asked the Secretary of State for War how much land in Great Britain is held by his Department; how much of this land is in a National Park or in areas scheduled by the local planning authority as areas of natural beauty; and what amount of land so scheduled is not open to the public at weekends or during the holiday season.

The War Department, including the Territorial Army, currently holds or uses some 530,000 acres of land in Great Britain, of which 118,000 acres are in the National Parks and 17,000 acres in areas scheduled as areas of outstanding natural beauty.These figures include land used for all military purposes. Apart from one area of some 7,500 acres, public access to training areas and ranges within National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, is restricted only when live ammunition is being used.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements exist for clearing up spent ammunition and litter on land used for firing ranges and other military purposes to which the public is admitted at weekends or holidays.

Arrangements are made from time to time to remove spent ammunition and litter from those areas to which the public have access.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the composition of the Board of Inquiry into the death of Gunner W. J. Gordon, the dates on which the Board met, and the names of the witnesses called to give evidence.

The Board of Inquiry was composed of a major as president, with a captain and second lieutenant as members. They met on 9th April, 1962, and 17th May, 1962. Eight witnesses were called to give evidence, all of whom were military personnel and five of whom were eye witnesses. I regret that I cannot make their names available.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is now the average waiting period before families can join Army personnel posted to Aden.

Some troops in Aden are on accompanied tours, and most of them travelled with their families to Aden, or were joined by them there shortly after arrival. However, some families have had to wait for up to nine months to go to Aden. The length of these accompanied tours is 24 months.Other units are on unaccompanied tours, which last only one year. In these circumstances families are of course separated for the whole twelve months

asked the Secretary of State for War why the War Graves Commission is moving its offices from Wooburn Green into London.

The head office of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is in London, where its main business has always been conducted. In 1939 part of the office was moved to Wooburn Green and the recording of the casualties of the 1939–1945 war was undertaken there. This work has now been completed and the temporary staff dispersed: the remaining elements at Wooburn Green are returning to the head office in London.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give details of the number of men serving with the British Army of the Rhine who have lost their lives in boating accidents in each of the last five years.

For the five years 1958–1962, the numbers of soldiers in the British Army of the Rhine who lost their lives in boating accidents are one, nil, six, six and seven, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the intended programme of

NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGES AND MAJOR EXTENSIONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Area	College	Project	Actual Starting Date	Estimated Completion Date
Aberdeen Burgh	Aberdeen Technical College	New College	February, 1961	January, 1964
Aberdeen Burgh	Robert Gordon's Technical College	New School of Domestic Science	November, 1960	August, 1963
Dundee	Dundee Trades College	New College	June, 1961	August, 1963
Dundee	Dundee Institute of Art and Technology	Third phase of new building	June, 1961	July, 1963
Edinburgh	Napier Technical College	New College	January, 1962	July, 1965
Edinburgh	Heriot-Watt College	New Department of Brewing and Applied Bio-chemistry	August, 1960	February, 1963
Glasgow	Stow College of Building and Printing	New College	May, 1959	November, 1964
Glasgow	Commercial and Distributive Trades College	New College	September, 1959	December, 1963
Glasgow	Barmulloch College	New College	March, 1961	December, 1964
Glasgow	Langside College	New College	August, 1961	December, 1963
Glasgow	Anniesland College	New College	February, 1962	August, 1964
Glasgow	Glasgow School of Art	Extension	December, 1960	April, 1963
Glasgow	Scottish College of Commerce	Extension	May, 1962	December, 1963
Glasgow	Scottish Hotel School	Hostel	August, 1962	January, 1964
Glasgow	Stow College of Engineering	Extension at Springburn	July, 1962	November, 1962
Ayrshire	Kilmarnock Technical College	New College	February, 1961	March, 1965
Ayrshire	Ayr Technical College	New College	February, 1961	March, 1965
Caithness	Thurso Technical College	Extension	October, 1962	October, 1964
Dumfriesshire	Dumfries Further Education Centre	Extension	February, 1962	February, 1963
Dunbarton	Clydebank Technical College	New College	June, 1962	December, 1964
Fife	Kirkcaldy Technical College	Extension—Phases I—III	September, 1960	June, 1966
Renfrewshire	Paisley Technical College	Extension	June, 1960	May, 1963
Renfrewshire	The Reid Kerr College, Paisley	Extension	May, 1960	October, 1962
Selkirk	Galashiels Technical Centre	New College	June, 1962 (preliminary work)	February, 1964
Stirling	Falkirk Technical College	New College	September, 1959	December, 1962

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the operation of the law relating to mental patients who escape from supervision; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Act of 1960 embodies provisions on this matter which have operated satisfactorily for many years and I see no reason for change. The following is a statement giving a fuller explanation of the law in this type of case:

If a mentally-ill patient who is subject to detention leaves hospital without permission, he may be retaken within 28 days. After that period he ceases to be regarded in law as requiring detention, and cannot be detained again except as a result of a fresh medical examination. If he has lived in the community for upwards of a month without trouble, it seems right to ensure by examination that he still needs to be compulsorily detained.

This relates to the ordinary case. If, however, anyone coming before a criminal court on a charge or serving a sentence of imprisonment has been committed or transferred to hospital because of his mental condition, and there are special restrictions on his discharge, the law provides that if he escapes he may be retaken at any time. There is no limit of 28 days and a fresh medical examination is not required.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what types of courses will be provided in the new Lanarkshire technical colleges; what certificates of education they will lead to; and if it is intended to provide residential accommodation for students.

I would refer the hon. Member to the last two paragraphs of the Answer given to his Question on these colleges on 7th February last. The education authority has made no proposals for residential accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will publish details showing the starting date for the new teacher training college to be erected at Hamilton, the number of student places to be provided, and the estimated date when it will be in operation.

The Scottish Council for the Training of Teachers expect that pre- liminary work on the site and on the playing fields will start early in 1963 and the building of the college in 1964. They are planning to provide places for 900 women students, and they hope that the college will come into operation in October, 1966.

asked the Secretary of State for Air on what date the British fighter squadron will be withdrawn from Thailand.

Tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is now the average waiting period before families can join Royal Air Force personnel posted to Aden.

The waiting period varies between 6 weeks and 6 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will give consideration during his preparation of the Air Estimates Explanatory Memorandum to a more detailed survey and list of Royal Air Force mercy flights.

I will certainly bear this suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for making the wearing of crash helmets for motor cyclists compulsory.

My right hon. Friend does not propose for the time being to use the powers given to him in Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act, 1962, to make Regulations compelling motor cyclists to wear crash helmets. As he said in the debate on this matter in July he is going to try by further propaganda to persuade motor cyclists to wear crash helmets, before he considers compelling them to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation to extend the half-fares concession on public transport to the school-leaving age of 15 years.

No. The granting of fares concessions is a matter for the commercial judgment of the operator, subject to the approval of the appropriate controlling authority. Almost all operators already give cheaper fares for travel to and from school up to 15 years.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will provide a list of the organisations which he has consulted or proposes to consult with regard to the possibility of making seat belts compulsory in motor cars; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure this.

As the list of organisations is rather long—it contains 90 names—I will, with permission, send it to the hon. Member. I am now considering the replies that have been received with a view to preparing Regulations.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction arising out of the hiring of motor vehicles due to many of these vehicles being unfit for road service; and whether he will issue regulations under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961, to prevent the hiring of cars unless they have been properly tested and conform to reasonable road safety standards.

No. Under existing legislation it is an offence subject to penalty to let out on hire a motor vehicle which is not in safe condition. I have no information to suggest that this offence is frequent or widespread.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to construct dual carriageways on the A.20 at West Kingsdown.

This scheme is not in our current trunk road programme and I cannot at present forecast any date.

asked the Minister of Transport when he now expects that the work on Swanley by-pass will commence; and how long it will take to complete this project.

We have received substantial objections from interested local authorities to the draft Order published under Section 9 of the Highways Act 1959. We are discussing with the Kent County Council what can he done to meet or minimise these objections, but I cannot yet forecast how much longer this stage will take. Thereafter, the work is expected to take 18 to 21 months to complete.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for the improvement of road communications with Southampton, in view of the Rochdale Committee's proposals for this port.

The Rochdale Committee's recommendation was that the road communications of Southampton with London, the Midlands and the West should be improved. The London-Basingstoke motorway, together with appropriate improvements to A.33, will in due course provide an excellent route to London. I am considering what should be done about the link with the Midlands and the West.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if, in view of the many recent accidents on the Tintwistle-Woodhead pass road over the Pennines, he will take steps to erect a safety barrier on the precipice side of this road;(2) if he is aware that the Tintwistle-Woodhead pass road over the Pennines carries nearly all the heavy traffic from Sheffield, Penistone, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Scunthorpe and East Coast areas to the docks at Manchester and Liverpool; if a start will shortly be made to make this road efficient and safe; and if he will allocate emergency expenditure to this end.

A scheme for the improvement of this road was included in the five-year trunk roads programme which I announced last February. Dual carriageways will be provided for a distance of 1¾ miles westwards from Salters Brook. It is not an easy road to improve, but survey work is almost completed and the scheme will be pushed ahead as quickly as possible. Plans are already in hand for the provision of safety fencing along some stretches of the road. This work should be started later this month.

asked the Minister of Transport what provision is made in the tenders invited for the Whetstone-Markfield section of the London-Yorkshire motorway for the construction of suitable connecting links with convenient roads to Nottingham, Derby and the North.

The motorway contract provides for a junction with the A.50 at Markfield. From this point the local roads, some of which have been or are to be improved, will provide suitable connecting links until the motorway is extended to join the A.6 at Lockington.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the operation of the Hyde Park Corner underpass; and if he will make a statement.

The underpass was opened less than one month ago and it is too early to make any final assessment, especially as its full value will be realised only when other related improvements have been made. The L.C.C., the police and myself are keeping the situation under review. There is at this stage no reason to doubt that it is working well.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the Worboys Committee on road signs and if he will make an interim statement.

I understand that the Committee is hoping to report to me in March, 1963. I do not think it would be appropriate for me to make a statement until I receive the report.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied with his experimental signs advertising service centres for motorists in by-passed villages and towns, as the Wetherby and Buckden by-passes on the A.1; and if he will now introduce this sign for other service areas on trunk roads.

The Worboys Committee on Traffic Signs is considering the experimental signs erected at Wetherby. I propose to wait for its report before deciding whether more signs of this nature should be permitted on the highway.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now announce his proposals for the line of the M.6 motorway north of Lancaster to Penrith.

Before I make firm proposals in the light of the consulting engineers' report, I must consult the local authorities concerned and organisations representing agriculture. I propose to do this shortly. When I have considered their views I shall publish my proposals as a draft Scheme under the Highways Act, 1959.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for speeding up the present programme of new road construction in Lancashire to deal with the increasing congestion.

As I told the hon. Member on 2nd August, Lancashire is already getting a large share of the total provision for new road construction and will continue to do so for the next few years. I have, however, found it possible to bring forward for starting this year additional schemes in Lancashire to the value of almost £1 million.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the many accidents that have occurred in Western Avenue, Cardiff; and whether he will now authorise a 30 m.p.h. speed restriction on this road.

The number of accidents, though regrettable, is not unusually high in view of the large volume of traffic on this road. I imposed a 40 m.p.h. speed limit there in August, 1961, and I still consider that limit appropriate. In the year since it was imposed the number of accidents fell by 26 per cent., even though the traffic has increased.

asked the Minister of Transport what his plans are for relieving traffic congestion at the junction of the North Circular Road with Harrow Road, N.W.10.

The long-term solution must be a flyover. But because of the complexity of the junction this is bound to be very expensive. Other flyovers on the North Circular Road must be built first.In the short term, therefore, I am considering proposals for widening the present narrow approaches of Harrow Road to the junction. I hope to find a place for such a scheme in the next extension of my road programme.

asked the Minister of Transport Whether, when three-lane roads have an extra carriageway built, it is the practice of his Department to grass over one of the three existing lanes, rather than leave it for the use of one-way traffic.

No. The width of the existing three lane carriageway would not normally be reduced except where reconstruction may be necessary, for example to improve the alignment of the road.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to withdraw the proposals now pending for the closure of railways or Lines for passenger traffic in Wales until such time as the Report of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire on the Rural Transport Problem in Wales has been considered by Parliament and himself.

No. With the railway deficit running at over £150 million a year I should not be justified in preventing them from proposing such closures. Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, ensures that, as recommended by the Council, the social consequences of any proposed closures will be fully considered.

asked the Minister of Labour how many juveniles and adults are being trained and re-trained under the auspices of his Department at Brancepeth, County Durham.

None. More suitable premises for a new training centre are now available at Tursdale three miles away. Training has not yet started as discussions are still in progress with the trade unions.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will state the names and qualifications of the members of the committee established to review future naval requirements of aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

No committee has been established to review future naval requirements for aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. A number of eminent scientists from outside Government service are helping to provide me with scientific advice on questions relating to future carriers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Rhodesian Federal Government was consulted before the change was made in the currency of the Bechuanaland Protectorate from pounds, shilling and pence to rands and cents.

No.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give for each of the counties of Northumberland, Westmorland, Cumberland, North Riding, East Riding, Lindsey, Kesteven and Holland, and Hampshire, the number of schools in 1944 without water sanitation; the number of schools in 1962 without water sanitation; and the percentage of children of school age at such schools in 1962, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now make a statement about his plans for the future of Heathrow Primary School, Harmondsworth, Middlesex.

My right hon. Friend has approved a proposal by the Middlesex local education authority to rebuild this school on a new site at Sipson Road. The authority is now planning the new buildings.

asked the First Secretary of State if he will undertake to state, in his forthcoming talks with Dr. Banda, that, if Nyasaland secedes from the Federation, the British Treasury will not pay the subsidy at present paid to Nyasaland by the Federal Treasury.

No, the Conference which opened this week is concerned with Nyasaland's internal constitutional development.

asked the First Secretary of State what is the annual income derived by Nyasaland from its migrant workers employed outside the Protectorate; what is the total sum received by Nyasaland from the Federal Treasury since 1954; and at what rate in terms of cash the injection of Federal funds into the Protectorate is now running.

I am asking the Acting Governor, Nyasaland, for the latest available statistics and will write to the hon. Member when they are received.

asked the First Secretary of State what were the annual totals of direct external investment by Her Majesty's Government in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1954 to 1961, inclusive.

Grants or loans made by Her Majesty's Government to the Federal and Territorial Governments of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in the financial years from 1st April, 1954, to 31st March, 1961, ware as follows:

				£
1954–55	…	…	…	937,198
1955–56	…	…	…	1,474,558
1956–57	…	…	…	2,858,390
1957–58	…	…	…	2,636,145
1958–59	…	…	…	2,273,103
1959–60	…	…	…	2,039,109
1960–61	…	…	…	8,305,727

These figures include grants and loans made under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts (including issues totalling £1,860,000 from a grant of £2,875,000 to the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland), Colonial Development Corporation investment (including an issue of £6,300,000 during the year 1960–61 from a loan of £15,000,000 for the Kariba Dam project), and Colonial Services Vote assistance in the case of Nyasaland.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs Whether he has now received the Report of the Central Advisory Water Committee; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the report of the Sub-Committee on Water Charges. This will be presented at the next meeting of the Central Advisory Water Committee, which it is hoped to hold in the next two months.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the year 1966 will be the 900th anniversary of the Norman invasion of England, he will take steps to obtain competitive designs for a complete series of commemorative postage stamps.

My right hon. Friend is looking into the matter and will write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will reduce telephone rents for people aged over 65 who are in ill health or live alone.

As my hon. Friend knows I have been reviewing the question whether cheaper telephone rentals should be charged to elderly people who are housebound and who have only limited means. I am sorry, however, that I am not yet in a position to say whether this will be possible.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what regulations govern civil servants serving in his Ministry engaging in private practice or private work; and, in particular, what changes have been made in such regulations since 1954.

The regulations governing civil servants in my Ministry engaging in private practice or private work specify that officers may not engage in any activity which would tend to impair their usefulness as public servants; and may not engage in any occupation or undertaking which might in any way conflict with the interests of the Ministry or be inconsistent with their position as public servants. These regulations are based on general principles applying to all members of the Civil Service.In order to ensure that officers shall not be in any doubt about the propriety of engaging in any particular occupation or undertaking these regulations were amended in April, 1962, to require all officers wishing to undertake private commissions, other than those on an unpaid voluntary basis, to obtain prior

Vaccination State				Number of Cases
				Paralytic	Non-paralytic	Total
After 1 dose	…	…	…	71 (a)	13	84
After 2 doses	…	…	…	69 (b)	21	90
After 3 doses	…	…	…	60	22	82
After 4 doses	…	…	…	8	6	14
Not vaccinated or vaccinal state unknown	…	…	…	497 (c)	107	604
Total		…	…	705	169	874
Notes (a) Includes 5 cases where vaccination was done after onset or on the day of onset and 4 cases where unsupported statements by relatives provided the only evidence of the vaccinal state.
(b) Includes 8 cases where unsupported statements by relatives provided the only evidence of the vaccinal state.
(c) Includes 1 case in which injections were understood to have been given but the number of injections was unknown.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of undischarged bankrupts whose public examinations were concluded two or more years ago; what is the cost of applying for a discharge; and if legal aid is available.

Only a rough guess can be made at the number of undischarged bankrupts since all the necessary information is not available. In its Report on bankruptcy law amendment, the Blagden Committee put the figure, on a conservative estimate, at probably between 30,000 and 40,000 in 1957. This estimate is probably well on the low side.The cost of applying for discharge is 30s. plus 1s. for each creditor to whom

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of cases of poliomyelitis and paralytic poliomyelitis, respectively, in 1961; and what were the states of their previous vaccination.

Following is the information:the notice of the application for discharge is sent.I understand that legal aid is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the decline in the value of money, he will take steps to raise the limit of credit that an undischarged bankrupt may obtain from the pre-war level of £10 to £35.

This could not be done without legislation and, quite apart from the difficulty of finding Parliamentary time for legislation on bankruptcy matters, I am not aware that this limit gives rise to practical difficulties of a kind which would justify this particular change.