asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will list the number and types of troop transport aircraft now immediately available to his Department.

The Royal Air Force Transport Force consists at present of 23 Britannias, 11 Comets, 48 Hastings, 28 Beverleys, 12 Valettas, 10 Argosies, 12 Pioneers, 27 Twin Pioneers, 4 Pembrokes, 26 Whirlwinds, 10 Sycamores and 18 Belvederes.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many Service men have been flown home in Royal Air Force Transport Command aircraft from the Middle East and Far East during the past twelve months for treatment of illness, serious injury or other urgent reasons.

In the 12 months ended 30th September, 1962, 950 Service men have been flown home in Royal Air Force Transport Command aircraft from the Middle East and Far East for treatment of illness or serious injury. No figures are available in respect of Service men who travelled home from overseas Commands for urgent compassionate reasons.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he is taking to help British Overseas Airways Corporation to compete more effectively, having regard to the support received from its principal foreign competitors by their Governments.

It is not the Government's policy to subsidise international air services, but I am always ready to consider proposals from the Corporation for ways in which the Government may legitimately further its efforts to improve its position. There is, of course, continuous co-operation betwen my Department and the Corporation in the field of international air traffic relations.

asked the Minister of Aviation, in view of the Government expenditure involved, if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which British Overseas Airways Corporation proposes to write down the value of its fleet by £33 million; and what steps he intends to take to avoid future large obsolescence charges.

It is for the Corporation in the exercise of its commercial judgment to decide what provision to make for obsolescence in its accounts. The Corporation's explanation of the circumstances of the depreciation for 1961–62 is given in the Report and Accounts for that year. I am satisfied that the Corporation is well aware of the need to keep this matter under frequent review so as to avoid as far as practicable abnormal provision in any one year.

asked the Minister of Defence what decisions have now been reached by Her Majesty's Government, following their review of the plight in the United Kingdom of Britain's wartime Polish allies, with regard to arranging British pensions for the aged and needy amongst them.

I have considered whether it would be right to make a special award of Service pensions to Polish ex-regulars who were under our command during the Second World War.

asked the Attorney-General what was the total cost to Her Majesty's Government of the legal proceedings in British courts in connection with the case of the late Dr. Soblen.

£860 16s. l0d. for court fees, fees to counsel and shorthand writers, and travelling expenses.

asked the First Secretary of State (Central African Office) what investigation the Nyasaland authorities have made into the intimidating action of the Malawi Congress in preparing a black list of political, professional and business people, and administrators, and others of all races uncongenial to that party; if he is satisfied that the Governor has adequate powers to counter such intimidation; and whether, having regard to the poverty of the Protectorate and the need to attract and retain capital and the confidence of all races, he will make a statement.

Investigations have been made by the Nyasaland authorities, but no evidence has been forthcoming to substantiate the charge that the Malawi Congress Party has sought to intimidate individuals by reference to a "black list". Should intimidation of this nature be substantiated, the provisions of the law are adequate to deal with it. As regards the last part of the question, Dr. Banda and his colleagues have frequently said in public that Europeans and persons of other races desiring to invest capital or their personal expertise in the promotion of the Territory's development are welcome provided that they are prepared to co-operate with the elected Government.

asked the First Secretary of State whether any detailed decisions have yet been taken regarding the spending of the British loan to Nyasaland; and if he will now give an assurance that none of it will be used by the Nyasaland Government for a State-owned and controlled broadcasting station and national newspaper.

Certain projects have been approved for grants, but no detailed decisions have been reached on the use of loan funds. I cannot therefore commit myself as regards the two schemes mentioned at this stage.

asked the First Secretary of State whether he is aware that eight Nyasaland students have been obliged by the Nyasaland Government to withdraw from the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; that pressure is being brought to bear by the Nyasaland Government on others to return to Nyasaland, and that the Nyasaland Minister of Education is not allowing bursaries given by his Government to be tenable in Rhodesia; to what extent his Department has given consideration to this matter; what steps he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

I am in consultation with the Governor on the subject of this Question and will write to the hon. Member when I have his further views.

asked the Minister of Health what costs were incurred by Her Majesty's Government, after the death of Dr. Soblen. in respect of his widow.

About £13, for emergency treatment in hospital.

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet received a report from his Standing Medical Advisory Committee on the question of controlling the introduction of new drugs, establishing standards for clinical trials and safeguarding the public against avoidable dangers.

No, but I expect shortly to receive interim advice.

asked the Minister of Health what investigations he is carrying out into possible teratogenic effects of the tetracycline group of drugs; and whether this question has been referred to his Standing Medical Advisory Committee.

None; no.

asked the Minister of Health if he will collect statistics showing the number of deformed babies born in the United Kingdom.

This is in hand.

asked the Minister of Health what response he has had from hospital authorities to his request that they should review their procedures designed to obviate surgical operations on the wrong patient or on the wrong part of the body; if he is aware that such accidents appear to have increased during the last year for which figures are available; and what further action he proposes to take.

They have complied; I know of no evidence of an increase; none at present.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that experiments are performed on patients in hospitals without their knowledge or consent, if he will set up a committee of inquiry into the extent of this practice.

asked the Minister of Health under what conditions he permits medical experiments to be carried out in hospitals under the National Health Service; and to what extent such experiments have been carried out on patients without their specific consent.

Guidance on this subject was given to hospital authorities and their medical staffs in a letter of 2nd January, 1959, of which I am sending the hon. Members a copy. I have no reason to suppose that this guidance is not generally observed.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board and the Barnsley Hospital Management Committee have overspent during the last 12 months; what has been generally responsible; and, in particular, to what extent increases in food costs and the general increase in the cost of living have been responsible.

I can give figures only for financial years. In 1961–62 the Board overspent by £71,000 and the Committee underspent by £12,500. The overspending was mainly due to staff recruited in excess of estimates towards the close of the year. I cannot forecast the out-turn for the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that his directive designed to limit expenditure on the running and maintenance of hospitals is having adverse effects on hospital management in Barnsley, especially by making it difficult to recruit nurses and other staff and to reduce waiting lists; and what steps he intends to take to alleviate this situation.

No: expansion of the hospital service is continuing in conformity with the Estimates.

asked the Minister of Health if he will list the numbers in Barnsley and district who are awaiting admission to Barnsley hospitals, specifying the type of operation and the average waiting time.

The following are the totals at 30th September, 1962. I regret I cannot say how many of these persons are from Barnsley and district.

asked the Minister of Education how much of the current schoolbuilding programme is financed by borrowing; and what proportion of the current annual expenditure on the building of schools is for interest charges.

Precise information is not collected by my Department and much depends on the financial policies of individual authorities, for instance about the period for which loans are taken. About 90 per cent. of the capital expenditure of local education authorities on educational building as a whole is met by loan, and the interest element accounts for about half of the total of loan charges. Separate information is not available for schools.

asked the Minister of Education if he will now name a date on which work will begin on the construction of a college of further education in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The first instalment of the Newcastle-under-Lyme College of Further Education was included in the 1962–63 building programme. A schedule of accommodation was approved, but the local education authority subsequently decided that substantial amendments were necessary to provide for increased demands particularly for workshop accommodation. A revised schedule of accommodation was approved last June and the authority submitted sketch plans on 17th October. Everything possible will be done to clear them quickly.

asked the Minister of Education if he will now set up a committee to study and report on the patterns and methods of comprehensive schools and the ways and means of ending the system of segregating children at eleven-plus, so as to advise local authorities who are considering the desirability of comprehensive secondary education.

No.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of the fact that

asked the Minister of Education whether he will bring up to date the Table on Day Release published by him on 14th March, 1962.

Since publication of the table to which the hon. Member refers the basis of the statistics of further education has been changed. The new many children still have to travel considerable distances to school and that more children are staying on beyond the statutory age, he will now review the size of the school building programme.

Programmes already announced as part of the five-year programme initiated by the 1958 White Paper take account of the growth in the school population and the need to build new schools where the children live. I see no need for any special review.

asked the Minister of Education how much public money has been spent on education in Dorset in the five years to the last convenient date; what the cost of the new school building in Dorset has been during this period; and how many new school places have been provided.

The information is as follows:analysis is set out in Table 17 of "Statistics of Education 1961, Part 2". This shows that in England and Wales in November, 1961, 250,273 students aged under 18 were released by their employers, representing 18·9 per cent. of the numbers in these age groups insured in May, 1961. The comparable percentage a year earlier would have been 15·8 per cent.

asked the Minister of Education how many applicants for admission to teacher training colleges possessing an adequate number of A level passes have been rejected.

The minimum academic qualification for admission is five passes at the Ordinary level of the General Certificate of Education. Detailed information about the applicants unable to secure admission for the current session will not be available until later in the year. I will then send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education how many applicants for training college places this September, graded as satisfactory and as borderline, respectively, have not been accepted.

This information will not be available until later in the year. I with then send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education what recommendations of the Annan Committee on the Teaching of Russian, relevant to his Department's responsibilities, are in process of implementation.

The Government have accepted the Committee's main conclusion that more Russian should be taught in schools and technical colleges and its more detailed recommendations are being examined in the context of the teaching of modern languages generally. A pilot one-year course for 20 serving teachers who intend to teach Russian started in London this term. Next year a similar course will be started in Liverpool and the size of the London course will, I hope, be doubled. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is exploring the possibility of establishing a pilot course for teachers in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made in the creation of an Educational Research Council.

I share my predecessor's view, as expressed in his reply of 28 th May to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Boyden), that the establishment of a Council for Educational Research would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Education who are the members of his committee of advisers advising him on educational research.

I have not established such a committee. Her Majesty's Inspectors advise me on educational research projects and members of staff of the National Foundation for Educational Research and of other institutions, notably at universities, have been good enough on several occasions to advise me on individual projects. I am not at present convinced that more elaborate or formal machinery is needed but I shall keep the matter in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of detaining Dr. Soblen in prison, hospital, and elsewhere from the date of his arrival in the United Kingdom until his death here.

The estimated cost of detaining Dr. Soblen in prison was about £96, and that of detaining him in Hilling-don hospital from 1st to 6th July and from 6th to 11th September was, on the basis of the latest ascertained average costs at that hospital, £43 10s. 0d.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what ratio the number of indictable offences known to the police in 1961, which involved wounding, exceeded the corresponding figure for 1960; what was the corresponding annual average figure for the 1935–39 period; and what proportion of males convicted of wounding were sent to detention centres in 1961.

The number (15,885) of indictable offences of felonious and malicious wounding known to the police in England and Wales in 1961 was 12 per cent. higher than the corresponding number (14,142) in 1960. The average annual number of these offences during the period 1935–1939 was 1,925. Two per cent. of males convicted in 1961 of felonious or malicious wounding were committed to detention centres; persons over 21 are not eligible for a detention centre sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what ratio the number of males under 21 found guilty of violence against the person in England and Wales in 1961 exceeded the corresponding figure for 1938; and if he will state the corresponding ratios for males under 21 convicted of larceny, of breaking and entering, of receiving, fraud and false pretences, and of sexual offences, respectively.

The following table shows, for the years 1938 and 1961, the numbers of males convicted in England and Wales of all indictable offences and of indictable offences in the groups classified in the Criminal Statistics as larceny, breaking and entering, receiving, frauds and false pretences, sexual offences and violence against the person; and the percentage increases in 1961 compared with 1938.

The following table shows, for the years 1938 and 1961, the numbers of males aged under 21 convicted in England and Wales of indictable offences in the groups classified in the Criminal Statistics as violence against the person, larceny, breaking and entering, receiving, frauds and false pretences, and sexual offences; and the percentage increases in 1961 compared with 1938.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) what progress has been made by the Durham County Council in providing special sites for gypsies and other travellers;(2)what progress has been made by the Gloucestershire County Council in providing special sites for gypsies and other travellers;(3) what was the result of the survey by the Soke of Peterborough County Council on gypsies and other travellers;(4) what was the result of the survey by the Staffordshire County Council on gypsies and other travellers;(5) if he will give the main details sent to him by county councils in England and Wales arising from the survey requested in Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962, on the problem of gypsies and other travellers.(6) in view of the plight of many gypsies and other travellers in Essex, on what date the county council replied to Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962; what explanation has been given for the delay in replying; and what action is to be taken, and when, to deal with the situation;(7) what progress has been made in providing the 10 permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in Kent to avoid the hardships and distress suffered by these people in previous winters;(8) if he will give details of the progress made on the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in England and Wales during the winter months so as to avoid the distress of previous years;(9) on what date the Cambridgeshire County Council replied to Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962, on gypsies and other travellers; and what proposals have been made;(10) when the Devon County Council replied to Circular No. 6/62; and what was the nature of the reply;(11) if he will give the date and nature of the reply of the Herefordshire County Council to Circular No. 6/62;

Replies have now been received from all county councils in England and Wales in connection with the surveys of gypsies and caravan dwellers suggested in Circular No. 6/62.The councils of the following counties have stated that they have no such problem in their areas or that it is not so great as to require the provision of permanent sites:Bedford, Cambridge, Cumberland, Devon, Essex, Hereford, Huntingdon, Isle of Wight, Leicester, Lincoln (Holland), London, Northampton, Northumberland, Nottingham, Oxford, Rutland, Soke of Peterborough, East Suffolk, East Sussex, Warwick, Westmorland, Wiltshire, York (North Riding); Anglesey, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Denbigh, Flint, Merioneth, Montgomery, Radnor.The councils of the following counties have either not yet completed or are considering the results of their surveys:Cheshire, Derby, Hampshire, Lancashire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Salop, Stafford, Worcester; Cardigan, Pembroke.The councils of the following counties are considering the provision of permanent sites, as suggested in the Circular, in consultation with the district councils concerned:Berkshire, Buckingham, Cornwall, Dorset, Durham, Gloucester, Hertford, Isle of Ely, Kent, Lincoln (Kesteven), Lincoln (Lindsey), Somerset, West Suffolk, Surrey, West Sussex, York (East Riding), York (West Riding); Carmarthen, Glamorgan, Monmouth.The councils of the following counties replied to the Circular on the dates indicated:Cambridge, 25th September, 1962.Devon, 8th August, 1962.Essex, 27th July, 1962.Hereford, 1st August, 1962.Lancashire, 20th August, 1962.London, 2nd October, 1962.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many communications he has received since 1st October from persons living in North-West Kent protesting about an increase in the nuisance from cement dust.

Thirty individual letter or telephone calls and about 13,500 printed postcards in a standard form have been received.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will undertake, and publish the results of, a national survey of the present level of municipal rents and the extent to which they have risen in the last five years and invite local authorities to submit proposals on how to reduce them.

Information about rents charged by local authorities is published annually by the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants and I see no need for me to duplicate this work. Though the general level of council rents has been rising for some time, it is still in many areas below what can fairly be charged. The most useful thing local authorities can do is to adopt realistic rent policies which will ensure that tenants who can afford to pay full cost rents do so and that adequate rent assistance is given to those most in need.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the concern among tenants caused by the recent municipal rent increases in Newcastle-under-Lyme due to high interest rates; and what steps he will take to enable the Council to build homes for letting at lower rents.

Yes. But I also know that the local ratepayers' association is concerned that even with the present increase in rents there will remain a deficit in the housing revenue account for 1962–63 of £33,000 that will have to be made up by a contribution from the general rate fund. This sum is equivalent to a tenpenny rate. The new rents to be charged (on the basis of a 48-week rent year) are £1 11s. 9d. for a typical post-war 3-bedroom house; and £1 4s. 6d. for a typical pre-war 3-bed-room house. These rents are certainly not high. If the Council have difficulty in making houses available to poorer families at rents they can afford, they can overcome this by the introduction of a rent rebate scheme under which rent assistance is given only to those who really need it. In this way more help can be given to those tenants with the greatest need.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give an average estimate of the proportions of a current municipal rent payable for interest charges and for capital repayment, respectively.

In 1960–61 interest charges accounted for 56 per cent. of the housing expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales and capital repayments for a further 16 per cent. It is not possible to say what proportion of the debt charges was met from rents, but the latter provided 72 per cent. of all housing income.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what amount and proportion of the total rate burden falling on the ratepayers of the country annually are for payment of interest charges.

In 1960–61 local authorities in England and Wales paid £232 million in interest charges, representing 13 per cent. of their total expenditure. It is not possible to say What proportion of this was met from rates, but the latter provided 38 per cent. of all local authority income.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the fact that the only Government inquiry into the effects of the Rent Act, 1957, related to the spring of 1959 before the three-year agreements had come to an end, whether he will now undertake a further inquiry into the effects of the Act and publish the results as soon as possible.

I am in course of reviewing the range of statistical and other information on housing available to my Department and the possible need for improvements. This review includes the question of information relating to privately-rented houses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the evidence in the recent London County Council survey of London's homeless that many tenants have been illegally evicted from protected tenancies, while others have been offered unprotected tenancies in exchange and then evicted from these, what plan he has to ensure by suitable publicity that tenants as a whole are better acquainted with their legal rights.

Local authorities and Citizens' Advice Bureaux are always ready to advise tenants; the trouble is that not all tenants seek advice when they need it. I will certainly consider more publicity, but it will be appreciated that there has already been an enormous amount.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what scheme he is at present considering for the provision of more old people's bungalows in the borough and rural district of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

None from either authority.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimates he has formed of the employment prospects of Mersey-side workers in the rubber footwear industry as the result of present trade negotiations in progress with certain eastern European countries.

I have no reason to believe that any change in the employment prospects of these workers is likely to result from the negotiations.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest figure of unemployment in Newcastle-under-Lyme; what proportion of the working population this represents; how many of those unemployed are disabled persons; what proportion of registered disabled persons this represents; and how this compares with the average national figure of unemployment amongst disabled persons.

On 15th October, 647, or 2·3 per cent. of the insured employees were unemployed; 168, or 10·9 per cent. of registered disabled persons were unemployed compared with about 8 per cent. nationally.

asked the Minister of Labour if he wild publish the same details on housing expenditure shown in the Family Expenditure Survey for the year eaded December, 1961, published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for June, 1962, as he did for the 1960 Survey in the March issue of the Gazette.

These details were published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for September, 1962 (page 352).

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 1,183 Index households shown as living in their own dwellings in the 1961 Family Expenditure Survey were subletting; and what was the average weekly rent received.

Of the 1,183 households, 77 were subletting part of their dwellings, including garages attached to the dwelling. The average weekly rent received was 37s. 0d.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a list of the occupations of the heads of the 3,039 Index households in the 1961 Family Expenditure Survey.

Details of the occupations of the heads of the 3,039 "Index" households in the 1961 Family Expenditure Survey are as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour how often the chairman of the Torbay and District Local Employment Committee has been a trade union representative.

No trade union representatives have been appointed to the chairmanship of this committee. Of the seven chairmen appointed to the committee since its creation in 1917 four were representatives of employers and three were independent persons.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Falmouth and Camborne constituency of Cornwall.

I visited the area on 24th September during a tour of the South Western Region. I had useful discussions about employment problems with the Chairman and the Clerk of the Cam-

asked the Minister of Labour what local employment committees function in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, respectively; how many chairmen of these have been employers' representatives in the last 10 years and how many trade union representatives.

In Somerset there are local employment committees at Bath, Bridg-water, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil. In Dorset there is a committee at Weymouth. In Devon there are committees at Barnstaple, Bideford, Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay. In Cornwall there are committees at Falmouth, Redruth and St. Austell. During the past 10 years seven workers' representatives and 12 employers' representatives have been chairmen of these committees.

asked the Minister of Labour what procedure is followed in appointing chairmen of local employment committees.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Falmouth and Camborne-Redruth, respectively, at each monthly count since December, 1961; and what percentages these were of the numbers of insured persons.

The following table gives the information requried:

The chairman of a local employment committee is selected from a field of suitable candidates, which includes persons nominated by the British Employers' Confederation and the Trades Union Congress. The appointment is made after informal consultation with the employers' and workers' panels of the committee concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour how many new industries have been introduced into Camborne-Redruth during the lifetime of the present Parliament, and how many people they now employ.

Five new firms, employing about 150 workers.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of disabled persons on the disabled persons register in Sunderland; and how many persons so registered are at present unemployed.

On 15th October, 2,857 persons were registered as disabled, of whom 463 were unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were unemployed in Sunderland on the latest available date; and how this compares with the corresponding figure for the previous year.

There were 5,960 people unemployed in the Sunderland area on 15th October, compared with 3,550 on 16th October, 1961.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether credits to purchase British military equipment form part of the agreement reached with Egypt on desequestrated British property.

No.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which Mr. Geoffrey McDermott, former British Minister in Berlin, left the employment of the Foreign Office.

Mr. G. L. McDermott was retired from the Foreign Service last month under the Foreign Service Act, 1943, which allows my noble Friend to terminate by retirement on pension the careers of officers who, though they may have been satisfactory in the early years of their service, lose the qualities of initiative and energy which are necessary if they are to hold positions of greater responsibility.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) whether he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the record of the official interview between his predecessor and the hon. Member for Oldham, West, at the office of his Department in March last to which his Parliamentary Secretary referred in his letter to the hon. Member for Oldham, West, of 31st July, 1962;(2) to what extent it is the practice to make a private record of official interviews between him and hon. Members; and whether the hon. Members are informed of this prior to such interviews;(3) by what means a record was taken of a conversation on official matters between his predecessor and the hon. Member for Oldham, West, at his Department in March, 1962; and what steps were taken to ensure that this was an accurate record of the meeting.

When a Minister has had a discussion with an hon. Member on a matter affecting his constituents or constituency, he will generally, no doubt, follow the normal, business-like practice of making, or arranging for his private secretary or other official present to make, a note or memorandum of what was said sufficient to enable appropriate action to be taken. Ministers treat such discussions as confidential. To place a record of this kind in the Library would in my view not be consistent with normal practice, but with the agreement of my predecessor I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the note in question for his own information.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) what was the nature of the new facts in relation to a hospitalisation for meningitis during service in the last war which the hon. Member for Oldham, West was asked by him to supply in order to substantiate a claim for disablement benefit due to schizophrenia;(2) to what extent his regulations enable him to grant a disablement pension for war service where he is satisfied that a determination of the appeals tribunal has resulted in injustice to the applicant; and on what grounds his discretion may be exercised.

Under the Pensions Appeal Tribunal Acts the decision of a Pensions Appeal Tribunal is final, excepting on appeal on a point of law.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what regulations he proposes to make to prevent such events as those occurring in the case of a seriously disabled Chadderton octogenarian, whose wife's allowance of 25s. a week has been disallowed and to whom a claim for repayment of £10 10s. 0d. made on the ground that the wife's earnings exceeded the maximum by 6d. per week.

None. The hon. Member will now be aware that when the pensioner to whom he refers exercised his right of appeal to the Local Tribunal, the Tribunal decided not to require him to repay the sum involved.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much may be set off as reasonable expenses by an insurance officer in order to arrive at the net maximum permitted earnings of a dependent wife.

If the hon. Member has in mind the expenses that may be taken into account in deciding net earnings for the purposes of dependency increases of benefit, there is no fixed amount; it is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide what is reasonable in each case. They will be guided in this, as in other matters, by published decisions of the National Insurance Commissioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many fully qualified physicians, surgeons and medical practitioners are employed on the staff of his Department; and what is the total cost of their employment.

One hundred and sixty and £490,273 in 1962–63.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the members of the qualified medical staff in his Department who advise him as to appeals against awards of benefit from industrial injuries and disease are the same persons who may be required to advise him in the exercise of his discretion regarding a possible modification of the award.

I have no discretion to modify awards of benefit made by the statutory authorities under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will now bring forward proposals to reform the pre-1948 system of workmen's compensation, in order to relate all industrial compensation payments to the current cost of living.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to the letter sent to him on 15th October by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the 5,677,000 pensioners drawing retirement pension at the end of 1961 were drawing increments as a result of having remained at work beyond pension age; and what was the average value of the increment.

Approximately 1,371,000, and 7s. 9d. a week.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the 5,677,000 retirement pensions in payment at the end of 1961 were being paid less than the standard rate owing to a defective contributory record.

Approximately 205,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many unemployed persons were unable to continue drawing unemployment benefit in 1961 because they had exhausted their right under the rule that limits it to a maximum of 492 days.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he will make a statement about the new system of locust control in Africa and the Middle East; and what part is being played by the United Kingdom.

Locusts have no regard for international boundaries and research has now clarified many of the factors affecting the pattern of movement of swarms from one country to another. It is increasingly recognised that effective locust control can be achieved only by international co-operation and it is towards the establishment of a system of international control organisations that efforts are being directed under the

During 1961 a total of 262 inquiries were held at the instance of my Departments. Particulars of duration and of time taken for completion of report are shown below. Most of the inquiries arose out of planning appeals, for which the usual fee was 14 guineas a day (except that advertisement appeals were taken by professional officers of the Department); but higher fees, up to 25 guineas a day with sometimes an extra allowance to cover preparation of the report, were paid for specially complex or important inquiries.general leadership of F.A.O. An important advance towards this objective was recently made when a Convention for the establishment of a Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa was signed by Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika in Addis Ababa on the 20th August. A further step in this direction was the holding of a meeting in Teheran on the 1st October to initiate the formation of a regional locust control organisation for Western Asia. In West Africa a similar regional organisation called O.C.L.A., based on Dakar, has been in operation for some years. The international basis for the organisation controlling the migratory locust in its outbreak area in Mali has recently been broadened under a new Convention subscribed to by sixteen African states and the analogous organisation for the control of the red locust in Northern Rhodesia is seeking increased African support.In these developments the British have played a leading role, both in encouraging international collaboration and in supplying information and advice. Most of the scientific impetus for new thinking on locust control has come from the Anti-Locust Research Centre in London and the pioneering work of its founder, Sir Boris Uvarov. I am very glad of this opportunity to pay tribute to the achievements of the Centre, which is wholly supported by my Department. My Department is also ready to supply further technical assistance in locust control and has accepted some responsibility for the equipment and financial

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports of motor vehicle transmission chains, and parts thereof, items 73.29 (A) in the United Kingdom tariff list, in 1961, from the Commonwealth, the European Free Trade Area, and other Foreign countries, respectively; why there is a duty of 20 per cent. ad valorem on imports from Commonwealth countries compared with only 18 per cent. on imports from European Free

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much Australian wheat was landed in Britain in the twelve months to the last convenient date; what was the average price; and what information he has obtained regarding the quantity and price of Australian wheat landed in Common Market countries in the same period.

The following information showing the quantity and the average c.i.f. value per ton is available for the periods shown:Trade Area countries; and if he will reduce the Commonwealth preference rate of duty to zero.

Imports in 1961 under this sub-heading paying Commonwealth, E.F.T.A. and full rates of duty were nil, £27, and £47,261 respectively.Since 1919 the Commonwealth preference rate of duty on these products has been equal to two-thirds of the full rate. The rate of 20 per cent. was introduced in 1956 following a reduction in the full rate to 30 per cent. The E.F.T.A. rate of 18 per cent. represents 60 per cent. of the full rate in force on 1st January, 1960; it was reduced to that level on 1st March, 1962, when the third reduction in E.F.T.A. duties was made in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of the Stooklholm Convention, which provides for the gradual elimination of protective duties on industrial goods traded between the E.F.T.A. countries. On 31st October the full, Commonwealth and E.F.T.A. rates of duty will be reduced as a result of the recent G.A.T.T. tariff negotiations and the introduction of the fourth E.F.T.A. duty reduction. The rates of duty will then be—full rate 24 per cent., Commonwealth preference rate 16 per cent., E.F.T.A. rate 15 per cent.As regards the last part of the Question, it would be contrary to the G.A.T.T. BO new-preference rule to reduce the preference rate to zero without making a corresponding reduction in the m.f.n. rate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the terms of the long-term Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty have now been agreed; and when he expects the Treaty to be signed.

There are still some matters on which agreement has not yet been reached, but I have no doubt my hon. Friend has noted the hope expressed by the Japanese Prime Minister, which I share, that the Treaty will be concluded during his visit to this country next month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to submit the long-term Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty to Parliament; and if he intends to publish a White Paper on the subject.

The text of the Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty will be laid before the House as soon as possible after it has been signed and I intend to publish an explanatory White Paper at the same time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what safeguards he proposes to introduce into the long-term Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty now being negotiated to protect the wool textile industry of the United Kingdom from unfair trading practices used by Japan.

I have the preoccupations of the wool industry very much in mind in these negotiations, but before the negotiations are concluded I cannot disclose details of what the Treaty will contain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will postpone the signing of the long-term Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty until after the completion of negotiations for Britains entry into the European Economic Community.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take in trade negotiations with certain eastern European countries to protect the livelihood of Merseyside workers in the rubber footwear industry.

In considering requests from Eastern Area countries for quotas to sell us rubber footwear, I shall keep in mind the position of the manufacturing industry in Merseysida and elsewhere.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Falmouth and Camborne constituency of Cornwall.

My hon. Friend met the Chairman and members of the Camborne-Redruth Urban District Council, with whom he had a useful exchange of views on local employment problems. He visited a number of firms in the district and opened a new Board of Trade factory.He also met the Planning Committee of the Cornwall County Council, at which representatives of the Cornish development districts, including Falmouth, were present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many men and women, respectively, were employed in Government - financed factories in Sunderland on the latest available date.

In August, 1962, 3,307 males and 3,823 females were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will restore Sunderland to the list of areas recognised for special assistance under the Local Employment Act.

I am keeping the position in Sunderland under constant review.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a further statement about the work of the French and British departmental committees which have the Channel Tunnel project under consideration; and what steps have now to be taken before permission can be given by the British and French Governments for constructional work.

The Anglo-French official study of the proposals for a Channel Tunnel and a Channel Bridge has been making good progress. Much useful work has been done in the past few months, and the most recent joint meetings took place in London last week. I cannot yet say, however, when officials will report to Governments or what further steps will be considered necessary before the British and French Governments are in a position to reach decisions.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average number of vehicles passing per hour or per 24 hours at any point between 20 and 40 miles from the centre of London on the A.30 and A.1, respectively.

In August, 1961, at points 30 miles from London, approximately 1,200 vehicles an hour on each road.The figures are averages based on observations of traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for a 7-day period. They include the large volume of seasonal holiday traffic on A.30.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is now taking to relieve traffic congestion on the roads by encouraging the fuller use of rail and other forms of transport.

The Government's policy is to give all forms of transport the opportunity to make their right contribution to the needs of the economy. In particular, we are seeking to create the conditions in which the railways can give a standard of service which will attract to them the types of traffic appropriate to rail. This may give some relief on the roads but the problem of road congestion is really separate. The Government's programme of road investment and the traffic management measures of the Ministry of Transport and other traffic authorities are aimed at tackling it as effectively and speedily as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will consult the British Transport Commission about the payments made to retired railwaymen, with a view to devising a scheme of payments to all retired railwaymen which is related to the current cost of living under Sections 27 and 28 of the Transport Act, 1953.

Responsibility for the pensions of retired railwaymen rests primarily with the British Transport Commission, to whom therefore the hop. Member should address his inquiries in the first instance.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date work will commence on the A.34 road widening scheme between the Milehouse and London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Work on the northern section of this scheme will begin in December. It is hoped to start work on the central section in the spring of next year, and on the southern section a year later, with a view to completing the full improvement by 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take action to improve the condition of the A.525 road, particularly in the parish of Madeley.

The re-surfacing of the A.525 in Madeley must await the settling of the road following sewage works, but it is hoped that work will begin shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what sums of public money have been spent on roads in Dorset in the five years to the last convenient date.

£5,576,000 for the five years ended 31st March, 1962.

asked the Minister of Transport when construction will start on M.6 from Dunston to M.1 at Catthorpe.

Work is expected to start on the first eight miles of this motorway from Dunston to Shareshill by the early summer of next year. Construction of further stages will be undertaken as quickly as the completion of statutory and other preparatory processes, the acquisition of land and the availability of funds will permit.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present position with regard to constructing the D-Ring road in Hertfordshire.

Of the sections of the D-Ring Road in Hertfordshire I attach great importance to the 3 mile section from the county boundary at Oxhey to A.41. This is protected in the County Development Plan, but extensive residential development in Middlesex may make some alteration to the line necessary. I will make an announcement as soon as possible.The section from A.41 to the Barnet By-pass is of less traffic value and has not so far found a place in my current Trunk Road Programme.A third section runs very close to or along the county boundary from A.1 to A.11 and I hope to publish the necessary Orders under the Highways Act, 1959, early next year.

asked the Minister of Transport When he hopes to start work on the by-pass at Rubery.

Subject to completion of the final stages of land acquisition, it is hoped to start work on this by-pass by the spring of next year.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will inform the Birmingham Corporation that work may be started on the widening of the railway bridge over Albert Road, Stechford, which was approved in principle in August, 1958.

Birmingham Corporation has been told that we axe prepared to consider an application for grant towards the cost of this scheme in the current financial year. I await its firm proposals, which will include a new railway bridge to be designed by the British Transport Commission.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the changes in percentages and in money terms of wages, salaries, dividends and company profits for the twelve months to the last convenient date.

It is estimated that wages and salaries paid in the second quarter of 1962 ware £191 million or just over 5 par cent. higher than in the corresponding quarter of 1961. Separate figures for wages and salaries are not available. Gross trading profits of companies are estimated to have fallen by £20 million or just over 2 per cent. during the same period. Comparable figures for payments of dividends are not available but summaries of the accounts of public companies compiled by the Financial Times show that companies reporting in the second quarter of 1962 had increased their ordinary dividends by just over 3½ per cent. compared with the previous year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what ratio estimated expenditure on the Army for 1962–63 exceeds the corresponding figure for 1952–53; and if he will give the corresponding ratios for the estimated increase between the same years in expenditure on the Royal Navy, on the Royal Air Force, including the defence expenditure of the Ministry of Aviation,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applicants for admission to university places, possessing an adequate number of A level passes, have been rejected.

The academic qualifications for admission vary from one university to another and according to the course selected so that it is not possible

The Army Estimates for 1962–63, at £524 million, are 6·7 per cent. above those for 1952–53, which totalled £491 million.The table below shows the changes in the Budget Estimates (including Revised Estimates) for the other services referred to by my hon. Friend, including separate figures for the defence element of the Ministry of Aviation (formerly the Ministry of Supply).Although the figures in the table provide a broad basis for purposes of comparison, no detailed adjustments have been made for the effect of the numerous changes in the composition of individual Estimates which have taken place during the period. The 1962–63 figure for the Ministry of Aviation (Defence) has however been adjusted, for purposes of closer comparison with 1952–53, to allow for a change in the classification of this expenditure which has been made in the intervening years.Otherwise the 1962–63 figures are based on those given in Table II of the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 1962–63 Estimates.to provide information in the form requested. The universities have recently set up a central office for university admissions which will, in due course, provide statistics of the number of candidates in relation to the number of places available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimate of the University Grants Committee of the number of student places available in universities by 1967.

150,000. This is, of course, subject to progress on the building programme for which an additional £5 million worth of starts has been agreed for 1963 and to the settlement of the rate of building starts thereafter; and also to satisfactory recruitment and retention of staff. The Government has undertaken that the recurrent grant fixed for the period 1962–63–1966–67 will be reviewed in two years' time in the light of expansion then achieved and all other relevant factors.