asked the Secretary of State for Air what are his present plans for the lands previously the site of Skellingthorpe aerodrome in Lincolnshire which was bought from Thomas Place in 1942; and what consideration is being given to the interests of the Thomas Place Trust and to the housing needs of the Lincoln Corporation.

There is nothing I can usefully add to the information which my hon. Friend gave in his recent letter to the hon. Member about this rather complex subject. The interests of both parties are being borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will arrange that owners of vessels will be liable to pay up to the value of their property towards the expense incurred by Royal Air Force helicopters and air-sea rescue launches during rescue operations.

Salvage claims are made in appropriate cases. We do not, of course, make any claim for saving life.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what consideration is being given to the provision of more modern anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft for Coastal Command.

The Shackleton aircraft of Coastal Command have been extensively modernised and have many years of useful life before them. The question of further improvements and of a successor aircraft is under review.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the enforcement of regulations applying to sand barges operating off the Essex coast.

I take it that the hon. Member has in mind the recommendations of the Court which inquired into the loss of the motor barge "Delce". The Court found that rules on load line and on life-saving appliances had been contravened. We have discussed the matter with representatives of the Thames barge owners and are taking steps to ensure that the rules relating to life-saving appliances and appropriate load line requirements are met.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will initiate a full inquiry into the incident on the Beachley-Aust ferry on Sunday 18th November when a number of passengers narrowly escaped drowning, to ascertain what consideration was given to the safety factor in view of the weather conditions prevailing at the time.

No. It is not my information that the passengers narrowly escaped drowning. As regards the cause of the accident, I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said in reply to the Question from the hon. Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Loughlin), on 26th November. I do not think that further inquiries would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what consideration he has given to alternative uses for which the "Oxfordshire" and "Nevasa" could be chartered;(2) if he will make a statement on the negotiations concerning compensation for the former troopships "Oxfordshire" and "Nevasa".

Negotiations on the compensation to be paid are still proceedings with the owners. One of the important factors is whether economic employment can be found for the ships and the owners are still looking into this. My right hon. Friend's Ministry has consulted other Departments, but there seems little prospect of finding any other Government use for which these vessels could be chartered without unacceptable cost to the taxpayer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a date for the commencement of work on a nuclear-propelled ship.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take powers to restore the cross-channel shipping services which are necessary for business with Northern Europe; and if he will place orders in Aberdeen shipyards to build the necessary ships.

No. Anyone who wishes can provide shipping services and there is no need for the Government to enter into this business.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in the interests of road safety, he will give publicity to the fact that it can be an offence to drive vehicles in hours of darkness with side and rear lights only.

To drive at night without being able to see the road clearly might well constitute an offence. The Highway Code advises drivers to use headlights, unless the street lighting is good. The Road Traffic Act, 1962, empowers my right hon. Friend to make regulations concerning the use of headlamps on vehicles on the roads at night, and we are now considering how these powers can best be used.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will impose restrictions on the size and weight of road vehicles which slow down traffic, in order to encourage the carriage of heavy loads on the railways.

No. New controls over the movement of extra large loads came into operation on 1st November, and will be further extended shortly. The size and weight of ordinary vehicles are already strictly controlled. These controls are necessary in the interests of road safety and to maintain the flow of traffic in the roads. Traffic for the railways is being encouraged by creating conditions in which they can most effectively compete with other forms of transport.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the widespread redundancy on the railways and in the transport industry and the threat to further employees of losing their jobs, if he will give general directions to the Boards responsible for railway and road services to cease recruiting overseas workers; and if he will make a statement.

No. Recruitment is a function of management in which my right hon. Friend would not wish to interfere with the Board's discretion.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what consideration he has given to the recommendations contained in the Report on the Rural Transport Problem in Wales, Command Paper No. 1821; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether he will consider including an area within the counties of Brecon, Carmarthen and Radnor as one of the selected rural areas which he proposes, following his statement on the report of the Jack Committee, to put in hand for a detailed study of passenger transport facilities, in view of the evidence given to, and the recommendations of, the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire Report on transport problems in respect of part of the area through which the Central Wales line passes, now proposed for closure for passenger traffic.

My right hon. Friend has studied with great interest the careful and thoughtful Report of the Council. He is keeping in mind their views on rural transport generally, in dealing with particular aspects of the problem as they arise. On buses, we must await the studies, including one in Montgomeryshire, which he announced yesterday. The future of the railways both as to growth and contraction depends on Dr. Beeching's traffic studies. The Transport Act 1962 provides safeguards for local users of passenger services. On roads, we will improve the north/south trunk road further as soon as we can; but it can only have higher priority, at the cost of other urgent schemes in Wales. I do not think we should be justified in changing present arrangements for minor roads. We are considering the Council's proposal that Wales and Monmouth should be one Traffic Area, balancing it against the present well-tried system based on the practical operations of transport.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now announce the names of the chairman and members of the British Waterways Board.

My right hon. Friend proposes to appoint Mr. F. D. Arney, C.B.E., formerly General Manager of the Port of Bristol Authority, to be part-time Chairman of the British Waterways Board. After consultation with Mr. Arney he proposes to appoint Sir John Hawton, K.C.B., formerly Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, to be full-time Vice-Chairman. He expects to announce shortly further appointments to this Board.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now take more rigorous action to reduce the noxious fumes emitted from diesel lorries.

We are already taking energetic action in this field. A regulation against the misuse of the excess fuel devise on diesel engines is now in operation; special road checks have been held this year, and both these measures are having a good effect. Until exhaust measurement techniques can be improved we propose to continue with the present checks.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to prevent the use of advertising methods which are at present being used by ice-cream firms, details of which have been sent to him, likely to lead to accidents on the roads.

My right hon. Friend received only yesterday the details to which the hon. Member refers. I will get in touch with him when we have had an opportunity of considering them.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in determining the practicability of building an underground garage in Regent's Park, while at the same time preserving the amenity of the Park.

The St. Marylebone Metropolitan Borough Council have agreed in principle to participate, and are preparing outline plans so that the Minister of Public Building and Works can consider with my right hon. Friend, what their effect would be on traffic and amenity. Nothing will be decided until we have seen how the Park Lane Garage affects the amenities of Hyde Park. Legislation would, of course, be necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the imminence of the appointed day for the coming into being of the British Waterways Board, he will now announce the name of the chairman and members thereof.

I propose to appoint Mr. F. D. Arney, C.B.E., formerly General Manager of the Port of Bristol Authority, to be part-time Chairman of the British Waterways Board for a period of three years.After consultation with Mr. Arney I propose to appoint Sir John Hawton, formerly Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, to be full time Vice Chairman. Sir John Hawton's appointment will be for five years.I hope to make further appointments shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what machinery he proposes to set up to co-ordinate and ascertain the policies and views of the various Departments likely to be affected by the closure of branch railway lines.

A suitably constituted inter-Departmental Working Party will consider the implications of the Railways plan, when it is available, and report to Ministers thereon.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to improve railway facilities for touring theatre companies.

No. The provision of facilities of this kind is entirely a matter of management for which the British Transport Commission are responsible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received any communication from the Chairman of the British Transport Commission on the application of the Pensions Increase Act to railway superannuitants.

No. But I understand that the British Transport Commission are giving careful consideration to this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he has taken, following the recommendations of the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Wales and Monmouthshire, as regards the railway lines in Wales.

My right hon. Friend has accepted 10 of the 11 recommendations the Committee have made to him this year under the Transport Acts, 1947 to 1953, in respect of the British Transport Commission's proposals to withdraw rail services. He is still considering the remaining recommendation and the one report on hardship they have so far made under S.56 of the 1962 Act.

asked the Minister of Transport, in considering the substantial capital schemes put to him for railway modernisation, if he will give priority to schemes designed to reduce freight charges and thus encourage industry to develop in areas of increasing unemployment.

No. My right hon. Friend takes all relevant factors into account when examining capital expenditure projects put to him by the British Transport Commission.

asked the Minister of Transport, in giving his approval to the Victoria Line, what estimates he made of passenger congestion on the Central Line running through the Borough of Leyton, currently and in previous years.

In considering the Victoria Line project my right hon. Friend took into account the estimate of the London Transport Executive that about two million passenger journeys a year would be transferred from the Central Line at Leyton Station to the Victoria Line. I am informed that this represents about 5 per cent. of the passengers carried on the section of the Central Line between Leyton and the City.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now make a statement about the appointments to the new British Railways Board.

