asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether, with a view to encouraging research experts to remain in and to be recruited for West Africa, a scheme of compensation for change of status for members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service engaged interterritorially in research has been agreed with the Governments of Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and the Gambia.

An officer of my Department is at present in West Africa for discussions with the Governments there on such a scheme. I will keep the hon. Member in touch with the progress of the discussions.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the equivalent scientific personnel in East Africa, who appeared in the pipeline much later than the scientists in West Africa, have already had their compensation agreed? Would he not agree that this delay is very detrimental both to recruiting and to morale?

Yes. I have that very much in mind. We are negotiating here with at least four Governments. That has accounted for the rather longer delay than I should like in bringing these discussions to a head.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation why preference is given to male candidates for the thirty overseas teachers of English as a second language, appointed by the United Kingdom in accordance with the commitment made at the Second Commonwealth Education Conference.

Most of these posts are expected to be in Asia and Africa, and the officer appointed will usually be on secondment to overseas authorities who in the British Council's experience most commonly expect to receive men teacher trainers. There will, however, be some posts for which women officers would be appropriate and the British Council will keep this in mind.

Would it not be better to approach this on the basis of finding the most suitably qualified teachers for these posts, irrespective of sex? Is it not very disturbing to find this kind of condition actually put in advertisement by the British Council?

The hon. Member may have misinterpreted the advertisement. It did not use the word "preference". The British Council is dependent on overseas authorities for applications and in the past the applications have been in the main for men, but I agree with the hon. Member that there is room for women in this development.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what increase he proposes in Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations Expanded Technical Assistance Programme and Special Fund for 1962 as Great Britain's share of the $150 million target recommended by the General Assembly.

The United Kingdom Government have pledged contributions of the sterling equivalent of 3 million dollars to the United Nations Expanded Programme and 5 million to the Special Fund for 1962. These contributions are on the same level as for 1960 and 1961.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is an extremely disappointing reply? Is he aware that the General Assembly has recommended that there should be a steady, expanding rate of technical assistance, and that if Her Majesty's Government are to co-operate in that there ought to be a substantial increase this year in the amount?

I should remind the hon. Member that we are still the largest contributor to voluntary programmes, apart from the United States of America. Our programmes for next year will be reviewed in the autumn and I will note what the hon. Member has said.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to encourage service overseas by volunteers, especially graduates and other young people.

As a result of discussions with representatives of a large number of voluntary societies and other interested people a scheme has been worked out to co-ordinate and stimulate the recruitment of volunteers for overseas service. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement which I have agreed with the societies concerned and for whose co-operation I am most grateful.

Although I welcome the statement which has just been made by my right hon. Friend, may I ask whether he would agree that the organisation which has had, and now is having, a spectacular success in sending boys and girls overseas from the schools and industry to give unpaid a year of their life overseas, is Voluntary Service Over seas? Will he take into account the outstanding record of that organisation when deciding and apportioning the grant which eventually will be given to these societies? Can he say whether a grant similar in proportion to the grant which is being given by the American Government to the Peace Corps is likely to be forthcoming from the British Government?

Voluntary Service Overseas is one of the organisations whose help I have much appreciated in formulating these proposals. When I receive its proposals for the coming year, I will have regard to what my hon. and learned Friend has said. In reply to the latter part of the supplementary question, I think it false to make a comparison with the American Peace Corps, because this is supplementary to our technical recruitment campaign, to which I referred in answer to an earlier Question.

Can my right hon. Friend say how many young men and women have volunteered for service overseas?

The current programme for Voluntary Service Overseas is 160, but there are other organisations which send a number overseas. I hope that for the year ahead there will be a considerable advance over that number.

While joining with the hon. and learned Member for Billericay (Mr. Gardner) in paying tribute to Voluntary Service Overseas, may I ask if the Minister is aware that there is a need for putting this sort of help on a wider scale? Can he say whether it is his intention to set up some sort of co-ordinating organisation, or is his own Ministry taking direct responsibility for this?

I welcome that supplementary question, because one proposal which will appear in the statement to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT is, in fact, that there is to be a co-ordinating committee, on which will be represented all the bodies concerned, and which I hope will co-ordinate existing activities and stimulate further activities.

Is it not rather unfortunate that the American Peace Corps has had a tremendous amount of publicity, when we had been doing this work long before they started? Is it not part of the duty of the Government to see that the people who do this sort of work get the maximum amount of help and publicity, so that others may know what they are doing?

I quite agree with my hon. Friend. Organisations in this country have engaged in this field for some years, and I hope that this Question will help to publicise these activities. I am seeing in what way my Department may supplement them.

Will not my right hon. Friend agree that of the 30 million dollars spent by the American Government on the Peace Corps last year, a considerable amount went in publicity, while not a single penny has gone into publicity concerned with Voluntary Service Overseas?

