million has been made available this year in colonial development and welfare grants to develop agriculture, forestry, public works and communications and social services.As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) on 31st January, the Burns Commission made some 126 recommendations. If the hon. Member requires information on any particular recommendation I will obtain it for him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the circumstances surrounding the evacuation of the 269 inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha, involving the loss of their homes and possessions and the impossibility of them returning to the island, he will offer to undertake the financial liability of maintaining these people until they have been re-established and found work in this country.

Her Majesty's Government accept financial liability for maintaining the people of Tristan da Cunha until a decision on their resettlement has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many European and how many African persons are employed by the Government of Nyasaland in clerical occupations.

102 Europeans and 900 Africans are employed by the Government of Nyasaland in clerical occupations. Of the former, all but 10 are employed on temporary terms in the absence of suitably qualified local candidates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the progress of the development of the dockyard in Malta.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Woodnutt) in reply to his Question in the House today, the main contract work is expected to begin in February or March of next year. Messrs. Bailey (Malta) Ltd. expect this work to be completed approximately two years thereafter. Meanwhile, in addition to the preparatory clearing and diversion of services to which my predecessor referred in his statement in the House on 18th May, the Company has carried out a number of subsidiary development works.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the proposed constitutional changes in Sarawak.

With my agreement, the Governor of Sarawak is putting proposals for constitutional reform to the Council Negri, for their consideration. Following is a summary of the proposed constitutional changes in Sarawak.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Retired Police Officers Association, Scotland, concerning the pensions of their members; and what measures he proposes to take to improve their conditions.

Like other Scottish Members, I have received a letter from this Association representing that there should be a regular adjustment of pensions of police officers to keep in step with increases of police pay, and, as an interim measure, that a bonus should be paid to older pensioners.We all have sympathy with men who have given good service to the country, but the fundamental principle applying to all the public services is that pensions are directly related to length of service and pay on retirement and, once awarded, are not normally altered; and I regret I see no ground for singling out the police for more favourable treatment. Successive Governments have, of course, given assistance to public service pensioners, particularly the older ones, by means of increases awarded under the Pensions (Increase) Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of meetings the Scottish Valuation Advisory Council held in 1960 and 1961 to date; and what observations the Council have made to him regarding the numerous anomalies which have arisen as a result of revaluation.

The Scottish Valuation Advisory Council met once in 1960 and have held one meeting this year. They have not observed to me on any anomalies arising from the revaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sentence was recently passed on the Rev. Albert Goodheir, minister of Tay Vallich, Argyll; and under the provisions of what statute or rule of common law he was sentenced.

The Rev. Albert Good-heir was, on 18th September, at Dunoon Sheriff Court, fined £15, to be paid within 14 days, with an alternative sentence of 60 days imprisonment in default of payment of the fine. The sheriff summary court's powers of sentence for common law offences are laid down in Section 7 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act, 1954. Sections 48 and 49 of that Act deal with the power to order imprisonment in default of payment of a fine and the period of imprisonment which may be imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the last three years the number of senior secondary pupils who obtained the Certificate of Fitness for University Entrance.

The issue of Certificates of Fitness is a function of the Scottish Universities Entrance Board, which is an autonomous body and which does not publish any figures of certificates issued to different categories of applicants. I am, therefore, unable to provide the information for which the hon. Member asks.

asked the Secretary of State for Soctland if he is aware of the fivefold increase in rent, a month's notice of which has been given to tenant-employees by the Board of Management for Glasgow Northern Hospitals with no right of appeal; how many other boards have issued similar notices; and if he will postpone the operation of this notice until he has reviewed all the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received against the proposed increase of rents of houses attached to hospitals; and, in view of the nature of the tenancies of these houses, if he will reconsider his proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has made to the Western Regional Hospital Board for an increase in the rents of hospital houses; and what representations he has received against such increases in rent.

The existing rents of most hospital houses are very low and have remained virtually unaltered for ten years. I therefore sent a memorandum to all hospital authorities on 20th September last setting out new arrangements for fixing the rents of hospital houses on a more reasonable and uniform basis. The new rents take account of the special circumstances of some of these tenancies, and the arrangements provide for making the larger increases in stages of six-monthly intervals.I have received representations from two hon. Members, from the Association of Hospital Boards of Management, from two individual boards of management, from one trade union and from one tenant. While some of the detailed points may require further consideration, I see no reason for postponing the operation of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions he is making to relieve overcrowding in Scottish prisons.

