asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will arrange for printed copies of the Order in Council, dated 2nd October, 1962, Navy, Pay, Pensions, etc., to be placed in the Vote Office for the use of hon. Members.

A copy of these Orders is always placed in the Library. On this occasion I have sent extra copies to the Vote Office.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what increases to the basic pension of able seamen on the 1919 scale, after 22 years' service will be paid as a result of the Order in Council of 2nd October, 1962; and at what ages they will be payable.

None. The Order in Council of 2nd October, 1962, relates only to restrictions on the amount of pension which may be earned under the 1962 Pension Code.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, if he will state the present additional pension allowances for able seamen on the 1919 scale, for 22 years' continuous very good conduct, for each of three good conduct badges and the good conduct medal, respectively; and whether consideration is now being given to increasing these allowances.

One penny, one penny and two pence a day, respectively. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No". These allowances form part of the original basic pension and are increasable under the Pensions (Increase) Schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many civilian students are taking courses at the Royal Military College of Science; and in what subjects.

There are 30 civilian students at present taking courses at the Royal Military College of Science. Twenty-nine of them are reading far London University degrees in engineering subjects, physics, chemistry and mathematics. One civilian student is taking a post-graduate course in guided weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider making special provision of housing for those at present living in areas remote from both industry and public transport, who have lost their employment following pit closures, and have not been offered employment in other mining areas.

Local authorities have power under existing legislation to provide for all classes of persons in need of houses who cannot be expected to provide for themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland haw many grants were given to students wishing to enter the Medical Faculty of Edinburgh University in October, 1962.

99 students entering the Faculty in October, 1962, have been given students' allowances by the Scottish Education Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set up a committee to investigate the operation of hire-purchase agreements in Scotland with a view to introducing legislation.

The Molony Committee on Consumer Protection that submitted its report to the President of the Board of Trade in April of this year made recommendations for amendment of the law relating to hire purchase in Scotland, and these are being considered by my right hon. Friend and myself. I do not think that it is necessary to appoint another committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the success of the Isle of Lewis and other moorland regeneration schemes, he will take steps to encourage and assist, financially and otherwise, larger-scale regeneration projects in the Western Isles and North-West Highlands, on a fully mechanised basis and employing teams of workers full-time, under departmental or other suitable auspices.

The success of the Lewis schemes points I think to the usefulness of existing measures of assistance so far as crofter grazings are concerned.

As regards farms generally, the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill contains provision for a new scheme of grants to encourage grassland renovation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to provide grants for slatted floors for raising cattle.

No, but the question is being considered in the light of the increasing use being made of this system of housing cattle and of the information now becoming available on the results of pioneer installations in various parts of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the implementation of the recommendations of the Mackenzie Committee Report, with particular reference to the proposals for the supply of electricity to those island areas, including North Uist and Barra, which are still without supply.

This Report raises a number of important issues and I will require time to study it before I can make any statement on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for legislation this Session on the drainage of trade premises, following the report of the Hill Watson Committee.

I cannot undertake to introduce a Bill on the drainage of trade premises during the present Session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the present state of recruitment for the police trade group of the Royal Air Force; and what are the prospects for ending the present suspension of discharges from this group.

On present trends, the police trade group will not be fully manned for some time. A man in this trade group is not likely to be able to purchase his discharge within the next year unless he has a strong compassionate case.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average time his Department takes to consider development plans submitted to it in respect of private developments.

Preparation of full statistics giving the information required would involve a disproportionate amount of labour, but a check for the county containing the hon. Member's constituency gives an average of 21 days for 132 applications referred to my Divisional Road Engineer over a recent period of 3 months.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the further work on A.38 at Whitminster and other places in the Stroud constituency designed to widen A.38 to a three-lane highway; and whether he will put a stop to this work.

I intend to continue with the present programme of widening A.38 between Bristol and Gloucester to three-lane single carriageway width throughout. This helps the traffic and reduces the accident rate. Dual carriageways would not be justified because this road will in due course be superseded by the Bristol-Birmingham motorway.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements he makes for payments for damage to property, crops and machinery, resulting from the construction of roads, which is not covered under the contractor's indemnity.

Claims notified to my Department are investigated to establish the cause of damage. When I am satisfied as to the cause of damage, my lia- bility and the amount of the claim, payment is made to the claimant or his representative.

asked the Minister of Transport when the work on the Aston Down by-pass will be begun; when it will be finished; and what the cost will be.

Work on this by-pass is expected to start about February and to be completed about September, 1963, at an estimated cost of £24,000.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will ensure that on all roads for whose construction he is responsible provision is made for suitable paths and roadways for the use of bicycles.

It is my policy to provide cycle tracks on new and improved trunk roads where the volume of cycle traffic justifies them and it's physicallly possible.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects the surface of the A.525 road in the parish of Madeley to be sufficiently settled to enable re-surfaoing to take place.

This road is the responsibility of the Staffordshire County Council. I understand that they hope to carry out permanent re-instatement of the surface in about a month's time providing that, in the meantime, there are no further heavy rains and no further settlement takes place.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will declassify M.1 as a motorway until current repairs are completed, with a view to reducing the risk of accident.

No. This would open the road to all classes of traffic and would not reduce the risk of accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of recent accidents on three-lane roads such as A.38, whether he is aware of the double white line system as used on three-lane roads in Italy; and if he will introduce it at the earliest possible moment in this country.

We are already using double white lines on three-lane roads but mainly on hills and dangerous bends. We are considering whether they could be used more extensively. To use them continuously on alternate sides of all three-lane roads would, I fear, result in their being disregarded by drivers when there was little traffic from the opposite direction. It would not be in the interests of safety generally to bring the double white line system as a whole into disrepute in this way.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now state when he will give his consent to an application by the Washington Urban District Council for grant under Section 7 of the Local Employment Act, 1960, for the purpose of building an access road for new industry in the Washington area.

I expect to send the formal grant statement to the urban district council within the next few days.

asked the Minister of Transport by what percentage road capacity was increased on trunk roads and Class I roads, respectively, between 1st January, 1946, and 31st December, 1961.

I regret that the information for trunk roads before 1956 and for Class I roads could not be obtained without an unjustifiable expendiaire of effort. However, between 1st January, 1956, and 31st December, 1961, the capacity of the trunk road system including the motorways increased by about 22 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state, giving the milage in respect of each, those motorways or lengths of motorway for which no line had yet been proposed, a draft scheme had been made, tenders had been invited, a contract had been placed, which were under construction, and which were in use, respectively, as at 31st October.

The following is the information: Motorways in use miles London—Birmingham 73 Preston By-pass 8½ Lancaster By-pass 11½ Ross Spur 20½ Maidstone By-pass 7½ Maidenhead By-pass 6 Doncaster By-pass 15 Bristol—Birmingham Lydiate Ash—Twyning 28 Stevenage By-pass 7½ Stafford By-pass 5 Stretford—Eccles By-pass (classified motorway built by Lancashire County Council) 6 Motorways under construction Birmingham—Preston (excluding Stafford By-pass now open) 73½ Medway Motor Road 25 London—South Wales Chiswick—Langley (Viaduct) 2 Slough By-pass 5 Severn Bridge (Foundation and structure) 1 Newport By-pass (Bridge and Tunnels) ½ Darlington By-pass (Bridge) — Port Talbot By-pass (1st Section) ½ London—Yorkshire Part II, Crick—Whetstone 15½ Preston—Lancaster 13 Contract placed None. Tenders invited London—Yorkshire Part II, Whetstone—Markfield 11½ London—South Wales Chiswick—Langley (Road Works—Part) 7

Scheme made miles London—Yorkshire Part II, Markfield—Doncaster 59½ Darlington—Barton By-pass (including Darlington Spur) 13 London—South Wales Chiswick—Langley (Road Works—Part) 3½ Severn Bridge Approaches 8½ Newport By-pass (Road Works) 7 Midland Motorway Links Dunston—Catthorpe 55 Lydiate Ash—Quintan 5½ Hendon Motorway Page Street—Edgwarebury Lane 3½ Edgwarebury Lane—Aldenham 4¾ Durham Motorway 21 Sheffield—Leeds Spur 34 High Wycombe By-pass Stokenchurch—Abbey Barn Lane 9 Port Talbot By-pass (Main Section) 3¾ Draft Scheme published London—South Wales Tormarton—Almondsbury 11½ Crick—Newport 9 High Wycombe By-pass Abbey Barn Lane—Burkes Road 4 Baldock By-pass 6 Line not yet published Lancaster—Penrith 36 Penrith—By-pass 6 Penrith—Carlisle 20

ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES ON THE A.20 BETWEEN BIRCHWOOD AND WEST KINGSDOWN SINCE 1ST JANUARY, 1959 Accidents Casualties Period Personal injury Damage only Killed Seriously injured Slightly injured Total 1959 … … 115 128 8 67 103 178 1960 … … 88 113 5 46 78 129 1961 … … 125 120 5 48 131 184 1962* … … 69 103 5 31 79 115 *Up to 30th September.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will include a subway under New Road in the Chequers Corner Roundabout Scheme.

The scheme provides for traffic signals with a pedestrian phase. Tenders have now been received. A subway would be very expensive and I have not yet decided whether such an addition would be warranted.

miles Lancashire—Yorkshire 50 Birmingham—Bristol Twyning to East Brent 68 London—South Wales Maidenhead—Tormarton 80 London—Crawley 25 London—Basingstoke 34 London—Bishop's Stortford 32 Ditton By-pass 5 Denham By-pass 7 Midland Motorway Links South of Quinton—Great Barr 10

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have taken place on A.20 between Birchwood and West Kingsdown in each of the last three years; how many people have been injured; and how many have been killed.

In the first nine months of this year there were 69 personal injury accidents, in which five people were killed, 31 seriously injured and 79 slightly injured. The following are the figures for the three previous years.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is now in a position to announce the results of the experience obtained arising from the heavier summer traffic conditions during the one-way traffic experiment in Baker Street and Gloucester Place, St. Marylebone.

I still have this experiment under review. The initial substan- tial traffic improvement has been maintained. St. Marylebone Borough Council has asked for the scheme to continues as an experiment until it has experience of the additional pedestrian facilities which are to be provided. I have agreed to this.

asked the Minister of Transport what effect is being given to the proposals of the Committee on the Problem of Noise from Motor Vehicles; and whether he will take early steps to secure the prohibition of the sounding of horns in built-up areas except in emergency.

Regulations to give effect to the Committee's recommendations on noise levels and roadside tests are being prepared. My proposals will be sent out in the near future to in terested bodies for consultation. As further restrictions on sounding horns might affect road safety, I am seeking advice on this matter from the Departmental Road Safety Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he takes by way of regulations to prevent an individual holding a driving licence endorsed in respect of dangerous driving from acting as a professional driving instructor.

Until recently I had no power to make regulations about the qualifications of professional driving instructors. When I set up the register of approved driving instructors under the powers of Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act, 1962, I will certainly have in mind the point my hon. Friend has raised.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now announce the names of the chairmen of the three new hoards set up under the Transport Act, 1962.

I have already announced the names of the Chairmen-designate of the British Railways Board, the London Transport Board, the British Transport Docks Board and the Transport Holding Company. I will make an announcement about the Chairman-designate of the British Waterways Board as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport if, with a view to establishing criteria by which to assess future plans for the co-ordination of road and rail services, he will commission an economic study of the Manchester-Liverpool and London electrified rail project to work out the social costs and benefits, as well as the purely commercial costs and benefits, calculating the social costs on the same basis as motorways and road improvements and taking into account the savings on journey times and their money value.

We are already developing in consultation with the Road Research Laboratory benefit calculations of road investment schemes and we have proposed to the British Transport Commission that we might jointly commission research studies on suitable rail investment projects to see how comparable techniques might be applied to them. We are discussing with the Commission the form such studies could take and the projects they might cover.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state, in connection with the regulations making it an offence for a driver to produce excessive diesel smoke, how many lorries have been taken out of service at the check points during the most recent convenient period, and how many others have been warned about bringing their engines within the regulation.

83,000 diesel lorries were observed in three special nationwide surveys this summer, of which 9,800 were emitting black smoke. 132 were taken out of service immediately and 3,900 were threatened with prohibition unless they later satisfied a second test. In addition, 4,000 warning letters were sent.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Road Transport Sub-Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe has yet reached conclusions on the problems of the brilliance of trafficators; and whether it is proposed to take regulatory action in the United Kingdom.

The working party of experts, whose advice on direction indicator light intensities was sought by the E.C.E. Sub-Committee on Road Transport, has not yet made its recommendations to the Sub-Committee. I prefer to await the Commission's conclusions on this matter before deciding whether regulatory action will be desirable in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the decline in the position of the shipbuilding industry in the Govan constituency area; and what particular steps he is taking to improve the prospects of those employed in this industry in Govan.

Shipyards in the Govan area are facing the same difficulties as those in the rest of the country, and I have no special measures in mind for them.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the error of fact in the Rochdale Report relating to the amount of trade passing through the port of Goole; and whether he will take steps to correct this.

I am greatly obliged to the hon. Member for pointing out this printer's error. The figure for Goole's trade in 1961 given in paragraph 597 of the Rochdale Report should be 2.1 million tons and not .1 million tons. I am arranging for H.M.S.O. to publish a correction.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he has given to the possible damaging effects of certain recommendations of the Rochdale Committee on the Port of Barry, where trade prospects have improved substantially in the last few years; and if he will give an undertaking that no step will be taken to close the docks at Barry.

I am fully aware of the position at Barry and of the concern with which the Rochdale Committee's recommendations about the port are viewed locally. A decision on these recommendations must, however, await a Government decision on the principal proposals in the Rochdale Report.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission that they should take action in respect of British Railways superannuitants similar to that proposed in the new Pensions (increase) Bill.

No. Responsibility for the pensions of railway superannuitants rests primarily with the British Transport Commission, and I understand that they have the question of increases under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what notion he proposes to take to improve the provision of new houses and flats for families, newly-married couples and slum clearance rehousing oases in the West Midlands industrial conurbation.

I want to see local authorities with slum clearance and other urgent needs build as many houses as they can. But it is for each authority to determine the different purposes for which they think they should build.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many students who have secured the necessary qualifications have been refused places in Scottish universities in each of the last three years.

The academic qualifications for admission vary from one university to another and according to the course selected so that it is not possible to provide the information 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 whether he will arrange for HANSARD to be sold at its former price.

No. The revised prices are to meet increased costs of production and to reduce the present loss on sales.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about special Exchequer assistance to the National Maritime Museum.

Yes. The Trustees of the National Maritime Museum have recently had the opportunity to make two most important acquisitions. Mrs. C. D. Palmer has, in accordance with the wishes of her late husband, Captain Eric Palmer, offered to sell to the Museum at a favourable price the unique collection of 17th century Dutch maritime pictures made by Captain Palmer. The Trustees are also anxious to acquire certain items from the Royal United Services Institution Museum whose collections are being dispersed.

We have agreed, subject to the approval of Parliament, to make a special grant towards the cost of these two acquisitions. The exact amount required cannot be decided until the details of the proposed transaction with the R.U.S.I. are further advanced, but will not exceed £45,000 in all and will be given on the understanding that the Trustees are able to find the balance required from other sources.

A supplementary estimate will be laid before Parliament in due course and meanwhile an advance will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund to enable the purchase of the Palmer Collection to be completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage increase in wage rates for men in agriculture and forestry between 1948 and March, 1962, compared with wage rates in all industries and services.

Based on statistics compiled by the Ministry of Labour, the increase between 1948 and March 1962 in the United Kingdom average weekly wage rates was 95 per cent. for men in agriculture, forestry and fishing compared with 87 per cent. for men in all industries and services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the percentage increases in real farm incomes between 1945–47, and 1961–62 compared with percentage increases in total personal incomes for the same period.

The percentage increases in incomes in the U.K., adjusted for changes in the prices of consumer goods and services, are as follows:

Aggregate farming net income* June-May, 1961–62† compared with average 1945–46 to 1947–48: 21%

Total Personal Income‡ 1961 compared with average 1945 to 1947: 50%. *as defined in Appendix II, note (i) of Cmnd. 1658 (March, 1962). † as forecast in February, 1962. ‡ before providing for depreciation and stock appreciation where applicable.

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

Financial year Revenue expenditure on education Capital expenditure on school building (all maintained primary and secondary schools) New school places provided (all maintained primary and secondary schools) Primary Secondary (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) £'000s £'000s 1957–58 … … 15,177 2,485 4,000 5,250 1958–59 … … 16,288 2,407 4,750 5,640 1959–60 … … 16,817 1,527 1,560 4,190 1960–61 … … 18,528 1,643 2,460 2,730 1961–62 … … 20,547 1,954 3,715 2,760

NOTES:

1. Revenue expenditure (col. 2) up to 1958–59 is not wholly comparable with expenditure from 1959–60 onwards, because of differences in the basis of inter-authority payments and in pooling adjustments.

2. Capital expenditure on school building (col. 3) is met mainly by loan.

3. Col. 3 excludes the cost of land, fees, furniture and equipment.

4. School places (cols. 4 and 5) are given for the year when the building was taken into use: they are not directly related to the expenditure figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many people from the United Kingdom have emigrated to Australia in each of the last five years.

The following are the figures: 1957 37,968 1958 43,555 1959 43,414 1960 42,421 1961 46,242

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that sufficient evidence is available to eliminate the allegation that fluoride is cumulative in the human system and acts as a poison over a prolonged period; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, so far as quantities present in food or drink in this country are concerned.

asked the Minister of Health, what instructions were given to his advisers regarding the detection of any side effects, mental as well as physical, due to the administration of fluoride on children in the three test areas of

The information is as follows:

Watford, Anglesey and Kilmarnock; and what were their findings.

Every general medical practitioner in the areas was asked to report any cases showing symptoms which might be attributable to fluoridation. None was reported.

asked the Minister of Health, if, in view of the fact that fluoride has no effect on teeth after the formative period, he will consider administering this chemical in some form other than the mass-medication additive to all water supplies as at present proposed, so that doses can be given to children only in measured and accurate quantities in accordance with normal medical practice.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply of the 30th July, 1962, to the hon. Member for Wood Green.

asked the Minister of Health whether the claims made for the Russian vaccine used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis have been substantiated by clinical trials in this country; and what supplies are available in Great Britain.

No. Small quantities are imported.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will publish a report on the outbreaks of smallpox in different parts of the country earlier this year.

Yes. A comprehensive report on all the outbreaks is in preparation. Much detail is involved and I cannot yet say when it will be complete.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade craftsmen were registering at Lanarkshire employment exchanges at the latest convenient date; and what was the nature of the crafts involved.

The following table gives the information required: Lanarkshire, excluding the City of Glasgow Men aged 18 years and over, wholly unemployed, 15th October, 1962 Carpenter and Joiner 26 Bricklayer 12 Mason, Stonecarver 2 Slater, Tiler, Thatcher, Roofing felt fixer 3 Plasterer 4 Floor and Wall tiler, layer, etc. 3 House and Ship painter, Paperhanger 19 Plumber, Gas fitter, etc. 14 Other craftsmen in the construction industry 96 179

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps the Atomic Energy Authority is taking to increase the civilian uses of enriched uranium in the future by work on the design of reactors which will have a requirement for this fuel.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Authority's Annual Report for 1961–62 which describes the development work on reactor systems using enriched uranium. In addition to the advanced gas-cooled reactor and the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (Dragon project) the programme includes work on the steam generating heavy water reactor system. Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport on 8th November, 1961, a vigorous programme of research on marine reactors, which also require enriched uranium, is in hand.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what grades of staff are recruited to the Atomic Energy Authority on a national basis; and how far each establishment is responsible for its own recruitment.

The recruitment of staff is a matter within the day-to-day responsibility of the Atomic Energy Authority.