asked the Postmaster-General whether he will now amend those rules which cause delay in the mail, cause delay in the post offices, and slow down the telephone service.

In general I am satisfied that our rules, if interpreted with goodwill and common sense, should not cause delay. I have, however, very much in mind the points raised in the hon. Member's Question, and I shall presently be reviewing these rules.

asked the Postmaster-General how many new telephones were installed in Sunderland during 1961; and by how much the waiting list has been reduced.

During 1961, 876 telephones were installed in Sunderland, and the waiting list was reduced from 112 to 65.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there are complaints in Leicester that some of the subscriber trunk dialling meters there are faulty, with resultant excessive charges to users; what steps he is taking to have meters carefully and periodically checked; and whether he will make a refund to those telephone users who have been overcharged.

My information is that there have been very few complaints about excessive charges due to faulty meters in Leicester. The meters—which are the same for local and trunk calls dialled by subscribers—are very reliable and are tested regularly. I should be very willing to investigate any complaints the hon. Gentleman may care to put to me, and to make a refund if a subscriber has been overcharged.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephone service were on the waiting list at Morpeth and Ashington areas, Northumberland, at the end of 1961; and what action is being taken to reduce the number in the immediate future.

The figures are as follows:

—	Applications on waiting list	Applications under enquiry or in course of being met
Morpeth	10	40
Ashington	44	12

New cables are being laid and I hope to give service to the majority of those waiting within the next six months. During 1961 248 telephones were installed in these two places.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the statement by the Maritime Commission of Canada that if the Government of British Columbia placed an order for maritime engines with the British firm submitting the lowest tender rather than with a Canadian firm it would risk the loss of a 40 per cent. subsidy, he will in the interests of British trade draw the attention of the Federal Government of Canada to the fact that such an action is contrary to that Government's stated policy of encouraging trade with Great Britain.

Representations have already been made to the Canadian Government. We are awaiting their reply.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs by what authority permission is given for the use of part of Yateley Common and the former Blackbushe airfield, respectively, for flying purposes; on how many occasions during the past twelve months such permission has been granted; and under what circumstances on each occasion.

No planning permission has been granted, but it is not required at present if the use does not extend to more than 28 days in the year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will list the 251 areas where the statutory lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interests are incomplete and indicate the degree of incompleteness.

The areas where the statutory lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest were in complete at 31st December, 1961, are set out below. The lists for these areas were compiled from documentary sources as an interim measure pending a full list based on physical survey. It is not possible to define the degree of in-completeness.ENGLAND

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that party politics are being introduced into some of the secondary schools in Malta; if he will have an inquiry made; and if he will take steps to see that this practice is stopped.

No. I am unaware of any evidence to substantiate the allegation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the nature of his reply to the recent letter from Mr. Kenneth Kaunda, President of the Northern Rhodesian United National Independence Party, urging an early announcement by Her Majesty's Government of a revised plan for the Northern Rhodesian Constitution.

No such letter has been received from Mr. Kaunda but, in reply to a letter from United National Independence Party officials in London, my right hon. Friend has asked the Governor to repeat to the Secretary-General of the Party his assurance that there will be no unnecessary delay in reaching a decision. At the same time it was emphasised that any move designed to bring pressure to bear on Her Majesty's Government at the present moment could only make the constitutional difficulties greater.

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

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th October, 1961; Vol. 646, c. 35], supplied the following information:Copies of "An Account of the Disturbances in Northern Rhodesia, July to October, 1961", published by the Northern Rhodesia Government on 3rd January, have been placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that he makes grants for professional training at courses arranged by the Institute of Almoners and to the Psychiatric Workers Council, if he will take powers to enable him to make grants for health visitors and social workers training on the same basis.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement upon the outbreak of smallpox in Bradford.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson).

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps, pending the passage into law of the Immigration Bill, to ensure medical examination of all immigrants coming to the United Kingdom from countries where smallpox and other dangerous infectious or contagious diseases have been identified; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to prevent the entry of infection by smallpox by immigrants entering the country by air from Pakistan or other countries where the disease is endemic.

All travellers who have been in Pakistan within the previous fortnight are examined by the port health authority for signs of recent revaccination against smallpox and where doubt exists are offered vaccination and isolated for 14 days or until the vaccination has proved successful. The names and destinations of all the rest are sent to the appropriate medical officers of health. In regard to travellers from other infected areas the normal procedure of warning notice and follow-up of contacts is applied.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to restore compulsory vaccination, subject only to conscience safeguards, which obtained prior to 1948; and if he will make a statement.

