asked the Minister of Transport if he will instruct tthe representatives of Great Britain on the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation which is meeting in March to raise the question of the discharge of waste oil and residues at sea and to propose a date for the total abolition of this custom.

The prevention of oil pollution is in fact the subject that this conference has been summoned to discuss. It is the Government's policy to seek the widest possible international agreement for preventing oil pollution. However it would not necessarily help to press for a fixed date for total prohibition.

—		Amount of grant requested for schemes costing £10,000 and over for 1960–61 to 1963–64	Grants Allocated
			1960–61 Schemes costing		1961–62 Schemes costing		1962–63 Schemes costing		1963–64 Schemes costing
			£10,000 and over	Under £10,000	£10,000 and over	Under £10,000	£10,000 and over	Under £10,000	£10,000 and over	Under £10,000
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Brecon	…	159,455	Nil	25,700	37,230	15,349	Nil	15,000	20,000	10,000
Cardigan	…	99,900	Nil	21,655	Nil	18,736	9,000	11,000	19,000	10,000
Merioneth	…	524,100	Nil	17,103	36,137	11,415	15,000	5,000	11,000	9,000
Montgomery		80,250	Nil	20,955	Nil	17,275	18,750	5,000	Nil	20,000
Radnor	…	33,725	Nil	17,316	13,725	3,760	Nil	15,000	20,000	10,000

asked the Minister of Transport if he will name the four branch lines completely closed since 1948 in Northumberland, the six branch lines at present open to all traffic, and the six open to freight only.

The four branch lines in Northumberland closed completely since 1948 are:

• Hexham—Allendale.
• Alnwick—Ilderton.
• Hexham—Riccarton.
• Lambley Fell branch.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimated expenditure for major improvement schemes on classified roads were submitted for the years 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, and 1963–64, for the Counties of Brecon, Cardigan, Merioneth, Montgomery and Radnor; and what sums were received in grant or for allocation for each of these years.

The figures are set out in the following table. All figures represent the amount of grant—including appropriate proportion of land costs—not the total cost of the schemes.Schemes costing under £10,000 each are selected by the highway authorities within a grant total allocated to them.The six lines at present open to all traffic are:

asked the Minister of Transport how many times the Transport Consultative Committee, Northumberland, met during 1951 to 1961; and if he will make copies of its minutes available to hon. Members.

The Transport Users' Consultative Committee for the North Eastern Area, which includes Northumberland, has met as follows:

	Times
1951	3
1952	4
1953	4
1954	4
1955	5
1956	3
1957	4
1958	4
1959	4
1960	5
1961	4

The Consultative Committee settles its own procedure. Its minutes are confidential, and I should not feel justified in asking that they be made available to hon. Members.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what action was taken at the United Nations Organisation in connection with the Indian attack on, and military occupation of, the Portuguese State of Goa; and what further action is contemplated.

This question was debated on the evening of 18th December in the Security Council but a resolution cosponsored by Her Majesty's Government and several other Governments was frustrated by the Soviet veto. I am not aware that the Portuguese Government now contemplate any further steps.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made towards the establishment of a neutralised coalition Government in Laos.

The three Princes, who head the three main political groups in Laos, reached agreement at Geneva on 19th January on the structure of the new Government of national union to be formed under Prince Souvanna Phouma as soon as possible. The three Princes are returning to Laos where they will conclude the distribution of portfolios.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what arrangements have been made for discussions with the Government of Guatemala regarding the future of British Honduras.

In Notes of 16th November and 5th January Her Majesty's Government informed the Guatemalan Government that they would be ready to hear their views on outstanding issues on Anglo-Guatemalan relations, and would be glad to discuss informally any constructive proposals which the Guatemalan Government might feel able to make with a view to lowering the tensions which have recently prejudiced relations between the two countries. In this Her Majesty's Government have in mind any measures of a practical nature which might promote the mutual interests of Her Majesty's Government and Guatemala. The Guatemalan Government were also informed that Her Majesty's Government would wish elected Ministers of British Honduras to be present.I understand the Guatemalan Government have now agreed to talks in April, but the text of the Guatemalan communication has not yet been received in London.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the Government subsidies involved, he will publish, as an exceptional measure, a summary of the retail meat prices collected in 1960 and 1961 by his Department.

No. The method of calculation of the Index of Retail Prices does not involve the calculation of average prices but of price relativities.

asked the Minister of Labour how many males and females, respectively, were on the books of the employment exchanges at Morpeth and Ashington, Northumberland, at the end of 1961; and how many of each group had been unemployed for six months or more.

On 11th December, 1961, 119 males and 31 females were registered as unemployed at Morpeth Employment Exchange and 221 males and 81 females at Ashington. Of these, 30 males and 4 females at Morpeth and 28 males and 8 females at Ashington had been registered for over six months.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers of all grades have been rendered redundant by the closure of branch lines in the County of Northumberland; and what action has been taken to find them suitable employment.

I understand that since nationalisation a total of 52 railway staff have been made redundant as a result of such closures or the withdrawal of passenger services, the most recent of which took place in 1960. Alternative employment on the railways was found for 34 of these.

asked the Minister of Labour how many working days were lost through official and unofficial industrial disputes in 1959, 1960 and 1961.

The number of days lost in 1959 was 5,270,000 and in 1960 3,024,000. The provisional figure for 1961 is 3,021,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of persons, male and female, and persons under 18 years of age, male and female, registered as unemployed, as at the latest convenient date, in the Gateshead emloyment area, together with the percentage rate of unemployment.

On 15th January, 1962, there were 2,201 males registered as unemployed at the Gateshead, Blaydon and Felling Employment Exchanges of whom 252 were under 18 years of age. The number of females registered was 368 of whom 79 were under 18 years of age. The total represented a rate of 3·6 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour how many accidents happened during 1961, or the last convenient 12 monthly period, to young workers during the last two hours of their working day; and how many of these accidents were attributable to fatigue.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the percentage increase and decrease of unemployment in each region at 11th December, 1961, as compared with figures of unemployment at 13th November, 1961.

Following is the information:

Region	Percentage Increases or Decreases in Unemployment (including those temporarily stopped) at 11th December, 1961, compared with 13th November, 1961
	Per cent
London and South astern	+0·4
Eastern and Southern	-9·2
South Western	-1·3
Midland	-5·5
North Midland	+0·8
East and West Ridings	+1·9
North Western	-3·7
Northern	+5·1
Scotland	+10·1
Wales	-0·2

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls entering employment obtained apprenticeships in 1961; and what were the corresponding figures for 1960.

In 1961, 114,700 boys (37·9 pee cent.) and 20,550 girls (7·2 per cent.) obtained apprenticeships. In 1960 the figures were 103,000 boys or 36 per cent. and 19,950 girls or 7·6 per cent.The 1961 figures represent increases over 1960 of 11 per cent. for boys and 3 per cent. for girls.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of successful applicants for this year's intake into the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; what proportion of the original number of applicants this figure represents; and how many otherwise suitable individuals failed to reach the required educational standard.

146 applicants for this year's intake to Dartmouth as general list cadets, entered the College in September 67 who would otherwise have qualified failed to reach the required educational standard. Not all of these 67 have been lost to the Royal Navy however; 25 are young enough to join the general list this year if they obtain their academic qualifications, and 21 have been accepted for the seaman supplementary list. As the scholarship scheme entrants qualified from a number of different competitions, it is not possible to estimate what proportion the successful candidates represent of the original number of applicants.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty when the local overseas allowance for Mauritius was last increased; why the review promised in February, 1961, has not yet taken place; and if he will authorise an immediate increase, in view of the dissatisfaction felt by naval personnel in the island.

Local overseas allowance rates in Mauritius were last increased in September, 1960. In early 1961 the island was included in the programme of full-scale local overseas allowance reviews after representations that the new rates were inadequate, but there was no reason on the available evidence to give Mauritius priority over other areas. We have now received the detailed data about local prices that we had to ask for and any necessary change in the rates will be made as soon as the remaining work of assessment is complete. If any increase is found to be necessary, it will be awarded with effect from 1st January, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that prostitution is on the increase in a number of port areas, and that many girls who have been driven off the streets by the Street Offences Act, 1959, now move to the docks where the Act does not operate and where they can only be charged with a comparatively minor offence; and if he will introduce legislation extending to dock regions the provisions of the Street Offences Act.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence of such a problem in dock areas, but he will be glad to consider, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, any information that the hon. Member may care to send him.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has studied the annual review of the Slough Industrial Health Service, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will take the necessary action to incorporate a national industrial health service with the administration of the National Health Service.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement of the Government's policy in Cmnd. 1318.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present number of nurses in the hospital service in Scotland; and how far short is this figure from that recommended to regional hospital boards by the Department of Health for Scotland.

On 30th September, 1961, the total nursing and midwifery staff was 23,993 whole-time and 6,670 part-time. The number of nursing staff required is decided by each board of management in conjunction with the regional hospital board: my Department makes no recommendations in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are now in practice for free legal representation by Agents for the Poor under the Sheriff Court (Scotland) Act, 1907.

A full description of the present arrangements is contained in chapter 3 of the Report of the Committee on Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings (Cmnd. 1015), of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what bodies and individuals he has consulted with a view to the preparation of legislation to amend the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act, 1949, in order to make statutory provisions for the grant of legal aid in criminal proceedings on the lines of the Act.

I have obtained the views of the courts, the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland on the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to introduce legislation to amend the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act, 1949, in order to make statutory provisions for the grant of legal aid in criminal proceedings on the lines of the Act.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement on this matter.