As I announced when he was appointed to be Chairman of the British Transport Commission, Dr. Beeching is to be full time Chairman of the new British Railways Board. I am now about to appoint him formally to that post.After consultation with Dr. Beeching, I propose to appoint Sir Steuart Mitchell, at present a Member of the British Transport Commission, to be full time Vice Chairman of the British Railways Board.I propose also, after consultation with Dr. Beeching, to make the following appointments to the British Railways Board:

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the concern of pedestrians who cross Piccadilly about the advent of one-way traffic; and what are the statistics regarding the accident rate to pedestrians in that area.

The safety of pedestrians crossing the one-way section of Piccadilly has improved since additional warning notices were put on the carriageway in July. In the 12 months before one-way working began in Piccadilly accidents to pedestrians averaged two a month. In the first seven months of one-way working they averaged nearly four a month. Since July they have averaged just over one a month.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to give local authorities the power to authorise the provision of pedestrian crossings without reference to his Department.

No. To ensure a consistent standard throughout the country, some form of central control is essential. Otherwise theme is a real danger of the number of crossings increasing, as happened before, to such an extent that drivers' respect for them will diminish.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of recent complaints from residents in the Chigwell urban district of Essex that cattle straying from Epping Forest on to the public highway are endangering road safety; and whether he will consult the authorities concerned with a view to appropriate action being taken.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the concern expressed last Session when the City of London (Various Powers) Act, 1962, was considered, but no complaints have been made to his Department since then.We are willing to consider any suggestions from the authorities concerned provided they are consistent with the protection of the Forest from enclosure and the rights of commoners, which Parliament so recently declined to alter.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made with the installation of traffic signals for guiding pedestrians at busy intersections in the London area.

Where one-way schemes have been introduced, "Cross Now" signs have been incorporated in traffic signal installations providing 41 crossings at 25 junctions during the last 18 months. A further 28 crossings at 21 junctions will be provided as soon as the equipment is available. Elsewhere, numerous other "Cross Now" signs have been provided and others will be provided as and when they are justified. We hope, before long, to mount the pedestrian control experiment which my right hon. Friend announced last year. This should greatly help pedestrians to cross the road safely at busy intersections.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will have the refuges at each end of Orchard Street, W.1, moved aside from the centre of the carriageway so as to allow two vehicles to pass abreast on one side and one on the other side; and if he will have traffic signals installed to tell pedestrians when it is safe to cross.

The refuge at the north end of Orchard Street is already offset and we are considering asking the highway authority to do the same at the south end. I am not aware of any special difficulty or danger to pedestrians at either end of Orchard Street.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to give local authorities full power to authorise the provision of "Halt" signs in their area in order to save time and increase safety.

No. When "Halt" signs were authorised by local authorities, their number increased to such an extent that they were frequently ignored and much of their value as a safety measure was lost. Central control is necessary to ensure that they are used only where limited visbility makes it essential for every driver on the minor road to stop.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to start work on a motorway south of Bristol.

It is too soon to say. A scheme is being prepared for extending the Birmingham-Bristol Motorway southwards from Twyning to a point beyond Bristol at East Brent in Somerset. Start of work will depend on completion of the statutory processes and on the availability of funds.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for providing new roads in Accrington and district to help in attracting new industries, in view of the increasing unemployment in that area.

Accrington, in common with the rest of North Lancashire, will benefit from the completion next year of the M.6 motorway from just north of Birmingham to Preston. A number of improvements are in hand or due to start shortly to trunk roads A.59, A.677 and A.6119, which link Accrington to the motorway, and to trunk road A.56 between Manchester and Accrington.

asked the Minister of Transport what further progress has been made on the Louth town traffic plan; if he will now abandon the scheme to drive a main road through the town, in view of the fact that all local authorities are opposed to it; and if he will make a statement.

We are expecting to receive next month the Lindsey County Council's proposals for the future arrangements for traffic in Louth. As I explained to my hon. Friend on 4th July, we cannot decide what to do about the trunk road without first considering the future road system in Louth as a whole.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent traffic flow in the Knightsbridge-Cromwell Road area has been accelerated by the abolition of right-hand turns.

The right turn bans have given on average about 20 per cent. increase in capacity along Cromwell Road and about 10 per cent. on the side roads. As a result delays have been reduced at some junctions; at others greater volumes have been handled without increased delay. We are still collecting detailed information.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the postponement of plans for the Eastern Avenue extension through the borough of Leyton, what the short- and long-term plans are for easing increasing traffic congestion in the approaches to and through High Road, Leytonstone.

The construction of the Eastern Avenue extension has not been postponed. In the meantime our plans include the improvement of the roundabout at Green Man. Leytonstone, and minor works on High Road, Leytonstone, itself. Proposals for a peak-hour clearway on the A.11 for six miles from Whitechapel Road are also under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the damage by blasting by contractors engaged on the Heads of the Valley road at Clydach Gorge; how many of the trees protected by agreement were destroyed; and whether he will make a statement.

Where the new Heads of the Valleys Road passes through the Clydach Gorge it is located on a shelf cut into the steep rock slope. Its construction has inevitably involved blasting.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he proposes to hold a public inquiry to consider the objection to the draft Order authorising the necessary alterations to side roads and footpaths by the proposed Swanley by-pass.

The discussions about which my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member on 14th November are continuing and as yet I cannot say whether he will find it desirable to hold a public inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport by what date he anticipates that Messrs. Scott and Wilson, Kirkpatrick and Partners will be able to make recommendations with regard to the present and future trunk road traffic requirements in the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire between the Great North Road and the port of Hull.

This investigation will determine the trunk road pattern between the Great North Road and Hull for many years to come. The consulting engineers have, therefore, been instructed to carry out a detailed survey. This and the analysis of the results are bound to take some time, but I hope to receive their report within about fifteen months.Meanwhile, certain trunk road improvements in the area are continuing, including the construction of dual carriageways on A.63 between the North Ferriby by-pass and Welton. Preparatory work for the construction of bypasses to Elloughton on A.63 and Thorne on A.614 and for other smaller improvements in my current trunk road programme, will also go ahead.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the congestion of traffic in Parliament Square, what steps he proposes to take to relieve it; and if he will make a statement.

I agree there is some congestion, mainly at peak times. I see no immediate steps that I could take to relieve it, but if my hon. Friend has any ideas he would like me to consider I should be very glad to have them.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of households in rural areas in 1961 who have a weekly income of £10 but not more than £14, the average number of persons per household, the number per household working for gain, the number of households living rent free, and the average weekly payments by householders for renting unfurnished accommodation.

Although no figures of the total number of such households are available, it is known that of 3,486 households in the United Kingdom included in the Family Expenditure Survey in 1961 there were 708 in rural districts, including 121 with incomes within the range mentioned. A detailed analysis of these households is not available for 1961, but in 1960 of the 3,540 households in the Survey 611 were in rural districts. Of these, 182 had a weekly income of £8 but under £14, and for these households:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the average weekly expenditure of households in rural areas in 1961 on food, clothing and footwear, durable household goods, transport, tobacco and alcoholic drinks.

Information based on the results of the Family Expenditure Survey for 1961 is to be found in Table 5 on pages 30–33 of the Report for 1960 and 1961 published on 1st November, 1962, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour what specific industrial health problems are the subject of research and investigation at present by his Department.

Research is not undertaken by my Department but, as appropriate, by the Medical Research Council and industrial research organisations assisted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Among the more important investigations currently being made by my Department are examination of the effects of various industrial solvents, improved methods of detecting lead absorption and improved methods of dust control. Full information about the Department's investigation work appears in the Annual Reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories on Industrial Health.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is satisfied that the apprenticeship arrangements made by the London West End tailors are adequate to maintain a proper supply of skilled men; and whether he will make a statement.

There is no organisation responsible for training in retail bespoke tailoring, and what is done depends on the decisions of individuals. From the information available to me, these arrangements do not appear to be adequate.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to discover the number of boys and girls unemployed in the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg area who are non-claimants not registering.

No. I do not consider it practicable to collect these figures. To ensure accuracy compulsory registration would be necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers were registered on the Oldham employment area register of disabled workers at the most recent convenient date; and how many of them had then been continuously unemployed for a period exceeding 12 months.

On 23rd November 265 registered disabled persons were unemployed of whom 73 had been unemployed for more than 12 months.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to provide employment for the two seriously disabled workers who have suffered long unemployment and whose cases have been submitted to him by the hon. Member for Oldham, West.