That is a matter for Voluntary Service Overseas. I think they have received a fair amount of publicity, and I am anxious to see that they receive further publicity, but it should be on a wider front than one organisation.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what information work will be curtailed or postponed as a result of the cut in information expenditure overseas in 1962–63.

Total estimates for overseas information work in 1962-63 are, of course, over £1 million more than last year. Within that total, many small reductions of staff and services have been made in order to reduce expenditure overseas. They have been made primarily in friendly countries, where reliable news about Britain is available through other channels, and generally where economies could be achieved without serious damage.

Nevertheless, is not the Minister aware that these cuts, which are sudden and unexpected, can be very wasteful, frustrating and damaging to our reputation overseas? Will he say what he is doing to put the future of the information services on a long-term basis so that they can plan over a period of years and know where they stand?

These savings flow from the statement which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor made last July. The hon. Member will have noticed, so far as costs are concerned, that full allowance has been made, and, in fact, some new services have been started up in the current year. In regard to a stable policy for the future, I am as anxious as the hon. Member is to see that achieved, but I cannot go further than my original statement today.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will make a statement on the overseas recruitment work of his Department.

Yes, Sir. I am issuing a White Paper on this subject, copies of which will be available this afternoon.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the House will welcome the publication of the White Paper? May I ask him whether it will show a continued need for overseas service?

Yes, Sir. The White Paper will show a continued need for overseas service on the part of people from this country. It will, however, show that that service, in the main, in the future will be of a short-service variety for a wide variety of specialised occupations, and will not, on the whole, provide for the full career service which was customary in the past.

Will there be a continued need for those officers at present serving overseas? Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the greatest need is for agricultural and veterinary officers, and that, at the moment, these experts are flooding out of Africa because of the lack of some sort of scheme of continuity which would allow them to go on beyond the point of independence?

I should like the hon. Member to read the White Paper, when he will see the arguments fully deployed there. Any officers coming back from overseas for whom there is a continuing demand will be certain of receiving employment, but the trouble is that the requests I am receiving do not always coincide with the terms of service of existing officers.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will bear in mind that the neglect shown to those who have served overseas in the past may be detrimental to recruiting in the future?

I am well aware of my hon. Friend's interest in this subject, and I have that matter very much in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will take steps to enable him to issue instructions to local authorities in regard to the building of specially constructed houses for handicapped persons.

Some general advice on the provision of houses for the physically handicapped has been given by my Department, and I hope in due course to give further guidance in the light of research that is going on in this field. In the meantime, officers of the Department will be glad to help on any particular problem that a local authority may have.

I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. Would he care to look at the excellent scheme devised by the Housing Committee of the Blyth Corporation on this matter, in which the features needed for handicapped persons were embodied at the time of house-building? Will he have a look at the scheme?

I am aware of that.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what recommendations he has received in regard to the more efficient use of living accommodation by the installation of central heating systems;and whether he will make a statement.

Recommendations on this subject were included in the recent report "Homes for Today and Tomorrow" prepared by the Housing Standards Sub-Committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee. They were brought to the notice of local authorities in Circular 13/62 which was sent out in February.

Does not my hon. Friend agree that the present archaic custom of increasing rating assessments on central heating and other such amenities is a direct discouragement to the carrying out of these recommendations? Will he consult his counterpart at the Treasury to see whether some new approach to this problem can be made in the future?

I think that, other things being equal, if a house has better amenities, it is likely to command a higher rent, and this is properly reflected in Its rateable value.

Will not the hon. Gentleman be satisfied with the trebled assessment which he will get next year, when the new valuations come into force? Why put this additional burden upon occupiers, when the burden is to be trebled next year, anyhow?

I think the hon. Gentleman is trying to suggest that the rates will be trebled, but if the rateable value goes up the rate poundage should in fact fall. That, at any rate, is the theory.

Are not such valuation increases in conflict with the clean air legislation which already exists? Are they not a discouragement?

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has studied the further evidence in the case of Mr. S. I. Sansoni sent to him by the hon. Member for the Ladywood Division of Birmingham;and whether he will reconsider his decision not to take action in this matter.

If the information I gave in my reply of 3rd May was inaccurate, I apologise to the hon. Member and to the House. I gave the facts as they were then known to the Ministry.

I appreciate that statement, but in view of the fact that this tenant's rent was increased from £9 to £12 and from £12 to £14, which the city council thought was excessive, and which has moved it to take steps to acquire the property compulsorily, and since the evidence that I am now submitting tends to confirm that there are dozens of cases in Birmingham—according to the housing manager—will not the Minister take action so that tenants of this kind may be protected from extravagant demands being made upon them?

