asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many petitions in bankruptcy were presented by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in the years ended 5th April, 1960, and 5th April, 1961, respectively.

203 and 259.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Income Tax and Surtax were lost in the years ended 5th April, 1960, and 5th April, 1961, by reason of individuals leaving the country to avoid payment; and what was the number of individual cases concerned.

The total of the Income Tax and Surtax written off as irrecoverable in the accounting years 1959 and 1960 because the taxpayers had gone abroad was £139,190 and £281,106 respectively: of these amounts Surtax accounted for £69,809 and £147,182 respectively. There were in all 683 individual cases in 1959 and 794 in 1960.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will establish a bookshop of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in Newcastle-upon-Tyne because of the congestion and consequent delays in the London mail order department.

No; the delays to which the hon. Member refers have been of a temporary nature.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that Bank Rate has been reduced from 7 per cent. to 4½ per cent., what are the reasons for those long-term interest rates for which the Government are responsible remaining high; and what steps he is taking to reduce them.

Long-term interest rates are determined by a variety of factors, of which one of the most important is the pressure of demand for capital and there is no direct or invariable relationship between long-term interest rates and Bank Rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the index of industrial production for April on the seasonal adjusted basis is 114, compared with 115 for March, and 115 for April last year, when he now expects industrial output to expand; what reasons there are for expecting such expansion; and if he will make a statement.

Small month-to-month movements in this index are not significant. In the three months February to April the index was two points up on the three preceding months. I expect this trend to continue. Exports, public consumption, and public investment have been rising, and I expect that they will go on doing so. Personal consumption should also rise with a change in the trend of food prices, and the relaxation of hire-purchase restrictions will give an additional stimulus. There is also the fact that there has been a sharp fall in stock-building since the end of last year—a process which I do not believe will continue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the estimated cost per week per head of the population for 1962–63 of health services, education, retirement pensions, industrial injuries, sickness benefit, housing subsidies and defence.

Estimated expenditure in 1962–63 on the defence budget is equivalent to about 12s. 6d. per week per head of the population. For the other items mentioned in the Question the 1962–63 Supply Estimates cover only part of the total expenditure but comprehensive figures covering expenditure by the central Government, by local authorities and by the National Insurance Funds are available for past periods in the National Income and Expenditure Accounts. For the calendar year 1961 the figures on this basis were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what economies he will make in Government expenditure, following the Sixth Report of the Estimates Committee which shows that Government spending this year is 24 per cent, higher than it was three years ago.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in this House on 27th February at the time of the publication of the Vote on Account for 1962–63.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of each class of hydrocarbon oils retained for home consumption during the year ended 31st March, 1962, and the net amount received in respect of duty thereon, showing, in particular, the amounts received on motor spirit and heavy oils used as fuel in road vehicles.

The particulars required are as follows:

asked the Minister of Works why permission was granted for a meeting to be held in Trafalgar Square in July, the avowed object of which is to hold up certain British citizens to hatred, ridicule and contempt; whether he was aware of this object before consent was given; and whether he will reconsider this decision in order to avoid abuse of the principle of freedom of speech, and its possible consequences.

asked the Minister of Works if he will reconsider his decision to allow the use of Trafalgar Square for a meeting on 1st July, in view of the fact that the meeting is being held for the promotion of National Socialism the tenets of which are conducive to breaches of the peace.

Permission to hold this meeting was given in accordance with normal practice. This is to allow any organisation to hold a public meeting, provided the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police sees no reason, in conformity with his duty to ensure that public order is maintained, to object. I am sure that it would be wrong for me to use my powers under the Trafalgar Square Regulations to operate political censorship, intensely as I dislike the objects of this particular meeting.

asked the Minister of Works when the present contracts for catering in the Royal Parks expire; and if, in the next contracts, he will provide for restaurants giving better meals in better surroundings.

The present contracts expire in February of next year. I shall certainly aim to secure then such improvements as I can having regard to the uncertain demand and the limitations of finance.

asked the Minister of Work in view of the fact that the persons privileged to use the Horse Guards Parade as a free car park are parking their cars on the middle of the Parade to the detriment of the public amenities of the area, if he will now forbid parking on the Parade.

