asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he has approved for the provision of car parking space in connection with the plans for the Tay Road Bridge.

I understand that no specific plans for car parks have been drawn up yet, but that the filling-in of parts of the harbour area in Dundee will provide ample space for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he is making to ensure that new entrants into the Scottish child care service have adequate professional qualifications.

The local authorities, who are responsible for staffing, are recruiting all the professionally qualified people available. My Department is endeavouring to increase the supply by arranging appropriate courses and making grants to students.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the concern of farmers and farmworkers at the recent methods used by the Crofters Commission in assigning crofts; and if he will give a general direction to the Commission to require them to give priority in such assignations to those who have local experience of farm work, to those without land, and to those who have lived longest in the locality.

The Commission's function is to give or withhold consent to applications made to them by crofters who wish to assign their crofts. I am not aware that the Commission's methods of dealing with such applications have given rise to any general concern and I see no need to give them any direction in the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of British Railways passenger coaches is fitted with safety glass.

I am informed by the British Transport Commission that rather more than 10 per cent. of British Railways passenger coaches are fitted with safety glass throughout.

asked the Minister of Transport which Commonwealth countries exclude United Kingdom shipping from their coastal trade.

India and Pakistan.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the estimated period of time that it would take to build nuclear reactor mechant ships of 20,000, 40,000, and 60,000 tons, respectively.

Until the present research programme on reactors is further advanced, I could not give a reliable estimate. I should not expect the size of the ship to affect significantly the building time.

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal and serious accidents have occurred on the A.23 road round Gatwick airport during the last three years; and when the conversion of its three lane sections into double roads will be commenced and completed.

From the beginning of 1959 to the 31st October, 1962, there was a total of 10 fatal accidents and 33 serious accidents. It is proposed to extend the existing dual carriageway by about three-quarters of a mile to the Longbridge roundabout. Work is expected to start in the spring of 1963 and to take about six months to complete.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present position with regard to the Leicestershire portion of the London to Yorkshire motorway; and if he will make a statement.

Work started in August on the first 15 miles of the M.1 extension from Crick to Whetstone. We expect to let the contracts for the next 11 miles to Markfield very shortly. If all goes well, we hope to lot contracts for the remaining sections in Leicestershire, next summer; and to invite tenders shortly for advance works at the crossing of the River Trent.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the local roads which will serve as connecting links between the London-Yorkshire motorway extension at Markfield and Nottingham, Derby and the North; and what improvements have been or will be made in these local roads.

The route to be recommended and signposted for northbound traffic from Markfield to the A.6 has still to be decided. It will probably include the B.591 and B.5350. These roads and the B.5330 and the B.588 are being widened and strengthened to enable them to carry the motorway constructional traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport when he anticipates that the extension of the London-Yorkshire motorway to Markfield and the junction with the A.50 will be completed and ready for use.

Work started in August on the first 15 miles of the extension up to Whetstone. I hope to let the contracts for the next 11 miles to the A.50 junction at Markfield very shortly. The contract period will be 23 months.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has made during the planning of the Leicestershire portion of the London to Yorkshire motorway to avoid congestion of traffic on feeder roads.

Major improvements to a number of trunk and classified roads in the vicinity of the motorway junctions are planned or under way and I am sending details to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will erect a footbridge over the A.2 at Salters Cross in Rochester to enable pedestrians to cross in safety.

No, for the reasons which my noble Friend the Parliamentary Secretary explained to the hon. Member last month.

asked the Minister of Transport what stage has now been reached in plans for the projected extension of the Eastern Avenue through the borough of Leyton.

The Eastern Avenue extension is not included in the current Trunk Road programme announced for the years up to 1966–67, but since about 300 houses will have to be demolished, I am already acquiring property by agreement well in advance of construction. So far 42 houses have been acquired and negotiations for a further 18 are in progress.

asked the Minister of Transport if, when he is making a traffic regulation order, he will inform not only those authorities as defined in subsection (2) of Section 26 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960, but also all authorities, whether they have power to make traffic regulation orders or not, that are likely to be affected by the order.

The local authority which I am bound to notify by Section 28 (2) of the Road Traffic Act, 1960, when making a traffic regulation order as respects a trunk road, is the one which makes traffic regulation orders for other roads in the area; it is also usually my agent authority. As other local authorities, including rural district councils, parish councils and borough and urban district councils where the population is less than 20,000, do not have direct responsibility for traffic regulation, I see no reason to consult them as well. It is, however, my practice to give public notice of any proposed order and I should hope that these local authorities would regard this as sufficient advance notice.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the Road Goods Transport Survey being undertaken by his Department; and when it will be published.

The Road Goods Transport Survey which is now being taken by my Department covers four separate weeks in the period April, 1962 to January, 1963. The last week's returns will not be received until the end of January, 1963 and the full results of the whole survey will take some time to compile. It is hoped that a full report will be published towards the end of next year. In the meantime some provisional results, based on the returns for the first week only, are being pre- pared and it is hoped to make these public by the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give, as a percentage, the unemployment figure for the Bideford and Torrington area as compared with the same time last year.

4·1 per cent. at 12th November, 1962, compared with 3·3 per cent. at 13th November, 1961.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of employed persons in occupations for which wages or salaries are determined under agreements which relate them to variations in the cost of living.

Nearly 2 million workers.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the weights used in compiling the Index of Retail Prices correspond with the average pattern of expenditure of persons living wholly or mainly on retirement pensions or National Assistance grants.

Details of the recorded expenditure of "special pensioner" and of "index" households for two recent years were published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for December, 1961, and June, 1962, and I am sending copies to the hon. Member. In order to calculate the weights for the Index of Retail Prices certain adjustments have to be made to the expenditure figures including the adjustment to prices ruling at January, 1962—the base date of the index. There are considerable technical difficulties in making comparable adjustments to the expenditure figures for the special pensioner households.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he received the communication from the Northumberland Anglers' Association about losses of salmon from rivers; and what reply he has sent.

This communication was received on 5th November. My Department wrote to the Northumberland and Tyneside River Board on 7th November, inviting their comments, and their reply is awaited. It has therefore not yet been possible to reply to the Federation, but I regret the omission to acknowledge their letter.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, in view of the medical history of 23816889 Driver Philip N. James and his recent bronchial pneumonia and persisting incapacity, he has authorised this soldier's transfer from Millbank Military Hospital to a Chester barracks where he is to do physical training and running over certain distances.

Driver P. N. James has completely recovered from his illness and has been sent for two weeks convalescence at the Army Medical Rehabilitation Unit at Chester. The unit is staffed primarily by the Army Medical Services, including specialists in physical medicine, physiotherapists and occupational theraists, and by instructors in remedial gymnastics. While at the unit, Driver James' programme of convalescence will be designed entirely for his own particular needs and his physical condition will be examined at every stage.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the numbers of Regular soldiers who purchased their discharge within three months of enlistment under Section 14 of the Army Act, and the number who purchased their discharge after three months' service for the periods 1st April, 1958 to 31st March, 1959, 1st April, 1959 to 31st March, 1960, 1st April, 1960 to 31st March, 1961, 1st April, 1961 to 31st March, 1962, and 1st April to 30th September, 1962, separate figures being given for each period.

The following is the answer:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken or have been recommended to police and traffic wardens in the Metropolitan Police district to ensure that motorists are not prosecuted for placing coins in wrong meters adjacent to where they have left their cars.

None. It is for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to decide, in the light of all the circumstances, whether or not a prosecution is justified in a particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total acreage covered by prisons in the Greater London area.

Prisons, borstals and one remand centre in the Metropolitan Police District occupy in all 159 acres, including staff quarters outside the establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will arrange for independence gifts to Tanganyika from this House and the British Government to be displayed.

Arrangements have been made for the gifts to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall until Friday, 23rd November. I will arrange for photographs of them to be placed in the Library in due course.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent the United States naval blockade of Cuba covers any portion of the area of responsibility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic; whether any representations have been received by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council from the United States Government in connection with such an overlap; and whether British naval forces are in any way affected.

The Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, only assumes responsibility for operations in his area in time of war. There was, therefore, no overlap and consequently no consultation. The United States operations are national and do not involve British forces.

asked the First Secretary of State what is the total Federal and Territorial debt of the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation, internal and external; and how much of this is guaranteed by Her Majesty's Government.

The total Federal debt, including that of Rhodesia Railways as well as statutory boards and commissions, is £316·1 million and the total Territorial debt is £48·8 million. The total Federal and Territorial external debt is £195·4 million. Her Majesty's Government have guaranteed loans of £52·4 million of Which £47·2 million are outstanding. All these figures are as at 30th June, 1961.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what proposals the Trent River Board has now made with regard to improvement of the River Trent at Burton-on-Trent; and what will be the cost.

I have been asked to reply.The Trent River Board has not yet submitted proposals to my Department. I understand, however, that it has discussed with representatives of Burton-on-Trent Corporation a scheme for the improvement of the River Trent at Burton-on-Trent. The scheme is estimated to cost £110,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what has been the number of appeals to local National Assistance Tribunals during the last period for which statistics are available; and in how many of these cases the decision of the officer was varied by the Tribunal.

A total of 11,343 appeals were considered by National Assistance Appeal Tribunals during the year ended 31st December, 1961. The decisions of officers of the National Assistance Board were varied in 2,204 instances.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is satisfied that the Local National Assistance Appeal Tribunals have sufficient discretion to vary the decision of the officer in cases of special hardship; and whether he is considering any variation in existing regulations.

National Assistance Appeal Tribunals have the same wide discretion to take account of the special circumstances of an individual case as is conferred on the Board by the National Assistance (Determination of Need) Regulations, 1948. I have no reason to think that any variation is required.