The facts of this case are complex. There may now well be an inquiry into the compulsory purchase order. On the last occasion I intimated that the Birmingham City Council found no merits in this man's case. I think that it was then referring to the housing aspects. It is now clear that the Council is concerned about the rent aspect of the matter. The hon. Member was quite justified in raising this case. We must now leave it for further development.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will make a statement on the plans for the evacuation of refugees to Cornwall in the event of a nuclear attack on Great Britain.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular sent to local authorities on 28th March, which explains that a dispersal scheme is to be prepared in case it is needed in an emergency. Under the scheme most of Cornwall would be a reception area. Arrangements for the planning of the scheme in detail are being discussed with the local authority associations and a further circular will be issued later.

May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to take into account the fact, that his plans may well be frustrated by the Minister of Transport, because there is a danger of the main line from Plymouth being closed altogether? As we can get no assurance from the Minister of Transport, will he do his best to get one, so that we may be assured, at least, of having a railway line?

We are satisfied that we can provide an effective scheme.

Is my hon. Friend confident that the local authorities in Cornwall are capable of dealing with the increased population which will go down there, if the need arises?

All these questions as to how the situation will be dealt with will have to be discussed with the local authorities concerned. The maximum number of people which we think Cornwall would have to receive would be about 350,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, before accepting the appeal against both the judgment of his own inspector and the wishes of the Leyton Borough Council in respect of premises in High Road, Leytonstone, he sent a representative to see the heavy traffic in that thorough fare, and, in particular, the number of motor car show-and-sales rooms already existing in the High Road;and what account he took of the traffic aspects of the matter.

The premises affected by the appeal were visited by the inspector who held the inquiry and his report dealt with the amount of traffic using the High Road and the number of garages and car sales premises in the vicinity. No further inspection was made by an officer of the Ministry before the appeal was decided. The Ministry of Transport was consulted and agreed that dismissal of the appeal would not be justified on traffic grounds alone.

Does not the Parliamentary Secretary appreciate that, although it is perfectly true, as he says, that the inspector saw the premises and the vicinity for himself, his recommendation was rejected by the Minister? In these circumstances, would it not have been better for the Minister either to go himself or to send somebody to see the congestion in that part of Leyton, with the result that he might have come to a different conclusion?

Very full evidence was give at the inquiry. The point at issue was that the premises were already used as a shop. Therefore, this did not seem an unreasonable proposal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now indicate the approximate timetable and progressive stages of implementation in the proposed London local government reorganisation;and whether the whole scheme affecting all existing local authorities will operate as from a specified date.

It remains the Government's aim, as stated in the White Paper on London Government (Cmnd. 1562), to introduce legislation in time for the new authorities to be elected and to take over from the existing authorities in April, 1965, in all cases.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any indication in the interim period as to the stages through which this reconstruction will pass, because there is a good deal of ambiguity and a certain amount of suspense, which might be alleviated if the various authorities knew for certain that on certain dates certain stages would be passed?

For much of that the hon. Gentleman will have to await the Bill, but if he has a particular issue or service in mind and he will table a Question, I will seek to help him, though I cannot guarantee in advance to help him.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will give a great deal more careful consideration to the remaining proposals than he did to his proposals on education in the White Paper, which were criminally slapdash and haphazard?

I have given a great deal of consideration to the problems which I promised to consider. There has been nothing either criminal or slapdash about that.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what proportion of the sum expended on coast protection since the Coast Protection Act, 1949, has been paid by individual property owners contributing to works schemes as allowed for under Section 7 of the Act.

Between 1 and 2 per cent.

Does not my hon. Friend agree that the enormous amount of work which has to be undertaken by marine local authorities which operate works schemes is out of proportion to the amount recovered? Does he not think that in future the amounts which would be recovered from works schemes should be included in the grants supplied by the Government in the first place?

There is a great deal in what my hon. Friend says. My right Friend has raised this matter with the local authority associations. All but one of them have replied. So far all are in favour of not making any more of these works schemes.

Is my hon. Friend aware that individual property owners concerned and marine local authorities will be greatly relieved at the enlightened view now being taken by the Government concerning this piece of Socialist legislation? Is there any hope of retrospective action concerning works schemes which have taken place but where appeals have not yet been considered by my right hon. Friend?

In the ordinary course of events I should not have thought that retrospection was possible. There are a number of cases now before my right hon. Friend. No doubt we can bear in mind the point which has been made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what communication he has received from the Conservative Women's Annual Conference about reform of the rating system;and what reply he has sent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what representations he has received from the Conservative Women's Annual Conference on the current burden of rates;and what reply he has sent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what representations he has received from the Conservative Women's Conference about the further relief of rate burden;and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received no communication, but I addressed the conference.

Would not my hon. Friend agree that the resolution passed at the Conservative Women's Annual Conference was very similar to Motion No. 99 on the Order Paper signed by ninety-nine Members of this House? Does not his right hon. Friend the Minister think that ninety-nine is a slightly high temperature? Is he aware that the reason for this strong feeling at the moment is the very heavy burden being placed on the small fixed income group? Will he ensure that early action is taken to relieve this section, if nobody else?

I think that the Motion was similar but different. I hope that my hon. Friend has not missed the significance of the second part of my Answer to his Question.

Is my hon. Friend aware that when he answered the Resolution at the Conservative Women's Annual Conference he was more forthcoming than his right hon. Friend when he answered the debate on the Motion proposed by my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale)? Can my hon. Friend tell me when we in the House of Commons will see some of the ideas which we put forward acted upon? Is he aware that I am getting extremely tired of sensible Motions and ideas being put forward which are sat upon by the Executive? The Executive would get on much better if it would pay attention to sensible people like its own back benchers.

I answered both discussions and find no discrepancy in my replies. The Motion of my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale) called for a committee. The Motion at the Conservative Women's Annual Conference simply called for the Government seriously to consider the present rating system. The difficulty about a committee is that it is apt to knock the ball into the long grass and produce some years later an unacceptable report.

Do I understand from the hon. Gentleman that the Government reject conference decisions?

On the contrary, we readily accepted the demand that we should consider something that we are always considering.

Is my hon. Friend aware that I welcome the fact that he does not want to have a committee, because what we really want is early action?

I appreciate my hon. Friend's point.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is not really a year in which Ministers will take notice of what takes place at the Conservative Women's Annual Conference but that there soon will be a year when more notice will probably be taken?

We always take notice of all representations made to us from all quarters.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he withdrew his support for loan sanction to the Lichfield Rural District Council in regard to the sale of the Royal Air Force airfield, Fradley, eight days before the sale was due to take place.

The amount which the Lichfield Rural District Council was willing to pay, and for which my right hon. Friend was prepared to give loan sanction, was not in the region of that which the Air Ministry expected, and was in the event able to obtain.

I desire to put on record the courtesy and patience the Minister displayed in the negotiations concerning this airfield, in which I was a party, which lasted for many months. Is the Minister aware that there are certain undesirable features about this sale? Is he aware that on three occasions the district valuer, presumably at the Air Ministry's suggestion, increased his valuation? The sale is due for completion on 13th June. At no time was the Air Ministry prepared to give any indication of the price it wanted. The short notice of the change of policy by the Department seems to me at least to indicate that the public interest may not have been well served.

I do not think that there was a change of policy. What happened was that my right hon. Friend agreed to give loan sanction up to £150,000. Unfortunately, negotiations with the Air Ministry broke down. We agreed with the council that it would be well advised not to offer a higher figure. The real justification for the Air Ministry's view is that in the event it obtained £39,000 or so more than the council offered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is satisfied that, when approving the Staffordshire County Development Plan, account was taken of the fact that the Royal Air Force, Fradley, airfield was surplus to Air Ministry requirements and therefore should be included in the proposed green belt only three miles away;and what steps he will advise the county planning authority to take in support of the Lichfield Rural District Council to prevent further spoliation of the countryside by outside and unsightly dumps such as those in the near vicinity of this airfield.

The decision that this airfield was surplus to Air Ministry requirements had not been taken when the county development plan was approved in August, 1958. My right hon. Friend does not think that the county council needs any special advice from him about the exercise of its planning powers in this matter.

Is the hon. Member aware that this Government hold, outside the question of dockyards, airfields and other major installations, no less than 462,000 acres of land, of which 28,000 are on current sale? Is he further aware that the case of Fradley airfield has demonstrated a complete lack of co-ordination between his Ministry and the Air Ministry? If he will visit my constituency I will show him the most unseemly dumps of scrap scattered here and there, which cannot be moved because there is a shortage of staff on the local planning authority and the local authority.

I cannot confirm or deny the figures referred to in the first part of the hon. Member's supplementary question.

They came from the Ministry of Defence.

As to the second part of the supplementary question, I do not agree with the hon. Member's assessment of the situation.

On a point of order. In view of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has completed his study of the suitability of Dawley as a site for a new town for the relief of congestion in the Birmingham area;and whether he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. Having considered the report made to me by Mr. Sheppard Fidler I believe that a satisfactory new town could be built at Dawley to include ultimately 80,000 to 90,000 people, of whom I hope that over 50,000 could come from Birmingham. The building of a new town here will have its difficulties, but it will make minimum demands on agricultural land.

It is not very often that I am able to congratulate the Government, but in this case they have taken an extremely courageous and wise decision. Is my right hon. Friend aware that to use, for this new city, land which was made derelict as a result of the first Industrial Revolution, is a splendid idea? Is my right hon. Friend quite certain that this new city will provide sufficient employment for all the people in the area?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for what he has said. This site has involved problems and a great deal of expense but, on balance, it has been thought to be a wise step. On the second point raised by my hon. Friend, it is certainly our intention to seek to provide sufficient employment there for the whole population. I hope to secure the co-operation of the Birmingham City Council in persuading some of the industry now in that city to move out, thus helping to relieve the congestion in the city.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also consult his right hon. Friends, especially the President of the Board of Trade, in order to consider what can be done about shifting industry to the area? When a new population is moved into such an area as this it is vital that industry should also be there, otherwise the new town cannot be a success.

I agree entirely with the hon. Member. I shall consult my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this news will be greatly welcomed by many of the 50,000 people on the housing list in Birmingham? Can he give any idea when the project is likely to start, and will he bear in mind the absolute necessity for all the local authorities and industry to co-operate in this venture?

Yes. I will start immediately on the first stage, which will consist of consultations with the local authorities concerned. As soon as these are completed a draft designation order will be made, to which objection can be taken, and as soon as that phase is over I shall make the designation order either in the original or in a modified form.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange for a certain proportion of the money being made available for sport, in implementation of the Wolfenden Report on Sport, to be given to the British Sports Association for sport for the disabled.

The funds for voluntary organisations concerned with sport referred to in my statement of 8th May are to be allocated by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Education and the Secretary of State for Scotland. I suggest, therefore, that the Association should make its needs known to my right hon. Friends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Her Majesty's Government will finish considering the Report received by his Department in February 1962, on the theft of the Goya portrait;when he intends to publish the greater part of this Report;and if he will make a statement.

The Government have considered this Report, and intend to publish it, with some necessary omissions for security reasons, very shortly.

Why has it taken so long to publish this Report? Has the theft of pictures this week speeded things up? Can my right hon. and learned Friend tell me whether the report in a Sunday newspaper that the National Gallery applied to the Treasury, prior to the theft, for a grant of £100,000 to improve security arrangements is correct?

The last part of the hon. Member's supplementary question is out of order. The rest is all right.

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is, "No, Sir".

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman now say where the picture is?

No. Perhaps the hon. Member can help me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government that the policy contained in Command Paper No. 1626, Incomes Policy: The Next Step, should be applied to the fees of company directors.

The policy set out in the White Paper applies to all forms of personal income, including directors' fees.

Does that mean that the Government will intervene in future to decide the level of directors' fees?

No. Sir. We hope and believe that common sense will have regard to our policy.

In view of the fact that the only reason why the 2½per cent. rule should be breached is to attract people to a certain industry, and since there is no scarcity of candidates for this House, will my right hon. and learned Friend bear in mind the strong views of the hon. Member who put down this Question when he is considering any increase in emoluments for Members of Parliament?

I am not quite certain that that supplementary question arises out of the original Question.

Can my right hon. and learned Friend confirm that there is no evidence to support the statement that the fees of company directors have increased at all in the last twelve months? Is not he aware that, since last July, business has been exceedingly difficult for company directors, and that they are much more likely to suffer a diminution of fees than any increase, as a result of my right hon. and learned Friend's activities?

I am quite certain that there is no evidence of any general increase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what causes he attributes the rise of 6.4 points in the cost-of living index between April, 1961, and April, 1962.

2·2 points are due to the current shortage of potatoes and other seasonal factors affecting the price of foodstuffs. 0·6 of a point is due to increases in rents and rates. The remaining increase of 3·6 points, including 1·2 points on account of indirect taxation, is essentially the consequence, direct or indirect, of personal incomes rising faster than national production.

As the Chancellor keeps telling us that the object of his pay pause policy is to stabilise the value of money and prevent prices from rising, is it not remarkable that in the year of the pay pause we have had the fastest rise in the cost of living for many years?

The reason for this increase has been the prior increase of incomes at a higher rate than national production. I very much hope that later in the year we shall see the effects of the pay pause.

Can my right hon. and learned Friend say how many points have been attributable to the increase in the price of electricity and coal, the increase in the price of gas and the increase in the price of rail fares?

I cannot give those figures without notice.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman explain how he can possibly hope to maintain effective control over the rise in wages if he makes no attempt whatever to control the rise in prices?

That is one of the troubles about inflation. In order to bring it under control one has to take certain steps, as we had to do last July, which have the effect of increasing the cost of living. There are some interesting figures to be given by my hon. Friend the Finacial Secretary in answer to a later Question about the extent to which personal incomes have increased much more than the cost of living. They have also increased more than production, and that is the reason for the present position.

Did not the Chancellor admit in his first Answer that part of the rise is due to increases in indirect taxation for which he is responsible?

I should like the right hon. Gentleman to realise that in order to stop an inflationary situation one has to take that kind of action which may involve direct or indirect taxation.

Does not the Chancellor understand that if he had made increases in direct taxation instead he would have curtailed spending without raising prices?

I do not think that such increases would have taken place in time. Regarding Income Tax, I had to take immediate action indirectly in order to deal with the demand at the time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the increased prices now being charged for sweets and ice cream will affect his estimate of the revenue to be derived from them during the current year.

My right hon. Friend's estimate of the revenue took into account the effect on consumption of increased prices attributable to the tax. It is not possible to say how this estimate will be affected by any changes in tax-exclusive prices.

Does not the hon. Gentleman consider deplorable the manner in which certain sweets and ice cream manufacturers have increased the prices of their products following the Budget proposals? Will the Chancellor consider giving the same sort of lecture to these people as he has been giving to the wage earners in the past few months?

The Chancellor made it clear during the Committee stage discussions on the Finance Bill on 16th May that in his view when an increase in Purchase Tax is made the increase, and no more, should be passed on to the consumer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the Treasury receipts from Pool Betting Duty collected on greyhound totalisators for the months of January, February and March, 1962, divided as between the normal 10 per cent. duty and the 10 per cent. surcharge imposed since 26th July, 1961, and similar figures for Bookmakers' Licence Duties on greyhound racecourses for the same month.

I will, with permission, Circulate the reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the figures show that, due to the discriminatory practice of taxing just greyhound racing and not horse racing, there is no tax due to the Treasury from horse racing? Will the hon. Gentleman do something about altering the present discriminatory practice?

The figures show a slight fall in greyhound totalisator betting. It is not possible to say that they establish a trend, especially as the surcharge has been removed. It has been announced that the scope of the Pool Betting Duty is to be the subject of a review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures to show by how much wages and salaries would have had to rise each year since 1951 to take account of the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £sterling.

:Yes, Sir. With permission I will circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is not it about time that the Minister appreciated that this Government have been in power for over eleven years and that each year they have told us that they will make the £worth something;that they are going to mend the "hole in the pocket" and cut the cost of living? When do they propose to get down to doing this? Is he aware that the £is now worth less than at any time in the last eleven years? When do the Government propose to take some action?

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will get down to studying the figures to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT. They are remarkable and provide the clearest indication I have seen—I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for having put down his Question and giving me the chance to give this Answer—of the extent to which inflation has been due to increases in personal incomes which have increased more rapidly than the volume of production.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the more figures the Government circulate the faster the cost of living rises?

If the right hon. Gentle. man will study the Answer of my right hon. and learned Friend, he will find a full analysis of inflation during the past year. These figures show, more clearly than any I have ever seen, the need for an incomes policy, and I hope they will be accepted by the House.

Will the figures show to what extent increases in prices have led to automatic increases in wages and salaries, thus maintaining the vicious circle?

The figures shown are in answer to the Question which was put down, but may I say to the hon. Gentleman that if we have excess demand, as we had last July, no power on earth can keep stable prices unless one takes sufficient measures on the fiscal side to equate supply and demand, as we did on that occasion.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent it is to be the responsibility of the Minister Without Portfolio to mediate between employers and the trade unions.

None, Sir.

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Will he also give an assurance that from no source in any way related to his office will there come any suggestion that the Minister Without Portfolio has mediated when in fact he has not, as such suggestions, when they appear to be totally unfounded, cause my right hon. Friend to appear in a most eccentric light?

No statement of any kind was made from my office.

Can the Prime Minister say whether he has made any investigation into the widespread story, published in a large number of newspapers, that the Minister Without Portfolio had had discussions with the port employers on this matter? Does not he think something much more honest and straightforward should be said by the Government in view of the repudiation of these charges made by Mr. Crichton, and does not he think that the Government should make a full statement of what happened?

I know that Lord Mills played no part except as a member of the Cabinet. No statement to the contrary was made by me or by a member of my office.

May I have an elucidation of this point? Will my right hon. Friend give an absolute assurance that from no source of which he has any knowledge was information imparted to suggest that Lord Mills played any part in this mediation?

Yes, Sir, so far as I am aware, absolutely.

In order to clear up the matter, may I ask whether the Prime Minister is saying that the Government did not interfere in any way in an effort to influence these wage negotiations?

No, Sir. The employers themselves said in a statement immediately after the settlement that they were made perfectly aware of the attitude of the Government and of the result of their settlement on the incomes policy. There was no doubt about that at all. But they thought that there were particular circumstances which justified them in going beyond the policy.

asked the Prime Minister if he has considered the statement on disarmament by the international department of the British Council of Churches, approved on 4th April at a full meeting of the Council, and the resolution urging Her Majesty's Government not to be a party to the renewal of nuclear tests, passed nemine contradicente at the same meeting, copies of which have been sent to him;and what reply he has made to these representations.

I have considered both these documents which are, of course, sincere and thoughtful contributions to the discussion of these difficult problems.

Will the Prime Minister say whether he has in fact considered the three specific proposals made at the end of the longer of these documents? Also, does he recall that on 8th May he promised he would do what he could to ensure that Sir Bernard Lovell would have facilities to meet the American scientists engaged in the coming high-altitude tests? As it is now announced that these tests are to begin in three days' time, has the right hon. Gentleman been able to do anything about it?

Perhaps the second part of the supplementary question could be put on the Order Paper as it is a separate question. Regarding the Resolution of the British Council of Churches, as I say I have considered it and know how sincere they are in their feelings. I do not altogether accept the hon. Gentleman's summary of the resolution. The resolution urged Her Majesty's Government to press for no more than

"the minimum detection machinery necessary to give reasonable assurance that an agreement will be observed."

"Her Majesty's Government should not be a party to a final decision to renew tests without ensuring that the value of an agreement on atmospheric tests alone is explored."

The right hon. Gentleman has not referred to the specific paragraphs to which I drew his attention. Does he agree, for instance, that there should be a declaration by Her Majesty's Government that Britain will not be the first to use strategic nuclear weapons, which is demanded there? When he says that my other question does not arise, or is a separate question, is it not the case that there is also the demand for the ending of testing referred to in my Question on the Order Paper, and that these are the next tests?

Again, the last part of the supplementary question relates to tests but the Question related to the renewal of nuclear tests. The question of the strategic use of weapons is wholly different.

Would not the Prime Minister agree that the problem with all these statements is that anybody may take a sentence out of context and prove with it almost anything they like? Is it not the fact that what we are most concerned with is getting an agreement which will end this beastly business of testing, especially in the atmosphere, and that for the moment it is Russia which is holding it up?

I think that the right hon. Gentleman has very accurately summarised the position. But, as I said, knowing the sincerity with which these views are held, I thought it right to recognise that, although pointing out that the actual points made to me were exactly the ones that, with the general support of the House, we have been. pressing forward.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Some of my colleagues and I have had a preliminary talk with the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. There will be further talks during Mr. Marshall's visit. These discussions will, of course, be confidential.

Is the Prime Minister aware that there is strong feeling on both sides of the House, in view of the great sacrifices made by New Zealand on behalf of this country in two world wars and its exceptional dependence upon exports to this country, that we should not join the Common Market without cast-iron guarantees that New Zealand's trade with Europe as a whole, including Britain, will not be disadvantageously affected? In particular, can the Prime Minister assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will not agree to any transitional arrangements for New Zealand's trade if we join the Common Market without solid and clear arrangements that at the end of the transitional period New Zealand's trade will be maintained by a permanent agreement at the existing level at least?

I do not want to be drawn into the details of these negotiations, which are just beginning. I am sure that the hon. Member would feel it would be unwise for me to do so. On the question about Mr. Marshall, we suggested that the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand should visit this country because, although we have been in the closest touch with officials all through, we thought that a visit from him would be satisfactory, and it is exactly these questions that we are discussing with him.

I do not want to draw the right hon. Gentleman into too much detail on this, but may I ask whether he can assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will not enter into arrangements with the Common Market countries which do not guarantee New Zealand, to quote the Lord Privy Seal, at least outlets in Europe as a whole comparable with those which it now enjoys in Britain?

Had I not answered the first question I would not have been so well placed to answer the second. I think that it would be wise for me to stand by the general declaration Which Her Majesty's Government made on these matters and allow the negotiations to proceed.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand stated last week that he was not willing for the life of his country to be fixed for seven years or any other transitional period by the Common Market? Will my right hon. Friend assure the House and take the opportunity of confirming to the Commonwealth that we will not subject the life of Commonwealth trade to a transitional period?

All these matters must be considered as a whole. I repeat the broad declaration of the Government and I still say that it is better to see how the negotiations work out and whether or not satisfactory arrangements cannot be made.

While it is generally agreed that the overall trade of New Zealand should not be adversely affected by these negotiations, may I ask whether it would not be desirable to suggest to this distinguished gentleman that Canada is trying to find markets which would be a safeguard to that country and that New Zealand, by virtue of its geographical position, might also well take that sort of obvious step?

I am grateful for that suggestion. I think that the New Zealand Government are pursuing that, quite apart from any Common Market question, because it is obvious that, quite apart from whether Britain does or does not enter the Common Market, this market itself cannot absorb an indefinite amount. Therefore, it is obviously to their advantage to find other markets as well as the British market.

If binding agreements of any kind are made, would they not be binding on both sides, and is the Commonwealth prepared to tie itself indefinitely to agreements of this kind?