No. The regular parking arrangements have been disturbed recently, mainly owing to the erection of stands for The Queen's Birthday Parade, but parking has not extended to the middle of the Parade. Cars are now again being parked round the edge.

asked the Minister of Works in view of the complaints he has received from applicants and staff at the National Assistance Board offices, Stanley Road, Liverpool, 4, that they can be clearly seen and recognised by the public passing outside, when the necessary alterations to ensure privacy will be commenced and completed.

The alterations were completed on 18th June.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is yet in a position to announce the level of Post Office capital expenditure planned for the years 1964–65 and 1965–66, respectively.

My right hon. Friend's present plans provide for capital expenditure on fixed assets of £167 million in 1964–65 and £177 million in 1965–66. The public investment programmes for these years have still to be approved by the Government.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will introduce a special stamp of the Da Vinci cartoon and apply the proceeds of its sale to the purchase of the cartoon.

No.

asked the Postmaster General whether he will consider making portable transistor sets subject to the same licence payment arrangements as other radio sets.

At present a wireless licence covers the use by members of the household of any number of sets installed in the home and also portable sets used either inside or outside the home. My right hon. Friend sees no reason why this should be changed.

asked the Postmaster-General what report he has had from the Independent Television Authority about its new agreement with the tobacco manufacturers on future cigarette advertising.

The Authority has informed my right hon. Friend of the completion of its study of the type and style of cigarette advertising on television. Modifications are being made to these advertisements, which will include the reduction or removal of those aspects of the advertising which could reasonably be taken to make a special appeal to young people. The Authority has had full co-operation from the tobacco manufacturers.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will publish in the Official Report the takings of the telephone kiosk at Swinhope, Lincolnshire, for the years 1960 and 1961.

The takings for the last two financial years were £13 1s. 3d. and £17 18s. 4d. respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will reconsider the application of the county borough of Sunderland for financial assistance towards the cost of the Intercepting Sewer Scheme.

No. My right hon. Friend has no power to make a direct contribution towards the cost of this scheme, though the council will receive assistance through the rate deficiency grant.

asked the Minister of Defence if, in view of the widespread anxiety caused by the exclusion in certain circumstances of the Press from courts-martial, he will so co-ordinate measures that the Service Departments ensure that in future adequate notice is given to representatives of the Press of such proceedings.

There is no question of excluding the Press from courts-martial otherwise than for reasons of security or in the interests of justice as provided by law. The position is therefore the same as in the civil courts in this country.As regards the arrangements for publicising courts-martial, my right hon. Friends the Service Ministers are introducing certain improvements. First, brief descriptions of charges will always be included in the public notices of forthcoming courts-martial which are displayed in recognised places accessible to the Press and public at least twenty-four hours in advance. Second, in all cases copies of the charge sheets will be made available to the Press at the trial.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will make proposals to the United States of America for improved machinery to facilitate the two-way flow of information concerning the defence policies of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, respectively.

No. The present machinery works well and has resulted in general agreement on broad issues of defence policy.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has now decided whether or not to inquire into conditions at Hilden camp, near Dusseldorf, with particular reference to food, superior officers and discipline.

I have now received a report from the Commander-in-Chief, British Army of the Rhine, following inquiries which he himself instituted into the situation at Hilden Camp. In the light of this report I am satisfied that the incident of 28th January, 1962, was caused by a few trouble-makers and did not reveal any circumstances which would justify any special inquiry.Until last year these barracks had not been scheduled in the long-term order of battle, and so little had been done to bring them up to modern standards. However, a programme costing £29,000 is already in hand to include improvements to the rank and file dining room and kitchen, the sergeants' mess, the gymnasium, the ablutions and the barrack accommodation.

asked the Minister of Power what plans he has to increase activity in the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend, in answer to a Question on 16th April last, explained that the level of activity in the steel industry depends on the state of the economy and general trade. These are among the main concerns of the Government, who are taking steps to expand the economy on a sound basis.

asked the Minister of Health when he now expects to receive the report of the Rubery Hill inquiry, and to announce his decisions upon it; and whether the report will be published in full.

