asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to convert the Royal Yacht "Britannia" to a hospital ship in the event of war.

Yes.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what plans he has for the use of that part of the former Royal Navy aircraft repair yard at Donibristle which will remain in his control after the bulk of the site has been acquired by the Board of Trade.

The barracks and sports fields of H.M.S. "Cochrane", some 66 acres in all, will remain in Admiralty ownership until we transfer officers and ratings from this substandard accommodation to depot ships at the end of this year. We are consulting with the Board of Trade and Scottish Office about the disposal of this property.

	R.N.		R.M.		W.R.N.S.		Q.A.R.N.N.S	N.N.A	Total
	Officers	Ratings	Officers	O.R's.	Officers	Ratings
Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth	507	67	1	29	—	—	—	—	604
H.M.S. Cambridge, R.N. Gunnery Range.	19	262	—	—	1	—	—	—	282
H.M.S. Drake, including C. in C.	153	896	1	—	12	136	1	3	1,202
H.M.S. Fisgard, R.N. Artificer Training Est.	46	815	—	—	1	—	—	—	862
H.M.S. Orion, Reserve Fleet Division	73	917	—	—	—	—	—	—	990
H.M.S. Raleigh, New Entry Training Est.	61	1,014	—	23	7	76	1	2	1,184
H.M.S. Royal Arthur, Petty Officer School	15	184	—	1	—	—	—	—	200
H.M.S. Sea Eagle, Joint A/S School	55	392	—	—	3	91	1	3	545
H.M.S. Thunderer, R.N. Eng. College, Manadon	205	45	—	—	1	—	—	—	251
R.N. Hospital, Plymouth	38	188	—	—	—	—	30	30	286
R.N.O. Pembroke Dock	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4
	1,176	4,780	2	53	25	303	33	38	6,410

We shall make every effort to find alternative Admiralty employment for about 50 hired industrial employees who will become redundant. Established non industrials are being found alternative jobs in the area.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the naval establishments, other than dockyard and civilian establishments in the Plymouth Command, and other than those at Bath, their purposes and the number of officers and ratings, male and female, borne on each establishment and the totals.

The information for which the hon. and gallant Member asks is set out in the following table. Apart from Headquarters and establishments whose function is obvious from their titles, these shore establishments are all concerned with the training, initial and advanced, of R.N. and W.R.N.S. officers and ratings.

asked the Civil Lard of the Admiralty why a separate establishment at Alverstoke, Hampshire, is being used part-time only by eight medical officers; and why this work cannot be done at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Hampshire.

The R.N. Medical School at Alverstoke is both a medical research and a teaching establishment it is concerned with research into such aspects of medicine as underwater physiology, nuclear medicine and radiation hazards, pathology and bacteriology. The research aspects of their work, involving as it does collaboration with other Departments, necessarily takes the medical officers away from the school for some of their time. There is no adequate accommodation for it in the R.N. Hospital, Haslar; nor would its work fit readily into the hospital system.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) if he will state the annual amounts of the Greenwich Hospital pensions and the naval service pensions, respectively, paid to admirals, vice-admirals, rear-admirals, captains, commanders, lieutenant-commanders and lieutenants, respectively, who were cadet entries;(2) if he will state the annual amounts of the Greenwich Hospital pensions and the naval service pensions, respectively, paid to each rank of officer promoted from the lower deck;(3) if he will state the annual amounts of the Greenwich Hospital pensions and the naval service pensions, respectively, paid to Chief petty officers, petty officers, leading ratings and ratings, respectively.

I regret that information about Service retired pay and pensions awarded under the normal regulations to 74,000 officers and ratings is not available in the form requested and could not be extracted without an undue expenditure of time and labour. It may be, however, that the hon. and gallant Member has in mind rather the Naval and Good Service pensions that used to be awarded to officers in certain circumstances in addition to any retired pay for which they were eligible. The practice ceased in 1949 but the tables which follow include particulars of those awarded up to 1949 that remain in issue. Ratings were not eligible for them.For similar reasons I am unable to give an analysis of payments of Greenwich Hospital pensions to chief and petty officers and men according to their individual ratings. There are, however, about 1,000 such pensions in issue, costing some£44,000 annually.The grant of Greenwich Hospital pensions has, since 1949, in the case of officers and since 1947 in the case of ratings, been decided without regard to the rank, rating or origin of applicants. For officers, the criteria have been their need, the nature of their misfortune and the quality of their service; for ratings, the degree of incapacity making them unfit to work and the amount of their other income.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a detailed statement on the working of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act, indicating which stages have been brought into operation and with what results, respectively; and when the remaining stages will be brought into operation.

