asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the overseas earnings of United Kingdom hire purchase companies in 1960 and in 1961.

The identified earnings from direct overseas investments in branches, subsidiaries and associates of hire purchase finance companies amounted to £1 million in 1960. Figures for 1961 are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the items on which the United States Tariff Board in the last ten years

Commodity	Tariff Increase	Effective Date	U.S. Imports from Britain ($'000)
			Year preceding action	Year following action	1960
Dried figs	From 2½ to 4½ cents per lb.	29. 8.52	Nil	Nil	Nil
Watch movements and parts	Various specific duties increased by 50 per cent. or to the 1930 rates, whichever was the less	28. 7.54	Insignificant	Insignificant	Insignificant
Bicycles	From 7½ per cent. to 11¼ per cent. on lightweight bicycles and from 15 per cent. to 22½ per cent. on others	19. 8.55	12,971	6,984	6,410
Certain linen towelling	From 10 per cent. to 40 per cent.	26. 7.56	481	73	30
Spring clothes pins	From 10 cents to 20 cents per gross	10.12.57	Nil	Nil	Nil
Safety pins	From 22½ per cent. to 35 per cent.	31.12.57	510	275	319
Clinical thermometers	From 42½ per cent. to 85 per cent.	22. 5.58	Nil	Nil	Nil
Cotton typewriter ribbon cloth	Broadly, from 27½—30 per cent. to 38–44½ per cent.	23. 9.60	880	210(12 months ended 31.8.61— partly estimated)	…
Crown, cylinder and sheet glass (weighing 4 oz. or more per square foot)	From 0 · 7–1 · 4 cents per lb. to 1 · 3–3 · 5 cents per lb.	18. 6.62	…	…	3,113
Wilton, velvet, Brussels and tapestry carpets	From 21 per cent. to 40 per cent.	18. 6.62	…	…	780
Note. In addition, absolute or tariff rate quotas were imposed on three items of which Britain was a relatively unimportant supplier (lead and zinc, certain stainless steel flatware and alsike clovereed).

In the last ten years the President of the United States has increased import duities on ten items, following findings by the Tariff Commission of injury to domestic industries. I am circulating details in the OFFICIAL REPORT, showing British trade before and after the increases. Import or duty quotas were imposed in three other cases. I do not know the expenditure incurred by British firms in representing their interests before the Tariff Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the United States are practising discrimination against British exports by granting financial aid to Commonwealth countries on condition that any capital equipment or other goods bought with that aid must be obtained from the United States, or carried in American ships.

It is the present United States practice to tie economic aid to the purchase of American goods and services, and to require that at least 50 per cent. of these goods must be carried in American ships.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has given further consideration to the need for an advance factory being constructed in the Greenock-Port Glasgow area; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend does not think that there is any need for one at present; there is already a factory of some 22,000 sq. ft. available on the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if a site has now been obtained for the advance factory at Shotts; when construction will begin; and when it will be ready for occupancy.

Not yet; but my right hon. Friend hopes that we shall soon obtain a site at Shotts and the construction of the advance factory should then take about nine months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs are in prospect in the North Lanarkshire area; and where they will be situated.

There are now some 7,300 jobs in prospect in the North Lanarkshire area (including Shotts) from new building and other developments reported to the Board of Trade. These jobs will arise from projects in the industrial centres throughout the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what industrial prospects exist in the West of Scotland capable of offering future employment to technical and industrial staff likely to be dismissed shortly by Rolls Royce Ltd.

There are at present some 25,000 jobs in prospect from new building and other developments reported to the Board of Trade for the West of Scotland. These cover a wide range of industries with employment opportunities for all kinds of workers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the serious unemployment position in the West of Scotland following the threatened redundancies at Rolls Royce Limited in Glasgow and Lanarkshire; and what action he is taking to remedy the situation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) on 10th April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs are to be provided in Glasgow from industrial development certificates issued in 1961 or assistance offered during that year under the Local Employment Act, 1960; and when he expects these to be available.

There are about 4,000 jobs now in prospect in Glasgow, of which about 1,600 will arise from projects for which industrial development certificates were issued or assistance offered under the Local Employment Act during 1961. All the jobs now in prospect are expected to arise within the next five years and most within the next three.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to applications for the export of tear gas.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given on the 27th February to his Question on the same subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grant is made to the Crafts Centre; and whether he will substantially increase it.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross).

