asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to avoid employment opportunities declining still further in Scotland, as a result of the tendency for heavy industry to drift from Scotland elsewhere.

Without accepting the implication of the final part of this Question, my right hon. Friend proposes to continue to use his powers under the Local Employment Act to steer new projects to the development districts in Scotland, and to assist the expansion of industry there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new areas he has scheduled or proposes to schedule in Scotland to meet unemployment arising from pit and rail closures.

The existing development districts include all those areas in which high unemployment exists or is expected to arise as a result of pit and rail closures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements he makes to gain early information on the closure of pits in mining areas with a view to attracting new industries into those areas.

My right hon. Friend's Department is notified by the Ministry of Power at the earliest possible moment when a decision has been taken to close a pit in any area. Many colliery areas are already in development districts, but if it appears likely that a particular closure in some other area will result in high and persistent unemployment in the area concerned, appropriate steps can then be taken under the Local Employment Act to encourage new industrial development there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he accepts the recommendations of the Molony Com mittee on Consumer Protection in respect of hire-purchase transactions.

My right hon. Friend is in general agreement with the intention behind these recommendations, but until he has completed the consultations which he is undertaking with interested parties he cannot make any statement about the Government's conclusions on individual recommendations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the high and persistent level of unemployment in Jarrow and Hebburn; and what steps he is taking to provide employment for those men, women, boys and girls who are now without work.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the high level of unemployment in Jarrow and Hebburn and is much concerned about it. Both places are part of the South-East Tyne development district, where the facilities of the Local Employment Act are available to firms providing new employment. The Board will continue to do everything possible to encourage more industrial development.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that Hong Kong certificates of origin are satisfactory for acceptance as clear evidence of local manufacture; and if he will make a statement.

Certificates of origin normally constitute acceptable evidence that goods have been manufactured in Hong Kong and that the costs of manufacture contain the prescribed proportion of Commonwealth expenditure. The certificates have to be endorsed by public accountants approved by the Hong Kong Government and counter-signed by the Department of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong. In addition, the Commissioners of Customs and Excise may require further supporting evidence if they have doubts in any particular case. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that these arrangements provide an effective safeguard against the possibility that goods manufactured outside Hong Kong might be passed off as goods of Hong Kong origin.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to building advance factories at Sheldon or West Auckland where the urban district councils have sites already prepared.

My right hon. Friend is putting advance factories at Crook and at Aycliffe and would prefer to see how attractive these prove before considering the erection of further advance factories to help the Bishop Auckland area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department are taking to direct the attention of firms in Great Britain wishing to expand to the facilities and help given to new industry by the Government of Northern Ireland.

In discussions with firms wishing to expand, or to establish new projects, the Department has always drawn their attention to the facilities offered by the Government of Northern Ireland. We shall continue to do this.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what publicity is being given, and is planned to be given, in the Board of Trade Journal to the new factories being erected in Northern Ireland and to the capital grants which are made available to new industry which establishes business in Ulster.

The Board of Trade Journal frequently gives publicity to industrial developments in Northern Ireland. I would particularly refer my hon. Friend to the issue of 2nd November, when the Journal published a list of the Government-owned factories and details of the financial assistance available to new industry. A list of Government-owned factories available for rental will be published each month. Further material will be published in consultation with the Ministry of Commerce of the Northern Ireland Government and the Northern Ireland Development Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates were issued for development in the county of Northumberland during the period 1961 to the nearest convenient date; and how much additional employment will be provided.

Industrial development certificates issued for the County of Northumberland in 1961 and to the end of October, 1962 totalled 57. The additional employment expected to arise from these projects was over 3,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is willing to receive a deputation from the Furnishing Fabric Manufacturers' Association and the Moquette Weavers' Association, regarding additional tariff protection for the United Kingdom Moquette industry.

My right hon. Friend has recently suggested to the Association that the best course would be for them to discuss the matter first with officials of the Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in introducing legislation to amend the Companies Act, 1948, he will take into account the prospectus terms on which some livestock-producing enterprises are inviting the public to buy breeding sows, hens and dairy cows to be managed on their account with forecasts of profits.

My hon. Friend may now have seen that the Protection of Depositors Bill extends the application of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act, 1958, so as to cover these enterprises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now concluded his consideration of the question of applying to Merseyside the provisions of the Local Employment Act; and if he will make a statement.

