asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why he refused permission to the London Committee of 100 to hold a rally in Trafalgar Square of 7th July.

My predecessor refused permission for this meeting because the organisers were unable to give an assurance that it would not be used to advocate or advertise, by speech or by the distribution of literature, a planned act of civil disobedience.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when he now expects the reconstruction of Number 10, Downing Street, to be completed.

This will depend on when work is resumed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will authorise his Department to issue receipts for large purchases of postage stamps at post office counters.

Such receipts can already be obtained if a written order for the stamps is presented. My Department gladly provides forms for this purpose. If my hon. and gallant Friend knows of any difficulty which has occurred and will let me have details, I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General how many civil servants, established or permanent and temporary, respectively, were employed in Post Office departments on 1st March, 1951, and 1st March, 1962, or the nearest available dales; and what was the total respectively of their salaries and wages as paid on those dates.

The numbers at the 31st March in these two years were:

			1951	1962
Established	…	…	244,853	291,662
Temporary	…	…	75,662	74,345

All staff not established are counted as temporary, and part-time staff are counted as one-half each.Expenditure on salaries and wages in the financial years ending on these dates was:

				£ million
1950–51	…	…	…	114
1961–62	…	…	…	279

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to appoint an advisory committee on Independent Television in Wales.

The setting up of this advisory committee is a matter for the I.T.A., whose attention has been drawn to paragraph 18 of the White Paper on Broadcasting (Cmnd. 1770). This endorses the Pilkington Committee recommendation that such a committee should be set up.The Authority inform me that with the appointment of a second programme company for Wales, and the forthcoming extension of their service to West and North Wales the question of appointing an advisory committee is now under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of his decision to use Band III for the All-Wales Television Service, if he will require the British Broadcasting Corporation to retain the technical form of the present Wenvoe Band I transmission so that the non-Welsh speaking population of South Wales will continue to receive the United Kingdom network without alteration to the receiving sets.

No change will be made to the technical form of the B.B.C's Band I transmissions from Wenvoe.

asked the Postmaster-General how many London telephone exchanges are on subscriber trunk dialling; how many will be using this system by the end of 1962; and when he expects all of them will be doing so.

42 London telephone exchanges have subscriber trunk dialling at present and I expect that 63 exchanges will have it by the end of 1962. Work is in progress at a further 79 exchanges, and on present plans it will be possible by 1966 for four-fifths of trunk calls from London to be dialled. It is expected that the whole of London will have S.T.D. by 1970.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many civil servants, established or permanent and temporary, respectively, were employed in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government departments 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.

The first complete financial year of the Department's life ended on 31st March, 1952, when 2,825 established and 570 temporary officers were employed; the cost of salaries and wages for that year was £2,410,614; for the year to 31st March, 1962, the corresponding figures were 2,499 established and 392 temporary officers at a cost of £3,836,054.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what plains he is making for additional new towns to meet the expected increase in the population of South-East England over the next 20 years.

The whole problem of the population increase to be expected in the South-East, and of its distribution, is at present being examined by my Department.This is a major undertaking. When we are ready the local authorities must be consulted and their co-operation sought, and it must be some time before we have conclusions. It would be premature at this stage to try to decide what part the new town machinery may have to play.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he intends to issue to local authorities Ms promised circular regarding houses without baths, hot water or inside toilets.

Very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the scheme for the purchase of land for African land settlement in Kenya, special provision is being made in respect of land owned by Agricultural Settlement Trust farmers, who purchased their holdings under the schemes approved by Her Majesty's Government and the Kenya Government and organised by the European Agricultural Settlement Board.

My right hon. Friend is awaiting detailed proposals for extended land settlement from the Kenya Government in accordance with the statement made by his predecessor in Kenya on 10th July. Until they have been received and considered I cannot say how much land occupied by the Agricultural Settlement Trust farmers will be included.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to extend to hospitals, other that State hospitals, in Kenya the concession whereby goods vital to their operation may be imported free of duty.