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he will give an estimate of the number of new jobs likely to be created in the Western Isles constituency as a result of industrial expansion and new industrial development in the area in the present year.

There are about 60 jobs in prospect in the Stornoway Employment Exchange area, which comprises the greater part of the Western Isles constituency. It is not possible to say how many of these will arise in the present year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade at what price per ton free on board sulphate of ammonia was exported as follows, namely, to Mauritius 35,000 tons, to Ceylon 46,000 tons and to Indonesia 54,000 tons, during the year ended June, 1961.

According to the trade returns, exports in the period concerned to Mauritius and Ceylon were 34,000 tons and 64,000 tons, at an average f.o.b. price of £13 8s. and £13 6s., respectively. Exports to Indonesia were negligible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total factory space approved for Scotland in 1961 and in the first quarter of 1962, respectively; and what were the comparable figures for the London and South-East areas.

Industrial development certificates issued for Scotland totalled 4·8 million square feet in 1961 and 0·8 million square feet in the first quarter of 1962; the comparable figures for the London and South East areas were 19 million square feet and 3·6 million square feet respectively. The 1962 figures are provisional.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he intends to take, additional to the powers provided under the Local Employment Act, to ensure that sufficient new jobs are made available in Scotland to offset the prospective redundancies over the next few months.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis).

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates were granted and how many refused in the London, southern and south-eastern regions in 1961; and what was the number of new jobs made available by the projects for which industrial development certificates were granted.

Five hundred and eighty-nine certificates covering 13·7 million square feet were granted and 58 covering 2·7 million square feet were refused during 1961. The firms concerned estimated that the projects for which certificates were granted would eventually employ an additional 18,000 people.The certificates granted were mainly for extensions to existing capacity which could not be moved elsewhere or for projects serving the local population. In addition to the number of applications refused, many projects were not pursued when discussion with my officials had shown that it was unlikely that certificates would be granted. The additional jobs created by the grant of certificates represent an increase of 0·7 per cent. in the numbers employed in manufacturing industry in these Regions, as compared with a figure of 1 per cent. for Great Britain as a whole.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he is aware of the growing incidence of lung cancer among females, attributed to smoking; and if he will order further research into this matter with a view to reversing this trend.

The answer to the first part of the Question is yes. Whilst the Medical Research Council are supporting a wide programme in this field, the best way of reversing this trend is for women to smoke fewer cigarettes, particularly if they are heavy smokers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the number of scientists from the United Kingdom who have gone to take up work in the United States of America during the past three years.

I would refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dearne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) of 27th February.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the names of the universities who have now commenced to build low-power nuclear reactors; and if he will state the names of the universities who have been refused a grant to enable them to build such reactors.

One low-power nuclear reactor is being built for the use of the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow, all the Scottish universities and the Queens University, Belfast. The Government have agreed in principle to make grants for the provision of two further reactors, one in Lancashire and the other in the London area. A request for grant for a second reactor at London University has been deferred, and several other universities which made preliminary enquiries have been told that there is no early prospect of grants being made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what are the total amounts of the grants proposed to be made to universities for building low-power nuclear reactors; and what estimate he has made of the approximate cost of additional low-power nuclear reactors located respectively in the London area and the Birmingham area.

A grant of up to £255,000 has been made to the Scottish Universities for building a low-power nuclear reactor. I hope that two further grants totalling over £500,000 towards the cost of two reactors, one for London University and one for Manchester and Liverpool Universities will be announced later this year. The capital cost of the proposal to provide a second reactor in London was of the order of £250,000. No costed proposal has been received from Birmingham University.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he now anticipates that the European Space Research Organisation Treaty will be signed in the near future; and whether it is proposed that any of the establishments of the Organisation should be in the United Kingdom.

The Preparatory Commission has proposed that an intergovernmental conference should be held next month for the signature, by those Governments which decide to join, of a Convention and other documents. It is not proposed that any of the establishments should be in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what reports he has received upon the present state of the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

None. The Council for Wales and Monmouthshire is engaged upon a study of the present situation of the Welsh language and intends to submit a report to me in due course.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs to what extent before approving a scheme for mass evacuation to Wales he considered the high rainfall in that country with the consequent high radioactive fall-out in the event of a nuclear war; and what measures he proposes to take to minimise the effect of such a danger.

Average rainfall in a particular area is not relevant to the dispersal scheme, as it is not a material factor in the likely incidence of fall-out hazard after nuclear attack.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will name the towns and areas in Wales which are to be the reception centres for those people who would be evacuated in the event of a nuclear attack on this country; and how such persons will be accommodated having regard to the serious housing problem existing in Wales.

I am sending the hon. Member a list of the reception areas in Wales. If, because of the possibility of nuclear attack a dispersal scheme were carried out, the number of people sent to these areas would be commensurate with the accommodation existing there.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, what inducements he proposes to offer to the local authorities in Wales in order that ample accommodation can be provided for those who will be evacuated to that country in the event of a nuclear war.

None. Existing accommodation, and not accommodation specially provided, would be used for billeting people in reception areas if a dispersal scheme were carried out.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in approving the plan for a road through Christ Church Meadow, he considered the possibility of closing Magdalen Bridge to traffic.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) to what extent, in approving planning applications for the development of town centres, account is taken of the desirability of preserving existing shopping centres, or alternatively, of ensuring that the occupiers of existing shops are offered suitable alternative accommodation;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that where the occupiers of shops and other business premises are disturbed owing to the replanning of town centres they will be offered alternative accommodation and will be entitled to compensation for loss of good will.

The merits of existing shopping centres and the interests of occupiers of existing shops are certainly among the factors to be weighed in considering proposals for town centre redevelopment. If the local authority have to acquire some of the land for redevelopment, existing legislation already provides both for compensation for loss of good will and, so far as practicable, for displaced traders and other business occupiers to be offered reasonable alternative accommodation on terms which have regard to the price at which their land was acquired.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many visits have been made during the last twelve months by members of the Alkali Inspectorate to Thames-side Cement Works.

Sixty-four visits have been made, including three visits by the Chief Inspector.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what means members of the Alkali Inspectorate have for determining whether precipitators have been out of action at Thames-side Cement Works since their last visit.

The Inspectorate require works managements to record the operation of the precipitators at all times when kilns are in use. The records are examined by the Inspectors.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the amount of money on loan to, and outstanding for repayment by, the County Borough of West Ham for each of the years from 1951 until the latest convenient stated date; and on the basis of repayment spread over 60 years what would be the annual repayment charges for each of these years at the then current interest rates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the amount of money on loan to, and outstanding for repayment by, the local authorities in the Sedgefield Parliamentary constituency, for the years from 1951 to the latest convenient date; and, on the basis of repayment spread over 60 years, what will be the annual repayment charges for each of these years at the then current interest rates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what amounts were on loan to Blyth Borough Council, Bedlington Urban District Council and Seaton Valley Urban District Council in 1951 and at the latest convenient date; and what would be the annual repayment charges in each of these years, based on repayment spread over 60 years.

I do not have completely detailed information about the outstanding debt of particular authorities. This can be obtained from the authorities, and I am sure that any authority would supply the information in response to a request by an hon. Member.As regards the second part of the Question this is so unrealistic in assuming that the whole debt is all newly borrowed and all for 60 years that I should not feel justified in asking for the calculation to be made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make a further statement regarding the number of appeals under Section 16 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, which were decided by him during 1961 in respect of England and Wales, Hampshire, and Southampton, respectively; and how many of these appeals were dismissed.

I regret that my reply to my hon. Friend's Question on this subject on 6th March contained some figures which were inaccurate and I welcome this opportunity to correct them. According to the Department's records, in 1961 the number of planning appeals decided was 7,566 in England and Wales, 328 in Hampshire and 15 in Southampton; of these 5,650, 257 and 14, respectively, were dismissed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on what date he received a request from the Liverpool Corporation for planning permission to build a fish market on land where houses have been recently demolished; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend received the application on 22nd March. He has instructed the corporation to advertise the application.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what has been the response of local authorities to Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962, on the need for a survey of the extent of the problem of gypsies and other travellers and the need for the provision of proper sites; and what proposals he has to ensure that the present unsatisfactory conditions are dealt with before next winter.

We will not be able to judge the effect of the circular until the authorities concerned have informed us of the result of their surveys and of the steps they propose to take. This may take a little time. We hope that action on the lines suggested in the circular will be taken, where the need arises, before next winter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether the Rugeley Urban District Council was one of the consenting parties to the arrangement authorised by him whereby planning applications in respect of Slitting Middle and Elching Hill, Rugeley, are sent to him direct; how many applications have been received; and whether he will approve these applications so as to avoid the unnecessary delays and the loss of the good building weather.

A direction calling in a planning application for the Minister's decision does not require anyone else's consent. My right hon. Friend has called in ten such applications in respect of Slitting Mill and Etching Hill. He refused permission for three on 13th November last year. The other seven are now before him and he will decide them as soon as the facts become clear from the representations of the parties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have given further consideration to the recommendation in paragraph 1005 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London that the county councils of Essex, Kent and Surrey should for a transitional period receive a payment from the boroughs formerly in their counties in order to reduce the rate burden falling upon them as a result of the change; and whether he is now able to amplify the reference thereto in paragraph 51 of the White Paper on London Government.

This matter is under consideration, but it is likely to be some time before a decision can be reached.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will present draft regulations under the Radioactive Substances Act, 1960.

My right hon. Friend hopes that most, if not all, of the exemption orders to be made under the Act will be laid before Parliament during the present Session.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that when the revised rateable values of dwelling-houses come into operation, a large number of premises now protected by the Rent Act will, as a result of increases in rateable value, automatically become decontrolled unless the provisions of the Rent Act are amended in this respect; and whether he will introduce amending legislation accordingly.

The rateable value for determining whether or not a house remains in control is that shown in the Valuation List at 7th November, 1956, irrespective of any subsequent revaluation. Similarly the rent limit will continue to be based on the 1956 gross value.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he has studied the letter he has received from the hon. Member for Gateshead, West, regarding the circumstances that led the Newcastle Rent Tribunal to reduce the rent of Mr. Hall, 17, Bloomfield Terrace, Gateshead, from £2 10s. per week to 15s. per week in respect of a single room; and what reply he has sent.

I replied to the hon. Member on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to receive information from the professional bodies about the practice of landlords in relation to renewal of leases and sales of freehold.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Walsh Affairs if he has yet received the information he sought from the professional bodies on the renewal of leases and the sales of freehold; and when he expects to make a statement to the House.

I have not yet received reports from all the bodies whom I asked to assist me. I am studying those which have come in, and they will need careful consideration. I therefore cannot say when I shall be in a position to make a further statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what plans he has for drawing the attention of private builders to his Department's technical advice on building standards.

We are preparing a series of design bulletins on various problems associated with the building of houses and flats. A number of these will be published shortly, and my right hon. Friend hopes that private builders will make full use of them. In addition the Ministry's adaptable house shown this year at the Ideal Home Exhibition has given valuable publicity to the standards recommended in the recent report of the Central Housing Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he has studied the letter forwarded to his Department on 12th February, 1962, from the Clerk to the Maltby Urban District Council on the subject of aluminium bungalows and his Circular 45/61; and what action he is taking in the matter.

I have accepted the council's proposals for replacing the bungalows; but I cannot accept their proposals for increased financial assistance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will withhold permission for demolition of houses in Riverside, Cardiff, by the Cardiff City Council until further consideration has been given to the compensation payable to all the owner-occupiers concerned; and whether he will make a statement.

The Council has not yet submitted to me any slum clearance orders or compulsory purchase orders for the Riverside area. Since I shall have to adjudicate on any orders that may be submitted I cannot make a statement. Compensation does not come within my jurisdiction but remains to be settled between the parties concerned or, failing agreement, by the Lands Tribunal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on what date he received proposals from the New-castle-under-Lyme Rural District Council for the erection of old people's bungalows in Audley and houses in Halmerend; for how long these proposals have been under consideration in his Department; and to what extent he has now indicated his consent.

Tenders for both schemes were received on 30th January. The Audley scheme was approved on 5th April, the Halmerend scheme on 13th April. Approval took longer than usual because the council had never notified the Department what they wanted to build this year; nor did they explain when they submitted their schemes that the Halmerend houses were intended to replace slums.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the directors of Baileys Ltd. in Malta, who were appointed by Her Majesty's Government, have tendered their resignations.

Two directors were appointed by the company at Her Majesty's Government's request, Sir Richard Yeabsley and the Honourable Hanning Philipps. They have both resigned as has also Mr. Lawrence Robson another director of the company. Sir Richard and Mr. Philipps have assured me that their resignations are not due to any differences with the Government.Naturally I am very much concerned over this development, and I am requiring the company to appoint a Government director. This will be Mr. William Rendell, whose services are being made available by the Colonial Development Corporation for a year in the first instance. I am also arranging for an inquiry into the affairs of the company. This will be conducted by Mr. J. R. Muirie, an accountant who is a partner in the firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell. The chairman of the company has agreed to give me his full co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who controls the police in each of the remaining Colonies of the United Kingdom, including Malta, Kenya, and Zanzibar.

In most Colonial Territories, including Kenya and Zanzibar, responsibility for the police rests with the Governor or senior British representative. In Singapore, British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad an elected Minister is fully responsible for the police and I have just agreed to a similar arrangement for Malta. In Uganda an elected Minister has administrative responsibility and the Governor retains operational control; a similar arrangement applies in the individual islands of the Leeward and Windward Islands. In all Colonial Territories the Commissioner of Police commands and directs the force.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will install a telephone kiosk at Graig-y-Tewgoed, Cwmavon, Port Talbot.

There are two kiosks within ½ mile of Graig-y-Tewgoed, and my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in adding another one.

asked the Postmaster-General what the size of the order list for telephones in the United Kingdom was at 31st March, 1962; and what he anticipates the corresponding figure will be for 31st March, 1963.

On the 31st March, 1962, the order list was 147,000, made up of 99,000 applications under inquiry or in course of being met, and 48,000 on the waiting list. A year ago the order list was 170,000. There must be some speculation about the figure for 31st March, 1963, since this will depend on the relationship between new demand and the 450,000 telephones I expect to be connected during the next twelve months.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the waiting list for telephones in each telephone area in the United Kingdom at 31st March, 1962; and what proportion this bore in each case to the total number of subscribers in the area.

The figures are as follows:

Telephone Area		Waiting List (31st March, 1962)	Waiting List as a percentage of total number of subscribers
Aberdeen	…	154	0·3
Bedford	…	886	1·6
Belfast	…	914	1·1
Birmingham	…	5,261	3·5
Blackburn	…	1,054	1·6
Bournemouth	…	146	0·2
Bradford	…	258	0·3
Brighton	…	837	0·7
Bristol	…	268	0·3
Cambridge	…	692	1·1
Canterbury	…	811	1·1
Cardiff	…	1,174	1·5
Chester	…	583	1·1
Colchester	…	205	0·4
Coventry	…	2,583	3·9
Dundee	…	24	0·1
Edinburgh	…	172	0·2
Exeter	…	3	0·005
Glasgow	…	615	0·4
Gloucester	…	396	0·8
Guildford	…	1,757	2·7
Lancaster	…	411	0·9

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the delay in obtaining phonograms and foreign phonograms at all hours of the day and evening both in London and in the country; and what steps he is taking against the discouragement now being given to these telephone services.

I do not think there is general dissatisfaction with these services, although I agree that there are delays in some areas. The maintenance of a good service on foreign phonograms in London has been particularly difficult, due to shortage of staff. I am doing all I can to improve the position.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress he is making towards the introduction of subscriber trunk dialling in the Portsmouth area.

Equipment to give subscriber trunk dialling facilities is now being installed, and I expect to introduce subscriber trunk dialling at Portsmouth, Cosham, Gosport, North End and Southsea exchanges towards the end of this year.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the methods by which preference is given to fully paid business mail at Christmas time.

At despatching offices readily recognisable business letters—for example batches of meter-franked items—are wherever practicable dealt with before Christmas cards and other lower paid mail. At delivery offices, the deliveries in the central business areas are generaly completed more quickly than elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Works how it is estimated that productivity in the building industry compares with that in the European Economic Community, on the basis of information obtained in the course of the negotiations regarding British entry into the Common Market.

No information which has a bearing on comparisons of productivity in the building industry, is available as a result of the Common Market negotiations.

asked the Minister of Works if he will give details of the expenditure in 1962–63 of £3,000 on the supply of furniture and equipment to the Royal palaces.

£
1,600	for the repair of historic furniture, resilking of walls, and supply of equipment such as postcard racks and barrier posts for the State Apartments open to the general public in the Palaces of Hampton Court, Holyroodhouse and Kew.

asked the Minister of Works if he will give details of the expenditure in 1962–63 of £53,000 on the maintenance of furniture and equipment at the royal palaces.

The details are as follows:

£
48,850	as a contribution towards the wages of industrial staffs at Buckingham Palace (£22,850), Windsor Castle (£22,850) and the Palace of Holy-roodhouse (£3,150).
4,150	for the repair and maintenance of furniture and equipment in unoccupied Palaces open to the public (£1,900) and used for State and Official functions (£2,250).

asked the Minister of Works if he will give details of the £425,000 required in 1962–63 for the maintenance and running expenses of royal palaces.

The answers I gave to the hon. Member's Questions on 10th April included all details of this £425,000 except those for Windsor Castle, which are:

£
8,415	for cleaning.
44,610	for day to day maintenance and operation of plant.
8,863	for painting.
41,440	for items of special maintenance of which:
	£
	17,900	for repairs to stonework.
	4,500	to convert service lifts from D.C. to A.C.
	2,000	to replace obsolete water filtration plant.
	2,000	for repairs to drains.
	2,500	to remove vineries.
	3,665	for repairs to roofs and chimneys.
	8,875	for small miscellaneous items.
75	for Supplies services.
103,403

asked the Minister of Works if he will give details of the staff employed at the royal palaces and paid by his Department; and why the salary bill of £61,000 this year is greater than that of last year by £3,600.

The number of staff is as shown in the printed Estimates for 1961–62 under Sub-heads B.1 and B.2 of the Royal Palaces Vote (Class VII, 5). The apparent reduction from 62 (1961–62) to 59 (1962–63) is due to a change in the method of counting whereby two part-time staff are now counted as one full-time. The increase in the sum of money required for 1962–63 is due to normal increments in salaries and to wage awards.

asked the Minister of Works if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names and whereabouts of the 140 Grace and Favour residences which come within his control and the rents that are payable.

Occupants of these residences are responsible for the costs of decoration during occupation and for rates, heating, lighting and hot and cold water. They do not pay rent. The residences mostly unnamed are situated as follows:—

Hampton Court Palace	…	57
Windsor Castle	…	46
Kensington Palace	…	16
St. James's Palace	…	8
Marlborough House Mews	…	9
Bushy Park	…	2
Kew Palace	…	1
Hyde Park	…	1
		140

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of settlement stamp duty paid by unit trusts in each of the last 10 years, differentiating between the amounts paid on the creation of new units and the amounts paid in respect of the renewal of trust deeds or consolidation of expiring trusts.

The yield of settlement duty during each of the last ten years has been as follows:

				£'000
1952–53	…	…	…	33
1953–54	…	…	…	43
1954–55	…	…	…	53
1955–56	…	…	…	80
1956–57	…	…	…	50
1957–58	…	…	…	47
1958–59	…	…	…	60
1959–60	…	…	…	141
1960–61	…	…	…	130
1961–62	…	…	…	150
				(provisional)

The Inland Revenue statistics do not distinguish between duty paid by unit trusts and duty paid on ordinary settlements, but such information as there is suggests that the amount paid on ordinary settlements in recent years has been of the order of £30,000 to £50,000 a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of the widows' and widowers' Income Tax relief in respect of resident housekeepers; and what would be the cost of giving a similar relief to wives who look after totally disabled husbands.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether talks have now taken place, as the Prime Minister indicated on 27th October, 1960, between Ministers and the Trustees of the British Museum with regard to reviewing the constitution of the British Museum, in the light of its present functions and operations.

Talks have taken place covering a number of matters, and further talks will be held when occasion arises. Her Majesty's Government intend to raise with the principal trustees before very long the question of the constitution.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to how many meetings of the British Museum Trustees Government Trustees have been summoned since January, 1960; and how many meetings each has attended.

Since January, 1960, Official Trustees who are members of the Government have been invited to seven meetings at Bloomsbury and six at South Kensington. Eleven of the Government Trustees attended one meeting each at Bloomsbury and one of these also attended a meeting at South Kensington.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the cost of exempting diabetic sweets from the new Excise Duty.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to publish the report on the theft of the Goya portrait from the National Gallery.

I have nothing at present to add to the answer I gave on 22nd March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the United Kingdom balance of payments on current account for the years 1959, 1960, and 1961 with each of the following areas, namely, the rest of the sterling area, the dollar area, other western hemisphere countries, the European Economic Community, the rest of the European Free Trade Association, and other non-sterling area countries.

Estimates of the balance of payments with the rest of the sterling area are shown in Table 2 of the recently published Balance of Payments White Paper.I regret that estimates of certain invisible transactions with individual parts of the non-sterling area are not sufficiently reliable to permit estimates of the balances on current account to be published.I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT estimates of visible trade, on a balance of payments basis, between the United Kingdom and those individual areas for which figures are readily available. These approximate to the areas for which my hon. Friend is asking.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now make a statement about the National Theatre.

Yes. The Joint Council of the National Theatre is publishing its proposals today. The Government will take a decision on these proposals when it has received the advice of the Arts Council, to whom it is referring them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is to be taken to implement the recommendations of the Sir William Hayter's Committee in regard to Oriental and African studies in Great Britain.

I understand that the University Grants Committee have accepted the recommendations of the Hayter Committee and are making financial provision to support developments in these studies during the coming quinquennium. The total sums to be allocated to universities will be those recommended by the Hayter Committee, rising from £118,000 in 1962–63 to £290,000 in 1966–67, and amounting over the next five years to just over £1 million in all. These grants will be earmarked for the purposes intended. The University Grants Committee are now actively discussing detailed proposals with the universities.

asked the Minister of Power what was the price per ton of scrap iron in April, 1960, April, 1961, and April, 1962.

The Iron and Steel Board tells me that a representative delivered price for medium cast-iron scrap for use at iron foundries in Birmingham was 215s. in April, 1960, 232s. in April, 1961. and 260s. in March this year.

asked the Minister of Power what guidance he has given to the Iron and Steel Board on the use of home iron ore.

I have recently written to the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board in the following terms:

"In view of recent discussion of the Iron and Steel Board's policy of encouraging the use of home ore where this is economic, it seems to me that the Board might find it helpful to have an expression of view from the Government.

The Government's general policy is to enable the iron and steel industry to use whatever ore is considered on balance most economic. The industry should therefore be free to use home ore from a particular site whenever it is clear after careful examination, if necessary at a public enquiry, that objections in the interests of agriculture and of the preservation of land on amenity, scientific and general social grounds, do not override the case made for its use on balance of payments and economic grounds.

It has been suggested that our national resources in iron ore should be reserved for an emergency. That is not, in the Government's view, a convincing argument. Not only are our foreign ore supplies drawn from widely separated parts of the world, but I am told that it is easier to increase production quickly from areas already being worked than to open up new areas.

The Government would not wish to make light of the inconvenience to the individual farmers whose land is affected by iron ore working, but from the national standpoint, arguments based on the loss of agricultural production do not by themselves appear to be strong. From a narrowly economic point of view, the working of iron ore is a more profitable use of land than the growing of crops or the raising of stock; and the loss of food production is in this case temporary. Although land that has been worked by opencast methods cannot be immediately restored to full production, modern restoration methods are good, land can soon be restored to its original use after iron ore has been extracted, and the value of the minerals is many times that of the agricultural produce lost. But the real possibility of doing irreparable damage to beautiful parts of the country must certainly be avoided.

I propose to take an early opportunity of publishing the statement of policy expressed in this letter."

asked the Minister of Power what is the rate of interest in terms of a definite percentage chargeable to Messrs. Colvilles Limited, for financial

PUPILS IN FIRST AND FIFTH YEARS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND NUMBERS OF PUPILS PRESENTED FOR THE SCOTTISH LEAVING CERTIFICATE
Number of pupils	1952	1954	1956	1957	1959	1961
In first year class of senior secondary schools*	25,858	25,859	27,681	28,391	30,453	33,537
In fifth year class of senior secondary schools*	6,952	7,702	8,166	8,593	10,217	12,443
Presented for Scottish Leaving Certificate†	10,210	11,214	12,359	13,003	15,503	18,562
* Public and grant-aided schools.			† All schools.

The rates of interest charged to Colvilles Limited on the two instalments of the loan which the company has drawn were 6⅛ per cent. and 6¼ per cent., respectively.

asked the Minister of Power what steps have been taken by his Department during the last six months to encourage the export of coals; and what have been the results.

The normal Government services to help exports are available to coal exporters. In the six months up to the end of February, 1962, coal exports were 2,789,000 tons valued at £10,360,000, compared with 2,701,000 tons valued at £9,932,000 a year ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of pupils in the first- and fifth-year classes of senior secondary schools in Scotland in the years 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1959, and 1961, the number of pupils presented for the Higher Leaving Certificate and the number acquiring the necessary qualifications to enter university in those years.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is given in the table of figures below. As regards the number of pupils obtaining qualifications for university entrance. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Hannan) on 21st March, when it was explained that it is not possible to extract the requisite information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the water supply schemes in each island of the Outer Hebrides, already completed since 1946, now under way and approved to begin in the current year, respectively, together with the estimated

		Scheme		Estimated Cost
				£
Lewis	…	Eye Peninsula	…	139,000	Completed
		Group A—Ness Area	…	108,000	Completed
		Group C—Shawbost-Barvas	…	101,000	Completed
		Group F—Balallan-Leurbost	…	109,000	Completed
		Group H—Back Tong-Tolsta	…	122,000	Completed
		Extension to Macaulay Farm	…	3,200	Estimated date of completion May, 1962
		Group D—Carloway	…	54,000	Estimated date of completion November, 1962
		Group E—Callanish	…	39,300	Estimated date of completion November, 1962
Harris	…	Borrosdale	…	17,000	Completed
		Manish	…	21,000	Completed
		Northton	…	5,000	Completed
		Rodel	…	9,000	Completed
		Tarbert	…	38,000	Expected to start during current year.
North Uist	…	North Uist Phase I	…	72,000	Completed
		Locheport	…	11,000	Completed
		Lochmaddy	…	10,000	Completed
		Sollas	…	42,000	Completed
		South West Area	…	90,000	Estimated date of completion July. 1962
Benbecula	…	Benbecula II	…	30,000	Completed
		Benbecula I	…	120,000	Estimated date of completion December, 1962.
South Uist	…	South Uist I	…	10,000	Completed
		South Uist II	…	30,000	Completed
		South Uist III	…	10,000	Completed
		Howmore	…	77,000	Estimated date of completion August, 1962
		South Uist S. W. (Section I)	…	28,000	Estimated date of completion August, 1962

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the road schemes, approved and grant-aided by his Department, to be carried out this year in each Island of the Outer Hebrides by Inverness and Ross and Cromarty County Councils, respectively; and what is the estimated cost

Council		Island		Name of Scheme		Cost	Grant
						£	£
Inverness	…	South Uist	…	East Gerinish	…	49,617	37,212
				Kildonan	…	22,685	17,014
Ross and Cromarty	…	Lewis	…	Caryshader Bridge (B.8011)	…	3,000	1,800
				Kirkibost Road, Bernera	…	7,194	6,114
				South Dell, Barvas	…	3,150	2,363
				Park Road, Barvas	…	2,100	1,575
				Druim-na-Muilne, Shawbost	…	1,155	982
				Tiumpanhead	…	3,253	2,440
				Hacklete, Bernera	…	11,550	8,662

Discussions are taking place with Ross and Cromarty County Council on the schemes to be included in their programme for the current year. Subject to this, the schemes concerned are as follows:—of each project, exclusive of any Crofter Counties Scheme works.

The following road schemes in the Outer Hebrides, outside the crofter counties programme and approved for grant before 1st April, 1962, are either in progress or are about to start:—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sewerage schemes in each island of the Outer Hebrides completed since 1946, now under way and approved for the current year, respectively, giving the estimated cost of each scheme.

No schemes have been completed. Those under way are listed below. Inverness County Council's programme for the current year does not include any schemes in the Outer Hebrides and discussions are taking place with Ross and Cromarty County Council on those which can be included in theirs.

—		Scheme	Estimated Cost
			£
Lewis	…	Ness area	155,000
		Coulregrein, Tolsta and Bayble	4,700
Harris	…	Tarbert (Phase I)	2,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the total value of new school building, major reconstructional school building and minor reconstructional school building, respectively, in each of the past five full years in each of the islands of the Outer Hebrides; if he will name each of the schools concerned, with the cost of the work in each case; what was the total sum spent in each of those years in each category of work in each of the two counties of Inverness and Ross and Cromarty; and what was the total corresponding expenditure in each of those years in each of the other counties in the Highlands and Islands.

As the Reply contains a number of tables I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by the various bodies which he set up last November to review matters concerning the teaching profession.

The Working Party which has been considering the arrangements between the Scottish Education Department and the teachers' associations for consultation on questions relating to curricula, examinations and school organisation has completed its task and its report is being published today. I understand that the Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Wheatley and the other Working Parties have carried their examination of the various matters remitted to them a considerable distance but that it will be some time before any of them is in a position to report.

asked the Minister of Education what answer he is giving to the request of the Barton-on-Humber Urban District Council for approval of their plans to construct a swimming bath.

I have informed the Barton-upon-Humber Festival Hall and Swimming Bath Committee that subject to the leasehold interest in the property being settled on charitable trusts which are satisfactory to me I shall confirm my offer of grant of £6,253 towards the cost of the swimming bath.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the recommendations he has received from the consulting engineers engaged to advise him on alternative routes through Berkshire and Wiltshire for the South Wales Motorway, M.4; when the detailed plan will be available to owners of land and others affected; and what opportunities they will have to make representations to him before he reaches a final decision.