I have replied to the hon. Member explaining the difficulties in these two cases.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of persons, by sexes and trades, unemployed in the city of Aberdeen now and at the corresponding dates in each of the last 10 years.

The tables, which are given below, contain figures of unemployment by sexes for each November from 1952 to 1962 and the analysis by industry and sex for 1962. The analysis by industry is not readily available for previous years, and I regret that it would involve a disproportionate amount of staff time to produce.The following are the tables:

asked the Minister of Labour how many men who am on the register of disabled workers at Goole have received rehabilitation or special training courses; and how many of these are at present unemployed.

During the last two years 30 registered disabled men at Goole Employment Exchange have attended industrial rehabilitation courses and six vocational training courses; six of these were unemployed on 27th November.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men who are on the register of disabled workers at Thorne have received rehabilitation or special training courses; and how many of these are at present unemployed.

During the last two years 22 registered disabled men at Thorne Employment Exchange have attended industrial rehabilitation courses and eight vocational training courses; six of these were unemployed on 27th November.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the homes and workshops under Government control and supervision which are now available for the care and training of ex-Service men including limbless ex-Service men; and if he will state his plans for enlarging and increasing the facilities now available to such men.

I understand that the hon. Member has particularly in mind establishments such as the home for severely injured ex-Service men now being built at Crieff in Perthshire by the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association. My Department does not control any homes of this sort and I have no power under which I could help to provide such facilities. My Department does, however, give financial assistance to voluntary bodies and local authorities towards the cost of running sheltered workshops, in which disabled ex-Service men may be employed and, where necessary, given training.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he is aware of the desire of some breeders to import Charollais cows or heifers from Canada; and what action he will take in the matter.

The purpose of the importation of Charollais bulls from France last year was to see whether, in comparison with bulls of British breeds, they have anything to offer in improving the quality of beef from the dairy herd. These trials have not yet begun, since the first calves are only now arriving. Establishment of the Charollais breed is outside the scope of the trials, and as I have said previously, consideration of it must await the outcome of the trials.The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have therefore decided to restrict until further notice the use of semen to the purpose for which the importation was made and to prohibit its use for inseminating any female of the Charollais breed. A condition to this effect is being added to the licences of all A.I. Centres, and no exceptions will be made. Exports of Charollais semen to destinations outside the United Kingdom will continue to be prohibited.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers within the Chigwell division of Essex have benefited from the Small Farmers Scheme; and to what extent.

I regret the information is not readily available and could not be produced without very considerable expenditure in time and labour.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps are being taken to ensure an adequate inspection force for horticultural imports, under Article 2 of Regulation 23 on the Progressive Establishment of a Common Organisation of the Market in Fruit and Vegetables, made under the Treaty of Rome.

At this stage of the negotiations my Department cannot go beyond giving the fullest consideration to all the problems of inspection that would arise if we accede to the Community, and this is being done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many men and boys have been taken into employment by merchants in the last 12 months to fell and process parcels of standing timber in the ownership of the Forestry Commission in Wales; and why such work was not undertaken by the Commission's employees.

Precise figures are not available but it is believed that the total number employed by merchants in Wales to handle standing timber acquired from the Forestry Commission is of the order of 300; it has not changed significantly during the year. The Commissioners' primary function is to establish and maintain plantations, and not to take over the functions of the timber trade. It is therefore their policy to sell as much standing timber as possible, having regard, among other things, to their obligation to maintain a stable labour force.

asked the Minister of Defence what estimate of the active strength of the military forces of the Chinese Republic is in possession of his Department.

About 2¼ million men.

asked the Minister of Defence what estimate is in possession of his Department of the active strength of the military forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at the latest date compared with the estimate furnished to the House by the then Minister of Defence in 1950–51.

About 3½ million men.

asked the Minister of Defence why military pensioners of the Crown are permitted to take up remunerative employment without reduction of pension.

Because their pensions are Service occupational pensions granted by way of recognition of specific past services rendered in one particular occupation.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a statement on the recent visit of H.M.S. "Loch Fada" to the Maldive Islands.

Her Majesty's Government has an undertaking to help to bring about a reconciliation between the Maldivian Government and the inhabitants of Addu Atoll. Negotiations have been in progress locally for some weeks.On 17th November, the Maldivian Government informed the British representative that they felt the state of Maldivian public opinion might make it unsafe for United Kingdom citizens to remain in the capital, Male. H.M.S. "Loch Fada" was thereupon made available for their evacuation, if necessary. She is still there; in the meantime, negotiations continue, and the ship has been able to carry out some harbour work for the Maldivian Government.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will offer to give evidence to the Tribunal appointed by resolution of the House on Wednesday, 14th November, 1962.

I am naturally prepared to give evidence to the Tribunal if I am requested to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for War by what date in 1963 he will take and announce his decision as to the future of Gurkha units of the British Army.

I am aware of the desirability of an early decision, but I am not yet able to forecast a date.

asked the Secretary of State for War, how many soldiers have been retained for a further six months' National Service to date; how many have appealed against their retention; and what have been the results of the appeals.

Approximately 9,200 National Service men have been retained for additional service under the Army Reserve Act 1962. 2,413 men appealed against retention on grounds of hardship, and of these 623 have been released.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will name the members of the Nye Committee to consider the organisation of the War Office.

Yes. The names are:

• Sir Archibald Nye, Chairman.
• Mr. Harold Peake.
• Sir Owen Wansborough-Jones.
• Major-General G. W. Duke (late Director of Personal Services, War Office).
• Mr. W. Geraghty (Deputy Under-Secretary of State, War Office).
• Mr. S. P. Osmond (Under-Secretary, Treasury).

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the shortfall of married quarters in the United Kingdom; and what is the number of soldiers who have to be separated from their families where the latter are accommodated in hostels.

About 33,500 officers and other ranks serving in this country are entitled to official married accommodation. Some 9,800 families of officers and other ranks are not accommodated officially; however, about 3,800 officers and other ranks are living with their families in private accommodation at their duty stations which they have obtained under their own arrangements. A further 3,500 have not applied for official accommodation.Five hundred and ninety-five other ranks have their families, from whom they are separated, accommodated in Married Families Hostels in the United Kingdom. Of these 340 are serving in the United Kingdom.Approximately 1,200 married quarters are being built each year in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the amount of overspending, expressed in figures and also as a percentage of the total expenditure, for each hospital management committee in the areas of the south-east and north-east regional hospital boards for the last complete financial year.

I am circulating below a table showing the boards of management which overspent on hospital revenue account in 1961–62. Four boards of management in the South-Eastern Region and three boards in the North-Eastern Region underspent in 1961–62. In Scotland as a whole there was a slight underspending.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the conditions under which patients have to attend at some doctors' surgeries where there are no suitable facilities or conveniences and which may be dangerous to ailing people; and whether he will stipulate minimum conditions of accommodation for waiting patients and require inspection and approval in cases where complaints arise.

The duty of satisfying themselves that doctors are meeting their obligation to provide proper and sufficient facilities is laid upon Executive Councils, who have powers to investigate complaints, to inspect accommodation and to require improvement where they consider it necessary. I do not think that at present laying down minimum standards is the best way to secure improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that some local authorities have established clinics where accommodation is made available to doctors as surgeries; and whether he will take steps towards the extension of this practice to eliminate the hardship and risk to patients who have to wait inside and sometimes outside improvised surgeries in condemned property, old shops, and other unsuitable quarters.

I am aware that certain local health authorities have arrangements for the part-time use of accommodation in their clinics by family doctors. I welcome co-operation of this kind between health authorities and family doctors where local circumstances permit; but such sharing arrangements cannot take the place of the duty of the family doctor to provide adequate accommodation, and of the Executive Council to ensure that he does so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of group practices in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline and the number of new group surgeries completed since December, 1954; and what steps he proposes to take to assist in the improvement of surgery and waiting room facilities for National Health Service patients.

In Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline there are six partnerships each containing three or four doctors, and six partnerships of two doctors. Since 1954, four of the groups have provided new premises, two with the assistance of interest-free loans. Any steps considered necessary to secure improvement in consulting and waiting accommodation in individual cases are a matter for the local executive council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much was paid by Mr. Robert Mackay for the assignation of the De- partment of Agriculture croft No. 6 West Murkle, Caithness; and why there was no competition, thus denying any farm worker an opportunity of becoming tenant;(2) how much was paid by Mr. Michael Spencer for the assignation of the Department of Agriculture croft No. 3 Braal, Halkirk; and why no farm worker got a chance of becoming the tenant.

I have no information as to payments made by the assignees in these cases as payments by an assignee to a crofter are a private matter. The question of competition does not arise in cases of assignation since the choice of assignee rests solely with the crofter.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether studies by his Department have yet proved that the development of a space craft is feasible.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 31st October last. These studies are not yet completed

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what assistance the East African Common Services Organisation has sought in connection with its responsibility for meeting half the cost of its compensation scheme.

The position has been studied and Her Majesty's Government, in agreement with the East African Governments, had agreed to make available an interest-free loan of up to £4 million, repayable in nineteen equal annual instalments after a six year grace period. The first payment of £1·372 million will be made on 3rd December, 1962, to assist with the second payment of instalments of compensation. The House will be asked, in due course, to vote the necessary supplementary Estimate. In the meantime, an advance is being made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the maintenance allocations to each regional hospital board for the current year, the allocations requested by the boards when preparing their estimates, and the percentage

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will withdraw the earnings rules as at present applied in order that all National Insurance pensioners, irrespective of age, may use their productive capacity for the benefit of the nation.

No. To abolish the earnings rule would entail a radical revision of the entire concept and form of the National Insurance scheme. Nor can it be assumed that to pay pensions unconditionally at the present minimum pension ages would necessarily result in increasing the amount of remunerated work done by people over those ages.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how the estimated cost of

I do not propose to disclose the draft estimates of individual Boards. Total draft estimates exceeded allocations by about 1 per cent. The other information requested is as follows:£100 million per annum of withdrawing the earnings rules was calculated; and if it was based on an assumption that most National Insurance pensioners would immediately resume employment.

The immediate annual cost to the National Insurance Fund of withdrawing the earnings rule and the retirement condition was estimated thus:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the gain to the Exchequer if employed pensioners and their employers were required to continue payment of National Health contributions; and what would be the amount of Income Tax which would accrue to the Exchequer from such employment.

Employers, of course, already pay their share of flat-rate National Insurance contributions for employed pensioners. If the pensioners themselves, including men over 70 and women over 65, were required to pay the share of these contributions which they are at present excused, the extra income for the Exchequer on account of the National Health Service would be about £2 million a year at present and there would accrue to the National Insurance Fund an extra yield of about £6 million a year, which would attract an extra payment from the Exchequer to the Fund of about £1½ million a year. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer informs me that, assuming no change in earnings, Income Tax receipts would be reduced by about £1 million a year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will include in future Anglo-Japanese trade negotiations the question of making decisions of British arbitrations courts enforceable in Japan.

No. The decisions of British arbitration courts in cases between nationals of Convention countries are already enforceable in Japan under the 1923 Protocol on Arbitration Clauses and the 1927 Convention for the Execution of Foreign Arbitral Awards, to which both countries are parties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of fresh cream have been imported into Great Britain in the last calendar month for which information is available; if he will give the corresponding figure for 12 months to the last convenient date; and if he will give figures for tinned and evaporated cream.

The following is the information:

asked the Postmaster-General when the new aerial tower of the Independent Television Authority at Croydon will come into use; and what improvement there will he in the picture for viewers to the North-West of London.

The I.T.A. plan to begin programme transmissions from the new Croydon tower on 5th December. I hope that viewers generally to the North-West of London will then receive an improved picture.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give an estimate, by price, volume or in any other convenient form, of the amount of steel from foreign sources now being used in British industry by reason of the lower cost of foreign steel.

In the third quarter of this year, 228,000 tons of steel were imported. Roughly 80,000 tons may have been imported because they were cheaper.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is his estimate of the effect of the tax on soft drinks and aerated waters on sales; what has been the amount of tax derived from these sales; and whether this has come within the figure estimated at the time of the announcement of the tax.

Purchase Tax charged on sales by registered traders of soft drinks and aerated waters between 8th May and 30th June, 1962, amounted to about £1¾ million. These receipts are in line with expectations. No figures are yet available of tax receipts from sales in later periods, since Purchase Tax is paid quarterly in arrear. I understand that production of soft drinks in the third quarter of this year was below that for 1961; but since production fluctuates for a number of reasons it is not possible to say how far this may have been due to the imposition of the Purchase Tax.