asked the Minister of Education if he will consult the Minister of Aviation and the Minister of Housing and Local Government regarding the effect of noise from helicopters operating from the proposed heliport at Nine Elms on teachers and pupils in schools in the area.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is satisfied with the rate of increase in the number of students applying for places in technical colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Between 1957 and 1961 the number of full-time and sandwich course students in grant-aided establishments of further education increased from 79,000 to 132,000; over the same period the number of part-time day students increased from 437,000 to 556,000. These numbers are substantial and many colleges are under heavy pressure but we cannot be satisfied. Big advances are being made in both the scale and the quality of the provision in the colleges, and I hope that firms and students will take full advantage of the expanding facilities at all levels.

asked the Minister of Education what plans he has for the provision of additional teacher training places in Norfolk and Suffolk.

New buildings have just been finished at the training college in Norwich, which will now be able to take over 400 students, compared with only 140 five years ago.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to ensure that a proportion of would-be scientists are studying Russian.

The need for many science students at all levels to have some knowledge of Russian is generally accepted, and was emphasised in the recently published report of the Annan Committee. The number of students of all types taking Russian courses is in fact increasing. My major concern is to improve the supply of teachers of Russian generally and not only for the benefit of science students.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the differences of opinion among educationalists and local authorities about the advisability of the 11-plus examinations, because of the varied speed of development among children; and if he will hold an inquiry into the matter.

The rate of development of young children, and the effect of selection at 11 on the primary schools, are among many current issues affecting primary education. On the possibility of an inquiry, I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) on 22nd November.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now reply to the petition of the townspeople of Stockton, received by him in October, in which they asked for the restoration of the tea-making facilities formerly enjoyed by an old people's club at St. Peter's and St. Paul's School, Roseworth.

I understand that the Stockton-on-Tees Committee for Education and the managers of this school agree that the old people's club should be given facilities for making tea, but that the kitchen should no longer be available. The secretary of the club is being informed accordingly.

asked the Minister of Education which administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department, with salaries of £1,500-£2,000 per annum, have taken up posts with industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service over the past 10 years, in cases requiring the approval of his Department; and what were the firms they joined.

The Department's records are not complete for the past 10 years but no case requiring the approval of the Department can be found of any administrative, executive or technical officer with a salary of £1,500 to £2,000 per annum, who within two years of resigning or retiring has taken up a post with an industrial firm.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what has been the amount of public funds allocated to the improvement or rebuilding of wholesale vegetable markets in the last five years.

No central Government funds have been allocated, but loan sanctions totalling £740,000 were issued to local authorities for these purposes during the last five years. In addition, local authorities may have incurred expenditure which they charged to revenue, but my right hon. Friend has no information about this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make regulations to ensure that where planning permission is granted for housing estates of more than a specified size such permission is conditional upon a community centre being provided for the estate.

No. I do not think that this would be an appropriate use of planning powers. But both my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education and I consider very sympathetically requests for loan sanction from local authorities and requests for grants to voluntary organisations for the provision of community facilities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will reach a decision in respect of the Derby Corporation, Brook Street, Compulsory Purchase Order, 1961.

I expect to issue my decision on this order within the next ten days.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, following the representations made to him concerning the possible consequences of the revaluation for rating in the county borough of Bournemouth, he will give special consideration to the circumstances peculiar to Bournemouth with a view to cushioning the immediate effects of any serious redistribution in the rate burden.

If the outcome of the revaluation should prove to be materially different from the estimates in Cmnd. 1663 my right hon. Friend will, of course, be prepared to review the conclusion reached in that document that no derating order would be justified.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department with salaries of £1,500-£2,000 per annum have taken up posts with industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service over the past 10 years, in cases requiring the approval of his Department; and what were the firms they joined.

There is in my Department no record of any instance of the kind to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) whether he is aware of the delay in the rehousing of 300 families on the Ministry of Aircraft Production Estate at Knowsley, Lancs., despite promises that all these substandard wartime houses would be replaced by 1955; and whether he will hold an inquiry into the delay between the housing of the first 150 families and the remainder;(2) what information he has received concerning the date by which residents of the Ministry of Aircraft Production Estate at Knowsley will be rehoused; and whether he is aware of the derelict nature of the partly-rehoused estate, with particular reference to the loss of amenities and the problem of rat infestation.

In fact, some 300 families from this estate have already been rehoused, and 152 remain to be rehoused under a contract which I approved this month. The houses from the second contract are expected to become available at the rate of about 12 a month, starting about the end of 1963.The preparation of the second instalment of the scheme by the council was delayed by lack of technical staff.Housing conditions on the estate are unsatisfactory but I hope that the rehousing scheme will now be completed as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many properties in the counties of London and Middlesex have become decontrolled since the passing of the Rent Act 1957.

Separate estimates relating to the counties of London and Middlesex are not available. For Metropolitan London as a whole the Rent Act Survey estimated that about 135,000 dwellings were decontrolled by "block decontrol" and 80,000 a year by "creeping decontrol". On this basis the total decontrolled to date would be about 575,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many improvements grants have been made in the counties of London and Middlesex in each year of the scheme to date.

The table below shows the number of dwellings in applications approved for grant in the counties of London and Middlesex, from 1949 until the 30th September, 1962. The Department's records do not provide annual figures before 1957. The table shows separately the number of standard grants made from the 14th June, 1949, when the standard grant scheme came into operation.

		London	Middlesex
1949 to 1956	…	2,330	1,238
1957	…	720	436
1958	…	795	463
1959 (Discretionary)	…	1,311	741
(Standard)	…	298	703
1960 (Discretionary)	…	2,071	701
(Standard)	…	2,130	2,694
1961 (Discretionary)	…	2,207	742
(Standard)	…	929	1,254
1962 to
30th September
(Discretionary)	…	1,992	443
(Standard)	…	1,262	847

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider setting up an industrial estate in the eastern part of Midlothian at Wallyford.

No. Wallyford is not in a development district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries for advance factories he has received from firms supplying ancillaries to the British Motor Corporation at Bathgate.

Two.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the number of new jobs provided in the Blyth constituency since 1951; how many of these were provided in the last two years; and what are the expected figures of available jobs in the next 12 months.

In the Blyth, Seaton Delaval and Bedlington Station Employment Exchange areas, which correspond broadly with the Blyth Constituency, industrial development certificates have been issued since 1951 for building schemes estimated to employ about 1,900 people. Certificates issued in the last two years account for about 270 of these. Jobs in prospect for this area total about 200; it is not possible to say when they will arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is now taking to control the further expansion of industrial development in the Midlands and in the South, in view of the need to reduce unemployment in the North-East.

I am using my powers to refuse an industrial development certificate for proposed development anywhere outside the development districts unless I am satisfied that the project could not be satisfactorily undertaken in one of those districts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the effect of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market upon the operation of the Treaty which has recently been concluded with Japan.

Under the provisions of Article 29 (3) of the Treaty, either Contracting Party can participate in a Customs Union without being bound, under the most-favoured-nation provisions, to extend to the other the benefit of any treatment, preference or privilege Which it extends by virtue of the formation of such a Customs Union.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department with salaries of £1,500-£2,000 per annum, have taken up posts with industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service over the past 10 years, in cases requiring the approval of his Department; and which were the firms they joined.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of new jobs introduced into Glasgow to the nearest convenient date since 1st January, 1962.

About 1,400 jobs are expected to arise from projects for which industrial development certificates were issued or assistance under the Local Employment Act was offered between 1st January and 31st October, 1962.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he is sending to the British Travel and Holidays Association memoranda submitted to Her Majesty's Government on the development of camping and caravan sites in England and Wales.

I am considering this memorandum together with my colleagues.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fact that Post-War Credits are now being paid to men at 60 and women at 55 years of age, he will now consider redeeming at par all 3½ per cent. War Loan held by men at 60 and women at 55 years of age who were persuaded to convert from a 5 per cent. War Loan in 1932.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will speed up the delivery to local authorities of the new valuation lists which come into force on 1st April, 1963.

The lists will be delivered to rating authorities on the 21st of this month. I regret that it is not practicable to deliver them earlier.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice of members of the Civil Service holding shares in companies with which they are negotiating with regard to declaring their interests to the Head of the Department.

A Civil Servant who comes into official contact with any matter concerning a business organisation in which he has an interest must disclose his interest to the Head of the Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the total taxation revenue in 1961–62 from hydrocarbon oils, showing the yield from each of the following sources, namely, private motoring, business motoring, public transport, transport for commerce and industry, domestic heating and other industrial and commercial purposes.

The total yield from the hydrocarbon oil duties in 1961–62 was £510 million. The reply to the second part of the Question is given in the following table:

Source	Estimated yield £ million
Private and business motoring*	210
Public transport	38
Transport for commerce and industry	155
Domestic heating	4
Other industrial and commercial purposes	62
* Separate estimates of the yield from private and business motoring respectively are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when work is to start on the building of the National Theatre; and when it is hoped it will be completed.

It is too early to make any reliable estimates of timing but I know that all parties concerned are anxious to see the National Theatre built as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross national product of the United Kingdom is represented by central and local taxation and National Insurance contributions combined; and whether he will publish any similar information he has obtained through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for the United States of America, France, Belgium, Western Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy.

Following is the reply:

Central and local taxes plus National Insurance and Health contributions as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost
United Kingdom	…	…	32·7
United States	…	…	30·5
France	…	…	40·8
Belgium	…	…	26·5
Germany	…	…	40·4
Netherlands	…	…	34·5
Italy	…	…	32·0

NOTE: The figures relate to the calendar year 1961, except in the case of Belgium, for which 1960 are the latest available. Death duties are not treated as taxes in the tables for which figures for other countries have been drawn, and they have therefore been omitted also from the United Kingdom figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a recent unofficial sample survey conducted by the Association of University Teachers shows that 25 per cent. of qualified applicants for university places have failed to get them this year; and what action he proposes to take to increase the number of places.

There are now over 5,200 more students in the universities than at this time last year. It is barely six months since the Government announced plans which are expected to provide 38,000 more university places by 1966–67 and a further 20,000 places by 1973–74. Work on this considerable programme is already in hand. In addition, I would remind the hon. Gentleman of the expansion taking place in other forms of higher education, such as the Colleges of Advanced Technology and the Teacher Training Colleges. There were also some 23,000 students in England and Wales alone taking full-time advanced courses last year in regional and area colleges.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the total number of men and women who graduated from British universities in 1961; and what information he has received through the United Nations Economic Social and Cultural Organisation of comparable figures for France, Western Germany and Italy.

Twenty-three thousand, one hundred and one First Degrees were obtained in British Universities in the Academic Year 1960–61. A further 1,075 External Degrees were awarded, making a total of 24,176 First Degrees. No comparable figures for that year have yet been published by U.N.E.S.C.O. for the other countries mentioned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the amount of money that has been allocated by way of direct Government grant to the British Universities Sports Federation for the years 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of a full year's yield of Purchase Tax at present rates, showing how much is estimated to come from each of the rates of 10 per cent., 15 per cent., 25 per cent., and 45 per cent.

The Financial Statement (1962–63) showed the estimated revenue from the Purchase Tax to be £606 million in the financial year 1962–63. This corresponded to a full year yield of £622 million. If the present rate of 25 per cent. on motor cars had been in force for the whole of the financial year, the latter estimate would have been £567 million, made up as follows:

Rate			Yield
£ million
10 per cent.	…	…	169
15 per cent.	…	…	50
25 per cent.	…	…	279
45 per cent.	…	…	69
			567

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, between 1951 and 1962, was the percentage increase in average wage earnings at constant prices; and what, during the same period, was the percentage increase in productivity.

Figures for average wage earnings alone are not available. Nor is it yet possible to make a valid comparison between 1951 and 1961. For average wage and salary earnings combined, the increase at constant prices between 1951 and 1961 was 35 per cent. Over the same period, the increase at constant prices in the gross domestic product per head was 20 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the number of youths, sentenced to terms at detention centres, who have been found physically unfit; and what steps are taken to ensure that youths are medically examined before sentence.

Out of a total of 12,285 persons committed to detention centres, 221 had physical disabilities which made it necessary to restrict their participation in some activities, and three had to be discharged early on medical grounds. Courts have been informed of the physical standards at present required for full participation in the regime at detention centres, and the figures I have given suggest that due regard is paid to this consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the estimated saving in public expenditure if the traffic lights in Parliament Square were used whilst Parliament is in session; and how many police officers are now employed in controlling this traffic.

Eight constables are employed when the House is in session, at an estimated cost of £6,156 a year, in facilitating the passage of hon. Members by controlling the junctions in Parliament Square. If the lights were used they would be employed on other duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the existing functions and responsibilities of the Prison Commissioners will be transferred to the Home Office on 1st April, 1963; what steps are now being taken to amalgamate certain branches and responsibilities of both departments as a result of the Criminal Justice Act, 1961; and to what extent these steps will affect any Statutory Orders that might be brought before the House under the provisions of that Act.

Under Section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1961, provision may be made by Order in Council for transferring to the Secretary of State any or all of the functions of the Prison Commissioners. The section also provides that no recommendation shall be made to Her Majesty in Council to make such an Order unless a draft has been approved by each House of Parliament. I have not yet carried my consultations to the point when I am in a position to lay a draft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he has asked local authorities to give their considered comments on the Report of the Royal Commission on the Police.

Some comments from the local authority associations have reached me already, and I expect to receive the rest in the course of this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to formulate proposals on those recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Police which do not concern local authorities.

The only substantial group of recommendations which do not closely concern local authorities are those dealt with in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater (Sir G. Wills) on 29th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, since the Royal Commission on the Police was asked to report as a matter of urgency, he expects to introduce legislation during this Session in order to carry out some or all of their proposals.

The Government did not, in fact, ask the Royal Commission to report as a matter of urgency; but there will be no avoidable delay in reaching conclusions on their recommendations. As regards legislation this Session, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13th November by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd). I have already implemented an important recommendation of the Commission which does not require legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the sanction, promised in the spring, to open and use the two additional attendance centres equipped and ready for use by the magistrates' courts in Liverpool, can be expected.

One attendance centre, for boys aged 12 to 17, has been available to the courts in Liverpool since 1953. I hope that a second will be opened next month, and that the existing centre will at about the same time move to more suitable premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the fresh evidence submitted to him in the case of Francis M. McEvoy, following his conviction at the Dudley Magistrates' Court on 1st August, 1962; and what reply he has made to those submitting this evidence.

I am having further inquiries made into this case and will write to the right hon. Member as soon as they are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to the future ownership and use of the children's homes, remand homes and approved schools in London.

If the London Government Bill becomes law, I expect that the new London boroughs will wish to provide as soon as possible sufficient children's homes and nurseries under their own control to meet the needs of the children in their care. Initially, of course, the existing accommodation will have to be used, and arrangements will therefore need to be made for allocating it to the new boroughs, or for its joint use. It is common for remand homes to serve more than one authority; these, and possibly also other specialist establishments such as reception centres, will need to be shared.A working party consisting of officers of the Home Office and of the existing local authorities and local government associations concerned who are willing to co-operate has already been set up to give consideration to these matters in detail with the idea of preparing draft proposals that may provide the basis for consultation with the existing and new authorities in due course. I understand that, as a preparatory step, officers of the county councils concerned, other than the London County Council, have entered upon preliminary discussions with officers of the existing borough and district councils in their areas; and I welcome this.Approved schools do not present the same problem as child care establishments, because they normally serve a wider area than that of a single local authority, and places in them are allocated through the classifying machinery. The future of each of the schools will call for separate examination in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on Her Majesty's prison education service for the year 1961; and what are the estimated amounts for the years 1962, 1963, and 1964, respectively.

In England and Wales, the cost of reimbursing local education authorities for the services of teachers at prisons, borstals, detention centres and Ashford Remand Centre amounted in 1961–62 to £243,000 and the pay and allowances of physical education staff, who are directly employed by the Department, to £65,000. The Estimates for 1962–63 provide £293,000 and £74,000 for these purposes respectively. The Estimates for 1963–64 are not yet settled.As regards premises, furniture, equipment, materials, books, and stationery it is not practicable to distinguish the education element from other expenditure incurred for these purposes at the establishments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which areas still have licensing planning committees under Part II of the Licensing Act, 1953.

The areas are:—Birmingham, Bristol, Canterbury, Coventry, Dover, East Ham, Gosport, Great Yarmouth, Grimsby, Kingston upon Hull, Liverpool, County of London (including the City of London), Manchester, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Southampton, South Shields, Sunderland, Swansea, West Ham.

asked the First Secretary of State whether Her Majesty's Government will make a declaration of intention not to grant independence to Southern Rhodesia until a multiracial constitution has been approved by a majority of its people.

I have nothing to add to what I told the House in the debate on 3rd December. Southern Rhodesia is part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and in those circumstances the question of her separate independence does not arise.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the number and types of vehicles it was estimated would use the Tamar Bridge when calculating the various toll charges to be levied, and the number and types of vehicles actually using the bridge for each month since it was opened to the latest convenient date.

I give below the estimate of traffic likely to use the Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint Ferry poduced by the Tamar Bridge Joint Committee at the time of the Public Inquiry into the toll charges.I have no information about traffic using the bridge since it was opened.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT, showing the number of houses, the average standard rent per house, the number of houses receiving a rent rebate and the average rebate per house, and the increase or decrease in the average standard rent per house compared with May, 1962, for each of the four cities, the large burghs, and for such small burghs as the above information is available for, at the latest convenient date.

Information about the rents of local authority houses at the end of November, 1962, is at present being collected and will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the percentage of births in hospitals and nursing homes during 1961, giving figures separately for both for each regional hospital board area.

These figures are not available as the returns made by the local authorities do not always distinguish birth in nursing homes from those in hospital; but generally the proportion in nursing homes is small.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many United States sailors stationed at the Polaris base in the Holy Loch have been sentenced for crimes committed in Scotland; what were the crimes; and what were the sentences.

Since the reply given to the hon. Member on 3rd July last proceedings against 22 United States sailors have resulted in convictions of 20 road traffic offences and six other offences. The offences, which are shown below, were dealt with as follows:

Offence	Number of cases	Disposal
Road traffic offences	20	Fines ranging from £1-£20; with, in some cases, endorsement of licence and disqualification (for periods of 6 months to 1 year)
Breach of the peace	4	£5 fine
Trespass (Scotland) Act, 1865	1	£1 fine
Theft by housebreaking	1	£5 fine
	26

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what expenditure the Admiralty has incurred in connection with the Polaris base at Holy Loch from the date of its establishment to 30th November, 1962.

The expenditure incurred is estimated at £486,000, of which £376,000 has already been repaid by the United States Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many official members of the Air Council have, within the past 10 years, left its service and, within two years, joined industrial firms or commercial enterprises; what were their ranks; and which companies they joined.

Two Marshals of the Royal Air Force, 4 Air Chief Marshals, 1 Air Marshal and 1 Permanent Under-Secretary of State applied for and were given permission to join the following commercial undertakings within two years of their leaving the Air Council:

• Air Trainers Ltd.
• Blackburn & General Aircraft Ltd.
• British Aircraft Corporation.
• British Tabulating Machine Co. Ltd.
• Cossors Ltd.
• John Blackwood Hodge & Co. Ltd.
• New Electronics Products Ltd.
• Short Bros. & Harland Ltd.
• Vickers Armstrong (Aircraft) Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers of Her Majesty's Forces have been seconded to his Department over the past 10 years; how many of those, who, under his regulations, were required to notify him, have, on resignation or retirement, joined industrial and commercial enterprises; and to what extent restraint is exercised upon those officers upon leaving his service.

Excluding members of the Air Council, 11 officers who had

Highland Brigade			Lowland Brigade
Recruits	Trained Soldiers	Total	Recruits	Trained Soldiers	Total
12	17	29	37	10	47

These statistics are maintained by Corps and Brigades of Infantry and it is not possible to give the figures for individual regiments without a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Air which administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department with salaries of £1,500-£2,000 per annum, have taken up posts with industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service over the past 10 years, in cases requiring the approval of his Department; and what were the firms they joined.

None, so far as I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers from Scottish regiments brought themselves out of the Army between 1st January and 30th November, 1962; and from what regiments.

The following are the numbers of soldiers who have purchased their discharge from the Highland and Lowland Brigades from 1st January, 1962. to 1st November, 1962:

asked the Secretary of State for War, how many men enlisted in Scotland in November, 1962, and from what counties.

The following is the information:

Enlistments—Scottish Command 4th November to 1st December, 1962
Place of Enlistment	Recruits
Aberdeen	17
Dumfries (and outstation Ayr)	16
Dundee (and outstation Kirkaldy)	35
Edinburgh	42
Glasgow (and outstation at Hamilton and Stirling)	77
Inverness (and outstation at Elgin)	10
	197

NOTE. These figures are taken from the weekly returns of the local Army Information Offices, and do not take account of extensions and re-engagements of those still serving, rejoined reservists or boys maturing to men service.

asked the Postmaster-General which administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department, with salaries of £1,500-£2,000 per annum, have taken up posts with industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service over the past 10 years, in cases requiring the approval of his Department; and what were the firms they joined.

There have been no such cases.