asked the Minister of Education how many civil servants, established or permanent and temporary, respectively, were employed in Ministry of Education departments on 1st March.

asked the Minister of Education in view of the representations to him from the Essex and the Borough of Leyton Education Committees concerning the curtailment of proposals for improving education facilities and amenities in the borough of Leyton, to what extent he is now prepared to grant concessions to those protests.

I cannot at present add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 7th June.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now recognise South-East Essex Technical College as a regional college.

I shall be announcing my decision about the designation of regional colleges very shortly.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the shortage of teachers in the areas of Kirkby and Huyton, Lancashire, particularly for primary school teaching; and, in view of warnings given to parents of young children that it will not be possible to admit their children to the schools of their parents' choice in Sep-

The figures show 261 fewer staff in 1962 than in 1951. The following is the information:tember next, if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to deal with the situation.

Yes. I understand that even if no more teachers are recruited between now and September all but one of the infant schools in the area should be able to admit the five-year old children due to begin school in September. Meanwhile the Lancashire local education authority hope to secure more teachers for schools in these areas by additional recruitment and by transfer from other schools.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he proposes to take to ensure that widows of teachers are covered by teachers' pensions arrangements.

Provision is already made for this in the Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1956, but the teachers have so far felt unable to entertain a scheme in the form provided for in that Act.

asked the Minister of Education what advice he has given to the governing bodies of teacher training colleges regarding the arranging of bread and cheese lunches as a contribution to the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.

I have given no general advice to training colleges on this subject.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what encouragement he is giving to the use of the Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme in assisting the building of council and other residential dwellings.

My Department is working on the possible development of a system for house building similar to that used for schools by the Consortium referred to by my hon. Friend. The first experimental project has been recently completed: this is a block of flatlets for old people which I opened at Stevenage last week. Further work is now being done to apply the system to the building of family houses and flats.In addition. I am encouraging the formation of consortia by local housing authorities with big slum clearance problems, in order to promote technical co-operation on the basis of large-scale forward building programmes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, following his recent inspection of the housing situation in Manchester, what plans he has for alleviating the urgent need for additional housing there.

The Manchester City Council has recently decided to step up the rate of slum clearance to 4,000 a year and to make the greatest possible use of redevelopment sites within the city. I warmly welcome these two decisions and shall do everything possible to help the council to attain this target.The land problem is going to become very acute in a few years, not only for the city but for the whole of South-East Lancashire and North-East Cheshire. I am examining this problem as a matter of urgency.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why planning permission to develop an estate behind Rush Green Hospital, Dagenham, for housing has been allowed in view of the fact that it will drain into the already overloaded Riverside sewage works.

No objection was raised to the proposal on drainage grounds, and my right hon. Friend saw no reason to withhold permission on other grounds.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he proposes to take to deal with the rise in the building cost of local authority dwellings referred to in the Report of his Department for 1961, Command Paper No. 1725.

The financial measures taken by the Government a year ago, combined with action to speed up the carrying out of contracts approved but not started by local housing authorities, have already had the effect of reducing the overload on the building industry generally. In addition, steps have more recently been taken to follow up recommendations of the Emmerson Report directed to improving the efficiency of the industry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he intends to recommend the Liverpool Corporation to take, in furtherance of his current discussions with them, to speed up the clearance of the worst slums which he inspected during his visit to Liverpool on Friday, 15th June.

I made a number of suggestions when I met representatives of the council during my visit. These included concentration on bigger clearance areas so as to get more rebuilding done on slum sites; greater efforts to agree additional town development schemes with receiving authorities; and the co-ordination of plans and programmes with other authorities so as to attract outside firms with the prospect of large scale contracts over a period of years. I shall give the council all the help I can in giving effect to these suggestions.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will list the applications for compulsory purchase orders from Metropolitan borough councils now under his consideration; an what dates such applications were received; and what applications arose from the charging of excessive rents under the Rent Act, 1957.

The list is given below. There are 63 compulsory purchase orders farm Metropolitan borough councils before me, of which six have been submitted on grounds of excessive rents.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware that when applications are made to local authorities for permission to develop land, the information on the location and use published is not sufficient to enable the public to form a reasoned opinion on the advisability of the project; and if he will take steps to ensure that, in future, further information is made available to the public before final decisions are taken.

It is for each local authority to decide when publicity is warranted, and what form it should take, in the light of the advice given to them in Circular 21/61.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has now considered the various proposals submitted to him for the amendment of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not yet completed his study of these proposals.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which county councils have not yet completed the surveys of rights of way within their areas, as provided for under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949; and what action he proposes to take to have such surveys completed without further delay.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Skeffington) on 5th June. Since then Berkshire and Radnorshire have completed their definitive maps.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what further progress has been made towards final determination of which Essex local authorities shall be amalgamated in the proposed reorganisation of Greater London administration; and to what extent rateable value, transport, and social prejudice or aversion, respectively, among other factors are considered as relevant in reaching decision on an appropriate new local government unit.

Conferences have been held with the authorities concerned, and I expect shortly to receive the reports of the town clerks who conducted them. Their terms of reference, which were given in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mrs. Butler) on 10th April, set out the main considerations to be taken into account. These include size, communications and associations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the Report of the Local Government Boundaries Commission dealing with the special review area of the West Riding of Yorkshire will be made public.

The Local Government Commission for England has not yet published draft proposals for the West Yorkshire Special Review Area. I understand that these will be published very soon. Subsequently the Commission is required to consult with the interested authorities and bodies before formulating its final proposals. I do not expect that its report will be submitted to me before 1963.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, on his forthcoming visit to Scotland, he will be visiting central West Fife, in view of the serious economic problems which the area is likely to face in the near future.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the continued run-down in manpower employed at the National Coal Board workshops in Cowdenbeath; and what steps he has in mind to ensure that alternative employment is provided for those men who become redundant.

I understand that normal wastage has since the beginning of this year led to a reduction of 28 people or 6 per cent, in the labour force at these workshops. There has been no redundancy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants, established or permanent, and temporary, respectively, were employed in Board of Trade departments on 1st March, 1951, and 1st March, 1962, or on the nearest available dates; and what were the totals, respectively, of their salaries and wages paid as on those dates.

On 1st April, 1951, the numbers of established and temporary non-industrial civil servants in the Board of Trade, excluding staff recruited overseas, were 6,003 and 3,970, respectively. The cost of salaries and wages for the year ending 31st March, 1951, was about £5,200,000. On 1st April, 1962, the numbers were 5,861 established and 1,438 temporary, and the cost of salaries and wages for the year ending 31st March, 1962, was about £7,900,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the Industrial Development Certificate which was granted to a firm at Tiverton on condition that it would set up additional employment in Cornwall more than equal to the additional employment in Tiverton resulting from the granting of that Industrial Development Certificate.

In applying for an industrial development certificate, John Heath-coat and Company, Limited, said that they intended to transfer from Tiverton activities which would provide employment in Camborne equal to, or greater than, the employment resulting from the proposed development at Tiverton.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for Board of Trade Advisory Council aid have been received from Falmouth and Penryn; and how many have been granted.

Eight applications have been received for projects in the Falmouth employment exchange area, which includes Penryn. Seven of these have been rejected and one is still under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to conclude the negotiations for the purchase of land to enlarge the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate; and what are the causes of the delay.

Negotiations are proceeding, but I cannot yet say when they will be concluded. There has been no delay on my side.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the work at the Rootes Company development site at Linwood, Renfrewshire; and if he will make a statement.

The production space in this factory is substantially complete and the whole project should be finished by the end of this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are Her Majesty's Government's plans for helping the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company.

The matter is one in the first place for the Arts Council, who are holding discussions with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company at the latter's request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the present regulations imposed under the Riding Establishments Act are sufficient to ensure the humane treatment of horses in these establishments.

I have no reason to suppose that the existing powers conferred on local authorities by the Riding Establishments Act, 1939, are inadequate for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of convictions for living on immoral earnings in the Metropolitan Police district for the year 1961; and what were the countries of origin of those convicted.

141 persons were arrested in the Metropolitan Police District during 1961 and subsequently convicted of living on immoral earnings. The following table shows their countries of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations for deportation he confirmed in 1961; what were the offences involved; and what were the countries of origin of those deported.

Fifty-nine aliens were deported in 1961 following the recommendation of a court. Thirty-one of these had been convicted of offences against property; nineteen of passport offences and offences under the Aliens Order; and six of sexual offences. Forty-four of those deported were of European origin. The remainder came from other parts of the world, including twelve from the Middle East. I am sending my hon. Friend the details.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the unrest of the prisoners in the Manchester Prison, male section, due to their allegations about the bad quality of the food being supplied to them, and the attitude adopted towards them if they make a complaint; and if he will ascertain the facts of the situation.

I am informed that there is no unrest in Manchester prison and that the quality of the food is good; but if the hon. Member will let me have details of the information in her possession, I shall be glad to have further inquiry made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will state the number of policemen and police officers on duty at Club Row, Petticoat Lane, on Sunday, 8th July, to prevent possible disorders arising from the meeting held there by the British Union of Fascists;(2) what reports he has received from the Metropolitan police regarding the disturbances that occurred in Club Row, near Petticoat Lane, on Sunday, 8th July, as a result of the British Union of Fascists holding a meeting there.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that two Fascist organisations, neither of which is known as the British Union of Fascists, held meetings in the Club Row area on 8th July, but that there was no disorder at either meeting. In all, 38 constables and seven other police officers were present at the two meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions with the local authority associations on the changes proposed in the Civil Defence Corps and the Auxiliary Fire Services, which were mentioned in the White Paper on Defence, 1962.

After discussion with the local authority associations and in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister of Health, I am today sending to local authorities a circular detailing the Changes now to be made in the structure of the Civil Defence Corps to make it better able to discharge its rôle of providing a highly-trained nucleus around which a greatly expanded Corps could be organised if needed. The changes include the introduction of specific periods of enrolment and training obligations for volunteers in different categories, and the payment of bounty to those who undertake advanced training during a period of active engagement. Similar arrangements are made for the Auxiliary Fire Service. Copies of the circulars are available in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is introducing similar arrangements for the Civil Defence Corps and Auxiliary Fire Service in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the proposed Advisory Council on Commonwealth Immigration.

Yes. I have now completed the arrangements for the appointment of an Advisory Council which will be charged with the duty of advising me on any matters which I may refer to it from time to time affecting the welfare of Commonwealth immigrants in this country and their integration into the community. I am happy to say that the Dowager Marchioness of Reading has accepted my invitation to act as Chair- man of the Council, and that the following have agreed to serve as members:Sir Harold Banwell, Mr. Adrian Cadbury, Sir George Haynes, Miss Marjorie Nicholson and Lieut.-General Sir Archibald Nye.The Secretary of the Council will be Mr. W. N. Hyde of the Home Office.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent his Department has considered the plan for global telecommunications presented to Her Majesty's Government by a British company; and what reply has been sent to the company.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the plans prepared by the British Space Development Company for a satellite communication system. I had a general exchange of views with the chairman of the company some months ago, and my experts have had a number of talks with the company's experts. The company issued a statement in March about their proposals. Since then a Commonwealth Conference on Satellite Communications has been held, and their Report is being considered by Commonwealth Governments.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent Her Majesty's forces are dependent upon the United States of America for supplies of bacteriological weapons; to what extent liaison exists between the United States of America and this country on the research and production of bacteria for warlike purposes; and if he will make a statement.

I said in the House on 23rd November, 1960, that we were not stockpiling biological weapons. This is still true and the first part of the Question therefore does not arise. A limited amount of research concerned with the defensive aspects of biological warfare is carried out in the United Kingdom and in this, as in other fields of defence science, we have a liaison with the United States.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on wholesale potato prices; and what information he has on recent movements in retail prices.

At the end of June wholesale prices of potatoes, which vary widely according to district, variety and quality, ranged from about 62s. to 66s. a cwt. in the main markets. In the middle of last week prices had moved up by about 15s. to 20s. a cwt. but by the be-

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

During the Acting Secretary-General's visit to ginning of this week they had fallen to between 48s. and 60s. a cwt. As far as we can tell retail prices have in general been reflecting the trends in wholesale prices. The present high prices of potatoes are due to the effect on the new potato crop of late frosts and the recent long dry spell in the main potato growing areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish details for the main agricultural products of the subsidies paid to a convenient date in this financial year compared with 1960–61 and 1961–62.

The following are the details of the subsidies paid in the United Kingdom for the main agricultural products in the three months April to June in the years:London last week, my noble Friend the Foreign Secretary and I had several frank and useful conversations with him. They were of a confidential nature and the House will not expect me to discuss their substance.

asked the Prime Minister what undertakings he gave Mr. U Thant during their recent meeting of increased British contributions to the United Nations Special Fund and the Expanded Programme and Technical Assistance to fulfil the United Kingdom's pledge of support for the United Nations Development Decade.

My talks with the Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations were confidential; but no undertakings were given.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the consequences of the high-altitude test conducted by the United States authorities on Monday, 9th July, including its effect on radio communication, navigational aids, and research at Jodrell Bank and elsewhere.

I have nothing to add at this stage to newspaper reports about the effects of the high altitude test conducted on 9th July. Inevitably it takes time to evaluate a test of this kind.

asked the Minister of Transport how long it will be before work could start on the South Tees-side Parkway after authorisation of the scheme.

Under my rolling programme for classified roads, highway authorities are notified three years in advance of the year in which I am prepared to accept a scheme for grant. This gives them adequate time to acquire the land and prepare the engineering details. It should therefore normally be possible for work to start within a few months of authorisation of grant.

asked the Minister of Transport when he hopes to be able to authorise the building of the South Teesside Parkway.

This is an expensive project and I cannot yet say how soon it will be possible to include a section of it in my classified road programme.