asked the Postmaster-General whether, before he takes any steps to raise the television licence fee, he will ensure that viewers in the South-West of Scotland receive first-class reception of Scottish programmes.

There are two aspects to my hon. Friend's Question. First, the question of finance for the B.B.C., which is under separate consideration, and, second, the question of a self-contained television service for Scotland which is discussed in paragraphs 51 and 53 of the White Paper on Broadcasting (Cmnd. 1770). I regret that I cannot make the one directly dependent upon the other as my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a general direction to the British Broadcasting Corporation, under Section 15 (4) of the Licence and Agreement, that they should not broadcast programmes dealing with social matters in such a way that political bias may be expressed in them.

No. The B.B.C. are already called upon to treat controversial subjects with complete impartiality. An individual point of view may be given in a particular programme, as it was in the broadcast my hon. Friend has in mind, but where this is liable to give a biased impression the B.B.C. normally take steps to present other views on a subsequent occasion. This particular programme is to be followed by others which will give listeners another view of the subject.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make representations to the French postal authorities about the length of time taken between the posting of postcards in the South of France and delivery to addresses in the United Kingdom, in view of the inconvenience caused by such delay.

Yes. We have been in touch with the French postal authorities about these delays, and they have assured us they will do what they can to improve matters.

asked the Postmaster-General what have been the costs involved in the development of the Goonhilly Down Ground Station; and in what proportion these costs have been shared between the General Post Office, other Ministries and private manufacturers.

About three quarters of a million pounds, so far. The whole of this is being borne by the Post Office.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the equipment used at the Goonhilly Down Ground Station was purchased under the bulk supply agreements.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General how much the General Post Office intends to spend on the development of communication satellites in the years 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1966–67; and whether these amounts have been included in the estimates of Post Office capital expenditure.

It is expected that the Post Office will spend approximately £700,000 in the year 1962–63 on the development of communications via artificial satellites. The level of expenditure in subsequent years has not yet been settled, but the figures I gave the hon. Member on 29th June included a tentative provision of £1 million in each year.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the inadequate post office accommodation in Airdrie; what consideration he has given to the erection and siting of a new building; and where he expects to site it.

I agree with the hon. Member that a new post office is needed at Airdrie. Unfortunately, this has had to be held up because we have so far been unable to find a suitable site. A further possible site is at present under consideration, but I am not certain whether it will prove suitable.

asked the Postmaster-General why subscribers on the Sloane exchange are getting so many crossed lines; when the faults will be rectified; and what arrangements are being made to refund to subscribers money spent on wasted calls.

I am sorry about these difficulties. An equipment fault has now been traced and repaired and I hope there will be no further trouble. The telephone manager has authority to make refunds as appropriate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he will take to ensure that owners of property which may be acquired for future road development are enabled to sell or obtain compensation when the proposed development is deferred for a long period of years, thus freezing the property likely to be affected.

Once the future road development is a firm enough proposal to fall within the scope of Part IV of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1959, owner-occupiers are able, subject to certain conditions, to require the highway authority to buy their property at full market value. Local authorities have been asked to exercise a reasonable discretion in other cases and to buy in advance of requirements where there is genuine hardship.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what consideration he has given to the proposal by the Civic Trust, a copy of which has been sent to him, that slum clearance be increased from 60,000 to 180,000 houses a year; and if he will increase the present programme.

My right hon. Friend is studying this report. So far as slum clearance is concerned, he is encouraging local authorities with the worst problems to plan forward programmes over the next five years for building as many houses as they can manage.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) in view of his decision to help Liverpool Corporation to resolve their slum problems, and his recognition that these problems call for special measures, what special financial assistance he is prepared to make available to the Corporation for this purpose;(2) in view of his request to Liverpool Corporation to build houses on the many small plots of land now vacant in the city and the heavy additional cost of building small groups of houses on such plots as compared with the cost of development of large sites, what special assistance he is prepared to grant for this particular purpose, either by way of loans at low interest or otherwise.

At present Liverpool have the resources to enable them to build as many houses as they can for slum clearance purposes. The recent Housing Act provides for increasing assistance to local authorities as the burden on their finances grows.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what effect on the cost of elderly persons' housing he expects from the prototype elderly persons' flats at Stevenage.

The main advantage of the method used should be speedier erection rather than a saving of cost.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will appoint a committee of experts to consider the problems of housing and home-lessness in Greater London, and to report within three months with practical proposals.

My right hon. Friend does not think it would help to add another committee to the existing machinery for dealing with housing problems in the Greater London area. A special committee on homelessness set up by the London County Council have just presented a report to the Council and my right hon. Friend is already in cnosultation with them about further action for dealing with the problem.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will circularise local authorities requesting them to give owner-occupiers of condemned property a schedule of the reasons for the issue of a clearance order.

My right hon. Friend does not think this is necessary. The reason for making a clearance order is that the houses in the area are unfit and should be demolished. If an owner disputes unfitness, the local authority serve on him a notice of their principal grounds for considering the house unfit and he has an opportunity of making objection before one of the Minister's Inspectors before a decision is reached on the order.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give the average cost of a three-bedroom house built in the county borough of West Ham in March, 1951, and March, 1962, respectively; to what extent the size of such houses are comparable; and what would be the interest rates payable in each instance if the money for the cost of these houses was borrowed at the then current rates of interest and repaid over a period of 20 years.

The nearest schemes including three-bedroom houses for which separate prices are available were completed in September, 1951, and January, 1961. The average tender prices were £1,373 and £2,112 and the average sizes 1,003 square feet and 1,039 square feet respectively.The Public Works Loan Board interest rates for a 20 year loan were 3 per cent. and 5¾ per cent. at the respective dates of tender approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the approximate cost per square foot of land for domestic building purposes in the borough of Leyton in 1961; and what increase this represented over the cost of such land in 1955, 1945, 1935 and 1925, respectively.

My right hon. Friend regrets that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish a table showing, by counties, what progress he has been able to make towa,rds a reduction of building land prices in South-East England by allowing, on appeal, the residential development of land coloured white on county development plans.

I regret that this information is not available. Decisions on planning appeals are only one of the factors that influence the price of land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving, for each quarter since 1951, the average number of council houses built, the size of such houses, the time taken for completion of such houses, the cost, and the interest rates on repayment of the borrowed capital which would have to be paid if the loans were spread over 60 years.

I think it may be most convenient if the figures for area and price are given in terms of three-bedroom houses, since this is the largest single category and provides the most reliable index of costs.

Period				New houses and flats completed by local authorities And new town development corporations	Average area of 2-storey 3-bedroom houses including out-buildings	Average tender price of 2-storey 3-bedroom houses	Average period of Construction of all types of houses in quater months	Public Works Loan Board interest rate payable as a 60 year loan on first day of quater
					Sq. ft.	£	Months	Per cent.
1951	1st	quarter	…	32,696	1,050	1,304	11·6	3
	2nd	"	…	35,988	1,037	1,359	11·6	3
	3rd	"	…	34,417	1,031	1,403	11·9	3
	4th	"	…	38,486	1,011	1,396	11·8	3
1952	1st	quarter	…	38,653	984	1,380	11·6	3¾
	2nd	"	…	39,880	952	1,391	11·0	4¼
	3rd	"	…	41,457	932	1,391	10·9	4¼
	4th	"	…	45,647	921	1,380	10·5	4¼
1953	1st	quarter	…	46,948	923	1,385	10·5	4¼
	2nd	"	…	48,519	913	1,387	10·6	4¼
	3rd	"	…	50,280	914	1,382	10·7	4¼
	4th	"	…	57,144	917	1,383	10·8	4¼
1954	1st	quarter	…	47,196	909	1,378	11·2	4
	2nd	"	…	51,177	911	1,382	11·4	4
	3rd	"	…	49,752	919	1,381	11·2	3¾
	4th	"	…	51,517	916	1,390	11·2	3¾
1955	1st	quarter	…	49,352	912	1,402	11·0	3¾
	2nd	"	…	35,345	916	1,396	11·2	4
	3rd	"	…	37,446	914	1,432	11·3	4
	4th	"	…	40,382	909	1,442	10·8	4½
1956	1st	quarter	…	33,292	918	1,448	11·2	5
	2nd	"	…	35,419	909	1,464	11·6	5½
	3rd	"	…	33,112	910	1,487	11·1	5½
	4th	"	…	38,154	909	1,488	11·0	5½
1957	1st	quarter	…	36,335	915	1,494	11·2	5¾
	2nd	"	…	34,945	916	1,482	10·5	5½
	3rd	"	…	32,560	902	1,489	10·7	5½
	4th	"	…	33,744	898	1,477	10·4	5¾
1958	1st	quarter	…	28,776	901	1,506	10·8	6¾
	2nd	"	…	28,292	904	1,493	11·1	6¼
	3rd	"	…	26,991	907	1,481	11·2	6¼
	4th	"	…	29,087	900	1,474	11·1	6
1959	1st	quarter	…	23,086	908	1,498	11·0	5¾
	2nd	"	…	25,101	889	1,496	10·4	5¾
	3rd	"	…	23,188	894	1,517	10·2	5¾
	4th	"	…	28,081	899	1,547	10·0	5¾
1960	1st	quarter	…	25,200	898	1,562	10·2	5¾
	2nd	"	…	26,845	905	1,611	10·9	5⅞
	3rd	"	…	24,656	895	1,612	11·5	5⅞
	4th	"	…	26,534	892	1,644	11·6	6⅛
1961	1st	quarter	…	22,153	889	1,700	12·1	6⅛
	2nd	"	…	23,253	902	1,773	11·7	6⅛
	3rd	"	…	21,459	898	1,821	11·9	6⅛
	4th	"	…	6,015	902	1,832	11·8	7
1962	1st	quarter	…	24,416	911	1,919	11·9	6¾
	2nd	"	…	24,951	*905	* 1,884	†	6¾
* Provisional.
† Not yet available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he will take to ensure that a larger proportion of the resources of the building industry is devoted to the building of dwellings suitable for people with small or moderate incomes.

A great deal of new house-building is designed for such people, and almost all new building helps them. What we want is more houses; and for this we need increased efficiency in the building industry. That is the Government's aim.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that most large and progressive organisations operate a pension scheme for their staffs and employees and that all local authorities, State authorities and civil servants have a pension scheme, whether he will take steps to introduce a pension scheme for hon. Members of Parliament or associate them with the Civil Service Superannuation Scheme.

No. The Members Fund exists to provide financial assistance where needed to hon. Members who have retired from service to this House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that hon. Members of Parliament representing constituencies in the local telephone call area can telephone their constituencies without charge, Whereas hon. Members outside this area when telephoning their constituencies on parliamentary business have to pay the costs of such calls; and whether he will arrange for these latter calls to be made free of charge.

The arrangement for free telephone calls from the House applies to all local calls made by Members. It would not be desirable to extend the present arrangement, and the possibility has been rejected by successive Select Committees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether rents for dwellings will be one of the forms of income about which the proposed National Incomes Commission may make recommendations.

I contemplate that the Commission would naturally take account of the level of rents as of other prices, but I do not think that it could usefully inquire into the rents charged for individual properties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new proposals he has to bring down the cost of living.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the speeches by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the debate last Thursday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken and intends to take to mitigate the damage caused to Scottish knitwear factories by imports from Hong Kong, and to enable them to maintain their present standards of production.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 26th July, he is aware of the concern of Scottish knitwear firms about imports of knitted garments from Hong Kong.He notes that these imports, though increasing, are still small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new steps he will now take to bring new industry to the Douglas and Coalburn area of Lanarkshire, in view of the further possible pit closures there.

The facilities of the Local Employment Act continue to be available for projects in the Lesmahagow employment exchange area which includes Douglas and Coalburn. In addition, as my right hon. Friend told the House on 26th July, he has decided to build an advance factory in the Larkhall-Lesmahagow-Douglas area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had, and what correspondence he has exchanged, with the advertising industry about the setting up of the Advertising Standards Authority; and if he will publish the correspondence.

When my right hon. Friend heard towards the end of last year that the Advertising Association was proposing to set up this body, he arranged for the then Chairman of the Association to be informed by the Department that he welcomed this initiative. Subsequently, my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance speaking as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, at the Association's Annual Conference in May, gave a general welcome to these proposals on behalf of the Government.A summary of my right hon. Friend's speech appeared in the Board of Trade Journal of 18th May, 1962.The following are the texts of the letters which my right hon. Friend recently exchanged with the President of the Advertising Association:13th July, 1962.The Rt. Hon. F. J. ERROLL, M.P.,I am very happy to let you know that Sir Arnold Plant who recently agreed to become Chairman of the Advertising Standards Authority has now completed the membership of the Authority, which you may remember is to consist of the independent Chairman himself, of five persons experienced in advertising and of five independent persons. The following have accepted his invitation to serve on the Authority:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade how he proposes to arrest the three-fold increase in unemployment in May, 1962, compared with 1961, in the Oldham area and to provide full employment for those 2,000 persons, plus 680 additional persons likely to become redundant through the imminent closure of four further mills, and 60 others in a plastic factory.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to approve further suitable industrial development in areas in the cotton belt wherever the firms concerned cannot be steered to development districts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will require from the Cotton Board a report containinig their reappraisal of the efficiency of the textile industry in terms of home and export requirements.

My right hon. Friend does not consider this is the right time to require such a report since the closing date for re-equipment grant applications under the Cotton Industry Act, 1959, has only just passed. He has, however, invited the Cotton Board to meet him in the early autumn and he will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he will take with regard to the British Safety Council in view of the recommendations relating to the Council contained in the Report by his Committee on Consumer Protection, Command Paper No. 1781.

The Report of the Committee on Consumer Protection contains no recommendations relating specifically to the British Safety Council. My right hon. Friend is considering the Committee's recommendations about the control of seals of approval generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what kind of help he has been asked to give to those organisations seeking information about expanding meat exports from this country into the countries of the Common Market.

The Board of Trade has been asked for market information, in particular on health and licensing restrictions, and occasionally for action to secure new or increased import quotas for meat products.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the recent transfer to the Department of Technical Cooperation of responsibility for the Empire Cotton Growing Corporation.

Since the prime function of the Corporation, which operates in a number of territories overseas, is research directed to the improvement of cotton growing, Departmental responsibility for the Corporation's activities may more appropriately be exercised by the Department of Technical Co-operation and has been accordingly transferred to that Department. The Corporation's By Laws and the Deed relating to the capital grant of the Corporation were recently amended to give formal recognition to the change in responsibilities. The Board of Trade, however, still retains an interest in the Corporation's affairs and continues to be represented on its governing bodies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the concern among elastic web-manufacturers about the imports of elastic web from Japan, which in some cases is being offered for sale at prices which manufacturers have had to pay for the raw material alone; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend is well aware of the concern of elastic web manufacturers about Japanese competition. Imports into this country of elastic web from Japan are limited by quotas and have been extremely small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in HANSARD a list of all existing trade agreements and long-term contracts involving food imports, together with their date of expiry, which would have to be reviewed under Article 236 of the Treaty of Rome if Great Britain enters the Common Market.

The substance of most of these agreements is a subject matter of the present negotiation in Brussels.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what percentage the overall values of the preferences given by Canada, Australia and New Zealand separately on imports of goods from Britain have been reduced since 1932; and by what percentage the United Kingdom has made reductions in preferences given to Dominion produce marketed here.

I am afraid that there are no figures available which would enable me to give a precise answer to my hon. Friend's Question.The following information, compiled from unofficial sources, shows the changes in the average margin of preference and in the percentage of imports from Britain enjoying preference, between 1937 and 1948:

—		Average margin of preference on goods enjoying preference	Per cent. of imports from Britain enjoying preference
		1937
Canada	…	23	88
Australia	…	22	88 —91
N. Zealand	…	26	88 —90

—		Average margin of preference on goods enjoying preference	Per cent. of imports from Britain enjoying preference
		1948
Canada	…	12 —13	85 —87
Australia	…	15 —16	88 —91
N. Zealand	…	18	90 —91

Since 1948 both the average margin of preference and the percentage of goods enjoying preference have fallen, but no specific figures are available.So far as imports into Britain are concerned, it is estimated that in 1937 the average margin of preference on imports from the Commonwealth preference area was between 17 and 20 per cent. and that the proportion of imports enjoying preference was about 60 per cent. In 1957 the figures were 9 per cent. and 47 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if refugees from the Republic of South Africa who have committed offences under the Sabotage Act of that country will be included among the refugees who are offered political asylum in territories for which he is responsible.

I assume the hon. Member is referring in particular to the High Commission Territories. In the event of the South African authorities applying for the return of any persons on the grounds that they have committed an offence under the General Law Amendment Act (referred to as the Sabotage Act) of that country, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the debate on 26th February. Such persons would of course have to comply with the immigration laws of the territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what financial and technical help will be given to Basutoland during the next five years.

The Basutoland Government is at present drawing up its development plan for the five years beginning April, 1963, and this will have to be considered before the level of assistance and its sources can be determined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now announce what financial settlement, by way of loans and grants, is being made with Trinidad to coincide with independence; and what particular loan assistance will be available for working class housing development.

I am unable to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 17th July. The matter is being discussed with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Colonial Development Corporation will be able to continue to invest in Jamaica and Trinidad after independence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement about the operations of the Colonial Development Corporation in newly independent Commonwealth countries.

It has been decided to extend the scope of the activities of the Colonial Development Corporation which have hitherto been confined to dependent territories. It is proposed henceforth to authorise the Corporation to undertake new development schemes in countries in which it was previously empowered to operate after they have become independent Members of the Commonwealth. The Corporation will be renamed the Commonwealth Development Corporation. The accessary legislation will be introduced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to extend to hospitals, other than State hospitals, in Kenya, the concession whereby goods vital to their operation, such as linen and cotton goods, bedding and protective clothing, may be imported free of duty.

No. The Governor does not consider such a step practicable in present financial circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what new steps are being taken to see if Tristan da Cunha is now safe for resettlement; and if he will make a statement.

A party of islanders is coming to a meeting in London tomorrow to discuss this matter with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for a party of islanders to re-visit Tristan da Cunha; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the strike in Aden on Monday, 23rd July, involving 50,000 people, was in protest against the new constitutional proposals for integration of Aden with the Federation of South Arabia; and if he will undertake to ascertain the views of the people of Aden on the future of the Colony by means other than an election based on the present limited electoral roll.

Yes. With regard to the constitutional talks, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to the hon. Member for Bilston (Mr. R. Edwards).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a further statement about the discussions on the projected federation of Aden Colony and the Protectorates; and what was the extent of the one-day token strike in the Colony.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bikiton (Mr. R. Edwards). As to the strike, the majority of petroleum, industrial and port workers struck, but bunkering and mooring services were maintained. All Government employees and about 60 per cent. of those employed by H.M. Forces worked. Public transport services with one exception, ran normally. There were no incidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what new constitutional proposals for the integration of the colony of Aden with the Federation of South Arabia have been considered at the recent London conference, over which he presided; and if he will make a statement.

If the talks have made sufficient progress, I hope I may be able to make a statement before the House rises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has now 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.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has received from the Prime Minister of Uganda about the dates between which the referendum for the lost counties of Bunyoro is to be held.

At my request, the Governor has communicated the views of the House on this matter to the Prime Minister of Uganda. The Governor has informed me that Mr. Obote is now embarking on discussions on the practical implementation of the decision taken at the London Conference, and has assured me that during these discussions the views expressed by members of the House will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he has for educating and training Africans to enable them to take over as administrators and teachers in Kenya and Uganda.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my predecessor on 19th April to the hon. Member for Leeds East (Mr. Healey) concerning administrative staff in Kenya. There are 3,897 Africans receiving training below graduate level, 24 Africans taking courses at Makerere College and 52 taking courses overseas, as teachers. Uganda now enjoys full internal self-government and these matters are the responsibility of the Uganda Government.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, when he expects the United Services Museum to vacate the Banqueting Hall; and what use the building is then to be put to.

I expect to have possession of the main Hall of the Banqueting House by the end of this year and of the Crypt some months later. I hope to restore and prepare the main Hall in time for it to be opened to the public at Whitsun 1963.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when work is to start on the construction of an underground garage opposite the Victoria Tower and on the layout of the surface as a park.

I hope that it will be possible to start construction of the underground garage next summer.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works which organisations have so far applied for the use of Trafalgar Square on Sunday afternoons in the next three months; for which dates they have applied; which of these applications have been granted; and if, in view of the certainty that grave public disorder will be provoked if there is on these occasions incitement to racial hatred and discrimination, he will cancel any permission to hold meetings already granted to Nazi and Fascist organisations.

The following applications have been received:5th August—The Golborne Rehabilitation Centre.2nd September—The British National Party.9th September—The Forward Britain Movement.23rd September—The Union Movement.30th September—The Anti-Drink Crusaders.7th October—The Metropolitan Templar Federation.14th October—Sinn Fein.21st October—The Navy League.All these applications have been granted except those from the Union Movement and Sinn Fein which have Only recently been received and are being considered.As regards my general policy towards meetings in Trafalgar Square I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Private Notice Question from the right hon. Member for Belper on 23rd July (HANSARD, Cols. 953–957 On the information at present before me I can find no grounds for withdrawing the permissions already granted.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether, in view of the disturbances which occurred on Sunday, 22nd July, he will refuse permission to Sir Oswald Mosley's Union Movement to hold a further meeting in Trafalgar Square on 23rd September, or on any other suggested date.

I am at present considering an application from the Union Movement for permission to hold a meeting in Trafalgar Square on 23rd September.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he intends to keep Richmond Park open after dark from October, 1962, until March, 1963; if he will give an assurance that he will not permit pavements, traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, and other street furniture, such as Keep Left signs, within the Park; and if he will make a statement detailing his future policy for maintaining the amenities of this Royal Park.

The experiment, during the past two winters, of allowing motor traffic to use the Park roads for a short period after dusk has caused many casualties to deer and I do not feel that it should continue. I have 'therefore decided to close the Park to traffic after dusk next winter. I will certainly continue the policies of my predecessors for maintaining the rural amenities of this Royal Park. It is not my intention to introduce signs and street furniture of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why there are no pedestrian crossings in the road ways of St. James's Park; if he is aware, especially, of the haphazard way in which pedestrians cross over to the Queen Victoria memorial in front of Buckingham Palace; and what steps he proposes to make the use of this roadway easier for both drivers and pedestrians.

The most popular crossing points for pedestrians in St. James's Park are controlled at peak traffic periods by policemen or park-keepers. I should like if I can to avoid the installation of pedestrian crossings but I will re-examine with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, the need for further measures.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when work will be resumed on the reconstruction of No. 10 Downing Street.

The main contractors have reached agreement with the union representatives for work to be resumed on Tuesday, 7th August.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what information he has received from the United Nations Acting Secretary-General, since his visit to this country, regarding United Nations plans for remedying the deteriorating situation in the Congo.

The United Kingdom Representative at the United Nations is in close and constant touch with the Secretariat on all matters regarding the Congo operation. A meeting of the Congo Advisory Committee, of which we are not members, took place in New York on 24th July, but I understand that no positive new initiative was decided upon.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if the United Nations forces are planning to extend their military occupation of the province of Katanga.

I have no information that they are at present planning to do so. Her Majesty's Government have continued to stress the great importance, in matters of this kind, of the United Nations acting by agreement with the Provincial Government of Katanga.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, for the assistance of Parliament in any consideration of the matter hereafter, he will cause to be published a White Paper setting out the Government's information in regard to the deliberations and proposals of the Cattani Committee together with the representations and reactions of Her Majesty's Government in regard thereto.

No. The proceedings of the Cattani Commission are confidential, and the Member Governments have informed us of them in confidence. I made a full statement of the views of Her Majesty's Government on the proposal for a European Political Union to the Council of Western European Union on 10th April. This was published as Command Paper 1720.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in the disarmament negotiations, following the proposals put forward by the Mexican Government for a treaty for the cessation of tests to come into force at the beginning of next year.

The Mexican proposal was intended to facilitate negotiation on a nuclear test ban treaty during a period when some nuclear testing might still be in progress. My hon. Friend the Minister of State drew attention on 23rd July to the value of this proposal, at a time when the Soviet Government has announced its intention to carry out further tests. Negotiations are now continuing at Geneva on the basis of the eight-Nation Memorandum of the 16th of April, but there is nothing to report since my hon. Friend addressed the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Eriskay road is still in an unusable condition; why it was approved for the purpose of grant by his Department before being tested and proved to be adequate for its purpose as a road; and what steps he is taking to secure the co-operation of the county council of Inverness-shire in bringing it up to reasonable standards this year.

I am informed that a certain amount of surfacing work requires to be done on the road, and that the county council will not be able, as it had hoped, to make further progress with this work during the present year because of shortage of funds. At the time of completion of the main scheme in 1957 my Department and the county council took the view that, considering the small volume of traffic likely to use the road, its standard of construction was adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the date, amount and recipients of the first Government grant since 1939 for research into the availability and utilisation of seaweed in Scotland, and the date, amount and recipient of each grant thereafter.

The first Government grant since 1939 for research into the availability and utilisation of seaweed in Scotland was one of £2,500 given from the Development Fund in December, 1944, to the Soottish Seaweed Research Association. Since then grants for this purpose have been given as follows:

Financial Year	Amount of Grant	Grant paid to
	£
1945–46	6,950	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1945–46	850	Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society Ltd.
1946–47	28,130	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1947–48	21,880	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1948–49	28,162	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1949–50	30,750	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1950–51	32,062	Scottish Seaweed Research Association
1951–52	47,853	Institute of Seaweed Research
1952–53	53,050	Institute of Seaweed Research
1953–54	52,620	Institute of Seaweed Research
1954–55	49,105	Institute of Seaweed Research
1955–56	39,056	Institute of Seaweed Research
1956–57	9,973	Institute of Seaweed Research
1957–58	7,130	Institute of Seaweed Research
1958–59	7,776	Institute of Seaweed Research
1959–60	5,857	Institute of Seaweed Research
1960–61	7,796	Institute of Seaweed Research
1961–62	5,894	Institute of Seaweed Research
1962–63 (to date)	2,054	Institute of Seaweed Research

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the bodies or individuals from whom he has received representations in the last five years regarding the need for the proposed circular road in the Paible area of North Uist.

The North Uist District Council spoke of the matter to my predecessor when he visited North Uist in 1958 and the hon. Member has himself written.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the progress made up to the and of July, 1962, by the Mackenzie Committee inquiring into Scottish power; in what form the Report of the Committee will be published; when such Report is expected; and whether he will make a statement.

The Committee is completing the drafting of its Report which I expect to receive in the next few weeks. It will then be published as a Command Paper and should be available in the late autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the position and prospects regarding the proposed jetty in the Isle of Eriskay, recommended as necessary in the White Paper and Programme on Highland Development in 1950.

I understand that Inverness County Council is now preparing a scheme for the construction in 1964-65 of a jetty on the Island of Eriskay.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss with the chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board ways and means of providing electricity for the communities in the Islands of Barra and North Uist and their smaller satellite islands, in view of the effect of the lack of this service upon industrial, tourist and agricultural development and the domestic inconvenience it is causing.

The needs of the remoter areas such as Barra and North Uist are being examined by the Mackenzie Committee and I shall, of course, reconsider this problem in consultation as necessary with the Board in the light of the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what improvements in the interests of public health are proposed in the quantity and quality of the water supplies to the school and to the county council houses, respectively, at Garrynamonie, South Uist, in view of the present inadequacy of the supply.

The scheme for the south west end of the island, which it is hoped to start in October, will provide adequately for these subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what contributions have been made by the local private landlords towards the cost of providing communal water supplies, piers and jetties, or of the construction or reconstruction of roads in each of the islands of the Outer Hebrides since 1945.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the price, entered in the Register of Sasines, paid by the present proprietor for the South Uist Estate, formerly owned by Mr. Andreaer; and what was the total amount of Government financial assistance given in the years 1945 to 1961, inclusive, in respect of all public works and projects, including roads, water supply, marine works, bridging, and agricultural improvements in the same area.