There is no import duty on essential medicines, surgical instruments or theatre equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has received to his representations to the Prime Minister of Uganda, requesting clarification of his Government's intentions regarding the holding of a referendum on the future of the two lost counties of Bunyoro.

My right hon. Friend has telegraphed the Governor asking him to bring this matter to Mr. Obote's attention and awaits his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the amount and nature of the assistance Her Majesty's Government are now giving to St. Helena.

St. Helena receives a grant in and of administration. This year it is expected to be approximately £113,500. In addition, approximately £10,000 per annum is being provided under the Overseas Service Aid Scheme and £1,250 is being given under the Commonwealth Teachers Act. £289,000 from Colonial Development and Welfare funds has also been made available for spending in the period 1959–64.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consult the British Broadcasting Corporation with a view to establishing an independent broadcasting system in the High Commission Territories in South Africa.

As a first step toward the establishment of broadcasting services in the High Commission Territories a B.B.C. engineer surveyed the Territories earlier this year to establish the minimum technical requirements. The High Commissioner is now studying his findings. The B.B.C. has offered to second a few expert staff to assist in establishing services. I am grateful for all their help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will seek to arrange that radio licence fees collected in the High Commission Territories should no longer be paid to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, pending a decision on the future of broadcasting in the Territories.

I am consulting the High Commissioner and will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have received his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any further steps have been taken to explore the possibilities of the islanders of Tristan da Cunha returning to their homes; and if he will make a statement on their future position.

The islanders are now housed at Calshot on Southampton Water and have found employment. Apart from the risk of another eruption and the difficulty of maintaining a reasonable standard of life and services on the island, the lava flow has made it much more difficult to land on it or leave it. Therefore in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government the best course is for them to remain in this country. The islanders were informed at the end of May that Her Majesty's Government could not take the responsibility of arranging for them to return this season. It is hoped to arrange for another inspection of the island in the autumn.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he will take steps to see that the 24-hour clock is used wherever it will reduce confusion in the publications of Departments.

I am not aware that the present practice leads to confusion; but if I am given examples where confusion has been caused, I will gladly look into them.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will consider legislation to establish home Government for Scotland whilst allowing representation for Scotland at Westminster on national matters in the same manner as now obtains for the six counties of the United Kingdom in Ireland.

No.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty when an action speed tactical teacher will be installed at the joint anti-submarine school in Londonderry.

An action speed tactical teacher is at present under development to replace the existing A.S.T.T. at the Joint Anti-Submarine School in Londonderry. No date of installation can as yet be given.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give a list of the labour stoppages, official and unofficial, which have contributed to the delay in building H.M. Submarine "Dreadnought" at the Vickers-Armstrong yard at Barrow-in-Furness.

There have been four official and five unofficial strikes some of which have tended to prejudice "Dreadnought's" completion date. The list of labour stoppages with their dates are as follows:1959— I week's strike of caulkers'—unofficial.10/6/60 — 21 /7/60Plumbers' strike—unofficial.27/1/61 — 13/2/61Welders' strike—official.10/3/61 — 30/3/61Shipwrights' strike—unofficial.24th July 1961Engine fitters' strike—unofficial.18/9/61 — 25/9/61Engine fitters' strike—unofficial.14/11/61 — 14/12/61Engine fitters' strike—official.

5/2/62	One day National strikes—official.
5/3/62

9/7/62—still out.Electricians' strike—official.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state the value of the special equipment which had been supplied by Her Majesty's Government to the Jodrell Bank Experimental Station to make possible its participation in the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System; and what arrangements had been made for the disposition of that equipment when participation ceased.

The value of the equipment is about £15,000; most of it has been drawn from existing stocks and will be returned to store for use elsewhere when no longer required at Jodrell Bank.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's intentions concerning the administration of justice in the Greater London area in the light of their proposals for local government in that area.

