asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the people evacuated from Tristan da Cunha desire to return to their island home; in view of their uncertainty about the position on the island, if he will now state the exact position; and if he will assess possibilities of an early return for these people.

I believe that at the moment some would like to return to Tristan. I am awaiting the preliminary report of the Royal Society Expedition so that I may consider the position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what assurances he has given to the Prime Minister of Malta on the future financial aid to be given to the island; and to what extent restrictions in the new constitution are to be relaxed as a result of his recent interview with Dr. Borg Olivier.

Dr. Borg Olivier did not discuss the question of future aid to Malta in my recent discussions with him.With regard to the second part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the member for Brighton, Pavilion (Sir W. Teeling) on 16th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give figures showing the level of assistance provided to the less developed Colonial Territories from British and Russian sources, respectively, during the last three years, how much was Government aid; and how much was private investment.

The figures for the U.K. are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about his talks with the rulers of certain of the Uganda kingdoms.

The following is the text of the statement which was issued on 14th April.

Discussions between the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Reginald Maudling) and the Omugabe of Ankole, the Omukama of Bunyoro, the Omukama of Toro and the Kyabazinga of Busoga about the constitutional position of the three Kingdoms and Busoga concluded on Thursday (12th April, 1962). The Secretary of State said that he was fully in sympathy with the desire expressed on behalf of the three Kingdoms and Busoga that their constitutional status should reflect the general wishes of the inhabitants of Uganda at the present time; and he noted that a resolution in support of their claim had recently been passed in the National Assembly with the support of both the political parties.

After giving full consideration to the representations made, Mr. Maudling assured the Rulers of Her Majesty's Government's willingness to negotiate new Agreements with them and that such Agreements would, as already envisaged, include suitable provisions to secure the traditional and instinctive institutions of the Kingdoms. He confirmed also that the Agreements would provide that the Ministers in the Kingdom Governments would act in accordance with the principle of collective responsibility. The Secretary of State agreed that appropriate revenues would be secured to them by the constitution and explained that the details would need to be discussed in the context of the June discussions and in the light of the final Report of the Fiscal Commission. The Secretary of State further agreed that the Kingdoms should, within certain defined fields of activity, enjoy exclusive powers of making enactments having the force of law.

Finally, Mr. Maudling informed the Rulers that if agreement could be reached on the privileges and powers to which he had referred, these matters would be entrenched in the constitution and would represent, and be expressed in the Agreements as a federal relationship with Uganda as a whole.

The Secretary of State informed the Kyabazinga of Busoga that he had taken full note of his representations. He pointed out that as Busoga had never had an Agreement with the Crown it could not be treated on the same basis as that proposed for the Kingdoms. Nevertheless, in view of the representations now made, Mr. Maudling accepted that the Busoga authorities would wish to have the question of Busoga's constitutional position reviewed in the general context of the June discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now announce the names and the terms of reference of the independent commission to ascertain public opinion in the Northern Frontier district of Kenya about the future status of the area.

The composition and terms of reference of this Commission are still under consideration. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Lerotholi Technical School in Basutoland was closed in 1960; and when it will be re-opened.

The school closed in May, 1960, when the students went on strike. A Commission under the presidency of Sir Walter Harragin, former Chief Justice of the High Commission Territories, inquired into the causes of the strike in August, 1960, and recommended various reforms. The school has now been re-opened under its new name, the Lerotholi Artisan Training Centre, which is considered more appropriate in view of its functions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the number of candidates and of students for training as teachers in Aden has substantially increased; and to what extent the education of girls in the Colony and Protectorate, respectively, increased in the last 12 months.

In the Colony 82 persons were in training in 1960–61 and 75 in 1961–62: this may be compared with 39 in 1957–58. In the Protectorate the increase has been from 33 in 1960–61 to 56 in 1961–62. As regards the second part of the Question, in the Colony there has been an increase in the number of girls at school of 706 (i.e. about 28 per cent.) between 1960–61 and 1961–62: for the Protectorate I have no exact figure, but the increase has been about 23 per cent.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the general public anxiety about his failure to approve the proposals for school-building projects of the London County Council; if he will reconsider his decision; and if he will make a statement.

I have recently approved a school-building programme for the London County Council for the period 1963–64 amounting to over £1½ million which will all be spent on the improvement or replacement of existing schools. School population in the area is declining, and the authority therefore does not need schools, as do many other authorities, to provide for additional children.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to increase the number of swimming baths and swimming pools available for school children.

Thirty-seven covered and heated swimming baths were under construction at the end of December last. Eight more have been approved since then. I am sending the hon. Member a list with details.

asked the Minister of Education whether he intends to publish the results of his proposed survey of old schools.

A mass of information will be gathered, and I certainly hope to publish some of it in a convenient form.

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the facts that a definite undertaking had been given to the Bristol Education Committee that the St. Mary Redcliffe Secondary School was to be constructed next year, and that a school in this area is needed, and in view of the damaging effect that his decision to change this proposal has had on local confidence in future promises, if he will now reconsider his decision not to proceed with this building.

I have discussed this project with representatives of the Church and of the authority, and I explained to them why I am unable to reinstate it in the 1963–64 building programme.

asked the Minister of Education why he cut the educational financial requirements of Bristol after the education committee had concluded that their programme represented the minimum needs of the city.

The Bristol school population is decreasing and a large share of the school building allocation for 1963–64 has had to go to expanding ing areas where new schools are essential.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his attention has been drawn to the exceptionally heavy landings of foreign fish in the last few weeks; and to what extent these landings are causing harm to the British fishing industry.

Landings of foreign fish have been heavier than usual in recent weeks. Where the last part of the question is concerned, considerable variation in the weight of fish landed both by British and foreign vessels is a feature to which the industry is well accustomed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what results he has obtained from his talks with representatives of the meat exporting countries; and if he will make a statement.

The response has been helpful and I am sure that our meat suppliers are fully aware of our difficulties. A precise forecast is, of course, impossible, but their replies encourage me to think that their exports to us this year will not be higher than last year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the recent increases in vegetable prices; and if he will introduce legislation to enable him to control the retail prices of these commodities in order to mitigate the present hardship caused to pensioners and other poor people.

After a difficult growing season and a severe winter such as we have just had, fresh vegetables are inevitably scarcer and dearer. Price control could not relieve a temporary shortage. It would do nothing to increase supplies or improve distribution.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now been able to make arrangements with the Milk Marketing Board for all milk produced this spring that is surplus to home requirements to foe processed and made available to famine relief organisations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Butler) on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance that adequate emergency plans exist to move vegetable and other highly perishable foodstuffs from the docks in the event of a widespread dock strike; and if he will make a statement.

I do not think that it would be advisable for me to make a statement on the action that might have to be taken by the Government in such circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he had with farm representatives on the revised standards for fat cattle grading.

The revised standards were discussed with representatives of the farming organisations both before and during the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will grant official recognition to the liaison officers appointed by the local branches of the National Farmers' Union to meet his Department's grading officers over disputed grading of fat cattle.

My Department's fat-stock officers are already in close touch with these liaison officers who perform a very valuable service in the markets, and they will certainly be glad to discuss any disputed grading with them. The final decision on the grading of any animal for subsidy purposes must, however, remain the responsibility of the fatstock officer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fines imposed by the Potato Marketing Board on farmers for reproduction of potatoes at a time when there is a serious shortage of home-grown potatoes, he will consider amending the scheme under which the Board operates.

The points of substance raised by the hon. Member were debated on 17th April, when the House agreed to certain amendments to the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated annual cost of providing free vaccination for heifer calves against contagious abortion and brucellosis.

Assuming that 1,000,000 heifer calves are vaccinated the total annual cost of providing free vaccination against brucellosis is likely to be about £290,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for assistance under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme have been received from Kent farmers, how many were granted, and what was the sum involved.

By the end of March, 1962, 553 applications for grant under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme had been received from growers and growers' marketing co-operatives in Kent. Four hundred and twenty-nine of these have been approved, 80 withdrawn or rejected, and 44 are under consideration. The approved proposals are estimated to cost £1,155,338 on which grant would be £385,113, of which £106,171 has already been paid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures of fat cattle accepted for guarantee in the period 1st January to 31st March, 1961, and 1962, and the cost of the deficiency payment.

From 2nd January to 2nd April, 1961, 531,112 cattle were accepted and the guarantee payment was £5,989,338. The corresponding figures from 1st January to 1st April, 1962, are estimated to be 582,000 and £6,105,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish rises and falls in wholesale prices weekly, together with a bulletin giving the housewife guidance on these prices.

Wholesale market prices for a wide range of home-grown agricultural products and some imported foodstuffs have been collected and published weekly by my Department for many years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the date when store cattle from the Irish Republic, which have passed one tuberculin test, will cease to be imported into Great Britain.

The Government have agreed with the Government of the Irish Republic the terms on which the importation of once-tested store cattle into Great Britain may be ended as from 31st December, 1962.On 23rd March, 1959, the Government announced their intention that as soon as possible after the whole of Great Britain became attested in 1960 imports of store cattle into Great Britain should be confined to attested animals. Since, however, enough attested cattle were unlikely to be available for importation by that time, the Government had informed the Government of the Irish Republic that for five years, subject to annual review, we should be prepared to allow the continued importation into Great Britain of cattle which had passed a single tuberculin test not more than 14 days before export.A joint review of this arrangement has recently been made, taking into account:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to introduce legislation to cover patent rights on agricultural and horticultural produce.

Consultations are taking place with the interests concerned on possible arrangements for a system of plant breeders' rights on the lines recommended by the Committee on Transactions in Seeds, but I regret I cannot yet say when it will be possible to introduce the necessary legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now concluded the negotiations to acquire land for the expansion of the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate; and if he will make a statement about future plans for building on this site.

Negotiations for the purchase of this land are expected to be completed shortly and my right hon. Friend hopes that it will then be possible to attract new industry to the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, for each year from 1946 to the present time, for the Lancashire and Cheshire sides, respectively, of the Merseyside Development Area as defined in the 1949 Merseyside Development Area Order, the number of factories over 5,000 square feet in area approved and completed, respectively, the total area of factory space involved, and the approximate numbers employed when in full production or estimated to be employed when approval was given.

The information is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state in respect of the Lancashire and Cheshire sides, respectively, of the Merseyside Development Area, as defined in the 1949 Merseyside Development Area Order, the number of firms receiving assistance under the Distribution of Industry Acts, 1945 and 1950, and the total floor area of the factories involved, and for the Lancashire and Cheshire areas, respectively, of Merseyside, the number and floor area of factories receiving assistance under the Local Employment Act, 1960.

My right hon. Friend is obtaining this information and will write to the right hon. Member within the next few days.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of factories built each year and the total area of floor space involved in that part of the Merseyside Development Area covered by the Liverpool Corporation Act, 1936, from 1946 to the present time.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider suitable applications for industrial development certificates in the villages of Polesworth and Arrington, in view of the forthcoming closure of North Warwick Colliery and the consequent redundancy of many coal miners.

My right hon. Friend understands that North Warwick Colliery is to go on to single-shift working in August, and, that 300–450 men will be transferred to other pits in the neighbourhood. He does not consider that any special action in relation to the issue of industrial development certificates is called for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange for an exhibition for the benefit of tourism to be held in the Palace of Westminster.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has made arrangements for the British Travel and Holidays Association to hold an exhibition of its work in the Upper Waiting Hall. I hope that this exhibition can take place from 21st May to 25th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he received from the city of Carlisle the petition sent to him requesting the establishment of a university; and what reply he made.

No such petition has been received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his estimates of the cost of paying out postwar credits to disabled ex-Service men and to industrially disabled persons, respectively.

About £1 million and £1½ million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the arrangements that have been made for servicing the National Economic Development Council; what information is being supplied to its members for their next meeting; how often it is intended that this committee shall meet; and when he expects its first advice to be available to Her Majesty's Government.

A small staff is being built up under the Director-General. The services of Government Departments are also being made available. It is not intended to publish details of the information given to the Council.The Council will meet next on 9th May and again in June and July; it is not yet decided on its further programme. My right hon. Friend expects each meeting to provide some useful exchange of views, but it will be for the Council to decide when it is ready to proffer formal advice to Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the estimated number of students whose application for university training will be refused because of the shortage of places, for the years 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966;(2) if he will give the estimated number of students who will be applying for university places for the years 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966.

To arrive at estimates in the form requested would entail making a series of assumptions about the future numbers of those obtaining appropriate qualifications for university entry. This is a matter on which I have no doubt that the Committee on Higher Education will have views, based on much fuller statistics than have been available in the past, and I would prefer to await their findings.I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave on 10th April, which indicated that over the next five years the percentage of the relevant age-group entering the universities would remain at least as high as at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the revenue gain if all expenses, other than those incurred abroad, were disallowed.

I assume my hon. Friend has in mind expenses on entertaining, travelling, subsistence etc., allowed either in computing profits assessable under Schedule D or as a deduction from emoluments assessable under Schedule E. I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if in future he will exempt Service widows' pensions from liability to Income Tax.

My right hon. and learned Friend regrets that he could not recommend this course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the decision of a rating and valuation court which increased the gross valuation of a house in St. Isan Road. Cardiff, by £3 per year following the installation of central heating; and if he will suspend investigations by the Inland Revenue valuation officers at Cardiff into the number of houses having central heating and other internal domestic amenities which may attract higher rating assessments.

The proposals which gave rise to these proceedings were made by the valuation officer at the request of the Cardiff Corporation. Valuation officers have a statutory duty to make such proposals in any case where an alteration to a property has, in their opinion, increased its letting value. This, of course, applies to all kinds of alterations, not only to the installation of central heating.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the effects on the scales of academic salaries of the 3 per cent. increase recently announced in the total provision for academic salaries.

I am advised by the University Grants Committee that in their view the increase in the total salary bill for university teachers which the Government have been able to sanction this year should be directed to improving the salary scales of lecturers and assistant lecturers. The Government accept this advice. The new scales thus recommended for lecturers and assistant lecturers, details of which are set out below, are effective from 1st April, 1962. There will be minor consequential adjustments for certain senior lecturers and readers whose present salaries are below the new maximum for lecturers. The cost of this increase will be approximately £1 million in a full year, on the basis of current numbers. The sums provided to meet the increase will be additional to the recurrent grants recently announced.NON-MEDICAL POSTS

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of the publication of the Interim Report on University Development, Command Paper No. 1691, which reveals the inadequacy of university facilities, and in order to preserve university standards of accommodation, teaching and research during the period of expansion, he will now increase the grants to universities beyond the level at present proposed.

The Interim Report draws attention, amongst other things, to the very large increases in the level of both recurrent and non-recurrent grants which have taken place over the first four years of the present quinquennium to assist the universities. The greatly increased recurrent grants which I have announced for the next five years, together with the present programme of university building starts, represent a further large growth in the level of Exchequer assistance.I have already said that in my view it would be right to review the university financial situation in, say, two years' time, in the light of how the expansion was going forward, how prices were moving, and how the long-term economic outlook had developed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his review of the instructions to the Metropolitan Police regarding the desirability of police doctors being called to give evidence in cases of driving under the influence of drink.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has now completed his review and has issued fresh instructions in regard to the procedure relating to arrest for driving while under the influence of drink. These involve some changes in the procedure previously in force. On the particular point raised by the hon. Member, the instructions will ensure that the evidence of a police doctor is made available to the court by the prosecution in contested cases, along with evidence from eyewitnesses and, when available, the results of chemical tests showing the amount of alcohol consumed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will suggest to the Commissioner of Police that when the subway under Theobalds Road is constructed he should bring back into use for traffic those portions of High Holborn and the streets merging into it which have now been either completely cut off from use by traffic, or which are barely used because of the existing temporary one-way street scheme.

I understand that no street in this area has been completely cut off from use by traffic, although some in the vicinity of High Holborn and Southampton Row are carrying less traffic than formerly. As explained in reply to a Question asked by the hon. Member on 4th March, the working of the present traffic routes is being watched by the Commissioner of Police, but the long-term traffic arrangements to be adopted following the completion of the works will be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the increase of evening racing, what steps he intends to take to vary the compulsory closing hours of licensed betting offices in order to prevent illegal betting taking place.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from organisations representing bookmakers that licensed betting offices should be allowed to remain open after 6.30 p.m., the closing hour at present fixed by regulation, on days when evening horse races take place. My right hon. Friend is considering these representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the inquiry to be conducted by his Department into the recent explosion at West Bromwich involving a lorry carrying chemicals will be a public inquiry.

No. An inquiry involving laboratory experiments and tests of the chemicals being carried is being conducted by the manufacturers. Some supplementary tests involving the employment of special techniques are being conducted by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the operation of the Betting and Gaming Act, 1960, with particular reference to the granting of licences for betting shops to small bookmakers; and to what extent such licences have been granted to large bookmaking firms.

I have no information as to the grant of betting office licences to large firms as distinct from small bookmakers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost to public funds of the proposed semi-secure prison at Hill Hall, Theydon Mount, Essex, including the preparation of the site, provision of drainage and other connected expenses.

Plans for this establishment have still to be fully worked out. At present a rough estimate of the cost is £750,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement about the coming into force of the provisions of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

I have today made an order bringing Part I of the Act into force on 1st July, 1962. This means that the immigration of Commonwealth citizens on or after that date will be subject to control, and those coming for employment will require employment vouchers.Arrangements are being made to publicise in all Commonwealth countries the main features of the control and the date on which it will come into force. Forms of application for employment vouchers will be available in overseas territories by the end of this month, and arrangements are in hand for our posts overseas to operate the entry certificate procedure for those who wish to take advantage of it.There may be a few cases where sea passages have been booked, in ships arriving here shortly after 1st July, by persons who may not be able to secure vouchers before leaving. Such persons will be dealt with sympathetically, and arrangements are being made, where appropriate, to assist them by means of the entry certificate procedure.Under my order, Part II of the Act, dealing with deportation, and Part HI, containing miscellaneous provisions, will come into operation on 31st May, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take early action to enable him to deport the Pakistanis who exploit immigrants by trading them in employment and other activities, and are recommended by the courts for deportation under the relevant provisions of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

I have today made an order bring into force on 31st May next the provisions of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act relating to deportation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the prisons are now overcrowded; how many prisons are now under construction to alleviate the present overcrowding; and when the first of them will be ready for occupation.

On 3rd April, 1962, there were 8,184 prisoners sleeping three in a cell. Six new establishments partly occupied, and fourteen others, are under construction, and plans for twelve more are going ahead. Sites for four further establishments are under consideration. All these will relieve overcrowding. The next establishment to be opened, on 17th May, is Bulwood borstal for girls. It will release accommodation in Durham and Manchester prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department where the four hundred and sixteen places outside London authorised for experiments on living animals are situated.

The places are situated in the counties as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office), when he now expects to visit Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office), if he will now state when he expects to visit the Central African Federation.

I expect to visit the Federation next month, arriving in Salisbury on 11th May and staying in the Federation for rather more than two weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office) if, in view of the discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the United Nations sub-committee on Rhodesia, he will introduce legislation to suspend the implementation of the new Constitution of Southern Rhodesia.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office) whether the Government of Northern Rhodesia has now decided to alter the law under which anyone who has served a sentence of imprisonment for six months or more is disqualified for five years from being elected to the Legislative Council.

This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is satisfied that the present arrangements for the control of the use of nuclear bombs from Great Britain or British bases make adequate provision against misleading radar signals, negative signals due to interruption of communication lines and other possibilities of error; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with present arrangements which are regularly reviewed.

asked the Minister of Transport why he will not impose the holiday speed limit of 50 miles per hour at Easter.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) why he is not imposing a restricted speed limit during the Easter holiday;(2) in view of the late Easter and unusually long winter, if he is aware that if good weather prevails over the Easter period there will be a mass exodus from town to country; and if he will now consider imposing restricted speed limits on certain roads to help eliminate the high accident rate.

Experience has shown that the traffic volume at Easter is not comparable with that at Whitsun and on summer week-ends and for this reason no speed limit is being imposed this Easter.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he is taking to deal with the problem of the gypsy caravan dwellers on Eastern Avenue, Ilford, who are occupying the grass verges, having been removed from Essex County Council land in the vicinity.

After staying a short time on the trunk road verge, several caravans moved onto adjoining land owned by the Essex County Council, and were there joined by more caravans. Asked by the county council to move away, they all dispersed on 16th April.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that two British subjects. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Scott, have been in jail in Spain since last September for non-payment of a fine of some £9,000 in respect of an alleged offence of attempting to export works of art from Spain; whether, in view of the fact that they were ignorant of the Spanish law in this respect, he will make representations for their release: and whether he will make a statement.

Every effort has been made to obtain fair and proper treatment for Mr. and Mrs. Scott, but, as my hon. and learned Friend will realise. Her Majesty's Government have no standing to intervene in the application of Spanish law.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations have been received from the Government of the United States of America on the subject of Commonwealth Preferences.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to reveal details of Her Majesty's Government's confidential exchanges with other Governments.

asked the Prime Minister if, during his forthcoming talks with President Kennedy, he will discuss with him the possibilities of more effective co-operation between the United States of America and countries in the British Commonwealth with regard to participation in American sugar imports.

My talks with President Kennedy will naturally be confidential, but, of course, I recognise the importance of this among other trade matters to which hon. Members have called my attention.

asked the Prime Minister if he has now reached an agreement with President Kennedy about the number of atmospheric tests to be conducted in the proposed United States test series over Christmas Island.

The programme has been provisionally agreed, though it may be subject to some variation within the scope of the agreed programme.

asked the Prime Minister if he will state the names of the delegates from the United Kingdom Parliament to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe will be meeting in Strasbourg from 15th to 18th May. I have appointed eighteen delegates from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. These delegates are appointed for one year and will take part in the committee work of the Consultative Assembly. The delegation this year, as last, will consist of ten Members of the Conservative Party, seven Members of the Labour Party, and one representative of the Liberal Party. I have also appointed a number of substitute delegates.The appointments of Labour and Liberal representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the Leaders of those parties. The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the Assembly of Western European Union which will meet from 4th to 8th June.Representatives from the Government benches will be:Lord Crathorne,The hon. Members for

asked the Prime Minister what proposals will be made to this House for a gift from the House of Commons to the Nigerian House of Representatives to commemorate the attainment by Nigeria of her independence.

Her Majesty's Government will propose that the House should offer the gift of a Speaker's Chair on behalf of this House to the Nigerian House of Representatives in commemoration of the attainment of independence by the Federation of Nigeria.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what consultations he had respectively with the Scottish National Housing Company Limited and the trades unions representing Admiralty employees, before agreeing to the proposed rent increases for Scottish National Housing Company houses in the Rosyth area.

The Admiralty was consulted by the Department of Health for Scotland about the proposed rent increases and agreed to them. The tenants of the houses in question have been given 6 weeks' notice of the new rents which will range between 13s. and 25s. a week. No representations on the subject have been received from trade unions representing Admiralty employees and no specific consultations with the trade unions have therefore been held.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he has any proposals for meeting the future borrowing requirements of the airline Corporations, in view of the information in the White Paper on Government Expenditure Below the Line, Command Paper No. 1680, that by the end of 1962–63 the total amounts outstanding will be near the limits prescribed in the Air Corporations Act, 1960.

Yes. Requirements are bound to increase, making necessary an increase in the limits, if the Corporations are to finance the replacement and expansion of their fleets. Moreover, in view of adverse trading results in 1961–62 and the uncertain prospects, it will be necessary as early as possible to seek specific Parliamentary authority for Exchequer advances made to meet the Corporation's losses on current account. I accordingly propose, as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits, to ask the House to approve amending legislation on both points.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what information he has received since 21st December, 1961, from the Governments of ex-colonial territories of increases they have made in the pensions awarded to ex-overseas civil servants.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what means the Alkali Inspectorate have after the event for determining whether a precipitator at a Thames-side Cement Works has been shut down during the night.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a Question by him on the 17th April.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why the total rateable value of houses in England and Wales is expected to rise about 2·7 times after the 1963 revaluation, from £343 million to £913 million, whereas the table in Appendix H of Command Paper No. 1663 shows that rateable values will have risen about 3·6 times between 1939 and 1963.

The rise in 1963 of about 2·7 times is from the levels of the current valuation lists, which stem from the revaluation of 1956. The examples in Appendix II cover the difference between the estimated values of 1963 and those of the pre-war valuation lists.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what instructions he has given to officials of his Department in regard to their interpretation of those rating and valuation laws which penalise householders who seek to improve the internal and domestic amenities of their homes.

None. Those responsible for valuing property for rating purposes or for adjudicating in disputes over valuations are not officials of my Department.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what discussions he has had with valuation authorities regarding the extent to which central heating systems are included in domestic valuations, with particular reference to the merits of installing such systems as set out in the booklet entitled Homes for Today and Tomorrow, published by his Department.

None. Valuation for rating is carried out by valuation officers of the Board of Inland Revenue on principles laid down by law, and I am not authorised to influence the way they apply them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the intrusion into the privacy of the individual involved in the action of official inspectors in seeking access to private houses for the purpose of examining what improvements have been carried out affecting the gross valuation; and if he will introduce legislation to curb their rights of access for such purposes.

No. Inspection is a normal part of the valuation process, and I do not consider there are any grounds for concern about it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses and flats were built during each year from 1953 to 1961 by each new town development corporation; how many were under construction on 31st March of each year, including 31st March, 1962; and how many are expected to be completed during 1962 and 1963.

The figures are as follows: