asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Premium Bonds have been issued in each year since the scheme was begun.

The numbers of Premium Savings Bonds issued each year from 1956 to 1961 are, to the nearest million, 54 million (a period of two months), 74 million, 86 million, 66 million, 70 million and 71 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the abolition of Purchase Tax on garden machinery and tools, he will indicate a date for the abolition of Purchase Tax on domestic appliances and utensils.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had with the Pyrethrum Board in the formulation of safety standards for pesticides used in homes, shops and factories.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the difficulty of transport and the fact that it was the eve of a religious festival, what considerations led him to allow licensed premises in the Metropolitan Police district of London to remain open until midnight on 24th–25th December, 1961.

For many years it has been the practice of the Commissioner of Police, with the approval of the Home Secretary, to grant special orders of exemption extending the permitted hours on Christmas Eve in licensed premises and clubs in the Metropolitan Police district until midnight or later. This practice was followed on the last previous occasion when Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday, and my right hon. Friend saw no reason why it should not be followed last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many robberies of wages in transit occurred in 1961; what was the approximate amount of money involved; and what sums were subsequently recovered.

The following are the figures for the Metropolitan Police District:

Number of robberies	Number of attempted robberies	Amount Stolen	Amount recovered
		£	£
66	12	129,455	731

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Dr. Franz Krahl was not permitted to remain in this country.

Any East German temporarily in this country is expected to have a valid travel document, and the period of this document's validity is taken into account in granting the holder leave to land and in determining any subsequent extensions of his permitted stay. The validity of Dr. Krahl's temporary travel document expired on 10th January and, as he was unable to obtain its renewal, my right hon. Friend was not prepared to extend Dr. Krahl's permitted stay beyond that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that air crash tests with bears or any other animals will not he permitted in Great Britain.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of any proposal to use animals for air crash tests in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many summons were issued during the last 12 months for which figures are available in respect of offences relating to motor-cycles and other vehicles not fitted with adequate silencers, and with what result; and if he is satisfied that existing legislation is adequate to protect the public from this growing annoyance.

During 1960, there were 5,181 prosecutions in England and Wales for offences against the Regulation relating to the fitting and maintainance of silencers. Statistics compiled on a sampling basis indicate that there was a conviction in nearly every case, and that most of the offenders were fined. The last part of the Question is for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now had discussions with distributors with a view to controlling the sale of sodium chlorate; and what was the result.

My right hon. Friend has had discussions with manufacturers in this country and some distributors and they have undertaken to warn retailers who sell material supplied by them of the desirability of discouraging the sale of this substance to young persons. A considerable quantity of the substance is, however, imported from abroad and my right hon. Friend is endeavouring to get into touch with the distributors with a view to similar consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place in Bristol for the possession and sale of Indian hemp and reefer cigarettes; and what special methods are being adopted to prevent this.

In the three years ended 31st December last nine persons were convicted in Bristol of unlawful possession and two of unlawful import of this drug. The police co-operate with Customs officers and with inspectors of the Home Office in the suppression of traffic in dangerous drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what qualifications are required under his regulations for obtaining a firearms certificate for security and protection purposes in the Metropolitan Police area.

Under the Statute, the decision whether a firearms certificate should be granted in a particular case rests with the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant resides, subject to appeal to quarter sessions in the event of a refusal. The chief officer of police is required to satisfy himself, before granting a certificate, that the applicant can be permitted to have a firearm in his possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis acts on the view, with which I agree, that in general firearms are not a suitable means of protection in this country, and that it should rarely be necessary for a firearm to be permitted for protection purposes.

asked the Attorney-General whether Her Majesty's Government have now considered the report by a Committee of Justice presided over by Sir John Whyatt on The Citizen and the Administration; and whether they will introduce legislation to give effect to the Committee's recommendation for the appointment of a Parliamentary Commissioner to investigate grievances against Government Departments.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin (Mr. W. Yates) on 23rd November.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will recommend the postponement of the 1962 Fiscal Review between the Governments of the Federation of Central Africa until after the holding of the Federal constitutional review.

No. A postponement of the Fiscal Review would require the unanimous agreement of the Federal and Territorial Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when he received requests from Sir Roy Welensky that Her Majesty's Government should propose to the United Nations that an inquiry should be held into the allegations made against United Nations officials and troops concerned in the fighting in Katanga.

I have received no such requests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the progress of the constitutional talks on Swaziland.

