asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the number of days in each month since the start of its participation on which the Jodrell Bank radio telescope had been employed in the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System; and what discussions he has had with the Manchester University regarding the effects of this work on their scientific programme.

The telescope programme is entirely a matter for the Director of the Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratory. I understand, however, that there have been no interruptions to the normal programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement about the conclusion of a defence agreement with Sierra Leone.

The Governments of Sierra Leone and Britain have recently consulted together about the need for a defence agreement as envisaged in the Report of the Constitutional Conference held in London in April and May, 1960 (Cmnd. 1029). The two Governments have decided that in present circumstances there is no need for any such agreement between them. Each Government has, however, agreed to continue to afford to the other at all times such assistance and facilities in defence matters as are appropriate between partners in the Commonwealth.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs When he will be able to publish a list of his proposed modifications to the Glamorgan (Area No. 2) Development Plan, in view of the fact that the delay in his final decision on the plan is causing inconvenience.

I hope to be able to publish the list of modifications to this plan within about two months.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he has now reconsidered the proposal that improvement grants be made available for installing baths without the existing condition that they must be in a separate bathroom.

Yes. While I can see that there might be grounds for permitting this in certain cases, it would involve an amendment of the standard grants scheme for which legislation would be needed. I can hold out no hope of that at the present time.

asked the Minister of Power what pits and mines have been closed in Bedlingtonshire, Blyth and Seaton Valley since vesting day, and what was the number of men employed in them over a reasonable period prior to closing.

I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the estimated numbers of school-leavers, male and female, respectively, during the years 1962–70; what the estimated numbers of male and female workers in industry who will reach the ages of 65 and 60, respectively, during the same period; and what is expected to be the net estimated gain in the labour force for the years 1962–70.

It is estimated that during this period about 3,380,000 boys and 3,240,000 girls will leave school; that about 1,850,000 male and 1,075,000 female workers will reach the ages of 65 and 60, respectively; and that the labour force will increase by about 750,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state in tabular form the numbers unemployed at the latest

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will list all radioactive isotopes that have been produced which have proved specific adds in medicine; and with what success the Isotope Division of the Atomic Energy Authority is producing isotope compounds to help in the cure of cancer.

The following radioisotopes and their compounds are used in diagnostic tests:

• Iodine-132.
• Iron-59.
• Ghromium-51.
• Bromine-82.
• Sodium-24.
• Potassium-42.
• Calcium-47.

The following is the information required:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether consideration will be given to forming a department of the Isotopes Division of the Atomic Energy Authority specifically to carry out research into the uses of isotopes and compounds solely for combating prevalent diseases.

Work of this nature is done by the Medical Research Council and in universities and hospitals. The Atomic Energy Authority cooperate to the full in this work by providing suitable radioactive compounds, by giving training, and in other ways.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will list the means by which radioactive wastes are disposed of; where these disposals are carried out; and what totals of low active and high active waste, respectively, are now being disposed of annually by the Atomic Energy Authority.

Radioactive wastes which are not stored permanently are disposed of in a variety of ways and at a number of places. For a general description I would refer the hon. Member to the Command Paper on "The Control of Radioactive Wastes", Cnnnd. 884, published in November, 1959. The Atomic Energy Authority concentrate and store their highly active wastes. It is not feasible to give a total for other wastes. Discharges of these from the A.E.A.'s establishments have to be authorised by the appropriate Government Department.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent the Atomic Energy Authority are stockpiling plutonium at the present time; and how this will develop up to 1970.

It is not in the public interest to give details of plutonium supplies. By 1970 some stocks of plutonium from the civil nuclear power stations may have accumulated, but the extent of any stock then held will depend upon the balance of supply and demand in the intervening years. This cannot now be predicted exactly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what progress has been made towards the development by the Atomic Energy Authority and a consortium of Belgian firms of the proposed nuclear marine reactor Vulcain.

I have nothing to add at present to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 1st June, 1962.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he will state the number of scientists, with their grades, at present employed at the Jodrell Bank Experimental Station who are now or in the past have been subject to Government security investigation on account of their employment there, and the number who had been removed from their posits, ox asked to resign, or had failed to be reappointed, as a result of such investigation.

My noble Friend is not responsible for the employment of staff at the Nuffield Radio-Astronomy Laboratory at Jodrell Bank, which is a department of Manchester University.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the amounts spent in interest charges by the Corporation of Greenock for each of the years 1951 to 1961.

The total amounts paid by Greenock Corporation in interest charges on capital expenditure were:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the weight and value of lobsters and other shell fish

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crans of herrings were landed at Mallaig Harbour during 1961, and 1962 to date; what was their value; and how these figures compare with the five previous years.

The information is given in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average weekly number of fishing vessels using Mallaig Harbour for landing fish and shell fish during 1961, and in 1962 to date; and how these figures compare with the five previous years.

The average weekly number of fishing vessels using Mallaig Harbour for landing fish and shell fish in recent years is set out below.

The information is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the weekly average number of fish lorries operating on the Mallaig road during 1961, and this year to date.

My information is that in 1961 the number of journeys made by fish lorries leaving Mallaig averaged ten per day in the autumn and winter months but dropped in the spring and summer months. So far this year traffic has been about the same rate. The fluctuations are due to the seasonal nature of the local fisheries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Board of Trade announcement made on 14th December last, he is now in a position to announce the results of the inquiry into the application of a section of the chemical industry for the removal of the high protective import duty on vinyl acetate monomer.

This application is still under examination. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to announce a decision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form the total value of exports in the last available 12-month period, and the percentage of that total which came from each region.

The total value of exports in the latest 12-month period is available from the June, 1962, issue of the Trade and Navigation Accounts. I regret that information on a regional basis is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the delay in reaching a decision, he now proposes to widen the Boothferry Road through Elloughton and to by-pass the village.

I am satisfied that it would be impracticable to carry out a satisfactory widening of the existing road through Elloughton village and that a by-pass is required. There are considerable difficulties in deciding on a route for the by-pass because of the need to minimise the adverse effect on valuable agricultural land. A number of possible routes have been rejected for this purpose. We are now examining a new route proposed by the County Surveyor of the East Riding. If this seems likely to be acceptable we shall begin the statutory processes to establish the line as soon as possible.It is too early to say when road works could begin, but I am giving high priority to the improvement of the main roads leading to Hull.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent his Department applies a traffic engineering formula to determine whether a traffic flow at a roundabout justifies its replacement with a two-level intersection; if it has been applied at Greanford roundabout on A.40; and with what result.

A formula is used by my Department to determine whether a given roundabout is overloaded but other factors must be taken into account in deciding whether the right form of improvement is a two-level intersection. It has been decided that grade separation will be needed at the Greenford roundabout but I cannot say when it will be possible to include such a scheme in my programme.

asked the Minister of Transport how soon the widening of Archway Road could begin, once funds have been made available.

The widening of Archway Road depends on the acquisition of a considerable amount of property and Orders under Section 9 of the Highways Act, 1959, may also be necessary. I shall need to consider any objections made by interested parties, and I cannot therefore forecast when work could begin. But I am anxious to get on with the scheme as quickly as possible, and I hope to include it in the first extension of the Trunk Road programme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Mr. William Pearson, of 69, Midhurst Drive, Ferring-by-Sea, Sussex, will receive a reply from Her Majesty's Inspector of Taxes, Spitalfields District, to the letters addressed to him on 3rd April, 1961, 25th May, 1961, and 20th June, 1962, regarding taxation matters; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to my hon. Friend about this case.