asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of loans to local authorities by the Public Works Loan Board in 1961; and what was the amount of loans this year, at the latest convenient date.

During 1961 the Public Works Loan Board lent £52·2 million to local authorities. Loans made up to 6th July this year amount to £22·8 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will state the rates of interest for longterm borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board from October, 1951, to date;(2) if he will state the total sums lent by the Public Works Loan Board to local authorities in Scotland in each of the years from 1951 to date.

The following is the Answer:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether lie will announce the outcome of Her Majesty's Government's discussions with the British Academy on the proposals in their Report on Research in the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

Yes. In the light of these discussions and on the Government's suggestion, the British Academy prepared an outline scheme under which the Academy itself would administer an additional grant for the support, in various ways, of research in the humanities. The scheme excludes the social sciences, which present a different problem involving a wider field of Government interest.The Government propose, subject to the approval of Parliament, that an additional grant of £25,000 should be made to the British Academy in 1963–64 to enable them to begin implementing this scheme. We envisage that in, say, two or three years' time the figure might rise to a steady level of £50,000 a year. Any extra administrative costs incurred by the Academy in administering the scheme would be found out of the grant.The British Academy have said that they warmly welcome an arrangement on these lines. The Government for their part appreciate the efforts of the British Academy both in presenting the problem constructively to the Government and in devising the means of dealing with it.

asked the Minister of Works what progress he is making in improving the position of the traffic signals and stop lines in Hyde Park by the Duke of Edinburgh Gate.

New positions for the traffic signals and stop lines have been agreed, and the Westminster City Council expect to make the alterations within the next few weeks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, from information available to him in the compilation of his statistical digest, the average price of coal, per ton, exported from the United Kingdom to Western German, France, Holland, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Canada and other Commonwealth countries, respectively, during the month of May, 1962.

The following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much was earned in the export or renting of British films in Europe and the United States of America, respectively, in 1961; and if he will give the comparable figures for 1960.

The available information relates to the overseas earnings of British films actually remitted to the United Kingdom in respect of the rents, royalties and sales of rights analysed according to the areas from which the currency was received, which are not necessarily the areas in which it was earned. Figures for 1960 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the experience recently gained of the working of Section 36 (3) (c) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act, if he will introduce legislation to repeal this subsection.

No. The subsection has been in operation only since 1st June, but it is the same in effect as the provision it supesedes, which had operated without causing any difficulties for almost 100 years, and I know of no reason why it should be changed. I should add that this Section does not apply to patients who have been through the courts and whose discharge is subject to the Secretary of State's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the delays in dealing with cases coming before Hamilton sheriff court; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with the matter.

I am aware that there has been delay in dealing with some summary criminal cases coming before the Hamilton sheriff court. I am considering how the situation might be improved.

asked the Lord Advocate how many civil servants, established or permanent and temporary, respectively, were employed in the Lord Advocate's department on 1st March, 1951, and 1st March, 1962, or the nearest available dates; and what was the total, respectively, of their salaries and wages as paid on those dates.

On 1st March, 1951, and 1st March, 1962, respectively, 20 (1 temporary) and 24 (2 temporary) civil servants were employed in my Departments in London and in Edinburgh. The annual totals, respectively, of their salaries as paid on these dates were £17,442 and £38,687.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what is the operative date of the pre-1917 basic rate of long service pension for able seamen of 10d. a day for 22 years' service; and what is the approximate number of these pensions still being paid.

The pre-1917 basic rate of long service pension for able seamen of 10d. a day for 22 years' service was applicable to men entering the Royal Navy on or after the 1st January, 1885. It is not possible to say how many of these pensions are still being paid without making an examination of each of about 62,000 pension cases.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that an able seaman long service pensioner, aged 54 years, is drawing only £1 2s. 9d. per week pension, after 25 years' service; how many similar cases there are; and whether any further sums can be paid to them from charitable or service funds for which he is responsible.

This appears to be a case where the pension was awarded under the 1919 Code and the pensioner has not yet qualified by age for the award of pensions increase. It would not be possible to say how many similar cases there are without making an examination of each of same 62,000 pension cases. In the normal way this pensioner will be entitled to an age addition of 2s. 11d. a week when he reaches the age of 55. He will also be eligible for increases under the 1944–47, 1952, 1956 and 1959 pensions increase schemes when he is 60. Exceptionally, however, if he becomes permanently incapacitated from working, pensions increase can be awarded at once. He, like any other naval pensioner, is eligible for consideration for the award of a special pension from the funds of Greenwich Hospital, awarded according to the degree of need and the applicant's medical category.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that an ex-colour-sergeant Royal Marines long service pensioner, aged 56 years, is drawing a pension, for 21 years' service, of 1½ a day pension per year of service, one penny for each of three good conduct badges, two pennies for the good conduct medal, one penny for 21 years' good conduct, 22 halfpennies for sergeant's time, eight farthings for corporal's time and five pennies age 55 increase, total £1 12s. 5d. per week; how many similar cases there are; and whether any further sums can be paid to them from charitable or service funds for which he is responsible.

This appears to be a case where the pension was awarded under the 1919 Code and the pensioner has not yet qualified by age for the award of pensions increase. It could not be a pension awarded under any later Code, although the pensioner may have chosen to take it in preference to a pension under the 1945 Code. It would not be possible to say how many similar cases there are without making an examination of each of some 62,000 pension cases. In the normal way this pensioner will not be eligible for any increase of his pension from naval funds until he reaches the age of 60. He will then be eligible for increases under the 1944–47, 1952, 1956 and 1959 pensions increase schemes. Exceptionally, however, if he becomes permanently incapacitated from working, pensions increase can be awarded at once. He, like any other naval pensioner, is eligible for consideration for the award of a special pension from the funds of Greenwich Hospital, awarded according to the degree of need and the applicant's medical category.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps he has taken to ensure that those appointed to serve in the staff of the British High Commission in Commonwealth countries in Africa have a good knowledge of the main African language of the country concerned.

All senior Commonwealth Service officers serving overseas are encouraged to learn Commonwealth languages other than English in countries where this knowledge will be to the public advantage. For the more widely-spoken languages their tuition fees are paid from official funds. As regards Africa, where of course most of our Missions are comparatively new, approval has been given for training in Hausa and Swahili and, in consultation with the High Commissioners concerned, I am considering whether there are any other African languages which should be similarly covered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give figures showing for each county or region how many existing dwellings were built before 1880.

I regret that no reliable information is available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many housing authorities have reviewed their slum clearance programmes since he requested them to do so in January, 1960; for those authorities which have already done so, what is the number of dwellings that have become unfit for human occupation since 1955; and what percentage increase these figures represent as compared with the estimates submitted by the authorities in 1955.

Revised proposals have been approved for 419 local authorities. The returns are directed to future programmes rather than to the re-surveying of the slum problem and do not give separately the figures for which the hon. Member asks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many ho using authorities have prepared and submitted reports on overcrowding since 1957; for those authorities which have done so, what is the number of new houses required to eliminate overcrowding in their districts; and what proportion of the overcrowding occurs in houses declared to be unfit for human habitation.

No such reports have been asked for or submitted since the war. The large amount of detailed survey work involved would have diverted the attention of local authorities from more urgent housing tasks. The information asked for in the second and third parts of the Question is not therefore available. Local authorities have, however, done much to reduce overcrowding in providing more than 2¼ million new houses in England and Wales since 1945, and are continuing to do so under current building programmes.

asked the Minister of Education if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the number of children from special schools for the deaf in Lancashire who have over the past three years proceeded to secondary education.

Secondary education is provided in the senior departments of the special schools for the deaf in Lancashire. In addition 15 children from five Lancashire schools were transferred to schools providing separate secondary education.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress he is making towards the establishment of a sub-post office at Uplands, Fareham.

My right hon. Friend hopes to open a sub-post office very shortly. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have more definite information about the date.

asked the Minister of Transport what reply he has sent to the Derbyshire County Council in response to its representations concerning the danger to the safety on the roads of school-children and other pedestrians arising from the intensive transport of opencast coal in the village of Whitwell.

The Derbyshire County Council sought approval in principle for two schemes to improve the footways in Whitwell. I gave this approval and agreed that advantage should be taken of any favourable opportunity to acquire the necessary land.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an Army long-service pensioner is drawing £1 3s. 7·50d. basic pension, with increases 1944–47 9s. 5·50d., 1952 10s. 0d., 1956 2s. 4·35d., total £2 5s. 5·35d. per week; how many similar cases there are; and whether any further sums can be paid to them from charitable or service funds for which he is responsible.

I know of no Army Service pensioner who receives a sum of this kind. There should be none, and if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind I will gladly look into it.