Old cell blocks at two prisons are being renovated for use. Next year I hope that additional prison accommodation will become available as the result of the opening of new institutions for young offenders, which will make it possible to remove prisoners under 21 from the existing prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction at Whiteinch Tunnel.

Progress with the main contract is slower than had been hoped for but is satisfactory having regard to the severe constructional difficulties which have been encountered. I shall, with permission, circulate a fuller statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Milngavie Town Council respecting the re-classification of roads in Dunbartonshire; and what steps he is taking to re-classify roads in the county.

Dunbarton County Council has asked me to add certain roads to the list of classified roads in its area, one of which is partly in the burgh of Milngavie and partly in the landward area of the county. I have told the county council that I am willing to consider any rearrangement of its classified roads which it may suggest provided that it does not involve the addition of substantial lengths of road for classification.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to provide maternity hospital facilities for the area of Clydebank, Bearsden, and Milngavie.

The 192 maternity beds being provided at Yorkhill, Glasgow, and Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria, are designed also to serve Clydebank. Bearsden and Milngavie. The western regional hospital board is however giving further consideration at the present time to the maternity needs of this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that charitable organisations in Scotland are provided with the same facilities for rating relief as are to be available to similar organisations in England and Wales.

I am considering whether a mandatory rating relief for property occupied by charities, as enacted for England and Wales by the Rating and Valuation Act, 1961, should be applied to Scotland but I cannot yet make any statement. Local authorities already have a discretion to grant relief, and I understand that many of them are reviewing their use of this discretion in the light of the results of revaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to improve the conditions in the out-patients' department of the Northern Hospital, Dunfermline; and, in view of the urgency of the matter, whether he will take steps to expedite improvements.

The South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board is well aware of the need to improve accommodation at this hospital but at present other work takes priority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest available figures for rate of emigration from Scotland during 1961.

No figures for 1961 are yet available. An estimate for the year to June 1961 will be available in December.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give instructions to prison governors in Scotland that no prisoner is to be forcibly fed without his permission.

No. The decision whether a particular prisoner requires to be artificially fed to maintain his health is a purely medical one in which it would not be proper for me to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of junior secondary schools in Lanarkshire include in their curriculum the study of a language other than English.

Provision is made for the study of a language other than English in eight out of a total of 52 junior secondary schools and also in eight out of 16 junior secondary departments in other schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that the three stream classification of Lanarkshire schoolchildren at around the age of 12 and their subsequent seg- regation into three different types of school is in accordance with the recommendations of the 1959 Report of the Working Party on the Curriculum of Senior Secondary Schools.

Some selection according to ability is clearly necessary, and the Working Party's recommendations have to be considered by authorities having regard to the circumstances of their area. The general problem is one which I shall be reviewing further with the authorities in the light of the report from the Advisory Council on transfer from primary to secondary education which will shortly be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that material being supplied to Lanarkshire schools for homecraft lessons is of an inflammable nature; and what steps he proposes to take to remove this danger.

I understand that some of the material used may be of an inflammable nature, and I am considering whether there are any steps that I can usefully take in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has made in his draft scheme for the management of the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the draft scheme and explanatory memorandum which was published on 19th September.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has so far received on the Draft Scheme, 1961, for the management of the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide in the new Belshill Maternity Hospital a service for the diagnosis of cancer of the cervix by cytological examination, which has proved successful elsewhere.

This service will be provided for Bellshill Maternity Hospital by the Pathology Department of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons prosecuted in connection with the demonstrations at Holy Loch have served or are serving prison sentences.

Three.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ministers of religion were prosecuted following the demonstration at Holy Loch; and what were the penalties imposed on them.

Three. Each was fined £15 with the alternative of 60 days' imprisonment in default of payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will have discussions with local authorities in order to encourage and assist them to acquire suitable older houses, particularly tenement properties, for conversion and improvement to modern standards, and subsequent letting.

I shall certainly do so, as opportunity offers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work started on widening and resurfacing of the Ayr-Kilmarnock road; and when work is expected to be completed.

Work on widening and re-surfacing a section of the Ayr-Kilmarnock Trunk Road near Symington started in September, 1960, and should be completed in three months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent instructions have been given to the Scottish provision of an emergency supply of milk.

No instructions have been given to the Board on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the total expenditure incurred to date by Glasgow Corporation by way of compensation for, or the acquisition of, housing, commercial, industrial and other properties in the Anderson and Pollokshaws areas to permit of redevelopment of these areas.

Up to 20th October, 1961, Glasgow Corporation had spent £140,208 on the acquisition of property in the Anderston Cross area and £83,503 in the Pollokshaws area.

asked the Lord Advocate why the cases arising from the demonstration at Ardnadam Pier were heard before the Sheriff Court and not before a lower court.

These cases appeared to be sufficiently serious to warrant proceedings in the Sheriff Court.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of gypsies in Scotland; what steps have been taken to deal with the problems of camping sites or houses for them; what has been done to ensure education for their children of school age; and in what way gypsies are being encouraged to become integrated with the rest of the population.

No reliable estimate exists, but it is thought that the number of tinker families in the northern counties, where they are most noticeable, is probably about 200. The housing of these families and their integration with the community was last discussed in 1958 with the local authorities concerned who have endeavoured, so far as circumstances permit, to provide accommodation for families who are prepared to settle down. To ensure regular school attendance by the children of itinerant families is admittedly difficult, but I am assured that the education authorities are doing all they can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what communications he has received about the Rectorship of Dollar Academy from the Association of Headmasters of Senior Secondary Schools; and of what dates.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state, in respect of each education authority area in Scotland, the number of uncertificated teachers who were employed at the opening of the current schools session.

The returns made by education authorities are at present in process of collection. I hope to be able to send the hon. Member the figures within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount per month would constitute the economic rent for a four-apartment house owned by East Kilbride Development Corporation if the rate of interest paid by the Corporation on its capital borrowings had consistently remained at the 1951 level.

The fully economic rent of a four-apartment house built by East Kilbride Development Corporation at present day costs but related to the 1951 interest rate of 3 per cent. would be £7 15s. per month.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who is now the designated burial officer for the West of Scotland under his Civil Defence Scheme; what is the nature of his duties; and what recent instructions have been given him.

There is no such officer for the West of Scotland as a whole, but the local authorities concerned have each designated one of their officers to be responsible for planning emergency burial arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals against valuations have been lodged in Lanarkshire; how many have been disposed of; what was the number of successful and unsuccessful appeals, respectively; and what was the cost of the legal fees to the valuation authority.

I understand that the total number of appeals and inquiries lodged was over 12,000 of which about 11,500 have been disposed of, the majority by negotiation. Of the appeals heard by the Valuation Appeal Committee 30 were successful, 251 were unsuccessful and 47 have been continued or postponed. I am informed that the valuation authority has approved a maximum expenditure of £5,000 to meet the cost of legal fees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims to arbitration of all kinds involving staff in the nationalised industries have been considered since 1955; how many have been successful; and if he will circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

I am informed that the following numbers of claims on wages and hours have been submitted to arbitration at national level since 1955:

Electricity	…	…	8
Gas	…	…	4
Coal	…	…	18
Transport	…	…	21
Air Corporations	…	…	27

It is not for the Government to express a view on the results of these submissions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that in the Exmouth district as at 21st July, 1961, some 70 rating assessment cases representing a total rateable value of £9,218 remained undetermined, since which date some 97 further reports have been forwarded to the valuation officer, and that an additional 200 to 300 cases are anticipated in the near future; and what steps he is taking to reach early decisions.

Most of the outstanding proposals have now been settled by agreement and the remainder are expected to be heard by the local valuation court in the very near future. I regret, however, that it will not be possible for the valuation officer to dispose of more than a small proportion of the notifications of new or altered properties before January next year because of the necessity of concentrating on urgent work on the revaluation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason, and in what circumstances the Customs officers at London Airport have been instructed to deny the normal Customs concessions for certain dutiable articles to young persons bringing presents bought at their own expense as presents to their parents and relations.

The standing Customs concessions for small quantities of tobacco, wines and spirits in passengers' baggage apply only to goods for the passenger's personal consumption. They are not, therefore, extended to children, and if these goods are brought in by children the goods are detained until duty is paid.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has entered into an international agreement whereby cigarettes and wines in small quantities within the normal concession limits are seized from young persons bringing them as presents to parents and others by the London Airport Customs; and why he has not taken effective steps to inform passengers of this ruling.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to his Question No. 68 today. The scope of the Customs concessions is explained in public notices displayed in all Customs halls.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to ensure that British shipbuilding firms can secure long-term finance to enable them to compete with Continental producers.

The evidence I have seen does not suggest that difficulty in obtaining long-term finance is a major factor preventing British shipbuilding firms from competing with Continental producers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government withdrew from the arbitration courts or wages councils the right to fix retrospective dates on which their awards would become operative; and if, in order to maintain the independent judgment of such bodies, he will now remove any such restriction.

The Government have withdrawn no rights from arbitration tribunals. They continue to adjudicate on disputes referred to them with the consent of both parties. As regards wages councils, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour that they have never had the right to fix the dates on which their proposals become operative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in the development of a national economic plan to raise production and balance payments; what bodies he has consulted about this plan; and with what results.

I have had a number of exploratory discussions about possible new arrangements for planning and consultation on a national basis with the Trades Union Congress, the Federation of British Industries, the British Employers' Confederation, the National Union of Manufacturers and the Association of British Chambers of Commerce. I am also consulting the chairmen of the nationalised industries. The discussions are continuing. I hope to be able to make an early statement about their outcome, but I cannot yet say when this will be possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposed new university.

The report of the University Grants Committee on this matter has been received, but it is not yet possible to make an announcement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Conference at Accra in September; and if he will publish the communiqué issued at the end of the Conference as a White Paper, or in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

This was one of the regular meetings of the Commonwealth Economic Consultative Council but the first on African soil and I should like to express our gratitude to the Government of Ghana for giving us the opportunity to meet in Accra and for its very generous hospitality. I am arranging for a copy of the agreed communiqué, which is very full, to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has given to the resolution of the Council of the County Borough of Sunderland concerning the financial burden on ratepayers and council house tenants resulting from the increase in interest rates for local authority loans.

I have noted the council's resolution. I can only repeat that Government policy is that local authorities should pay the ruling rate of interest, whether they borrow on the market or from the P.W.L.B. The hon. Member and the council will no doubt have noticed that since the council wrote to me, some of the rates of interest charged by the P.W.L.B. have been slightly reduced in keeping with the fall in market rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to accept certain land near Grasmere, Westmorland, in settlement of Estate Duty; and if he will make a statement.

The Commissioners of Inland Revenue have accepted fifteen acres of land near the village of Grasmere in the Lake District in settlement of duty payable on the estate of Mrs. E. F. Rawnsley. The land has been transferred to the National Trust at a cost to the National Land Fund of £1,075. Mrs. Rawnsley's late husband, Canon Rawnsley, was a founder member of the National Trust. It is particularly gratifying that this land, which was once his property, should now have been transferred to the Trust.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much time is normally allowed for the payment of tax under Pay As You Earn; in how many cases of firms becoming bankrupt a large or major part of the deficiency is represented by liability for tax under Pay As You Earn; what is the estimated annual loss to the Revenue of such defections; and whether he is satisfied with the present working of the system.

Under the P.A.Y.E. Regulations the tax must be paid to the collector of taxes within 14 days of the end of the month in which it was deductible. If the employer does not pay promptly the collector presses for payment and, if necessary, proceedings are taken to recover the tax.The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available, but in the year ended 30th September, 1960, £158,000 P.A.Y.E. tax due from employers was remitted on grounds of insolvency. This compares with a total P.A.Y.E. yield over £1,000 million. I am, in general, satisfied with the working of the system.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the Treasury receipts from Pool Betting Duty collected on greyhound totalisators

1961			Greyhound Totalisators		Bookmakers licences		Total
			Duty	Surcharge	Duty	Surcharge	Duty	Surcharge
			£	£	£	£	£	£
May	…	…	616,765	—	143,225	—	759,990	—
June	…	…	649,961	—	145,336	—	795,297	—
July	…	…	553,640	68	126,465	21	680,105	89
August	…	…	743,390	70,045	162,682	15,372	906,072	85,417
TOTAL	…	…	2,563,756	70,113	577,708	15,393	3,141,464	85,506

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that manufacturers of machines and of business systems and publishers of mathematical series who will be affected by a change to decimalisation will be consulted before a date is chosen and announced for the commencement of any such change, in order to avoid the preparation of new mathematical tables, business machines and systems based on any criteria to be abandoned in the foreseeable future.

If a decision to decimalise the currency should be taken, consideration will be given, in the planning and introduction of any new system, to the need to avoid any unnecessary additional burden on the economy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in his further consideration of decimalisation, he will take into account the possibility of making the chosen unit divisible into 100 equal parts.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the

Figures for September 1961, are not yet available, but the rest of the information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:effect upon the Government contracts involved, if he will institute an inquiry into the case of the factory in Kirkby, Lancashire, details of which have been supplied to him, which commenced operations on 1st July, 1961, and announced its forthcoming closure early in August.

No. My right hon. Friend's predecessor informed the right hon. Gentleman on 6th October that he saw nothing in the events that have taken place that calls for an inquiry and my right hon. Friend shares that view.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a tenant has been found for the large Government-financed factory at Stockton-on-Tees.

Not yet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Jenkins Committee will publish its report.

My right hon. Friend understands that the Committee has completed the hearing of oral evidence and that it is now considering the terms of its report. It is still too early to say when this will be ready.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent, and in how many cases, credit facilities have been granted or assisted by the Government for building ships in British shipyards for foreign ownership.

This year the Export Credits Guarantee Department has given guarantees of payment on eight orders for ships by buyers overseas. The total value of these orders is £4·8 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in appointing Mr. Oswald Miller as a member of the Monopolies Commission, he took account of his publicly expressed views on resale price maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

The appointment was made, not because of Mr. Miller's views on resale price maintenance, but because of his wide business experience, particularly in retail trade.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science, if he will list the space projects now being undertaken by Her Majesty's Government alone; what is their annual cost; and what immediate value is being obtained from each project.

All our space projects involve the co-operation of other countries.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary of Science, to what extent monitors conducted by the Medical Research Council have detected an increase in the fall-out of radio-activity as a result of Russian nuclear and thermonuclear tests; and what estimate has been made by the Medical Research Council of the danger to public health as a result thereof.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the statement which will be made at the conclusion of Questions by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what reports he has received from his scientific advisers on the amount of radioactive fall-out resulting from the recent 20 Soviet nuclear tests, and the estimated amount which would result from a 50 megaton test explosion.

I would ask the right hon. and learned Member to await the statement which will be made at the conclusion of Questions by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps he is taking to increase expenditure on research on the harmful effects of radioactive fall-out on the human body, and into the possibilities of prevention or cure of such effects.

The Medical Research Council is already supporting an expanding programme of research on the effects of radiation on the human body. The effects of radioactivity from fall-out are no different from those of radiation from other sources, and as advances are made in the knowledge of the fundamental processes involved the possibility of developing effective methods of prevention and treatment will be increased.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what consideration has been given by his Department to the conclusions of the hydrological survey and the report of the Central Advisory Water Committee in relation to the shortage of water in Essex; and whether he will make a statement.

The survey shows that ultimately considerable quantities of water will have to come from outside Essex. The South Essex Waterworks Company have promoted a scheme for a large intake from the Metropolitan Water Board. This scheme will shortly be the subject of a public inquiry, but even if approved it would not meet the whole of the demand foreseen over the next 20 years. Further research is, therefore, required before an answer to the long-term problem can be found. There has been no report from the Central Advisory Water Committee on this question.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will arrange for departments to offer help to local authorities in connection with the provision of management services, as recommended in paragraph 56 of the Plowden Report on Control of Public Expenditure.

I am in touch with the local authority associations on this question.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many notices of proposed demolition of buildings of special architectural or historic interest he had received under the provisions of Section 30 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, in the six months ended 30th June; in how many of these cases building preservation orders had been made and confirmed; in how many cases the buildings had been saved otherwise; in how many cases building preservation orders made by local authorities were not confirmed; and how many of the cases were referred to his Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, how many notices of proposed demolition of buildings of special architectural or historic interest he had received under the provisions of Section 30 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, in the six months ended 30th June; in how many of these cases building preservation orders had been made and confirmed; in how many cases the buildings had been saved otherwise; in how many cases building preservation orders made by local authorities were not confirmed; and how many of the cases were referred to his advisory committee.

In the six months ended 30th June, 1961, notices of the proposed demolition of 247 listed buildings were received Nine building preservation orders covering ten of these buildings have so far been submitted by local authorities, and my right hon. Friend, now the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, gave notice of his intention himself to make an order in respect of another of the buildings. One of these orders has been confirmed and one has been rejected. The remainder are under consideration.My right hon. Friend's Advisory Committee were consulted about 28 of the buildings in respect of which notices were received during the period. He has no records which show what finally happens to the buildings notified to him as being threatenend with demolition. If he does not choose to intervene this becomes entirely the responsibility of the local planning authority concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the local authority, to deal with sewerage and drainage problems in Onneley, near Crewe.

My right hon. Friend understands that at their next meeting the Newcastle-under-Lyme Rural District Council will consider a revised land drainage scheme designed with a view to meeting the objections to earlier ones. I will keep the hon. Member informed of developments.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) what action was taken by his Department with the Kent County Council resulting from the Report on the Survey carried out in 1951–52 on gypsies and other travellers in Kent at the request of his Department; and what practicable steps were initiated subsequently to deal with the situation;(2) in view of the hardships caused to gypsies in England and Wales by changes in living conditions, what steps have been taken by his Department to obtain information of action taken in other countries in recent years to help their gypsy communities, with a view to obtaining ideas to help gypsies in the United Kingdom;(3) to which local authorities his Department has made representations on behalf of gypsies since 1st January, 1953; and with what result;(4) if he will ask all local authorities to send to him details of gypsies living in their districts, with a view to an examination of the problems involved and the action to be taken to improve the situation where there is need;(5) what is the number of gypsies living in caravans or shacks in England and Wales at the latest convenient date;(6) what he has done to ascertain the nature of the gypsy problem in England and Wales;(7) in what way details have been obtained in England and Wales as a whole, of the number of people of all types living at a given date in unsatisfactory conditions in caravans, shacks or motor vehicles;(8) in view of the statement, in the Report of the Survey on Gypsies and other Travellers in Kent, carried out by the Kent County Council at the request of his Department, that there is a need for a national policy to precede the making of long-term arrangements as to living quarters, facilities for employment and education, when he intends to take action in this respect;(9) what plans he has for finding sites where gypsies can live under proper conditions, without being disturbed and without disturbing others;(10) what evidence he has that the Caravan Sites Act of 1960 will improve the situation of gypsies; and in what way;(11) what reply has been received to the advice given by his Department to the St. Albans Rural District Council last July that they should make use of their powers to help gypsy families;(12) if he will seek the co-operation of all county councils in arranging for registering the position of every gypsy caravan on a day or days to be selected, as is being done in Kent;

I understand that the hon. Member has seen a copy of the letter the Ministry sent to the Kent County Council after the 1951–52 survey, which explained the Government's attitude to the problem. He will also be familiar, as a result of recent correspondence, with the view of my right hon. Friend, now the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, that the problems which arise are essentially matters for local, rather than national, action. My right hon. Friend agrees and does not consider that any further action by the Government is called for at present. We are ready to look into any particular cases of difficulty that may be brought to our notice.I cannot add to the information my right hon. Friend's predecessor gave the hon. Member about the effects of the Act of 1960, and the episode at Colney Heath.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs in how many cases within the last five years he has given approval for the building of schools within a green belt; and in how many cases these schools have been adjacent to another school, also within the green belt.

Specific records are not kept; but it is believed that during the last five years eleven school sites have been approved in the London green belt, one of which adjoined another school. In addition twelve school sites have been approved in proposed green belts which have been accepted in principle but which do not yet form part of approved development plans.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking at national level to protect Great Britain's water reservoirs from radiation contamination in the event of nuclear attack.

The installation of decontamination plant at reservoirs is not a practicable proposition and alternative sources would have to be used to replace those seriously contaminated. Emergency equipment for bringing alternative sources into use has been stockpiled and further stocks of equipment are being obtained under the revised civil defence programme announced in the White Paper "Report on Defence 1961".

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why his Department refused to approve the Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's housing proposals for Second Avenue, Porthill.

The reasons for the rejection of this order were given in a letter sent to the hon. Member on 18th September by my right hon. Friend who is now Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs upon what date he received from the Manchester Corporation notice of their intention to proceed with slum clearance in the Rodney Street Clearance Area by means of a compulsory purchase order; and whether he intends to approve the Order.

The Manchester City Council notified my predecessor in August, 1959, of their intention to clear the area which was later included in the Rodney Street, Ancoats, Compulsory Purchase Order. The Order was submitted on 23rd February, 1961, and a public local inquiry held on 14th June. I expect to announce my decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware of the difficulties that have arisen in connection with the shortage of materials and labour for the purpose of slum clearance and local council house building; and whether he will reintroduce some method of control which would allow for the freeing of materials and labour for essential building purposes.

I am well aware that the building industry generally has been under heavy pressure recently and that this has led to difficulties, in particular a shortage of skilled labour. The Government have already taken steps to reduce the excessive demands on the industry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many improvement grants were made in the last 12 months; and how many of these were for houses owned by private landlords, and how many for owner-occupied houses.

Including local authority houses, 129,334 dwellings were approved for grant purposes in the 12 months ending 30th September, 1961. Of this total, 62,121 were owner-occupied dwellings and 25,462 were occupied by tenants of private landlords.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the number of communications he has received concerning hardship caused in Wales by the operation of the leasehold laws; and whether he will make a statement.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, without awaiting the full publication of the 1961 census, he will state the number of householders it reveals to be, respectively, without a bath, sharing a bath, without an inside toilet or without hot water.

The total number of householders lacking or sharing these facilities at the date of the 1961 census has not yet been extracted from the census returns.

asked the Minister of Health why it is not proposed to provide refrigeration as part of the operating theatre ventilation system in the new hospital at Welwyn Garden City.

I am prepared to look at this proposition again.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that hospitals will be adequately served in connection with technical and scientific queries arising from their use of drugs purchased from foreign suppliers;(2) what detailed inspections have been carried out by or on his behalf of manufacturing units abroad from which it is proposed to obtain preparations covered by the Therapeutic Substances Act for use in hospitals.

The items for the purchase of which I am using Section 46 of the Patents Act are not covered by the Therapeutic Substances Act. They have been in general use in hospital practice for some time and I have no reason to doubt that technical and scientific problems arising in their use can be adequately dealt with.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish the names of the foreign companies who are carrying out the various stages of manufacture of drugs being made abroad and purchased far use in hospitals.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a number of National Health Service doctors are prescribing an anti-smoking product called Lobidan, costing £5 16s. 8d. for 120 tablets; and whether he will take steps to stop this.

It is for the individual doctor to prescribe what drug he thinks right for a particular patient; but he may be called on to justify it if his prescribing costs are being investigated.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a further statement about the use of oral poliomyelitis vaccine.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have now received the following recommendations from the Joint Committee on Poliomyelitis Vaccine:

1. Sabin vaccine may be used both safely and effectively for primary vaccinations.

2. Pending further study, Sabin vaccine should not be used to complete a course of vaccination started with Salk vaccine.

3. So long as Salk vaccine is available, it should also be provided for primary vaccinations if the doctor prefers it.

The Government accept these recommendations, and Sabin vaccine will be made available to local health authorities and doctors for routine vaccination as soon as the necessary arrangements have been made with the local authorities and the medical profession.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the persons developing poliomyelitis in Hull had undergone a full course of immunization before getting the disease.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the composition of the Police Mission to South Vietnam; and what are its functions.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) and my hon. Friend the Member for East Grinstead (Mrs. Emmet).

asked the Lord Privy Seal, following the United Nations resolution regarding the employment of mercenaries in the Congo, what information he has regarding the extent to which mercenaries are now employed by Mr. Tshombe.

Mr. Tshombe was reported to have made a statement on 26th September to the effect that he was arranging for the immediate removal of remaining mercenaries in accordance with the 21st February resolution. Her Majesty's Consul saw him on 29th September and asked what the position was. He was assured that no white officers remained in the Katanga forces and that any of those who had previously been discharged and tried to offer their services again were being refused. Her Majesty's Consul saw Mr. Tshombe again on 12th October, when Mr. Tshombe reiterated that all had been discharged and were being paid off, but that it was not impossible that a few of them might have gone into hiding. There was, however, no question of their remaining in military service. He made similar remarks to the Press on 15th October.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when Part 2 of the Tamworth Flood Protec- tion Scheme will be approved by his Department; and whether he is aware of the concern of the Trent River Board over the delay in this matter.

I have been aware of the river board's anxiety for a decision on this scheme and I am glad to say that the scheme has now been approved for grant-aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present position with regard to the Report of the Food Standards Committee on Soft Drinks; and whether draft regulations have yet been circulated to the interests concerned.

Proposals for regulations for soft drinks were issued on 6th October, 1961, and interested organisations were invited to comment by 8th December, 1961.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further steps he will take to assist local farmers in Onneley, near Crewe, to introduce proper land drainage.

My Department has already given the farmers advice about work for improving farm ditching and has offered to grant-aid an approved farm ditching scheme. We are ready to give any further help we can in this way.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the constitution of the Covent Garden Market Authority.

Yes. I have signed an Order constituting the Authority on 30th October. I have appointed the following persons to be members of the Authority.

• Sir Ian Jacob, G.B.E., C.B. (Chairman).
• Mr. Frank Hollins, C.B. (Managing Director).
• Mr. W. M. Balch.
• Mr. Charles Forte.
• Mr. Harold Samuel.
• Mr. Alex Samuels, C.B.E.
• Mr. M. J. Verey, T.D.
• Sir Thomas Yates, C.B.E.

Mr. Alex Samuels is the member nominated by the Minister of Transport.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will arrange that refunds of prescription charges can be made at any time, and not only when the supplementary pension is drawn, as now.

I am glad to be able to reassure my hon Friend that these refunds can be made at any time when the Post Office is open.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the official requirements with regard to pilot training, route testing and other safety conditions are the same for independent airline operators as for the nationalised corporations.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent the aircraft of independent airline operators are required to be equipped with navigational aids; and to what extent the countries in Europe to which such aircraft normally operate are equipped, under International Civil Aviation Organisation agreements, with corresponding navigational aids.

The requirements for navigational aids laid down in the Air Navigation Order for public transport aircraft apply to all operators, whether public or private, alike. All must provide in their aircraft radio apparatus capable of enabling the aircraft to be navigated on the intended route.European routes on which independent airlines fly are covered by direction finding stations, radio beacons, or the Decca Navigation system, and frequently by a combination of these aids.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the value of Government contracts outstanding with Vernon Industries Limited, Kirkby, Lancashire, at the time their factory was taken over by Petbow Limited on 1st July, 1961, the value of such contracts he allowed to be transferred to Petbow Limited, and the amount of work under those contracts which he has allowed to be transferred to the principal factory of Petbow Limited in Kent following their decision in August to close the factory and transfer all their outstanding work to the South.

The value of deliveries outstanding at 1st July, 1961, on Ministry of Aviation contracts with Vernons Industries Limited was about £130,000. No contracts were transferred. Vernons Industries Limited have retained responsibility for these contracts, which are being completed at Kirkby.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress has been made during the Parliamentary Recess with the European space project; and whether he will make a statement on the subject.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd).

asked the Minister of Education whether he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the status, pay and qualifications of teachers.

No, but I am discussing with the local authorities and the representatives of the teachers changes designed to improve the negotiating machinery of teachers' salaries.

asked the Minister of Education what school building programmes have been approved for Newcastle-under-Lyme for 1961–62 and 1962–63; and how these compare with the programmes for 1959–60 and 1960–61.

The programmes for 1961–62 and 1962–63 are substantially larger than for the two previous years, as the following table shows:

NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME
1959–60 Programme
	Gross Cost
Bursley County Primary School (completion)	£24,600
Red Street County Primary School	£32,186
Clayton County Secondary School (instalment)	£112,285
	£169,071
1960–61 Programme
St. Michael's Church of England Infants' School	£26,257
Clayton Hall Girls' Grammar School (extensions)	£50,000
	£76,257
1961–62 Programme
St. Giles and St. George Church of England Secondary School	£100,188
Roman Catholic Secondary School (instalment)	£158,558
	£258,746
1962–63 Programme
Westlands County Boys' Secondary School	£164,440
Clayton Hall Girls' Grammar School (further extensions)	£144,000
	£308,440

asked the Minister of Education how many students from the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland are at present studying in schools and universities in Great Britain; how many of them are Europeans and Africans respectively; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of places available.

There are over 500 students at universities and technical colleges or following other courses of further education here; of these, about 300 are Europeans, 170 Africans and 40 Indians. Numbers have risen by over 100 in the last three years, and it is expected that Commonwealth students will fill a share of the additional places in institutions of higher education in this country which will become available under expansion programmes. I have no information as to numbers at school here.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will take steps to arrange for all children leaving school at the age of 15 to be required to be examined in reading and writing and to pass a minimum standard therein; and whether, arising out of such an examination, he will arrange for the collection and publication of statistics showing the number of school-leavers at age 15 who fall below the required standard.