I expect to be able to make a statement in a few days.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the confusion caused to hospital pharmacists by his letter to them of 1st June on the purchase of drugs subject to patent protection; what steps he is taking to correct the mistakes of fact made in the advice given; and if he will make a statement.

A further letter was issued on 13th June to clarify certain points.

asked the Minister of Health how many firms are licensed under patent to produce hydrocortisone; and if hospitals may purchase this drug through any of the licensees.

I am advised that no licensees for the supply of hydrocortisone are registered with the Controller of Patents.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has had from drug manufacturers regarding his circular, No. HS3B/94302/1/122, sent to hospitals on 1st June, concerning the purchase of drugs subject to patent protection.

Five firms have made representations that they hold a patent or licence for drugs mentioned in the circular.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to ascertain how many infants were found at birth to show deformities due to the taking of the hypnotic drug thalidomide by women in the early stages of pregnancy.

The deformities due to this drug cannot always be distinguished from those due to other causes. The number of deformed, births could not be ascertained without a detailed examination of hospital and other records, which I do not consider would be justified.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent it is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government to approve the holding by nationalised industries, in appropriate cases, of the majority shareholdings in, and the control of, private enterprise firms.

To the extent that it helps them to discharge the functions laid upon them by Statute.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek to arrange with the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth for the holding of a conference of representatives of the Commonwealth Parliaments to discuss the Common Market and its effects on the Commonwealth.

All the Commonwealth Prime Ministers have agreed that we should meet in London on 10th September to discuss the Common Market. I think that it would be better to adhere to this plan.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the Report of the Royal Commission on the Press.

I am informed that the Royal Commission on the Press has almost completed its work but that it is unlikely that the Report can be presented before the Summer Recess.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why the Royal Marine Band of the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, was recently sent to H.M.S. "Royal Arthur", Corsham, Wiltshire; what were the days of proceeding to and return from Corsham, respectively; what were the costs incurred; from what source these costs were met; what functions the band provided or attended on Sunday 3rd June; to what extent the band was on duty from the time of leaving its depot until its return; and what insurance cover was taken out to cover the periods it was not on duty.

The band was required in H.M.S. "Royal Arthur" for the Commander-in-Chief's inspection on Monday morning, 4th June. The bandsmen travelled to Corsham on Sunday. 3rd June and returned the following afternoon. The cost for travel was £22, which was met out of public funds. On the Sunday, the band played at the annual rally of the Wiltshire County British Legion, at which the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, took the salute during the parade and march past. After this parade, the band performed the ceremony of Beat Retreat in H.M.S. "Royal Arthur." The band was on duty the whole of the time, but was insured by the organisers for the period of its participation in the British Legion Rally.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the total number of separate buildings occupied by the Admiralty at Bath, Somerset; by which departments they are used; and what consideration has been given to combining the work of separate buildings, reducing the staff and releasing sites and buildings.

The Admiralty Offices in Bath and the occupying departments are as follows:Foxhill—Director General Ships; Director of Armament Supply.Ensleigh—Director General of Weapons; Director General of Dockyards and Maintenance; Director of Contracts (part); and certain secretariat and accounting units.Warminster Road—Principal Director of Accounts (part).Empire Hotel—Certain Secretariat and Common Services units. Superintendent of Admiralty Material Standardisation.1 Pulteney Street—Principal Director of Accounts (part).James Street, W.—Director of Stores (part) providing garage for Admiralty vehicles.The sites at Foxhill, Ensleigh and Warminster Road have a number of separate buildings of the "hutments" type. The long-term aim is to concentrate all Admiralty staff in Bath on one site and to relinquish the surplus hutments and other buildings. Discussions have taken place with the Ministry of Works about the possibilities of making a start on this.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the average number of official visits undertaken by Admiralty staff from Bath to the Admiralty, and vice versa, respectively, during the last financial year, and the total annual cost of travelling and subsistence for this purpose.