No. Experience before and after the abolition of compulsory vaccination does not suggest that reintroduction of the scheme would secure better results than the present voluntary arrangements.

asked the Minister of Health what proof of recent vaccination has to be given by a person who is not a resident of the United Kingdom when seeking to enter this country.

No such proof is normally required if the traveller does not come from an infected area. If he does, the port medical officer has discretion to decide whether special safeguards are required. He may take account of an international certificate of vaccination but is not bound to treat it as conclusive. At present all travellers who have been in Pakistan within the previous fortnight are being physically examined to verify that they have been successfully vaccinated.

asked the Minister of Health how much additional revenue has been secured in the present financial year to the nearest convenient date from the increased charges on prescriptions and other items supplied through the National Health Service; and what reduction in expenditure there has been on subsidising welfare and supplementing foods.

For Great Britain the saving on accounts of chemists, opticians and dentists and the increase in hospital receipts totalled about £8·4 million to 31st December and the saving on welfare foods supplied to 30th September was just over £150,000.

asked the Minister of Health how many district nurses, employed by the National Health Service, hold midwifery qualification but make no use of such qualifications.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether, under his regulations, a hospital authority, when asked to accept a patient in respect of whom a hospital order may be made by the court, is entitled to accede to the request only on the basis that no order restricting discharge under Section 65 of the Mental Health Act will be made in addition, when the authority is satisfied that suitable conditions of security are not available at the hospital in question.

This matter is not dealt with in regulations; but the making of an Order under Section 65 does not affect the suitability or otherwise of a particular hospital for treating a particular patient.

asked the Minister of Transport what efforts have been made to trace the ship responsible for the discharge of oil which was swept into Newhaven Harbour on 22nd December, 1961.

The British Transport Commission Police and Harbour staff made extensive enquiries but the incident occurred during the hours of darkness and they have been unable to identify the source of the oil.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he has given to the booklet entitled A Highway Code for Young People, issued by the Derbyshire County Police, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Bolsover; and whether in the interests of road safety he will commend this or a similar publication to other police authorities in the United Kingdom.

I have examined this booklet, which I understand is intended to be for the benefit of young people about to leave school. It purports to be an illustrated version of the Highway Code as it applies to drivers, motor cyclists and pedal cyclists, but it does not contain all the information given in the official Highway Code for these classes of road users.I believe that in general the official version can readily be understood by school leavers. While I welcome any action that leads to a better understanding of proper road usage, I do not think it necessary at present to commend a separate publication on the lines of

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the net inflow of immigrants for the year 1961; from which countries they principally came; and how the figures for the respective countries compare with those for the year 1960.

The total net inward balance of movement from those Commonwealth countries for which figures are available is estimated at 136,000 for 1961 as compared with 58,000 for 1960. Figures for the principal countries are as follows:

—	1960	1961
West Indies	49,650	66,300
East African territories	250	2,650
West African territories	-500	5,450
Cyprus	3,200	6,850
Malta	- 1,400	500
Hong Kong	500	2,150
Malaya	-400	700
Singapore	-50	950
India	5,900	23,750
Pakistan	2,500	25,100
Ceylon	-1,100	650
Note.—A minus sign denotes a net outward movement.

asked the Minister of Defence whether British personnel will co-operate in the proposed resumption of nuclear tests in the atmosphere; and what arrangements have been made for information gained as a result of such tests to be made available to Her Majesty's Government.

I would refer the hon. Member to the joint Communiqué issued by the Prime Minister and the President of the United States after their meeting at Bermuda on 22nd December. As was agreed at that meeting, pending a final decision on atmospheric testing, certain preparations are being made as a matter of prudent planning for the future. The whole question is under examination and I am not in a position to say any more at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, inview of the many new and diverse problems affecting the solidarity of the British Commonwealth of Nations which have emerged during the present session of Parliament, if he will now take urgent steps to invite the present member realms of the Commonwealth to an early Commonwealth conference to consider those problems.

Meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, Finance Ministers and other representatives are held at intervals as necessary. Further meetings will be arranged as and when there is a general desire for them.

asked the Prime Minister if he will state the cost of the troop movements at Christmas in the Middle East.

About £50,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be able to announce his proposals for amending the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926, to deal with the composition of liquid nitrogenous fertilisers and mineral enrichments.