I can add nothing to the reply I gave on 20th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Kirkdale (Mr. N. Pannell).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to provide advance factory buildings for the burghs of Kirkintilloch and Milngavie.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to provide an advance factory building in the burgh of Clydebank.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of additional industrial jobs that will be available in the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg area during the next three months for boys and girls.

Information is not available as to how many of the 1,100 jobs in prospect in the Port Talbot and Maesteg areas, of which I informed the hon. Member on 20th November, will become available in the next three months. About 650 of these jobs are for males and 450 for females. It is not known how many of them will be taken by boys and girls respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultation he had with the Pottery Manufacturers' Federation and the Society of Pottery Workers before or since the signing of the Japanese trade agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations with the leaders of the pottery industry he has had before, during, or since the negotiation of the Anglo-Japanese trade agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he consulted the Pottery Workers' Society and the Pottery Manufacturers' Federation before the formulation of the trading agreement with Japan.

My right hon. Friend discussed very fully the proposal to negotiate a Commercial Treaty with Japan at a meeting with pottery manufacturers in Stoke-on-Trent in April last year and again in London last March. Officials of my Department have been in close and frequent consultation on this subject with representatives of the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation over the past two years and had a meeting with the Director of the Federation immediately after the publication of the Government White Paper on 14th November. There has been no direct consultation with the National Society of Pottery Workers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement amplifying what is meant by voluntary control of pottery exports from Japan to Great Britain after liberalisation takes place in January, 1968.

The arrangement is that on the 1st January, 1968, control of imports by H.M. Government will be changed for control of exports by the Japanese Government, operated in accordance with the understandings set out in paragraph 10 of Cmnd. 1875.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state as fully as possible what are the articles of traditional Japanese design which it is proposed shall, under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty, be exempted from quota restriction.

It has been agreed between the two Governments that the British and Japanese industries should consult together in order to determine what articles may properly be regarded as of traditional Japanese design.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage the diversification of industry in North Staffordshire, in view of the comparatively high proportion of disabled persons unable to find work.

Although there is a comparatively high proportion of unemployed disabled workers in North Staffordshire, the general level of unemployment in North Staffordshire is below the national average. In view of the overriding needs of the development districts for more employment, my first obligation must be to steer new industrial development to these districts. But my right hon. Friend would be prepared to approve any suitable projects of a kind which would provide employment for the disabled workers in the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many cotton mills have been closed down in the Oldham and Chadderton area in the most recent 12 months to the most recent convenient date; and whether he will make a statement.

During the 12 months ending 31st October, 1962, three cotton mills have been closed down in the area. The Government are continuing to help the cotton industry with financial assistance for re-equipment and disruptive imports are subject to various measures of restraint.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions have been made, or are pending, under the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act, 1958, in respect of the recent activities of casino enterprise companies.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he hopes to conclude his discussions with the Federation of British Industries on the proposal to build a national exhibition centre on the Crystal Palace site.

This proposal raises very complex financial and other issues and I cannot say how long discussions will take.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many projects have been authorised in Ayrshire under the Local Employment Act in the first nine months of this year; how many jobs will be thus provided; and when they will, become available.

In the first nine months of 1962, four projects, including a Board of Trade advance factory, were authorised for Ayrshire. The employment estimated to arise from these projects is about 250 jobs, but it is not at present possible to say when they will become available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many advance factories are to be built in Ayrshire.

One.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, how many industrial building projects have been approved to meet Glasgow's overspill arrangements; and how many jobs they provide.

Projects approved to meet Glasgow's overspill arrangements now number about 120, employing among them about 14,000 people. Other known developments not yet completed or not yet started bring the total to 130, with an ultimate employment of about 20,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what difficulties have contributed to the delay in commencing the building of the advance factory in Cramlington, Northumberland, which was promised in the debate on north-eastern unemployment on 23rd July last.

There have been no special difficulties but we have had to select and buy a suitable site, and this is inevitably a fairly long and complicated process.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the recent discussions between officials of his Department and the Commission of the European Economic Community concerning Articles 92–94 of the Treaty of Rome, dealing with aid granted by States in the location of industry.