I regret that the full information asked for could be extracted from records only with a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.From an examination of some 20,000 individual travel warrants and a further number of subsistence claims it has been established that in a typically busy month (October, 1961) 393 official journeys were made from Bath to London and 207 from London to Bath. The total cost of travelling and subsistence was £2,686.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of occasions during the year ended 31st March, 1962, on which the airfield of H.M.S. "Ariel", Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, was open outside the normal hours of 0800 to 1600 on Mondays to Fridays for flights of V.I.P's and senior officers, test flights, receipt and onward dispatch of aircraft delayed by bad weather or mechanical trouble, and the conveyance of emergency hospital cases, respectively; what was the overtime cost of each occasion; and what was the total number of occassions.

The detailed information requested is not readily available but I can say that during the year ending 31st March, 1962, the airfield was opened outside the normal hours on 248 occasions on 214 days for a total of 535 hours, at a cost in overtime, for contract and direct labour, of about £10 per hour. It is more economical to incur overtime by opening the airfield when it is needed than to extend its hours of normal operation.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the total accommodation at Wykeham Hall, H.M.S. "Daedalus" Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, the number of rooms occupied by the Flag Officer Air (Home) for his personal use, and the purposes for which the other rooms are used.

Excluding lavatories and bathrooms, but including adjacent hutted accommodation, Wykeham Hall comprises 76 rooms, one of which is used as a personal office for the Flag Officer Air (Home) and the remainder as offices for his headquarters staff.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of rooms in the original accommodation provided for the commanding officer of H.M.S. "Ganges", the Boys' Training Establishment at Shotley, Suffolk, and his family; what is the present use of this accommodation; what is the number of rooms now occupied by the commanding officer at Erwarton Hall; what is the distance of the hall from the establishment; and why, on 5th June, the Admiralty paid £11,000 for the hall.

Erwarton Hall has been the residence of the captain of H.M.S. "Ganges" since 1905. Until this year it has been occupied under lease. It was purchased on 5th June to ensure its continued availability as the captain's residence.The accommodation comprises four bedrooms, one dressing room, six attic rooms, a drawing room, dining room and study as well as the usual offices.The house is two miles from the establishment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the Potato Marketing Board regarding acreage quotas for the 1962 crop.

None. This is a matter for the Potato Marketing Board under the provisions of the Potato Marketing Scheme. In fact the Board is not imposing any excess acreage contribution for the 1962 crop.

asked the Minister of Education how many married women have been appointed to teaching since the beginning of the present year.

I recently asked local education authorities to let me know how many appointments they made of married women returning to teaching between 1st February and 1st June this year I hope to have this information available within a month. So far 95 education authorities have replied.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement about General Certificate of Education results at advanced level in secondary modern schools and independent schools recognised as efficient.

Last year my Department carried out a survey of the G.C.E. achievements of pupils leaving grant-aided secondary schools and independent schools recognised as efficient. The results will be published later in the year as a special Supplement to Statistics of Education, 1961, Part 2. This will contain a great deal of new information, and will include, for example, the numbers of school leavers holding qualifications appropriate for entry into institutions of higher education.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on the memorandum submitted to him by the National Association of British Manufacturers expressing concern at the general standards of education of young people entering industry.

The memorandum, which was mainly concerned with day release, was discussed at a meeting between representatives of the Association and the Ministry of Education. I could not accept all the Association's specific proposals, but I am in broad agreement with its general objectives in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, boys and girls, respectively, under the ages of 15, 16 and 17 years, were remanded to prison, instead of being sent to remand homes or remand centres, in England and Wales, during the year ended 31st December, 1961.

42 boys and 1 girl under 15; 169 boys and 11 girls under 16; and 522 boys and 25 girls under 17. These figures include committals to prison to await removal to an approved school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, boys and girls, respectively, under the ages of 15, 16 and 17 years, were remanded to prison, instead of being sent to remand homes or remand centres, in England and Wales, during the period 1st January to 31st March, 1962.

Two boys and no girls under 15; 30 boys and 1 girl under 16; 130 boys and 5 girls under 17. These figures include committals to prison to await removal to an approved school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is taken by the Metropolitan Police in respect of vehicles emitting undue quantities of diesel fumes.

Action is taken whenever there is sufficient evidence that the law has been broken, and in the first quarter of 1962 there were 37 convictions in the Metropolitan Police District.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Police that a system of separate local police forces should be continued in Great Britain, he will make a statement about the future organisation of the police.

The recommendations of the Royal Commission are being carefully considered, and will be discussed with the representative bodies concerned. I can say at once, however, that I accept the view of the majority of the Commission that the police outside the Metropolitan Police District should continue to be locally administered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide statistics showing the amount of crime in England and Wales in 1961 as compared with 1960.

INDICTABLE OFFENCES KNOWN TO THE POLICE
Offence Group		1960	1961	Percentage Variation
				1960/59	1961/60
Larceny	…	489,258	531,430	+9·7	+8·6
Breaking and entering	…	151,378	164,986	+13·0	+9·0
Receiving	…	11,696	13,777	+14·1	+17·8
Frauds and false pretences	…	36,049	39,651	+5·8	+10·0
Sexual offences	…	19,937	20,404	-0·4	+2·3
Violence against the person	…	15,759	17,601	+13·6	+11·7
Other offences	…	19,636	19,051	+11·8	-3·0
Total	…	743,713	806,900	+10·1	+8·5

Provisional figures show that the number of persons found guilty of indictable offences increased by 11·5 per cent. The increase among persons aged 17 and under 21 was 11·1 per cent.; among juveniles aged 14 and under 17 it was 12·1 per cent.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what arrangements he is making for an exhibition in the Palace of Westminster illustrating Indian economic progress and the British contribution to it.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what arrangements he is making for an exhibition in the Palace of Westminster illustrating Indian economic progress and the British contribution to it.

I am glad to say that hon. Members will have an opportunity of seeing something of India's economic and social progress and the contribution Britain is happy to be making at an exhibition prepared by the Indian Government which will be on display in the Upper Waiting Hall of the Palace of Westminster from next Tuesday, 3rd July, to Friday, 6th July. I am glad to have been instrumental in making this

The following table gives the figures of indictable offences known to the police for 1960 and provisional figures for 1961, and shows the percentage variation between each of these years and the previous year:exhibition available in the Palace to Members.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish as a White Paper, or in other suitable form, a full list of the tariff changes by Commonwealth Governments on United Kingdom goods since the Ottawa Agreements, together with information showing the effect of such tariff changes on United Kingdom exports to the particular Commonwealth countries by volume or value.

I do not consider that the publication of a full list of such tariff changes over the last thirty years would be of sufficient general interest to justify the work and cost involved. Details of British exports to Commonwealth countries are published by my Department in the Trade and Navigation Accounts, but it is not possible to distinguish the effect on them of tariff changes in Commonwealth countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a further statement on the two projects in Sunderland which were being considered under the Local Employment Act on the terms of revised requirements.

Assistance under the Act has been offered to one of these projects: the other application has been rejected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a further statement on the two projects in Sunderland for which assistance had been approved in June, 1961, but which were in abeyance in March, 1962.

Building has already started on one of these projects, which the company concerned is financing from its own resources. The other firm's application for assistance is still under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a decision has yet been taken on the question of extending beyond the 30th September, 1962, the period in which produce of the Western Cameroons is to be regarded as eligible for Commonwealth preference.

Yes. A draft Order in Council under Section 2 (4) of the Import Duties Act, 1958, has been laid today before each House of Parliament. Its effect, if approved, will be to add the name of West Cameroon as from 1st October, 1962, to the list of countries included in the Commonwealth preference area. The present intention is that the inclusion of West Cameroon in the area shall be maintained until 30th September, 1963, but not beyond that date. The question will be reviewed again not later than April of next year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage increase or decrease in the value of British exports to the Commonwealth, to the six members of the European Economic Community, and to the six members of the European. Free Trade Association, respectively, between the second half of 1960 and the second half of 1961.

The following is the information:

UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS
——	Second half, 1960	Second half, 1961	Percentage change
	£m.	£m.
To Commonwealth (excluding Republic of South Africa and South West Africa Territory)	670	618	- 7·8
To European Economic Community	257	311	+21·0
To European Free Trade Association (excluding Finland)	189	215	+13·8