asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish in the the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the variations in the subsidy for council house building since 1945.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases in the Glasgow Sheriff Court, since 28th February, 1962, an accused person has been detained in custody following a request that he be admitted to the benefit of the Poor's Roll; and for what periods these persons have been so detained.

Between 1st and 8th March, inclusive, two persons were remanded

The following table shows the main rates of subsidy payable on houses built by local authorities since 1945, all are payable for sixty years from the time of completion. In addition an expensive site subsidy has been payable since 1956 where the cost of the land as developed exceeds £4,000 an acre.in custody for the purpose of obtaining legal advice. In each case the remand was for six days.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent in the Glasgow Sheriff Court since 28th February, 1962, accused persons have not been legally represented.

Between 1st and 8th March, inclusive, 157 persons who appeared in custody in the Glasgow Sheriff Court were not legally represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that the procedure for ensuring that all persons entitled to the benefit of the Poor's Roll are admitted to such benefit is effective; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the situation.

The procedure referred to has been superseded, so far as civil proceedings are concerned, by the arrangements for the provision of legal aid under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act, 1949. I am aware that difficulties have arisen as regards its application to criminal cases. The Act of 1949 made provision for Schemes for legal aid in both civil and criminal proceedings on the basis that, so far as possible, the same machinery should apply in the case of both. Experience of the working of the Act in civil proceedings, however, raised serious doubts about the practicability of using the same machinery in criminal proceedings and the whole question was referred to a Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Guthrie. The Report of that Committee sets out clearly the main defects of the Act of 1949 in relation to criminal proceedings and makes comprehensive and detailed recommendations for modifying it so as to provide a satisfactory and comprehensive scheme of legal and in criminal proceedings. As I stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Mr. Stodart) on 19th December last, the Government accept in principle the recommendation that, in place of the present arrangements, there should be statutory provisions for the grant of legal aid in criminal proceedings on the lines of the 1949 Act and the Guthrie Committee's detailed recommendations for the amendment of the Act are being studied with a view to the preparation of legislation. This is a formidable task, as a study of the 34 detailed recommendations made by the majority of the Committee will show, but it is being undertaken with all possible dispatch.

asked the Minister of Education if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of secondary schools in existence in December, 1959, December, 1960, and December, 1961, particularising them under the following headings, namely, secondary modern, grammar, direct grant, technical, bilateral, multilateral and comprehensive.

School statistics relate normally to January of each year. The figures for January, 1962, will not be available until later in the year.The table below gives the number of secondary schools in January, 1960, and 1961, classified by type of school:

asked the Minister of Education if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of secondary schools in existence in December, 1951, and at the latest convenient date, particularising them under the following headings, secondary modern, grammar, direct grant grammar, technical, bilateral and multilateral, comprehensive and others.

School statistics relate normally to January of each year. The table below gives the number of secondary schools in January, 1952, and 1961, classified by type of school:

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now make a statement about the results of his discussions with the associations of teachers and local authorities regarding the composition of the Burnham Committee and future arrangements for settling teachers' salaries.

I have invited the National Association of Head Teachers to appoint one, and the National Association of Schoolmasters to appoint two representatives on the Burmham Committee.Discussions with the associations of local authorities and teachers have taken place on the nature of the legislation to give the Minister power to prescribe teachers' salaries in the event of disagreement between the two sides of the Committee or the submission of recommendations that the Minister could not accept. The associations reiterated their concern about the way in which such new powers might be related to the Government's long-term incomes policy and I have decided to postpone legislation so that its implications can be more clearly seen in that developing context.If in the course of any negotiations that may take place during the period of postponement a deadlock were to be reached between the two sides, the Minister would have no power to resolve it by putting new scales into effect.If the Committee were to make recommendations that were not acceptable, the Minister would have to rely on the existing power of rejection. I hope such a situation would not arise, but I have made clear to the associations that, if it did, this power would have to be used.It is of great importance that the members of the Committee and those they represent should have as a background to their work the fullest possible information available to the Ministry relating to the supply of teachers and the needs of the schools. I have told the associations that this will be regularly provided.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions or communications he has had with television manufacturers regarding alleged unfair tax discriminations in comparison with television rental companies.

Manufacturers of television sets have represented to me that the statutory provisions, under which investment allowances are granted on new sets let out on rental, involve unfair discrimination against those who offer such sets for sale. I have informed those who have approached me that this question is one for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average investment allowance per set granted to television rental companies on capital invested in the purchase or production of television sets.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps have been taken in his Department during the last two years to improve reliability of estimating and for tightening up the procedures for checking progress in continuation of the policy announced by his predecessor on 21st March, 1960.

The improved produres which have been adopted by my Department for the control of expenditure were described to the Committee of Public Accounts in Session 1959–60 and were summarised in paragraph 44 of its Report. They were also outlined to the House by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 19th December, 1960 (OFFICIAL REPORT, Cols. 955–958). These procedures accord with the recommendations of the Committee on the Management and Control of Research and Development which reported to my noble Friend the Minister for Science on 5th July, 1961. While these procedures should lead to improved control, I must repeat the warning which I gave in the House on Tuesday, 6th March (OFFICIAL REPORT, Col. 250) that I do not believe that any procedure will make it possible to estimate accurately at the outset the cost or time scale of an advanced development project.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty when H.M.S. "Ark Royal" will be ready for sea.

H.M.S. "Ark Royal" will be ready for sea today.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what storage facilities are to be provided for the Federal German forces in the United Kingdom at Admiralty depots at Perth and Broughton Moor.

Facilities will be provided at Perth and Broughton Moor starting about the middle of the year. At Perth, general stores will be housed in one of the seven sites. At Broughton Moor, both ammunition and general stores will be stored. The depots will remain entirely under British control but a small German liaison staff will be established at a convenient location.

asked the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South, as Chairman of the Committee of Selection, if he will state the number of Liberal Members of Parliament who served on the Standing Committee concerned with each of the following Bills in this and the last session, namely, the Education Bill, the Criminal Justice Administration Bill, the Family Allowances and National Insurance Bill, the Health Visitors and Social Workers Training Bill, the Post Office Bill, the Public Health Bill, and the Sea Fish Industry Bill.

Owing to the number of Members in each of the Standing Committees set up to consider the Bills named in the hon. Baronet's Question not exceeding twenty-five, no Liberal Members were nominated to serve.

asked the Minister of Health what was the cost to the National Health Service of orange juice, cod liver oil and vitamin tablets in 1961.

The net cost to the Exchequer was about £486,000.

asked the Minister of Health what was the value of stocks held of orange juice, cod liver oil and vitamin tablets at the end of 1961.

The figures are:

asked the Minister of Health what is the reason for the delay in appointing members of the Chiropodists Board and the establishment of statutory registration facilities for practitioners under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act, 1960.

The members of the Chiropodists Board were appointed by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine on 30th January. I understand the Board has had its first meeting.

asked the Minister of Health what information has been given by his Department or by other bodies for which he is responsible to Dr. Rudko or other private persons regarding the results of the water fluoridation tests recently carried out on his behalf, in view of the publication of such results by Dr. Rudko, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire; and if he will make a statement.

None. Dr. Rudko's comments appear to be based on certain data from the earlier stages of these demonstrations.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a further statement about the precautions against smallpox applied to travellers from Pakistan.

During the last few weeks smallpox in Karachi has been falling steeply. In addition, the efficacy of the precautions being applied in Pakistan to intending travellers has been amply proved. Port health authorities are being advised that their precautions can now properly be limited to vaccination and surveillance of travellers from Pakistan not having valid international certificates of vaccination.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the total subsidy paid on hen eggs in February, 1962, and how this figure compares with February, 1961; and if he will give the percentage of imported to home-produced eggs for the same two months.

The subsidy payable on hen eggs in the United Kingdom during February, 1962, was £1,602,000, compared with £1,353,000 in February, 1961. There is no reliable estimate of total production in these two months, but imports in February, 1962, were equivalent to just over 3 per cent. of supplies passing through packing stations, compared with nearly 8 per cent. in February, 1961; and packing stations handle about two-thirds of all eggs produced in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce to Parliament details of the Annual Price Review.

I hope to be able to make a statement next Thursday.

asked the Minister of Transport when the work on the widening of the bridge at Wadebridge, Cornwall, will commence, in view of the fact that the contract has now been awarded.

16th March.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers will be redundant as a result of production being abandoned on the Rotodyne.

I understand that the management of the Westland Group is still considering the effect on its labour force. Some redundancy is inevitable but it is hoped to minimise it by redeployment of workers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science (1) whether any of the councils for which he is responsible have considered the advantage of providing in the southern hemisphere a large telescope similar to Isaac Newton's, in view of the suitable climatic conditions within the Commonwealth in the southern hemisphere;(2) what discussions have taken place with Commonwealth and Colonial Governments about the need for providing a large telescope in the southern hemisphere.

The Advisory Council on Scientific Policy pointed out in its Report of 1959–60 that the needs of British optical astronomy required access to a large telescope of about 120 inches in diameter in the Southern Hemisphere. Various schemes involving international co-operation have been studied by the Departments concerned and there has been consultation with other countries, both within and outside the Commonwealth, which might be interested in participating in a joint project. Examination of possible schemes is continuing but no decision has yet been reached.