I have at present nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said on 21st December to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway), but it is hoped to be able to make a statement fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the educational programme in Kenya in 1962, including the provision of primary, secondary and technical schools, scholarships for universities and racial integration in the schools, and the terms of reference of the 17-man committee which is re-examining education in the colony.

The Kenya Government announced on the 6th December the decision to set up a committee to examine the whole educational system in Kenya. The terms of reference of the Committee will be as follows:

(a) to examine and report on the organisation and financing of existing educational provision for all races in Kenya including the operation of the present systems of grant-in-aid, the Compulsory Education Ordinance, the rates of school fees charged, the languages taught, and the participation of Local Government Authorities:

(b) to consider how within the financial capacity of Kenya the present system may be developed on a non-racial basis and to make recommendations regarding the nature and timing of the steps to be taken to bring this about;

(c) to provide a plan with details of organisation, administration and finance, for the development of education services which will be within the financial capacity of the country, covering the next five years, bearing in mind the possibility of the Lawrence Report being adopted.

Pending the advice of the committee, the 1962 programme is designed to progress as rapidly as funds permit to universal primary education for children of all races, while maintaining the intake to secondary schools at not less than 10 per cent. of primary school leavers. There are at present 6,207 primary (including African intermediate) schools, 78 secondary schools and five trade schools and one polytechnic open, and in spite of financial difficulties, many new schools and extensions to existing schools are under construction. Every Kenya student who achieves University entrance is assured of a place at a University College with adequate financial assistance. Racial integration in the secondary schools is making progress: for example, the Board of Governors administering former Government European Secondary schools have all agreed to the admission of non-European pupils and five schools in the Nairobi area have already admitted such pupils. The schools Committee of Government European primary schools are considering similar action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish the amounts spent on liberal adult education in each of the Colonial Territories, the percentage this represents of educational expenditure in the territory and the number of full-time staff employed in this work in each territory.

I regret that the specific information for which the hon. Member asked is not readily and precisely available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate amount of time and money both here and in the Colonial Territories. I am, however, sending the hon. Member, and am placing in the Library of the House, copies of a factual memorandum on adult education in the Colonies which was compiled in the Colonial Office for departmental purposes last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are now his administrative responsibilities with regard to Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and British Guiana, respectively.

Internal affairs are the exclusive responsibility of the Governments of the territories concerned, except that in British Guiana the Governor has, for the time being, certain responsibilities in respect of the public service. In all four territories the British Government retains responsibility for external affairs and defence and is answerable in respect of the administration of financial assistance from United Kingdom Government funds.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools of English have applied to him to be recog- nised as efficient; how many have been so recognised; and what steps he has taken to advise intending students from overseas to select recognised schools.

Joint inspection of these establishments by my Department and the British Council began in 1956. Since then 42 establishments have applied for recognition as efficient, of which 23 have been recognised. Decisions on another seven are pending.Advice to overseas Governments and students is given by the British Council, which sends a list of recognised schools of English and of colleges of further education offering courses of English for foreigners to all its representatives overseas. Advice in those countries where there is no British Council representative is given on request by the Foreign Office.

asked the Minister of Education what reply he has given to the proposals for accelerating the building of St. Illtyd's college, Cardiff, and for increasing the capacity of Llanrumney County Secondary Boys' School and Girls' School, Cardiff, and Trowbridge Primary Infants School, Rumney, in view of the shortage of accommodation.

I am not yet in a position to add to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member on 14th December, 1961.

asked the Minister of Education in what circumstances school children from Lepton and other West Riding villages were ordered off a school bus this month, miles from their homes.

I understand that the driver of the hired coach took this action because he thought one of the children had damaged the vehicle and would not own up. The local education authority tell me that they and the transport contractor are taking steps to prevent any further incidents of this kind.

asked the Minister of Education if he will issue as soon as possible a report on the Commonwealth Education Conference, indicating what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to carry out the Conference recommendations.

Yes. I understand that a report on the work of the Conference will be published in Delhi tomorrow. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest national figures for the uptake of welfare foods such as orange juice, cod liver oil and vitamin tablets; and how these compare with the figures immediately preceding the recent imposed additional charges on those foods.

In November, 1961, average weekly issues were 14,422 bottles of orange juice, 3,127 bottles of cod liver oil and 1,570 packets of vitamin A and D tablets. In April, 1961, the last month before the reduction of subsidy in which demand was not abnormally inflated, average weekly issues were 37,355 bottles of orange juice, 7,046 bottles of cod liver oil and 3,255 packets of vitamin A and D tablets.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has made about the action of the South African police in arresting a British-protected person, Mr. Ambrose Zwane, when he entered the Republic from Bechuanaland on 31st December, 1961.

Her Majesty's Ambassador took this matter up with the South African Government on 3rd January, as soon as he heard of Mr. Zwane's arrest. He has made further representations twice. Mr. Zwane was released on bail on 2nd January and the charges against him were dropped on 17th January.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for military aid to the Government of the Somali Republic.

The question of military aid to the Government of the Somali Republic has been the subject of detailed discussions with the Italian Government. A joint offer in respect of a first instalment of military aid has been made to the Somali authorities. The British share of this first instalment will amount to £150,000, of which Parliament will be asked to vote £50,000 as a Supplementary Estimate to cover anticipated costs in the current financial year.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is now able to give further details of the response which Her Majesty's Government has made to the Somali Government's appeal for aid during the recent floods.

The House was informed on 8th December of the nature of the aid which Her Majesty's Government were giving to the Government of the Somali Republic as the result of this appeal. The cost of the aid given so far has amounted to £10,000 and Parliament will be asked to vote that amount in the forthcoming Supplementary Estimates.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to provide that immigrants should be medically examined and certified free of infectious diseases before they are allowed into Great Britain.

Such provision could be made under legislation now before the House.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the proportion of children under six months who were vaccinated each year during the 20 years prior to the introduction of the National Health Service in 1948, and in each year subsequently.

The information which I have is as follows:

Year	Vaccination of children under 6 months as a percentage of births
1927	44·9
1928	42·6
1929	39·9
1930	40·1
1931	39·0
1932	38·2
1933	37·0
1934	36·1
1935	35·4
1936	34·9
1937	34·0
1938	34·0
1939	32·1
1940	31·5
1941	35·0
1942	39·6
1943	40·2
1944	39·9
1945	40·5
1946	41·6

Year	Vaccination of children under 1 year as a percentage of births
1949	27·0
1950	23·8
1951	29·6
1952	30·7
1953	34·2
1954	34·5
1955	36·4
1956	38·4
1957	43·0
1958	44·5
1959	45·0
1960	41·3

NOTE: No information is available for 1947 and 1948.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the outbreak of smallpox in the city of Bradford resulting in several deaths, and the risk of a further outbreak of secondary cases, if he will give an assurance that a sufficient supply of vaccine will be available to meet any emergency.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on this subject to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North on the 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken in the hospital and public health services to ensure that staffs are kept at an appropriate level of vaccination immunity against smallpox.

Hospital and public health authorities are responsible for ensuring that vaccination is offered at regular intervals to all staff liable to be exposed to risk of infection. They have been reminded of the importance of this on several occasions in recent years, and the reminder has again been renewed.

asked the Minister of Health what is the overall waiting list of mentally subnormal patients awaiting entry to St. Catherine's Hospital, Doncaster, from the whole of its catchment area, specifying the number of children and adults, and whether they are urgent or non-urgent cases.

There is no precise catchment area, but 39 children, of whom 25 are urgent cases, and 37 adults, of whom 12 are urgent, are awaiting admission.

asked the Minister of Health when the proposed new villa of 40 beds at St. Catherine's Hospital, Doncaster, will be ready to accept patients.

In the spring of 1963.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that enough staff are employed at St. Catherine's Hospital, Doncaster, to cope with a patient complement which is nearly 10 per cent. above authorised accommodation.

There are some vacancies for male nursing staff but the deficiency is not serious.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what were the amounts of money spent each year in the past five years on maintaining British naval personnel and equipment in the United States of America.

The amounts of money spent in each of the past five years is as follows:

	£
1956–57	264,000
1957–58	245,000
1958–59	253,000
1959–60	305,000
1960–61	301,000

asked the Prime Minister whether he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the system of the award of honours.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many working days were lost through ill-health in 1959, 1960 and 1961.

I regret that the precise information requested is not available. Incapacity for work recorded among people insured for sickness and injury benefits amounted to 302 million weekdays in the year to 30th May, 1959; 36 million of these were attributable to accidents. The corresponding figures for the year ending 4th June, 1960, are 296 million and 39 million. Later figures are not yet available.I have no information as to working days lost by people who do not claim benefit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now come to a decision on the applications for variation of tariffs for dried peas, lettuces and tomatoes; and if he will make a statement.

I am not yet in a position to announce decisions on these applications.