I think that it would be wiser to let the negotiations proceed and let the Government see what conclusions they reach and put forward their proposals, should they decide to do so, and let the House discuss them as a whole.

asked the Prime Minister whether, following the proposal of the Mexican Government at the Geneva Conference, it is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government that no nuclear testing will be carried out by Her Majesty's Government after 1st January, 1963.

I have made it clear that the Mexican proposal will be considered. The right hon. and learned Gentleman is suggesting a unilateral undertaking by Her Majesty's Government, however, and I do not think this would assist the negotiations.

In view of the announcement that the United States Government propose in a few days' time to carry out high-altitude tests, 400 to 600 miles into space, and the fact that the Soviet Government have announced their intention of carrying out similar high-altitude tests, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, if he is not prepared to take unilateral action, he would take the initiative in proposing to President Kennedy and Mr. Khrushchev that an agreed specified date should be arranged on which all tests should be ended, as suggested by the Government of Mexico?

Of course I sympathise with the right hon. and learned Gentleman's interest in this matter, which indeed we all share. The question is both the effective method and the right moment to make any new suggestions for some new negotiations.

Since the British nuclear deterrent died with Blue Streak, could we not at least say that we will not conduct any more nuclear testing because there is no point in it?

If I accepted, which I do not, the premise in the right hon. Gentleman's question, I do not see how to abandon something which he says is no good to us is such a wonderfully generous gesture for others to follow.

Would not the Prime Minister agree that in the case of these high-altitude tests, 400 to 600 miles high, it might be possible to make a limited agreement not to indulge in that kind of testing, without the necessity of verification on the spot?

That does not arise out of the Question, which deals with nuclear testing. If there is a special Question on 'high-altitude tests, as no doubt there may be, I will do my best to answer it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the report from the Monopolies Commission on their investigation into the motor industry electrical accessories trade.

I understand that the Commission hopes to be able to submit this report before the end of the year.

While thanking my hon. Friend for that bit of encouragement, may I ask whether he does not agree that it is most unsatisfactory that any position like this can be allowed to drag on for over five years? Does it not mean that if there is a monopoly position it has been allowed to go on with the Government's connivance unchecked all this time and that whatever evidence is collected now is likely to be completely in contradiction to that collected five years ago, because the situation has completely altered? Is not this a most unsatisfactory position?

I do not think that it could be denied that the situation may have altered since the inquiry started, but the inquiry has kept up with the changes as they have come along. My hon. Friend will know that the inquiry has extended into eight different classes of equipment and has been a very complex and technical one.

Does not this indicate that the Government have not the tools to do the kind of job which in the national interest we all want them to do? Could not my hon. Friend take powers to give himself the people, the bodies and the equipment to get on with the job quickly and efficiently?

We are investigating this matter at present, but we have to establish the truth. The truth in so complex a matter may take a long time to establish, no matter how large the organisation we may have to establish it.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the fact that these negotiations have taken five years supports the feeling that somehow the Government are not in real earnest to get to the bottom of all this? Although that feeling may not be justified by the facts, is my hon. Friend aware that the Government have accused themselves by being so dilatory in doing the work? Why cannot they get on with it?

That is certainly not justified by the facts. It is not the Government who are inquiring but the Monopolies Commission. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is not responsible for the conduct of the inquiry. Once a matter has been referred to the Commission, it is the Commission's responsibility to decide on its handling.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will curtail the imports of dairy products from countries outside the Commonwealth, in view of the fact that these imports continue to rise as a percentage of total available supplies from both home and Commonwealth sources;and if he will make a statement.

No, Sir. In any case, my right hon. Friend is-not aware that imports of such products from countries outside the Commonwealth are increasing as a proportion of total supplies.

Is my hon. Friend aware that over the past seven years this home market has absorbed an extra 1,000 mil- lion gallons of milk equivalent? Is he aware that 67 per cent. of the extra quantities used has come from abroad but that of that 67 per cent. only 38·5 per cent. has come from the Commonwealth? Is he aware that this is a trend which is rising? Is my hon. Friend further aware that his Department took no notice of dumped products from France last summer? Does he think that this sort of policy—if it can be called a policy —is in the interest of the farmer, the taxpayer or the Commonwealth?

Each case about dumping is dealt with on its merits. We are the main market for the Commonwealth's agricultural exports, in most cases, and provided that our farmers are assured of a reasonable standard of living it is greatly to the interests of the country, as a major trading nation, and to us all as consumers, and to the balance of payments, that there should be the freest possible imports of food supplies.

Is my hon. Friend aware that dumping of dried milk is going on at the moment, and that the only reason that the Milk Marketing Board has not put in an application is that it is so disgusted with its treatment last year that it has decided not to put in an application this year?

That is a different question, but an analysis of the number of cases in which dumping applications have been successful should leave those who wish to apply perfectly satisfied with the treatment they get.