Since the beginning of 1961, patients have been able to enter mental hospitals in the same informal way as other hospitals. Since May, 1961, local health authorities have been under an obligation to make proposals for discharging the functions allotted to them. The rest of the Act, incorporating the new code for patients subject to statutory detention or guardianship, will come into operation on 1st June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from organisations and from individuals, respectively, in the last month, concerning the pay and conditions of nurses; and what was the nature of his reply.

In the past month I have received representations from two trade union branches and a number of individuals about the handling of the nurses' claim and the amount offered by the management side. I am indicating in reply that the management side in making this offer were observing the Government's incomes policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his discussions with the National Farmers' Union of Scotland regarding the operation of the winter keep scheme; and when the scheme will come into force.

These discussions are still continuing. As regards the second part of the Question, this will depend on the timing of legislation which I cannot, of course, anticipate.

asked Secretary of State for Scotland whether assistance from public funds will be available next session for Scottish students who wish to take advanced courses of post-graduate study in arts subjects.

I am introducing from session 1962–63 a Scottish Studentship Scheme for post-graduate study in arts subjects broadly on the same lines as the State Studentship Scheme in England and Wales. Forty-five studentships will be offered annually, to be held for periods of up to three years depending on the programme of study undertaken. The studentships will be awarded on a competitive basis and on the advice of a Selection Committee consisting of representatives of the Scottish universities, who will be assisted by an Assessor from the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland and one from the Scottish Education Department. This Scheme will replace the temporary arrangements under which some 35 post-graduate awards in arts subjects were available this session.I am glad to say that Professor C. J. Fordyce of Glasgow University has accepted my invitation to be Chairman of the Selection Committee and that the following have accepted invitations to be members:—Professor J. H. Baxter, M.A., D.D., L.Litt., F.R.S.E. (St. Andrews University).Professor A. A. Matheson, Q.C., M.A., LL.B. (St. Andrews University).Professor M. D. Samuels, M.A. (Glasgow University).Professor W. Witte, M.A., Ph.D., Dr. rer.pol. (Aberdeen University).Professor R. C. Cross, M.A. (Aberdeen University).Professor A. J. Beattie, M.A., F.R.S.E. (Edinburgh University).Professor A. J. Youngson, M.A., D.Litt. (Edinburgh University).

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the protests made by the International Chamber of Shipping against flag discrimination against British shipping, what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken during the last two months to collaborate with the shipping industry and with other countries in opposition to flag discrimination and with what result.

There is close and continuous co-operation between the Ministry of Transport and the General Council of British Shipping about the general problem of flag discrimination and about particular cases, including the one mentioned in a recent statement by the International Chamber of Shipping. We collaborate closely with other maritime nations in various ways including the regular meetings of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. These consultations result in whatever action is most appropriate in each case.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will advise firms receiving Government subsidy in any form to employ British ships on schedule rates and conditions.

No. We do not think that discrimination of this kind would be in the best interests of our trade or shipping.

asked the Minister, of Transport if he will refer to the appropriate transport users consultative committee the proposals for curtailing the railway services on the Leicester to Burton line.

The British Transport Commission tell me that it has no such proposals at present.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the decrease between 1951 and 1961 in the number of insured employees in the cotton industry within the Lancashire cotton area; what were the main changes in other manufacturing industries; and what was the change in manufacturing industry as a whole.

The following is the information.

MAIN CHANGES IN THE ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF INSURED EMPLOYEES IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN THE LANCASHIRE COTTON AREA BETWEEN END-MAY, 1959 AND END-MAY, 1961
Industry		Estimated Change
*Cotton Manufacture etc.	…	-21,000
Engineering and Electrical Goods	…	+12,360
Vehicles	…	+ 5,480
Clothing and Footwear	…	+ 3,770
Paper, Printing and Publishing	…	+ 3,150
Rubber, Linoleum etc.	…	+ 2,890
Metal Goods etc	…	+ 1,700
Food, Drink and Tobacco	…	+ 1,280
Chemicals and Allied Industries	…	- 1,370
All Manufacturing Industries	…	+11,620
*Spinning and doubling of cotton, flax and man-made fibres.
Weaving of cotton, linen and man-made fibres. Textile finishing.

NoteThe figures relate to the following Employment Exchanges and their Associated Yough Employment Offices:—

Accrington	Leyland
Ashton under Lyne	Littleborough
Atherton and Tyldesley	Longridge
Bacup	Middleton
Bamber Bridge	Mossley
Blackburn	Nelson
Bolton	Oldham and Chadderton
Burnley
Bury	Padiham
Chorley	Preston
Clitheroe	Radcliffe
Colne	Ramsbottom
Darwen	Rawtenstall
Failsworth	Rochdale
Farnworth	Royton
Great Harwood	Shaw
Haslingden	Standish
Heywood	Upholland
Hindley	Westhoughton
Horwich	Wigan
Leith

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of unemployed registered at the Feltham and Hounslow Employment Exchanges at the latest available date in May, and the comparative figures for the same period in 1961.

On 14th May the numbers were 214 at Feltham and 294 at Hounslow, compared with 129 and 205, respectively, on 15th May, 1961.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many aircraft are contained in the Queen's Flight; what

NON-INDUSTRIAL STAFF
——		1961–62		1962–63
		Numbers	Expenditure on pay	Numbers	Expenditure on pay
			£		£
London (Heathrow)	…	876	757,648	927	845,444
London (Gatwick)	…	265	231,416	269	245,813
London (Stansted)	…	50	44,576	52	47,672

INDUSTRIAL STAFF
		1961–62		1962–63
——		Numbers	Expenditure on pay	Numbers	Expenditure on pay
			£		£
London (Heathrow)	…	1,575	1,441,400	904	771,800
London (Gatwick)	…	185	112,780	220	173,400
London (Stansted)	…	71	56,300	82	61,800

The Queen's Flight consists of four Herons, two Whirlwinds and one Chipmunk. Their initial capital cost was about £530,000. When not required by members of the Royal Family these aircraft may be used by senior Ministers and other important passengers such as the Chiefs of Staff. As the Flight is fully occupied in meeting these commitments an extension of its use would involve an increase in its establishment.

asked the Minister of Aviation what provision was made, in terms of staff and of expenditure on their pay, in the 1962–63 Estimate for Ministry of Aviation staff at each of the three London airports; and how it compares with the provision for 1961–62.

figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the repudiation by the Kenya African National Union of the Lancaster House agreement regarding the introduction of a regional constitution in Kenya, he will re-affirm Her Majesty's Government's support for such a constitution.

So far as I am aware, both the Kenya African National Union and the Kenya African Democratic Union adhere to the agreed framework of the new Constitution for Kenya contained in Cmnd. 1700, as also does Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Defence what action he took, in view of the speech made by Admiral Karl Adolph Zenker in 1956, describing war criminals Doenitz and Raeder as individuals whom all German naval officers should strive to emulate, which resulted in his dismissal from the German Defence Ministry, when Admiral Zenker's appointment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was proposed.

My information is that Admiral Zenker was never dismissed from the Federal German Ministry of Defence. In any case, appointments of N.A.T.O. commanders other than N.A.T.O. Supreme Commander require only the consent of the Governments concerned. As Her Majesty's Government are not concerned in the particular area covered by the Command held by Admiral Zenker from 1957 to 1960, the question of action by Her Majesty's Government did not arise.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will state the numbers of new cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and other venereal diseases reported by patients under 18 years of age, 18 to 21 years and over 21 years in each of the last six years;

Information by age groups is not available. The total cases dealt with for the first time at clinics in each of the years mentioned are given in the Chief Medical Officer's Annual Reports for 1945 and 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the economies regarding circulars, instructions, etc., for distribution to local authorities have been effective; and whether all the departments under his control, including civil defence, are being systematic in these economies.

I am not aware that there is any lack of economy in regard to communications to local authorities, but if my hon. Friend has any evidence to the contrary I will gladly look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now state whether the Government propose to publish the Report of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire on Rural Transport Problems in Wales which was submitted to him on 6th February.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of the concessions made by the United Kingdom in the recent bilateral tariff agreements with the United States of America, together with a statement of the methods adopted for consultation with the industries affected and the factors which led to the selection of items for concession.

The list of tariff concessions to the U.S.A. is too long to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT: a copy is available in the Library. Extensive consultations were held with trade associations and other bodies representing British industry before the negotiations started. The Government took full account of the views expressed when deciding, in relation to the concessions which the U.S.A. were offering, what concessions should be offered to them. Generally speaking, the concessions relate to products of which the U.S.A. have been an important supplier.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will send to the hon. Member for Belfast, North, a copy of the Army Council's Report on the case of Rifleman Dennis Robinson.

I regret it would not be in accordance with practice to disclose investigations of this kind.