According to the Register of Sasines the estates of South Uist and Benbecula changed hands in 1960 for £61,000, but the precise limits of the area covered by this transaction are not recorded. The information requested in the second part of the Question could not be assembled, even approximately, without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that there is a demand among the Maltese gunners serving with the British Army of the Rhine for the Maltese labour papers Il Helsien and the Voice of Malta, but that they are not included on the unit's order; and if he will take steps to see that they are in future purchased out of public funds.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Gentleman in answer to his Question last Wednesday, the selection of Maltese newspapers for the Royal Malta Artillery is a matter for the unit itself. Public funds are not supplied for the purchase of newspapers by units in the British Army.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will have consultations with other Ministers concerned in order to take the steps necessary for the issue of travel vouchers to be undertaken by the General Post Office in the same manner as the payment of pensions, so as to enable retired pensioners to travel within a limited area and annually to any part of the country.

No. The Government do not consider benefits in kind such as cheap travel facilities are the best way to help old people.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the difficulties of naval personnel and their families in crossing and using the A.303 road at Yeovilton; and what steps are being taken to help them.

I have received no recent representations. The introduction of a speed limit was considered last year, but conditions on the road are not such that a speed limit would be an effective safety measure. The local authority has not asked for a pedestrian crossing, nor does the volume of pedestrian traffic justify one. There is, I understand, always a naval policeman on duty at the site.

asked the Minister of Transport what compensation is to be paid for the termination of the Government contract for the troopships "Oxfordshire" and "Nevada".

Discussions with the owners are still proceeding.

asked the Minister of Transport what losses have been incurred by the United Kingdom shipping industry as the result of subsidies paid by Governments of Commonwealth countries to ships within their control engaged in international trade.

While no Commonwealth Government pays direct operating subsidies to its ships some provide capital for fleet development. International trade within the control of some Commonwealth Governments normally has to be carried in their national ships. The consequent losses to United Kingdom ships cannot however be accurately determined.

asked the Minister of Transport which Commonwealth countries have taken powers which enable them to control the extent to which their shipowners may place orders for ships or their equipment in the United Kingdom.

Canadian regulations stipulate that, to qualify for subsidy from the Canadian Government, ships must be built in Canada and must incorporate as much Canadian materials or equipment as practicable.In Australia an import licence is required before any ship can be imported for use in the coastal trade.A number of Commonwealth countries have the power to impose import controls for balance of payments reasons.

asked the Minister of Transport what representation he has made to the Canadian Government, following the loss by a British yard of an order for a 25,000 ton cargo ship for the Hall Corporation of Canada because of the Canadian shipbuilding subsidy, in view of the effect of this subsidy on the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry.

I have made no representations about this particular case, since the Canadian Government are well aware of our views on their decision to resort to shipbuilding subsidies.

asked the Minister of Defence what consideration has now been given to the problem of assisting, by means of a pension or otherwise, the surviving Polish ex-Regulars in the United Kingdom who are in distressing circumstances.

As I said in the House on 25th July, I am examining the position. It is too early yet for me to say anything further.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will include provisions for voting in the institutions of the enlarged European Economic Community in the outline agreement it is hoped to present to the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers.

We are raising the question of the weight to be given to the United Kingdom vote in the current talks in Brussels. A full examination of the voting provisions in an enlarged European Economic Community can, however, only take place at a later stage. Other countries that have applied for membership—Norway, Denmark and the Irish Republic—are also concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will invite General Norstad to pay an official courtesy visit to this country and to address Members of both Houses of Parliament.

No. But I hope very much that General Norstad will visit this country before relinquishing his post as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.

asked the Prime Minister if he will invite the new Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, to London for talks on the placing of independent national nuclear forces under the control of the Atlantic Alliance.

No. But I hope very much that it will be possible for General Lemnitzer to visit this country for general talks soon after he takes office.

asked the Prime Minister what proposals he has for the presentation of gifts to the Government and Parliament of Jamaica to mark Jamaica's attainment of independence on 6th August.

The whole House will, I feel sure, wish to send hearty congratulations to Jamaica on her forthcoming Independence with best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of her people. Her Majesty's Government will propose that this House should offer the gilt of a Chair for the Speaker of the Jamaican House of Representatives. Her Majesty's Government for their part have decided to offer a gift of silver table candelabra to the Government of Jamaica.

asked the Minister of Aviation What decision has now been made with respect to further orders for the Belfast air freighter for tactical or strategic use by the Royal Air Force.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to similar Questions on this subject.

asked the Minister of Education what plans he has to expand nursery school provision during the next school year.

The next school year will be one of acute staffing difficulties for the primary schools, and I regret it will not be possible to spare qualified teachers for the expansion of nursery education.

asked the Minister of Education by what amount he proposes to increase the grants to responsible bodies for adult education in the next academic year.