My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland await advice from the statutory advisory committee as to whether regulations should be made to bring these products within the scope of the Act.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps have been taken to fulfil the undertaking given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West in answer to Question 42 of 6th July, 1959, that he would be kept informed of progress in the matter of the sale of the factory at Bardsey, Oldham.

There has been no progress to report since negotiations for disposal during 1959, 1960 and the first half of 1961 were abortive. Sale negotiations have now been opened with a Sunderland firm of glass-ware manufacturers and it is believed that the sale will be completed by the spring. I have taken steps to see that the hon. Member is informed of the progress of these events.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the original cost to public funds of the State-owned factory at Bardsey, Oldham; and what is the corresponding figure in terms of 1962 prices.

The original cost of the factory, which was built by the Ministry of Aircraft Production during the early years of the war, could not be established without extensive enquiries which would not in my opinion be justified.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) what is the rental now being received in respect of the State-owned factory at Bardsey, Oldham;(2) what terms relating to the maintenance of employment were incorporated in the lease of the State-owned factory at Bardsey, Oldham.

As the factory is being sold, the questions of the rent and of the terms of the lease do not arise.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether a decision has yet been taken about the aircraft factory at Christchurch, Hampshire.

Negotiations are in train with a view to arranging for the factory and airfield at Christchurch, which are being given up by the de Havilland Aircraft Company this summer, to be taken over by BEAGLE, the group specialising in executive aircraft, to enable them to expand their production. The factory and airfield are owned by the Ministry of Aviation, whose acceptance of BEAGLE's application is subject to conclusion of satisfactory arrangements on the terms and scope of the lease.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in the city and county of Aberdeen, respectively, are now in receipt of retirement pensions; and how many are in receipt of supplementary allowances.

Statistics relating to the numbers of retirement pensioners are not available for particular areas. I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the city of Aberdeen is served by two offices, one of which also serves most of the county of Aberdeen and a part of Kincardineshire, the rest of the county of Aberdeen being served by an office at Peterhead. It is not therefore possible to give the number of National Assistance supplements to retirement pensions as asked for. The number at 19th December, 1961, for the whole of the area served by the three offices was 4,089. Some of the grants provided for a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Power whether he has yet been able to grant licences of the export of Number 1 and 2 steel scrap iron; and if he will make a statement.

At my request the Board of Trade has issued an Open General Licence allowing all iron and steel scrap of an f.o.b. value not greater than £25 per ton, not being material derived from armour plate, military equipment, internal combustion engine cylinder blocks, manhole covers, and railway chairs, to be freely exported from 23rd January to 25th April, 1962. The last three items constitute important sources of cast iron scrap to British consumers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost to the Exchequer in the last financial year of granting tax reliefs to people buying their own homes on mortgages: and how many people were granted such tax reliefs.

It is estimated that if people buying their own houses on mortgage during the year 1960–61 had not been able to claim any form of tax relief for the mortgage interest they paid in that year the extra tax payable would have been about £70 million. The number of people obtaining such relief is not known but may be of the order of 3½ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to ensure that after 30th May, 1962, when the Republic of South Africa (Temporary Provisions) Act ceases to have effect, credit will be due to United Kingdom shareholders in a South African company for South African tax paid on the company's profits.

The draft of a revised double taxation agreement between South Africa and the United Kingdom was initialled in Cape Town by officials of both countries on 15th January, 1962. The draft agreement contains a provision under which credit would be due to United Kingdom residents holding shares in a South African company not only for any South African tax deducted from dividends, but also for the appropriate part of the South African tax paid by the company on the profits out of which the dividends are paid. When this agreement has been signed it will be brought before the House of Commons for approval in the ordinary way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difficulties facing the universities in recruiting lecturing staff of the requisite standards, he will sanction salary increases for university teachers forthwith.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave on this subject on 21st December, 1961, to the hon. Members for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd) and Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan), to which I have at present nothing to add.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury by what authority Income Tax inspectors apply for payments on account of tax due when assess ments for excess rents have been appealed against and the amount due is not ascertainable until the end of the financial year.

Section 63 (2) of the Income Tax Act, 1952, empowers the General or Special Commissioners of Income Tax to make orders for payment on account of tax assessed under Schedule D notwithstanding that an appeal is pending. In practice agreement is normally reached with taxpayers for the payment of sums on account without application to the Commissioners for a formal order.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what proportion of returns of excess rents upon which assessments in excess of the previous years' returns have been made have been appealed against during the present financial year; and what proportion of such appeals have been successful.

I regret this information is not available.