asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the Regional Whitley Appeal procedure is effective; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I understand that my hon. Friend is concerned about a particular case and I am writing to him about it.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the net additional cost of supplying young people between the ages of 7 and 14 years with spectacles made of unbreakable glass instead of the standard type.

About £¾ million.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions have been issued to the appropriate councils and committees with regard to the revised mileage scheme for payment to general practitioners; and whether he will give an assurance that this will be operated from 1st April, 1963.

If the final details can be agreed with the profession soon, I hope the new arrangements will operate from 1st July next.

asked the Minister of Health what is the purpose of his anti-smoking clinics; how these operate; what is the cost and number of staff of each; what information he provides for the general public about them; how many patients have been treated or are undergoing treatment; and how many cures have been effected so far.

These clinics are experimental and their methods and organisation vary. It is much too soon to evaluate results.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of objections to mass medication by adding fluoride to the water supply, what other methods of making fluoride available to those children whose parents wish it he will consider.

My Standing Dental Advisory Commitee has advised me that no other method of preventing dental decay has yet been shown to be as effective.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has made to the British Medical Association's request to him for a review of vaccination policy.

On 10th July the Association sent my Chief Medical Officer a report by a sub-committee of its Public Health Committee, and suggested a discussion with him. This will be arranged.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now completed his Departmental inquiry into the causes and effects of the recent smallpox outbreak in South Wales; and whether or not he now intends to publish the report.

The inquiry is not yet complete.

asked the Minister of Health why the total number of pupil midwives declined in 1961; and what are the numbers of pupil midwives now in training.

I have no figures for the calendar year 1961. In the twelve months ended 31st March, 1962, the total number rose by 140 to 5,064.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now instruct hospitals to make use of. the powers contained in Section 41 of the Patents Act, 1949, so as to facilitate the use of drugs from sources other than the holders of existing patents.

Hospitals may buy from anyone who gets a licence under this Section.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to make generally available in hospitals specialist advice on and treatment of migraine, on the limes of that provided by the Wendy Leyton Memorial Centre.

It is open to medical staffs in National Health Service hospitals to give any form of treatment they consider appropriate.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will arrange for public funds to be used to pay for the cost of sending delegates to study tours and conferences arranged by the International Hospital Federation instead of hospital free moneys; and whether he will consider limiting the number of delegates.

My right hon. Friend has no power to exclude the use of free moneys but is considering steps to limit numbers, from whichever source expenses are paid.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider imposing a limit on the number of years which a member can serve on a regional hospital board.

No.

asked the Minister of Health what charges are made to nurses for the purchase, maintenance and laundering of their uniform and equipment; if he will ensure that no increase in these charges is made; and if he will make a statement.

Non-resident staff are charged £5 a year for use and laundering of uniform. Resident staff pay inclusive charges. The charges are governed by Whitley agreement.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to implement the resolution passed at the last International Labour Conference concerning the promotion of good industrial relations, particularly in countries in course of development.

The governing body of the International Labour Office will consider this resolution at its next meeting in November. The Government voted in favour of the resolution at the Conference and will consider sympathetically any proposals made by the governing body for further action.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the approximate number of persons registered at the employment exchanges in East London who, through lack of knowledge of the English language, are difficult to place in employment.

About 330 persons registered at employment exchanges in East London are handicapped in getting work through their lack of knowledge of the English language.

asked the Minister of Labour how many were employed in the betting industry in April, 1951, in England and Scotland, respectively; and what were the comparable figures for April, 1962.

The latest figures available are for May, 1961. At that date workers in employment in betting in England are estimated to have numbered 32,000 compared with 27,500 at May, 1951. The corresponding figures for Scotland are 4,300 and 2,600.

asked the Minister of Labour what special steps he has taken to ensure that all those leaving school at the end of the present term are able to find employment.

The strength of the Youth Employment Service has been steadily built up so as to give the maximum help and advice to boys and girls leaving school this year. My right hon. Friend has consistently impressed on industry the problems presented by the bulge and in particular the need to increase the opportunities of employment with training. So far this year despite a 35 per cent. increase in school leavers, young people have in general been entering employment without undue difficulty, and apprentice training opportunities have kept pace with the rise.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the employment prospects of school leavers this summer; and what are the prospects of a satisfactory proportion of them obtaining apprenticeships and other forms of training.

48,618 (or 34 per cent.) boys and 9,562 (or 6·9 per cent.) girls who entered employment in the first six months of 1962 obtained apprenticeships. The corresponding figures for 1961 were 36,932 (or 34 per cent.) boys and 7,320 (or 7·3 per cent.) girls. This represents a 32 per cent. increase and means that apprenticeship opportunities have so far kept pace with the 35 per cent. increase in school leavers this year. Our aim must be to maintain and if possible improve on these excellent results, in spite of the problems there may be locally in certain areas. It is therefore vital that in the coming months employers throughout the country should provide every opportunity for boys and girls to enter apprenticeships and other forms of training.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the increasing difficulty of boys and girls leaving school in the Ilkeston Parliamentary division at the end of term in finding employment; and what steps he pro poses to take to meet this situation.

All Easter leavers in the area had entered employment by mid-July. Therefore, the hon. Member's Question is so far not relevant. But as far as the summer leavers are concerned the Youth Employment Service will give full help in finding suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will estimate the number of persons employed in Scotland in the knitwear industry.

In mid-1961—the latest date for which figures are available— the estimated number employed in Scotland in the manufacture of hosiery and other knitted goods was 21,300.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state, for each of the last five years, the number of workers employed in the Aberdeen knitwear and woollen glove factories.

Figures are available only for the hosiery and other knitted goods industry as a whole. They are as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the unsatisfactory conditions that at present exist for the growing number of men and women now applying for unemployment benefit at the employment exchange in Paradise Street, West Bromwich; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.

I do not regard the accommodation at the West Bromwich Employment Exchange as inadequate for the number of men and women now claiming unemployment benefit at that office.

asked the Minister of Labour what success he has had in finding alternative employment for the labour force of the Birmingham Railway and Carriage Works.

So far, little difficulty has been found in placing those workers who registered. At the Smethwick Employment Exchange itself only 51 are still unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Remploy factories there are in England and Wales; how many there are in Scotland; and whether he will enable Remploy Limited to provide further suitable employment for those in Scotland who are both disabled and unemployed.

79 in England and Wales and 10 in Scotland. Remploy hopes to continue increasing the number of severely disabled people employed in its Scottish factories.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that non-transferability of many private pension schemes results in a restriction on mobility; and whether he will introduce legislation to make transferability obligatory.

The Government recognise that non-transferable pension rights in such schemes may restrict mobility. They welcome the movement towards transferability which is already taking place, but doubt whether legislation in this field would be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the take-over of the Brancepeth Training Camp by the Ministry of Education and his Department as a juvenile pre-industrial training centre.

I am considering taking over part of the camp for first-year apprenticeship classes for boys in engineering. I am consulting the appropriate employers organisations and trade unions, with particular reference to the proposal that the boys should be given training although not yet engaged by an employer.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present ratio, in the Gloucester area, of vacancies for unskilled workers to the unemployed of that category, and of vacancies suitable for workers over 50 years of age to the unemployed in that category; and what were the equivalent ratios a year previously.

On 18th June, 1962, the ratio of wholly unemployed adults in vacancies in labouring and similar categories in the area was 1:0·05; on 12th June, 1961, it was 1:0·8. The figures do not take account of vacancies in other categories for which unskilled workers might be suitable. It is not possible to say how many of the vacancies were suitable for persons in certain age groups.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish the latest available figures of those in employment in Fraserburgh and Peter-head, distinguishing between men and women.

It is estimated that in mid-1961 there were 5,100 men and boys and 2,600 women and girls in employment in Fraserburgh and 5,400 men and boys and 2,800 women and girls in Peterhead. Separate figures for men and women are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish figures of those unemployed in Fraserburgh and Peterhead, specifying the total number of men and the total number of women.