My Department's Vote for the financial year 1962–63 includes £755,000 for adult education grants. This is an increase of £15,000 over last year.

asked the Minister of Education how the increase in the number of mathematics, physics, and chemistry teachers, respectively, relates to the increase in the pupils taking these subjects in secondary schools over the last 3 years.

The information I have relates to:

			1959	1960	1961	1961 as per cent, of 1959
						per cent.
1. Graduate teachers in grant-aided secondary schools whose first stated subject is:
(a) mathematics	…	…	5,149	5,430	5,583	108·4
(b) physics	…	…	2,239	2,399	2,521	112·6
(c) chemistry	…	…	2,810	3,006	3,140	111·7
2. Entries at Ordinary Level, for the G.C.E. summer examination, in:
(a) mathematics	…	…	177,596	196,561	203,281	114·5
(b) physics	…	…	60,029	68,080	71,157	118·5
(c) chemistry	…	…	53,803	59,643	62,221	115·6
(d) physics with chemistry	…	…	20,313	21,974	22,175	109·2
3. Entries at Advanced Level, for the G.C.E. summer examination, in:
(a) mathematics	…	…	31,973	36,863	43,008	134·5
(b) physics	…	…	27,450	31,015	34,524	125·8
(c) chemistry	…	…	22,188	25,003	27,229	122·7
			per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
4. Percentage of candidates (all subjects) for the G.C.E. summer examination from grant-aided secondary schools:
(a) Ordinary Level	…	…	65·8	65·9	63·8
(b) Advanced Level	…	…	55·0	56·4	58·6

asked the Minister of Education what action he has taken to encourage training colleges to imitate the Trent Park Colleges, Southend, scheme.

I welcome the initiative of those who organised the scheme which has received considerable publicity. There are problems involved in sending small groups of training college students to a technical college some considerable distance away and most technical colleges are fully occupied in meeting the rapidly growing demands for further education classes. In general I am sure it is helpful for training colleges and technical colleges to explore the possibility of establishing closer links but I am doubtful whether

asked the Minister of Education how many applicants suitable for training college places have still not secured admission to a college.

I cannot at this moment give later figures of candidates than those quoted to the hon. Member on 28th May.

asked the Minister of Education what action he has now taken to see that those local education authorities paying low maintenance allowances for Secondary school children are encouraged to make allowances adequate for current needs.

I have looked into this and I find that no local education authority pays maintenance allowances below the rate recommended in Circular 327. Bearing in mind the general principle that this is the local education authorities' own responsibility, I do not consider that I should be justified in intervening.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will advise the setting up of a Royal Commission to investigate the relationship between alcoholic drink and crime among young people.

I am not convinced that this is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will establish a special Commission to investigate the extent to which gambling saloons and gaming clubs have increased as a result of the Betting and Gaming Act, the extent of their social consequences, and what further legislation is now desirable.

Several prosecutions for alleged breaches of the law relating to gaming have been instituted in recent weeks, and I should prefer to await their outcome.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how much has been spent on the development of beryllium as a canning material for advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel; and to what extent the Atomic Energy Authority is now satisfied that stainless steel cans for this purpose will prove suitable, specifying the anticipated increase in thermal efficiency and reduction of generating costs.

I understand from the Atomic Energy Authority that about £10 million has been spent on the development of beryllium as a fuel element canning material. As to the remainder of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 69 of the Authority's 8th Annual Report and to my answer of 21st Ma0y, 1962, to a Ques- tion by the hon. Member for mid-Ulster (Mr. Forrest) the figures in which concerned an advanced gas-cooled reactor using stainless steel canned fuel.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what are the number of people employed on the Dounreay fast reactor, listed according to their trades and professions; and what were the average weekly earnings of each category over the past 12 months.

The total number of people employed on the Dounreay fast reactor including those providing supporting services is 630. The rest of the information requested by the hon. Member could not be given without disproportionate effort.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what reassessment has now been made of the working life of a magnox nuclear power station.

It is now more than five and a half years since the first nuclear power station at Calder Hall came into operation. Comprehensive inspection during that period has shown no evidence to suggest that the life of magnox stations will be limited to twenty years, the period chosen, with deliberate caution, for amortising the capital cost of the civil stations. There can as yet be no final proof of the life of a reactor. An assumption of 30 years could be as realistic as 20 years, particularly for the later stations in the programme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether under the utilisation of atomic energy agreement between the Atomic Energy Authority and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics any nuclear equipment and radio-isotopes have so far been exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and to what extent this is expected to develop.

Some radio-isotopes have been exported. There have also been substantial exports of scientific instruments, but we do not know to what extent these are used in nuclear research. We hope that there will be a steady development of this trade.