Discussions on this subject took place earlier this year between members of the United Kingdom negotiating Delegation and the Commission of the European Economic Community. The Government understand that great importance is attached to the development of the more backward regions of the Community and see no reason to suppose that the measures taken under our distribution of industry policy would be regarded as incompatible with Articles 92–94 of the Treaty of Rome.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the reasons for the postponement of the official goodwill visit to this country of the Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade.

My right hon. Friend issued an invitation last April to Mr. Lu Hsu-chang, a Vice-Minister of Trade of the People's Republic of China to come to this country for an official goodwill visit. This invitation was accepted in July and Mr. Lu was due to arrive in London on 29th November for a stay of three weeks. However, in view of the possibility that the success of this visit might he prejudiced in the present disturbed situation, my right hon. Friend has suggested to Mr. Lu that it be postponed for the time being.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Vauxhall Motors Ltd. have applied for an industrial development certificate to enlarge their factory in Bedfordshire.

Applications for industrial development certificates are made in confidence and it would damage the Board's relations with industry to disclose whether an application had been made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the movement of United Kingdom exports over the next six months.

My right hon. Friend's expectation is that the expansion of exports we have seen during 1962 will continue into 1963.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what licences have been issued for the supply of military and naval equipment by British firms to the Spanish Government.

It is not the practice to disclose details of export licences for the supply of defence equipment to other Governments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will name the universities whose requests for permission to build a low power nuclear reactor have not yet been granted.

Four applications have been received for grants to enable low-power reactors to be built. Two were for low-power reactors for London University who were informed that a grant could be made for only one. This and the other two applications have since been granted.The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have received preliminary inquiries from, and held discussions with, several other universities; but no further applications for grants have been received by D.S.I.R.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what research is being, or has been, conducted into the principles used by migratory birds in maintaining the direction of their migrations; and whether this knowledge could be used to divert migratory woodpigeons from this country.

Since the war a good deal of experimental work on the way in which birds navigate has been and is being carried out in this country, Germany and the U.S.A. The available evidence suggests that migrating birds make use of landmarks and the Sun's position by day and star patterns by night. Present knowledge does not offer any prospect of diverting migrating birds from this country.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science on what terms the Atomic Energy Authority provides the results of its research to private firms.

As I informed the hon. Member in reply to a similar Question on 20th February last, the Authority license private firms to use their patents, and information arising from their research, under agreements based on normal commercial practice. The terms vary from case to case according to the information provided or the licensing rights granted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he will now make a statement on the progress of the programme of research on nuclear reactors for marine propulsion.

The Working Group on Marine Reactor Research set up jointly by the Minister for Science and the Minister of Transport has assessed the relative merits of the reactor types which have been the subject of study and research.My noble Friend and my right hon. Friend have accepted its recommendation that the programme of research be concentrated in the future on two types. There are the Vulcain reactor, on which a joint programme with the Belgian consortia Belgonucleaire is under way, and a water reactor known as the Integral Boiling Reactor originated by the Atomic Energy Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further work has been done since July by the West Indies Regional Council of Ministers.

The Regional Council of Ministers has held one further meeting in Barbados between 6th and 8th October. In the absence of a representative from Grenada the five representatives of the territories whose legislatures had not already accepted the White Paper reaffirmed their Governments' support for the proposed new Federation. Subsequently the full Council considered a number of questions of detail relating to the control and financing of regional services to replace those previously the responsibility of the Federal Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement about the study, set out in paragraph 32 of Command Paper No. 1746, of the future financial needs of the territories which are expected to form the new West Indies Federation.

A detailed survey of the economic needs and potential development of the area has been entrusted to Dr. Carleen O'Loughlin. She is engaged on a programme of economic research in the Eastern Caribbean undertaken by the University of The West Indies and financed from colonial development and welfare funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in Kenya with the acquisition of farmland which Europeans have offered for the settlement of more Africans to farm on their own account; and if he will now announce the reconstitution of the Land Settlement Board with an independent chairman so as to give both Europeans and Africans confidence in the determination of Her Majesty's Government that the programme of land settlement will be carried forward on terms fair to all concerned.

By the middle of November nearly 300,000 acres had been purchased for the land settlement schemes. I hope to be able to make an announcement very shortly about the appointment of a chairman of the Central Land Board the other members of which comprise one representative from each of the regions and one from the Central Government. The Central Land Board will be established by the new Constitution. Pending its introduction, however, it is intended to establish the Board on an interim basis so as to avoid delay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what publications are banned from entry into Kenya.

A list of banned publications is contained in Legal Notice No. 334 published in the Kenya Gazette of 3rd July, 1962, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what are now the prospects of reinhabiting Tristan da Cunha.

The officer whom my right hon. Friend sent to report on conditions on Tristan da Cunha has made it clear that a number of things would have to be done to make the island fit for resettlement. In particular the landing beaches have been affected by the flow of lava and some work needs to be done to make them safe and usable.My right hon. Friend's other main concern has been about the means of livelihood of the islanders if they go back. Some of them will be able to obtain employment in the fishing vessels of the South Atlantic Islands Development Corporation, but the freezing plant, which employed a large number, has been obliterated by the volcano. The company have, however, stated that they intend to set up the plant again, provided the natural features are suitable. They are sending an expert to the island early in the New Year. Meanwhile, it is clear that many of the islanders are determined to return even if it means going back to the old subsistence economy of 15 years ago.It has been decided to help those who wish to go back to do so, but we must first arrange for an advance party of about a dozen men to make the reception arrangements. They will be accompanied by an administrative officer and a qualified person to help them make the necessary improvements at the beaches, in the settlement and on the tracks between them. I hope that this party will go out in a month or two's time. The others will go back towards the end of next year (during the Tristan summer) when reception arrangements have been completed and the weather will be suitable for the main operation to take place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what incidents have taken place during the past four weeks along the border between the Aden Protectorates and the Yemen; whether Yemenis have penetrated into Protectorate territory; and what British military facilities have been extended to other than British units.

The border has remained quiet during the past four weeks, but there have been some intrusions over the Federation of South Arabia by foreign aircraft coming from the direction of the Yemen. The British representative in the Yemen has been instructed to lodge a vigorous protest. No Yemenis have penetrated into Protectorate territory by land, apart from deserters from the Yemeni Republican Forces and some political refugees. There are no foreign military units in the Protectorate and no support has been extended to any outside it.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) how many accidents have been due to cars skidding off the road in Regent's Park outside Cornwall Terrace since September, 1961;(2) what steps he will take to correct the camber of the road in Regent's Park outside numbers 10 to 18, Cornwall Terrace, to make it safe for motorists and the pavements safe for pedestrians.

Eleven accidents due to skidding have been reported since September, 1961. The Crown Estate Paving Commission, who are responsible for the maintenance of the road, have worked out with the Ministry of Transport and my Department a scheme which it is hoped will remove the danger. Work will be carried out as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I have put up special warning notices.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many applications he has received for permission to hold meetings in Trafalgar Square to protest against the Chinese invasion of India.

None.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the minimum wage paid to employees in the Ministry of Works; and what is the holiday period allowed.

The minimum weekly wage paid in my Ministry is to two electrical apprentices aged 15 who receive £2 16s. 6d. They are entitled annually to two weeks' paid holiday plus 8½ days for public and privilege holidays.

asked the Postmaster-General why the sub-post office in Sawley village has been closed; what is the distance to the nearest post office; and when he hopes to open another post office in this village.

I am sorry the Sub-Office at Sawley had to be closed for administrative reasons; the nearest post office is two miles away. We shall open another past office in Sawley just as soon as we can find a suitable candidate for the sub-postmastership. Meanwhile, counter services are being provided on a temporary basis for three hours each Friday afternoon by staff from the Ripon Head Post Office.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he has received the communication dated 17th November, 1962, from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, making a complaint concerning interference with the telephone of an alderman of the county borough of West Ham; whether he will investigate this matter; what action he proposes to take; and whether he will make a statement;(2) if he is aware of interference experienced with a telephone call on the Maryland Exchange on 14th November, details of which have been sent to him; on how many occasions in the past there has been similar interference; and what action he is taking to prevent a recurrence of this trouble.

I understand that the alderman approached my local officials after the incident, and I can only confirm the supposition, as expressed in their reply to him, that an unknown person was taking advantage of a double connection. These double connections are rare, but unfortunately cannot be avoided entirely. I understand that this was an isolated occurrence, and I should like to express my regret for the inconvenience and irritation which it caused.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the number of schemes for central redevelopment approved since 1951 to the latest convenient date; and what is the number of applications at present under consideration by him.

Since 1951, 75 comprehensive development area schemes have bean approved in central areas under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947. A further 58 schemes have been submitted but not yet approved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish a list of the towns in which central redevelopment has taken place, together with a list of the towns covered by applications at present in his hands.

Detailed information about the progress of redevelopment schemes is not available but I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of towns with schemes which have been approved and those with schemes submitted but not yet approved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he proposes to take to distribute new office employment more evenly throughout the country.

I am actively considering what might be done about the office problem particularly in relation to London and hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the

I cannot add to the reply I gave on 20th November to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Boyden).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the functions of the Crown Estate Commissioners.

The Commissioners are charged on behalf of the Crown with the function of managing the land and other property, rights and interests com- prised in the Crown Estate in accordance with the powers given to them under the Crown Estate Act, 1961.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the yield of Income Tax and Surtax would be increased if no relief were given to owner-occupiers for mortgage interest paid.

It is estimated that if owner-occupiers paying mortgage interest during the year 1961–62 had not been able to obtain any form of tax relief for that interest the extra tax payable would have been of the order of £80 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the total figure of £16,245 millions, shown as income from employment in 1961 in Table 16 of National Income and Expenditure 1962, is represented by wages and salaries paid, but not employer's contributions, in industry assessable to taxation on profits.

£12,850 millions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to assess the present and future demand for agricultural graduates.

I have decided, together with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Scotland, to set up a small committee of inquiry to assess the present and future demand, at home and abroad, by agriculture (including horticulture), its associated industries and public services, for graduates from agriculture and other faculties or departments of universities in the United Kingdom.I am glad to announce that Dr. C. I. C. Bosanquet has agreed to be the Chairman of this Committee, whose constitution will be:—

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement about financial assistance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

I have been asked to reply.The British Government offered the following financial assistance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in connection with its attainment of independence.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider amending the National Health Service Act to permit the direct appointment of local government representatives as members of hospital committees.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police have been employed, and what has been the total cost to public funds, in regard to demonstrations held in London protesting against the Chinese invasion of India.

Four policemen carried our their normal duties in connection with a demonstration in protest against the Chinese aggression against India. No additional cost fell on public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police have been employed, and what has been the total cost to public funds, in regard to demonstrations about Cuba held in London.

About 4,800 policemen were employed in connection with demonstrations about Cuba held in London during the period 23rd October 12th November. It is estimated that additional expenditure on overtime amounted to between £1,000-£1,500.

asked the Minister of Labour what representations Her Majesty's Government have received concerning help for the British Limbless ex-Servicemen's Association; and what replies have been sent.

My Department keeps in close touch with the British Limbless ex-Servicemen's Association, and I personally met representatives of the Association in July this year. I have received no requests for financial assistance from the Association.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give details of the proposed speed-up of the road building programme in County Durham.

Our plans for the North East, including County Durham, are designed to provide the area with first class road communications with the south as well as to improve highways within the area. The first objective will be achieved by the continued development of A.1, including the Darlington Bypass, on which some work has already started, and the Durham motorway whose preparation is being pressed ahead. This will give a dual carriageway road of high standard almost all the way from London to Newcastle.A number of projects are already in hand, or due to start shortly, for highway improvements within the area. These include the Tyne Tunnel, the improvement of A. 19 between Wolviston and Sheraton, the reconstruction of the Newcastle to Tynemouth Coast Road and the start of the Newcastle Inner Ring Road.The effect of this speeding up of the road programme will be to increase the total expenditure on major improvements and new construction schemes in the North East from about £6 million this year to almost double next year and in the succeeding years.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now make an announcement of his plans to carry out further studies of the problems of rural transport.

I propose to carry out detailed surveys, over a period of a complete week, of actual travelling, travel needs, and availability of transport, in six selected rural areas. Each will be of about 20 square miles, with a population roughly between 500 and 1,500. They will be in the counties of Devon, Lincoln, Montgomery, Westmorland, Kirkcudbright and Banff. The detailed location of the areas is set out below.I have had to keep the areas relatively small, to make it possible to have really comprehensive surveys, which we need to see exactly what the position is. But each area presents different geographical and transport factors, and should provide a good, although not necessarily the most acute, example of the rural transport problem in its part of the country.The actual survey work will start as soon as possible, depending on the availability of the trained people needed for it.My Department will be discussing with the local authority Associations and other interests concerned various practical aspects of the studies. I am sure I can rely on the support of all of them in this important task.The areas selected are: