asked the Postmaster-Gemeral whether he will now make a statement on the provision of a sub-post office at Mowmacre Hill, Leicester; and why this has not yet been provided.

As the hon. Member knows, I have every sympathy with this request. We have recently completed a further review of the postal facilities provided in this part of Leicester, and the hon. Member will be glad to hear that we have decided to open an additional sub-post office on Mowmacre Hill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the number of new jobs provided in the Blyth constituency area for the latest yearly period to date, and the compare son with the previous 12 months.

Projects approved in the 12 months ended 31st October in the three employment exchange areas which cover most of the hon. Member's constituency are estimated by the firms concerned to provide when completed about 150 new jobs. For the previous 12 months the comparable figure is 620.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will provide a list of British firms or subsidiaries operating in the countries of the European Economic Committee, the names of those who have moved into the area during the past 12 months, and the number of those who have officially notified their intention of moving in the next six months.

This information is not available. Firms are not required to notify the Board of Trade of their intention to set up operations in the countries of the European Economic Community or elsewhere.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the failure of the home crop of apples and the consequent high prices at present being charged, he will vary the import regulations so that a greater proportion of imports are permitted prior to the Christmas season in the interests of trades involved and the protection of the consumer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to alleviate the shortage of apples during the forthcoming months, in view of the shortage of home-grown apples.

The Board of Trade announced on 31st October their decision, as an exceptional measure, to license for import during the current quota period an advance instalment of 10 per cent. of the fresh apples quota for January/June, 1962.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the damaging effects on trade, industry, employment and exports in Aberdeen and north-east Scotland as a result of the economic policy of the last three months; and if he will set up an inquiry to investigate these effects and to devise methods of restoring to northeast Scotland its normal trade, industry, employment and exports.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "No". The rate of unemployment in Aberdeen for the three months ended October, 1961, was 2·6 per cent. compared with 2·9 per cent. in the previous twelve months. The Board of Trade are continuing to encourage industrialists to consider Aberdeen as a location for their projects and there are at present some 270 jobs in prospect from new building and other developments in Aberdeen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the operation in the West Indies of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Since 1947 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade has applied to all the territories of the West Indies except Jamaica.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what study has been undertaken by the Medical Research Council of the effects on man of small spasmodic doses of radiation other than that resulting from natural causes; and to what extent it has revealed that appreciable harm has been caused.

The Medical Research Council keeps under review all available data on the health of individuals exposed to radiation in the course of its work. Maximum permissible levels of exposure to radiation have been laid down for such individuals and there is no evidence of harmful effects from radiation doses below these levels.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent children born in the year 1955 who have been subject to an unnatural increase in Strontium 90 and radio iodine 131 for six years will be affected by the cumulative effects of fall-out from the whole of the present Russian series of nuclear tests; and how these children will be affected.

I am advised by the Medical Research Council that it is unlikely that there will be adverse effects on the health of children in this country born in the year 1955 attributable to Strontium 90 and radio iodine from nuclear tests carried out to date.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will define the relations between the Torry Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, and other laboratories and research stations under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, indicating how they apportion and report on their work, respectively.

Torry Research Station with its extension, the Humber Laboratory at Hull, is responsible for carrying out research on the handling, preservation and processing of fish and fish products. Following the normal D.S.I.R. procedure, its programme is approved by, and its reports submitted to, the Research Council, and it consults, and is consulted by, other D.S.I.R. establishments on matters of common interest.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent milk supplies in Cornwall have been affected by radioactive fall-out.

The latest information published by the Agricultural Research Council on 1st November shows that levels of iodine 131 in milk in the far west, which includes Cornwall, are only slightly above the national average. The figures are thus well below the level at which the Government, on the advice of the Medical Research Council, would need to take special steps to safeguard health.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now withdraw the Surtax reduction introduced in the Budget of April, 1961.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the present debts of the United Kingdom to other countries and to international institutions, respectively; and when and how Her Majesty's Government intend to redeem them.

The following is a table showing the amounts outstanding at 30th September, 1961, in respect of these debts and the repayment arrangements which have been agreed with the countries and organisations concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the wage and salary pause is due to end.

I have nothing yet to add to my statement of 25th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to review the financing of United Kingdom social services in the context of contemporary economic conditions and the nation's resources.

I have further considered this matter and am still of the opinion that the appointment of a Royal Commission is not the appropriate step to take.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he proposes to take to ensure that the necessary professional, technical and building staff and building resources become increasingly available to public authorities in South Lancashire in order to augment the programmes of slum clearance.

Local authorities generally have been urged to keep down their demands on building resources in the interests of those with more pressing problems, particularly slum clearance. This action, together with the measures taken by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is already relieving some of the pressure on professional and technical staffs. This should help public authorities with the most acute needs.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many improvement grants have been made in the last 12 months in Salford for providing baths, inside toilets or hot water systems; how many of these were for owner-occupiers' houses; and how many were for private landlords' houses.

Our records do not contain details of improvement work carried out with the aid of discretionary grants. As regards standard grant, during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1961, this kind of grant was paid in respect of 43 dwellings in Salford. All 43 were provided with a food store, 42 with a bath, washbasin and hot water system, and 21 with a W.C. I cannot say how many of these improvements were for owner-occupied dwellings or for privately rented dwellings.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses in the United Kingdom, which have been condemned as unfit for human habitation, are still occupied.

We have no records containing this information. As rehousing from unfit houses is going on all the time, and the position is changing from day to day, it would not be practicable to collect it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been made with the United Nations and the new Cameroons Government regarding the future government of the Southern Cameroons, the administration and security of the British region of the Trust Territory, the position of the Colonial Development Corporation and schemes under Colonial Development and Welfare funds, the British administrative and technical personnel and financial and other assistance.

In accordance with the United Nations Resolution of April last, British Trusteeship of the Southern Cameroons terminated on 1st October, 1961, on its joining with the Cameroun Republic in the new Federal Republic of Cameroon. The former Republic and Trust Territory are, as East and West Cameroon, both States in this Federation and the division of responsibility between the Federal and State Governments is set out in the Federal Constitution.I understand that the Federal Government have posted adequate security forces to West Cameroon to replace the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards which has now returned to this country. Some fifty British officers in administrative and technical posts have remained to serve the new Government and a former member of the Southern Cameroons Public Service is serving as British Consul at Buea.Subject to Parliamentray approval, Her Majesty's Government intend to make a grant of £575,000 to the West Cameroon Government. Colonial Development and Welfare assistance has ceased because the Southern Cameroons as part of a foreign country is not eligible for it under the terms of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act. While the Colonial Development Corporation will not be able to undertake new schemes in West Cameroon it will be able to continue its planned investment in the Cameroons Development Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action has followed the Report of the Burns Commission to Fiji; and what constitutional, land and economic changes and developments are under consideration.

The one constitutional recommendation in the Burns Report, that Fijians should directly elect most of their representatives to the Legislative Council, has been accepted. In his reply on 24th October to the right hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale), my hon. Friend gave an outline of the action taken on the land and economic recommendations, but I should of course be glad to obtain any particular information required by the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what contribution Her Majesty's Government are making to the relief of famine in Tanganyika.

On 30th October, I received a delegation of Members of Parliament to discuss the famine situation in Tanganyika. I am still considering what they said.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what consultations his Department has initiated for the supply of processed milk to those Commonwealth countries in which Her Majesty's Government have responsibility where there are shortages of nourishing foods for mothers and infants.

No recent consultations have been initiated, but the United Nations Children's Fund successfully operates useful schemes for the free distribution of dried, skimmed milk to under-developed countries, including— with the co-operation of Her Majesty's Government—some Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether staff of the East African High Commission who are members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service, and who contracted to serve in dependent territories, are under an obligation to serve in independent territories such as Tanganyika after 9th December, 1961.

In accordance with the agreement on the future of East Africa High Commission Services reached in London in June of this year (Cmd. 1433) the East African Common Services Organisation will replace the East Africa High Commission when Tanganyika becomes independent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the present state of the emergency in Kenya, indicating what steps he and the Government of Kenya have taken to bring it to an end.

The state of emergency in Kenya was formally ended by the Governor on 12th January, 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is prepared to discuss proposals for amending the new Maltese Constitution with the Maltese political parties, in view of the criticism levelled against the Constitution in Malta.

I do not propose to recommend any changes in the recently published new Constitution, but I shall certainly be ready to consider any representations from the next elected Government of Malta.

asked the Minister of Works whether he proposes to proceed with the plan to build a central office to house Government Departments currently domiciled in Taunton.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer during an authorised interview published in the Daily Mail on 30th October, on the subject of economic policy, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The remarks of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, quoted in the article to which the hon. Member refers, are completely in accord with the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the quantities of concentrated orange juice, cod-liver oil and vitamin tablets taken up in the three months since 1st June, or the longest period for which figures are available, and comparable figures for the previous equal period and for the same period in 1960.

Information is collected on a quarterly basis. I will send it to the hon. Member as soon as the returns for the quarter 1st July-30th September are complete.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if any special precautions are to be introduced in area such as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the fall-out is noticeably higher, to protect the health of those living therein, (2) if he will outline the positive steps that have now been taken to protect the health of all young children from the increased radiation in the atmosphere and in food and drink as a result of the recent Russian nuclear tests.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friends the Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister said on 24th and 31st October, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of prescriptions dispensed, and the average cost per item, for each month of the current year.

The information is as follows: