asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress he has made toward securing comprehensive reciprocal agreements with other Commonwealth Governments in respect of the health of Commonwealth migrants.

It is for each Commonwealth country to decide what measures to take as regards the health of immigrants. I am advised that arrangements such as the hon. Gentleman appears to have in mind are not necessary so far as this country is concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what response there has been to the programme of Commonwealth Weeks in Great Britain.

The Commonwealth Exhibition with its supporting activities known collectively as the Commonwealth Weeks has now completed a programme of visits to fifteen towns in different parts of Britain. It has been seen by nearly 900,000 people. The Exhibition was supported by a variety of functions and activities, arranged either by local authorities, Commonwealth societies and other organisations. The Press and radio gave the Exhibition wide publicity amounting to over 30,000 column inches and some 57 hours of radio coverage. Television covered the major occasions.I wish to express warm thanks to all individuals, authorities and organisations and to the Commonwealth High Commissions who helped to make this enter-price such an outstanding success.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken to find employment for the ratings in the disbanded Royal East African Navy; and if they will be compensated for the loss of their career.

The East African Common Services Organisation expects to be able to place all those ratings who seek re-employment in posts either within the Organisation or under territorial Governments. Those ratings who do not seek re-employment will be compensated. Detailed proposals for compensation are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is intended to open a school for deaf children in Swaziland.

The Swaziland Administration is in touch with the local representative of the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf and is considering the question of special schooling for deaf children.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now announce his proposals for constitutional changes in Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can now make a statement on constitutional changes in Northern Rhodesia.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what authority goods made in Hong Kong are required to be imprinted as "Empire Made" and not "Made in Hong Kong"; and, in view of the concern of Hong Kong industrial interests about this, if he will take action to enable Hong Kong manufacturers to affix the more accurate indication of origin to their goods.

There is no such requirement. Goods manufactured or produced in Hong Kong which are required by the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, to be marked with an indication of origin, may, at the option of the person marking them, be marked either "Empire" or "Made in Hong Kong".

asked the President of the Board of Trade why civil refuelling tankers ordered from Great Britain for Garuda State Airways have had an export licence refused; and why Dunlop tyres, being retreaded in Great Britain for the same airline, have also been refused an export licence.

The refuelling tankers ordered by the Indonesian State Air Line are considered to be of potential military significance. The licences were therefore revoked in accordance with the policy announced by my right hon. Friend, the Lord Privy Seal on the 23rd January.Because of the special circumstances attaching to the Dunlop tyres, the case has been reconsidered and a licence is being granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will re-examine and amend the system of selection for jury service which disqualifies many suitable women from juries.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Sir B. Janner) on 1st February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to abolish the practice of challenging women jurors in court on the grounds of their sex.

There is no provision allowing challenge of individual jurors on the ground of their sex, but accused persons may challenge up to seven jurors without having to show cause. The right of challenge without showing cause is of long standing, and my right hon. Friend is not satisfied that there is sufficient justification for interference with it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Prison Visiting Committee met to consider the case of Peter Ingram, about whom the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East, had an interview at the Home Office on 15th December; and if he will take an early decision on this case, in view of the length of time that has elapsed.

A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 5th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the difficulties confronting magistrates who are desirous of sending a person to a remand home but find that there is no vacancy available; what is the number of remand homes for both boys and girls; and how many vacancies are available at present.

I am aware of these difficulties and I am in consultation with local authorities about the provision of extra accommodation. The number of vacancies varies widely from day to day and it is not possible without special inquiry to give the number on any particular day. During the six months January-June, 1961, the last period for which figures are available, the average number of vacancies was 64 for each sex. Since then two additional remand homes have been brought into use. The number of remand homes on 31st January, 1962, was 31 for boys, 19 for girls, and 3 for both boys and girls.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the hon. Member for Barking was advised on Monday, 5th February, that a cablegram sent by him four days earlier to an address in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, had not be delivered because the addressee was unknown at that address, but that the cablegram had been, in fact, correctly addressed to a house occupied only by the addressee and his family; how this error occurred; and what representations he is making to the cable company concerned to prevent further inefficiency of this kind.

Yes. The American company has told my right hon. Friend that the delay was due to a mistake on the part of its messenger, and that the hon. Member's telegram did not reach the addressee until the 5th February. The company had tried to locate the addressee in the current telephone directory, but without success. It much regrets the failure and the inconvenience caused.The Post Office was informed on Friday evening, 2nd February, that the company had been unable to deliver the telegram, and I am sorry that this information was not given more quickly to the hon. Member

asked the Secretary of State for Air what estimate he has made of the specific advantages, operational and otherwise, to be derived by his Department from a further series of atom or hydrogen bomb tests.

I have no statement to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he has taken to improve trooping by air within Royal Air Force Transport Command since the Estimates Committee Report on trooping was published.

Inquiries into the possibility of making greater use of Transport Command for air trooping, mentioned in the Report of the Estimates Committee, are being pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the declining value of the fixed site Thor missiles to the Western deterrent, when he estimates that these missiles will be outdated and consequently withdrawn.

I have nothing to add to my Answers of 31st January.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the annual cost to his Department of the maintenance of the United Kingdom-based Thor missiles and their ancillary equipment.

Excluding personnel costs the annual maintenance costs amount to some £1 million. Including personnel costs the total is about £4–£5 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how much has been spent to date on the conversions of the Vulcan bombers to receive the Skybolt missile; and how much in total is expected to be spent in conversion of the whole fleet.

It would not be in the public interest to give detailed information of this kind about the Vulcan conversion programe.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when he now expects Sky-bolt to be ready for service with the Royal Air Force V-Bomber fleet.

By the mid-1960s.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what plans he has for adopting a mobile medium range ballistic missile, such as that being developed in the United States of America, as part of the western deterrent, in place of the Thor missiles.

Our deterrent in the latter part of this decade will be based mainly on the Mk.2 Vulcan armed with Skybolt.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent he has given consideration to more leave centres in cooler regions for Royal Air Force personnel stationed in Singapore; and what developments he expects.

There is no leave station of this kind for Royal Air Force personnel stationed at Singapore and none is planned. They can, however, use the joint Service leave centre at Penang where the accommodation has recently been extended. In addition, a number of officers and airmen take leave in the Cameron Highlands under private arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is his latest estimate of the time when the Blue Steel missile will be ready for Royal Air Force service.

Blue Steel will be in service this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many French Nord AS-30 missiles he has ordered for the Canberra bomber fleet; and what percentage will be for Royal Air Force, Germany, and Singapore, respectively.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose either the number of AS-30 missiles to be purchased or the proportions in which they will be distributed.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he has now received a report on the capabilities of the Avro 748; and to what extent it compares with the Handley Page Herald.

I am unable to add to the Answers I gave on 31st January.

asked the Attorney-General what is the procedure for the appointment of members of advisory committees for the appointment of magistrates; and what inquiries are made before such appointments are made.

Members of advisory committees are appointed by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor. No set procedure is followed; my noble Friend makes such inquiries as he thinks fit in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will return the recent recommendations for the appointment of magistrates in the County Borough of Oldham with a request that they be made more reasonably representative of the professional and business and occupational status of the citizens and of their political and ethical views.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Oral Questions today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the formation of the National Economic Development Council.

Most of the members of the Council have now been appointed and I am proposing that the first meeting should take place in March. In addition to the President of the Board of Trade, the Minister of Labour and myself, the Council will have seventeen members. The following have already accepted appointment to it:

• Dr. R. Beeching, Chairman, British Transport Commission.
• Mr. F. A. Cockfield, Managing-Director, Boots Pure Drug Co. Ltd.
• Sir Oliver Franks, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., C.B.E., Provost-elect of Worcester College, Oxford.
• Mr. R. M. Geddes, O.B.E., Managing-Director, Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd.
• Mr. C. E. Harrison, Vice-Chairman, English Sewing Cotton Co. Ltd.
• Mr. E. J. Hunter, C.B.E., Chairman, Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd.
• Mr. J. M. Laing, Managing-Director, John Laing and Son Ltd.
• Professor H. Phelps Brown, Professor of the Economics of Labour, London School of Economics.
• Lord Robens of Woldingham, Chairman, National Coal Board.
• Sir Robert Shone, Director-General of the staff of the Council.
• Mr. J. N. Toothill, C.B.E., Director, Ferranti Ltd.

I understand that the Trades Union Congress will put forward to me after a meeting later this month the names of six trade unionists suitable to be appointed to the Council.Sir Robert Shone is making an announcement today about the recruitment of the staff of the Council.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what progress has been made in the discussions he is having with the representatives of the Trustee Savings Banks' Association about the provision of cheque books for depositors; and when he expects to be able to make a further statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 25th January.

asked the Minister of Education what directions he has issued to local educational authorities as to the maximum numbers of children permissible in primary schools.

None. But separate schools or departments, each with its own head teacher, are normally provided where the numbers of pupils approach about 250 infants or 300 juniors.