The Government recognise that changes in the provisions for the administration of justice must necessarily follow any major changes in the local government structure of the Greater London area. In formulating their proposals, they will also take into account the recommendations both of the Committee on Magistrates' Courts in London and of the Committee on the Probation Service which bear on the administration of justice in London. The Government's intention is to make their proposals the subject of a separate measure, which would follow any legislation dealing with local government in the Greater London area, but would be designed to come into effect at the same time.

asked the hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, what conditions his Committee lays down for the letting of dining rooms in the House for private lunch parties.

The Rules laid down by the Select Committee on Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms (House of Commons) for the Booking of private dining rooms are as follows:

1. Any advertisement or publicity in connection with the function must be submitted to the Manager of the Refreshment Department for the approval of the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee before publication.

2. All invitation and admittance tickets must bear the name of the Member in whose name the room is reserved.

3. No booking shall be made for a private dining room except by a Member, who shall attend the function and shall be solely responsible for the full settlement of the account.

4. The approximate number of diners shall be notified to the department on the Friday of the previous week and the exact number, which shall be charged, shall be given on the previous day.

5. No room shall be booked provisionally for more than two dates at one time for any one function.

6. No provisional booking shall continue for more than ten days, after which period, if confirmation is not received, the reservation shall be automatically released.

7. If rooms which have been definitely reserved are subsequently cancelled, allowing insufficient time to permit the room to be re-let, a booking fee shall be charged in the event of the room not being re-let.

8. Advanced bookings are subject to confirmation not more than six months before the date.

Perhaps I might further refer the hon. Gentleman to my replies of yesterday.— [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd July, 1962; Vol. 663, c. 952–3.]

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science why the survey being undertaken on behalf of the Atomic Energy Authority of potential beryllium resources in Southern Rhodesia has ended; and what were the results.

The Atomic Energy Authority tells me that the survey of potential beryllium resources in Southern Rhodesia, will be completed in the autumn, as planned. The assessment of the results will take several months thereafter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what total losses will be incurred by the Atomic Energy Authority as a result of the lessening demand for graphite.

The Atomic Energy Authority tells me that negotiations are proceeding with the graphite suppliers and with the Central Electricity Generating Board, the Authority's principal customer. It is not possible at present to give an estimate of the total loss which will ultimately fall on the Authority.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will name the firms who have been licensed by the Atomic Energy Authority to build irradiation plants.

The Atomic Energy Authority informs me that licences to use their patents and information to manufacture irradiation plants have so far been granted to Vickers Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd., Nuclear Chemical Plant Ltd., and Johnson's Ethical Plastics Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for strengthening the administration of justice in Lanarkshire.

It is proposed that three additional sheriffs substitute should be appointed, two at Glasgow and one at Hamilton.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation how many British expatriate civil servants were serving in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone at the time of those countries' independence; and how many are now serving in each of those countries.

Since these officers are not employed by the British Government exact figures axe not available to me. The information below is the best available of the numbers of pensionable expatriate officers. I have no firm figures of contract officers.

—		Number serving on independence	Number now serving
Ghana	…	580	30
Nigeria
Federation	…	870	555
North	…	900	640
East	…	105	90
West	…	135	110
Sierra Leone	…	250	115

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that on 15th July, 1962, traffic choked the Exeter by-pass with a 15-mile queue in both directions at one time; and what steps he has now taken to secure a freer flow of traffic in this area.

I am aware that there were lengthy queues of vehicles on the Exeter by-pass on Saturday, 14th July.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the traffic jams in the Exeter by-pass area, even before the summer peak volume is reached, he will consult the Secretary of State for War with a view to investigating the possibility of securing the cooperation of the Royal Engineers in duplicating the present bridge over the River Exe at the southern end of the by-pass with a Bailey bridge, thus enabling one-way traffic to operate at this bottleneck.

The 30 feet wide bridge over the River Exe is adequate for the single carriageway road that leads to it. The bridge over the canal nearby is narrower. But the provision of a Bailey bridge over it would be impracticable owing to the needs of navigation.