On 16th July, 233 men, 13 boys, 85 women and 7 girls were registered as unemployed at Fraserburgh and 286 men, 13 boys, 177 women and 2 girls at Peterhead.

asked the Minister of Labour how many children are leaving school in the Aberavon constituency or in the nearest equivalent area, in July, 1962; what steps he has taken to ensure their early employment; how many children who left school at Easter, 1962, are still unemployed; and whether he will make a statement on the general prospects for youth employment in the area.

About 380 boys and girls are expected to leave school this summer in the Port Talbot Youth Employment Office area which covers the greater part of the constituency. Six out of a total of 303 who left school at Easter were still unemployed at mid-July. The Youth Employment Service will give all possible help to these young people and to those who are leaving school this summer.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the total number of (registered unemployed in the County Borough of West Ham at a stated date in June, 1951, and similar details for a like date in June, 1962.

In the area covered by Canning Town and Stratford Employment Exchanges and West Ham Youth Employment Office, there were 711 persons registered as unemployed on 18th June, 1951 and 1,850 on 18th June, 1962.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has for improving, in Cardiff, the facilities for the training and re-establishment in industry of disabled persons.

As I have already announced, I propose to re-house the Government Training Centre in modern factory premises in Western Avenue, Cardiff. These will provide more extensive and more suitable facilities than the present premises and should be adequate to meet the demand for training in the area.

asked the Minister without Portfolio what steps have been taken to put before the public the considerations to be taken into account in the negotiations for the United Kingdom's accession to the Common Market.

The considerations have been fully put to the public in the Prime Minister's statement of 31st July, 1961, in Ministers' speeches and in the debates of 2nd-3rd August, 1961, and of 6th-7th June, 1962. The Lord Privy Seal's opening statement to the Six of 10th October, 1961, which contains a full analysis of the main problems, has been published as a White Paper. Ministers have made frequent public speeches outside this House. In particular the Lord Privy Seal has on several occasions taken the opportunities of television appearances to keep the public informed. The Lord Privy Seal has made regular reports to this House about the progress of negotiations. Factual background on trade questions involved in membership has been published by the Government's Information Services, notably in articles in the Treasury's Bulletin for Industry which have been brought up to date and reprinted as a special supplement. A booklet entitled Britain and the European Communities was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 28th May, 1962, giving an analysis of the structure and aims of the Communities, the economies of Western Europe as a whole, and the character of its trade, with special reference to the trade of Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth with these countries.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science when the Medical Research Council will reply to the salary claim lodged in May, 1962, on behalf of certain of the Council's scientific staff, its technical officers and its technicians.

The Medical Research Council has now informed its technicians that new salary scales have been approved and will take effect as from 1st April, 1962. Salary scales for certain scientific staff and technical officers employed by the Council are at present under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will give the names of the universities which have now applied for permission to build a low-power nuclear reactor; and if he will state the universities whose applications have been granted.

Applications for grants for low-power nuclear reactors have been received by D.S.I.R. from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, and Queen Mary College (both of London University), from Manchester and Liverpool Universities jointly, and from the Scottish Universities and the Queen's University, Belfast, jointly with the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow. A grant has been awarded for the Scottish reactor; a grant is now being made to London University for one reactor; and a grant for Manchester and Liverpool Universities has been approved in principle.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will reconsider his rejection of the application made to him by Mr. Peter Ware, President of the Southampton Trades Council, against the representations made by the Atomic Energy Authority to his firm as a result of which he was dismissed as a security risk.

No. My noble Friend considered this matter with great care and cannot alter his decision.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science in which universities and hospitals research is at present being conducted into the causes and cure of muscular dystrophy.

Research relevant to the problem of muscular dystrophy is being undertaken by the Medical Research Council and in many university and hospital departments, often as a part of a wide programme of research, but it would be impracticable to publish a complete list of the centres involved. If, however, the hon. Member cares to write to me about any aspect of the problem in which she is particularly interested, I should be glad to send her further details. The Medical Research Council are, as I have previously stated, always ready to consider new proposals for worthwhile investigations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will take action to establish a national institute of industrial microbiology.

No. This is a question within the terms of reference of D.S.I.R. which considers that research in industrial microbiology is more effectively carried out in universities and as part of the general research programme of laboratories concerned with particular fields of technology.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the commercial reasons why the nuclear fuel rods supplied by the Atomic Energy Authority to Italy for the Latina Nuclear Power Station will not be returned to the United Kingdom for processing.

No. To do so would involve the disclosure of the confidential details of a commercial negotiation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent the Atomic Energy Authority is using the consortium of nuclear power companies to help them find more improved fuel cans for the differing types of nuclear reactors.

As mentioned in the Atomic Energy Authority's Eighth Annual Report (Paragraph 269) close collaboration is maintained with the industrial consortia in all aspects of the development of nuclear power. The development of improved fuel cans is a part of this collaboration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science for what specific purposes are the two irradiation plants being built under licences issued by the Atomic Energy Authority.

The Authority tells me that both the plants are to be used for the sterilisation of medical equipment—in the one case disposable syringes, and in the other surgical sutures.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what proportion of national expenditure on medical research over the past 10 years has been devoted to the development of an innocuous form of immunisation against smallpox.

Research is being undertaken into the development of new methods of immunisation against smallpox, but I regret that it is not possible to calculate the proportion of the national expenditure on medical research which is devoted to it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science, in view of the success achieved by the Wendy Leyton Memorial Centre in the study and treatment of migraine, what steps the Medical Research Council has taken to keep in touch with the work done by that Centre; and what study the Council itself has made of the methods of treatment employed at the Centre.

The Medical Research Council is aware of publications by Dr. Nevil Leyton on the cause and treatment of migraine. The Council considers that it is for the medical profession itself to evaluate the claims made for the methods of treatment used at the Clinic.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will take steps to establish a peace research centre to facilitate scientific research into the causes of war and the means to peace.

Research into the economic, psychological and sociological causes of war is not within my noble Friend's Departmental responsibilities.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, having regard to the need for reconciliation between Katanga and the rest of the former Belgian Congo, and to the United Nations' responsibilities therein, if he will take steps at the United Nations to ensure that the acting Secretary General takes no unauthorised action which might lead to a worsening of the situation there.

During the Acting Secretary-General's visit to this country, the Prime Minister and my noble Friend the Foreign Secretary were able to have valuable talks with him on the whole question of the Congo. In these conversations, as on other occasions, the importance which Her Majesty's Government attach to the use of peaceful methods to achieve a solution in the Congo was stressed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what proposals Her Majesty's Government have made at the United Nations in regard to the continuance in office of U Thant after the expiry of his present term of office as acting Secretary General.

None.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why, as co-Chairman of the Geneva Conference, he failed to protest against the violations of the Geneva Agreement by the South Vietnam Government during the period between 1954 and 1961.

In the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, the present situation in Vietnam was not caused by the South Vietnamese Government but by the persistent interference by the North Vietnamese in the affairs of the South.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government intend to accord recognition to the new military government which has taken over power in Peru.

The question of recognition is under consideration.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether in his negotiations with the European Economic Community he has agreed or intends to agree with Article 240 of the Rome Treaty.

Yes.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will start negotiations with European countries to agree common bases for the calculation of statistics.

We already participate fully in the arrangements for regular consultation among European countries on statistical matters. Meetings are held by the Conference of European Statisticians and by the specialist agencies of the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and other organisations. These meetings cover, among other things, the use of similar methods and similar base periods for statistics.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he received representations from the Governments of Somaliland and Ethiopia in respect of the supply of arms from the United Kingdom for subversive purposes; and what replies he sent.

Her Majesty's Government do not supply arms for subversive purposes. No such representations have been received and no reply has therefore been called for.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the negotiations on pitwood prices between the National Coal Board and the home-grown timber industry; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that an agreement on the main points was reached at a meeting between the two sides last Friday. A number of further details have still to be worked out but the main negotiations have been completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the communications he has addressed to producers of agricultural lime about the ex-works prices to be enforced by his Department; to what extent there has been consultation to ensure that the prices are fair and reasonable; whether he will give an assurance that he will not exercise his powers so as to involve dis- crimination as between firm and firm in terms of their competitive position; and whether he will give an assurance that there will be no change in the policies to be followed by his Department without due notice given in Parliament.

The Ministry recently wrote to 52 out of 341 producers of agricultural lime in England and Wales approved under the 1947 Agricultural Lime Scheme following recommendations made by an independent person appointed under the Scheme. The Scheme provides that there shall be maximum prices at which producers are allowed to offer agricultural lime eligible for subsidy. The letter concerned advised producers that it was proposed to reduce some or all of the maximum prices, for which they are at present approved, as from 1st August, 1962. These reductions—which vary from case to case—are designed to ensure that no maximum price without special justification remains approved in excess of the upper limits to approved prices recommended by the independent person following an examination of costs in the industry.The firms concerned were given an opportunity of presenting grounds for retaining a higher price but at the same time were informed that a high cost of production or extra costs due to difficulties of production would not in themselves be a sufficient justification for retaining a price higher than that communicated to them. Regard was necessary to the availability within their marketing area of supplies from other sources capable of selling within the limits recommended by the independent person.The new maximum prices are based upon the costs of firms supplying the same material in similar circumstances. Moreover they are calculated in such a way as to take account of the circumstances in the area concerned so that the delivered cost to the farmer does not exceed that of similar material which he can ordinarily obtain elsewhere and do not discriminate as between firm and firm.The Agricultural Lime Producers' Council was informed by the Ministry in March of this year of the nature of the independent person's findings and recommendations and of the intention to implement them. This was followed later in the month by a discussion with some members and officers of the Council. In May, the Ministry gave the Council in advance a copy of the letter it proposed to send to the producers affected. Questions concerning the maximum approved prices accorded to individual producers are not matters for consultation with the industry as a whole but with the individual firms concerned. The proposed price reductions are confined to those firms which prima facie are in receipt of approved prices at present above those at which lime supplies are generally available in their localities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much grant has been paid to highway authorities in both England and Wales in respect of unclassified and unadopted roads under the Agricultural (Improvement of Roads) Act, 1955, to date; and What is the estimated grant for which approval has been given an respect of schemes already submitted.

As as 30th June, 1962, the figures were:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres have been planted under reafforestation schemes An North Staffordshire since 1945; and what percentage is deciduous as compared with coniferous.

The Forestry Commission has re-afforested about 4,000 acres in North Staffordshire since 1945, of which about one-fifth is planted with deciduous species. It is estimated that private woodland owners have planted about 1,000 acres, of which about one-half is planted with deciduous species.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with local authority associations in Scotland regarding the proposal to transfer responsibility for Turnhouse and Aberdeen airports to the respective local authorities.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the outcome of his negotiations with Glasgow Corporation on the control and maintenance of the new airport at Abbotsinch.

The meeting agreed that Prestwick should be associated with the London Group under the proposed International Airports Authority, subject to safeguards for Scottish representation on the authority and for the future development of Prestwick. For all the other Scottish airports, the local authorities and other interests represented at the meeting proposed that there should be a Scottish airports authority.I undertook to consider this proposal, having due regard to its financial implications, and to consult further with the interests represented at the meeting, which included Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

asked the Minister of Aviation if, in the light of his predecessor's visit to Woomera, he will make a statement on the progress being made in the development of a United Kingdom space vehicle.

The United Kingdom, together with Australia, Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, is participating in the development of a three-stage satellite launcher by the European Launcher Development Organisation. A preparatory group has been set up to co-ordinate the work which is proceeding in the member countries pending the ratification of the Convention to establish the Organisation. A technical mission is at present in Australia examining the problems connected with firing the Blue Streak first stage and the three-stage launcher from the Woomera Range.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he has yet secured a new tenant for his Department's factory at Christchurch; and if he will make a statement.

No tenant has yet been secured for the Christchurch factory but we are continuing our efforts to find a suitable occupant.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent the costs of issuing and renewing pilots' licences are recovered by the new scale of fees set out in Circular 43/1962.

It is estimated that, including the cost of medical and technical examinations and flying tests, the new scale of fees will recover just over half of the total cost of issuing and renewing pilots' licences.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware that the Princess flying boats are to be used by their purchaser for testing nuclear engines; and what consultation he had with the Atomic Energy Authority, before sanctioning the sale, regarding the use of these boats for this purpose.

It is, I understand, the case that the purchaser of the three Princess flying boats hopes to use them in connection with a proposed programme for the development in America of nuclear propulsion in aircraft.The three flying boats were sold to the highest bidder after world-wide advertisement that they were on sale.The Atomic Energy Authority was fully consulted before the Princesses were offered for sale.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now announce the composition and terms of reference of the independent advisory committee on the training and education of pilots for civil aviation proposed in Command Paper No. 1695, Aviation Safety.

Yes. I am pleased to say that the Duke of Hamilton has accepted my invitation to take the Chair of this Committee. Mr. J. Brosgall, training adviser to Unilever Ltd., Mr. S. T. Broad, County Education Officer for Hertfordshire, and Mr. A. M. A. Majendie, Deputy General Manager of the Aviation Division, S. Smith and Sons (England) Ltd., have accepted invitations to serve as members of the Committee.The Committee's terms of reference will be: —

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that, despite the recommendations of the National Insurance Advisory Committee in Command Paper No. 9609, Benefits for very short spells of unemployment or sickness, particularly in paragraphs 37 to 58, parts of the engineering industry, such as the motor industry in Birmingham, have found it impossible to adjust the wording of their guaranteed week agreement to enable employees to claim benefit during brief spells of short-time working; and whether he will now ask the Committee to reconsider the matter and to recommend what changes are needed in the law.

No. In the Report to which the hon. Member refers, the Committee concluded that despite the existence of anomalies the balance of advantage lay in leaving the present position as it is. I do not consider that I would be justified in inviting the Committee to reconsider its recommendation solely on account of one particular anomaly.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will classify chronic bronchitis and emphysema among those who work in extractive industries such as coal mines, under the Industrial Diseases Act.

No. These conditions do not satisfy the provisions under which I am empowered to prescribe diseases under the Industrial Injuries Act, which I presume the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction to regional electricity boards that maximum peak demand tariff charges should not be imposed for special Christmas illuminated street decorations, the cost of which is met by traders, When turned on during hours outside the peak demand period.

No.

asked the Minister of Power What estimate he has made of the total fuel saved, expressed in terms of coal equivalent, in new factory space erected during the four-and-a-half years prior to 30th June, 1962, as a result of the operation of the Thermal Insulation (Industrial Buildings) Act, 1957; whether he is satisfied with the operation of the Act in this respect; and what steps he is taking further to raise standards of thermal insulation in both new and established industrial premises.

It is difficult to give a precise estimate, but making assumptions as to roof area and allowing for exemptions and for the proportion of buildings that would have been insulated voluntarily a rough estimate of the average annual rate of new savings is just under 100,000 tons in each of the three and a half years since regulations prescribing standards of insulation under the Act came into force. This is equivalent to cumulative total savings of about three-quarters of a million tons over the whole of that period. The Act has operated satisfactorily with the present standards, which were designed to secure worthwhile fuel savings at reasonable capital cost. I do not propose to raise them. I am not empowered under the Act to prescribe standards for buildings established before 1st January, 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which individual legislatures of the territories proposed for the new West Indies Federation have now approved the proposals of the recent Constitutional Conference.

Debates on the Report are due to take place in most territorial legislatures during August or early September. In Barbados a debate was opened in the House of Representatives on 20th June but has been adjourned at the request of the Opposition to allow a longer period for consideration of the issue involved.