asked the Minister of Power what objections he has received from organisations and individuals, respectively, to the proposal of the Central Electricity Generating Board to carry a new 275,000 volts cable on pylons through the built-up area of Brislington, Bristol, instead of conveying it underground; and whether, in order that the objectors may be heard, he will arrange for a public inquiry to be held.

Twenty-six organisations and 174 individuals have objected. The details of the public inquiry I am arranging will be announced shortly.

asked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied that the supply of smokeless fuel in Scotland is sufficient to meet the increasing demand consequent on the increase of designated smokeless zones; how much of this fuel is produced by the National Coal Board in Scotland; and how much is imported from England.

Yes; none. About 27,000 tons a year.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware that the Gas Boards have refused to supply the demands of the Scottish Coal Merchants' Association for smokeless fuel in bulk, and that there has been consequent delay at supply points; and if he will make inquiries into this matter and take steps to improve the situation.

The Scottish Gas Board in marketing Gloco, an open-fire gas coke, has preferred to sell it in bags to ensure reliable quality. The Board will consider sales in bulk to merchants who can maintain quality through their own storage and bagging facilities. At the same time supplies in bags are being increased to meet merchants' needs more quickly.

asked the Minister of Power what is the estimated annual production of smokeless fuels; and what steps are being taken to increase this.

About 1·6 million tons of the specially reactive fuels and at least 5 million tons of other cokes suitable for open fires. Total capacity is in excess of demand. So far as premium fuels are concerned a substantial increase in the production of Coalite and Rexco is planned and the National Coal Board hopes to be producing smokeless briquettes for the open fire on a commercial scale by early 1964.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to improve facilities for the private examination of patients at the eye clinic at Horsham Hospital.

An improved appointments system, pending eventual rebuilding of the department.

asked the Minister of Health 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 patients and staff of hospitals in the area.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what were the ratios of nursing and other staff to patients on 12th November, 1962, in the Horton Road and Coney Hill, Gloucestershire, mental hospitals;(2) what are the circumstances under which nursing staff and others employed at the Horton Road and Coney Hill, Gloucestershire, mental hospitals are to be dismissed; and if he will make a statement.

The staffs are being reduced by 11 nurses—6 part-time, 4 pensionable—and 21 others in the interest of efficiency and good management. The ratios were about 1 to 4 and 1 to 5½ respectively.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the intake of nurses

				Nursing Staff at 30th September, 1959		Nursing Staff as at 30th September, 1962
Name of Hospital				Whole-time	Part-time	Whole-time	Part-time
Southmead General	…	…	…	284	58	282	105
Walker Dunbar	…	…	…	44	12	43	17
St. Brenda's Maternity	…	…	…	5	5	10	18
Mortimer House Maternity	…	…	…	3	1	6	1
Wendover Maternity Home	…	…	…	4	9	8	6
Ham Green	…	…	…	146	41	159	73
Frenchay	…	…	…	237	66	283	83
Cossham Memorial	…	…	…	52	2	64	18
Bristol Homoeopathic	…	…	…	70	13	66	22
Manor Park	…	…	…	143	131	165	149
Glenside	…	…	…	235	33	222	65
Brentry	…	…	…	52	1	59	11
Hillside House	…	…	…	3	—	3	—
Chasefield Home	…	…	…	4	—	4	—
Stoke Park	…	…	…	103	42	99	65
Purdown	…	…	…	90	—	74	9
Leigh Court	…	…	…	13	19	14	15
Hanham Hall	…	…	…	28	—	27	10
Anchor Lodge	…	…	…	—	—	3	—
Bristol Royal	…	…	…	564	11	537	38
Bristol Maternity	…	…	…	22	8	28	4
University of Bristol Dental	…	…	…	3	—	3	—
Bristol Eye	…	…	…	65	1	67	3
Bristol Royal for Sick Children		…	…	135	6	132	13
TOTALS	…	…	…	2,305	459	2,358	725
NOTE: The figures exclude Snowdon Road Hospital, which employed 78 whole-time and 79 part-time nursing staff on 30th September, 1959 and was closed on 31st March, 1961.

asked the Minister of Health what special arrangement were made in the Greater London area for dealing with smog casualties last week; what arrangements were made for the transfer of patients to hospitals in areas unaffected by smog; and whether he will estimate the number of people admitted to hospital and the number of deaths as a result of the smog.

Emergency arrangements were made at the London hospitals to restrict non-urgent admissions, have additional beds ready, and call in reserves of staff; none; these estimates cannot yet be made.

It has not been affected.Following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Health how many times the Lycett Green Committee has met; and when its report may be expected.

Nine; it is too soon to say.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the prototype of a track and kill cancer unit has been developed at the Royal Northern Hospital recently which is helpful in treating cancer of the lung in conjunction with surgery and can be helpful when surgery has failed; and what steps he is taking to provide these new units to hospitals.

I am advised that this work is still experimental.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that several months ago the sketch plans were approved for the new hospital in Bradford to replace the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital, if he will give a definite date when the work will commence.

I have authorised the board to go to tender, and shall be able to give the date when a tender is approved.

asked the Minister of Health how much money has been spent in the last 12 months on new hospitals in Northumberland and Durham; and what percentage this is of the national total.

£2,085,000 was spent on hospital building in 1961–62, the latest period for which figures are available; 6–9 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health why students undergoing full-time education within the meaning of the Education Act, 1944, at universities and colleges of further education are excluded from the provision of free dental treatment under the National Health Service as provided for children under 16 years of age.

Except for dentures, students under 21 are not excluded.

asked the Minister of Health what is his policy with regard to the ending of evening surgeries by general practitioners.

Surgery hours are a matter for individual executive councils. A doctor who disagrees with his council has an appeal to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health what machinery exists for recruiting distinguished research psychiatrists for mental health research in the United Kingdom; and why Dr. Humphry Osmond, M.R.C.S., L.R.C., recently appointed director of the Psychiatric Research Institute of the State of New Jersey, United States of America, has not been so recruited despite his application to his Department to work in this country.

This would be a matter for the research organisations. There has been no application by Dr. Osmond to my Department.

asked the Minister of Health what were the number of midwives and the number of births for the years 1955 and 1960.

For 1955, 14,139 and 667,811; for 1960, 14,810 and 785,005.

asked the Minister of Health what was the amount of money allocated by his Department to cancer research in the year 1961–62.

My Department does not allocate money to cancer research.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inadequate provision made by some local authorities for the training of public health inspectors; and if he will take steps to enable more local authorities to undertake this work.

I understand the Public Health Inspectors Education Board have this in hand. My right hon. Friend sees no reason to intervene.

asked the Minister of Health whether, regarding the effect of Salk vaccine upon paralytic poliomyelitis in the year 1961, he will state the number of children, aged 15 years and under, who received the first injection, the percentage of these who returned for a second injection, and the percentage of the latter who returned for a third injection.

Separate information about children under 15 is not available. By the end of 1961, 10,423,000 persons then under 19 years of age had had a first dose of Salk vaccine and of these over 99 per cent. a second. About 90 per cent. of vacinated persons of all ages had had third doses.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the £3 millions spent in 1961 by the pharmaceutical industry on firms' representatives calling on doctors to sell drugs and the consequent indirect cost to the National Health Service, he will take steps to provide a technical information service for doctors on new drugs.

Prescriber's Journal supplies information on selected new drugs to all National Health Service doctors.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to find employment for Mr. W. R. Lauder, of 11, Palm Grove, Chadderton, an Army disability pensioner, who is registered as a disabled person, has been continuously unemployed for two and a half years and whose disability has precluded him from employment although it has recently been assessed for pension purposes at 30 per cent.

I have written to the hon. Member about this case.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade workers were unemployed in the St. Helens area in each year since 1958; what were the figures at the latest convenient date; what are the prospects for future employment in the building trade in the Merseyside area; and if he will make a statement.

The mid-November figures were:

• 177 in 1958
• 146 in 1959
• 149 in 1960, and
• 143 in 1961.

On 12th November, 1962, the figure was 233. The demand for labour in the construction industry has fallen this year both on Merseyside and over the country as a whole. It is, however, likely to rise again next year. Merseyside should also benefit from the increase in public investment recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will propose in the Brussels negotiations, in regard to the film industry, that the statutory levy to support film production be exempt from the provisions of the Rome Treaty.

Article 92 of the Treaty of Rome provides for the continuation of State aids in certain circumstances. I understand that the Commission has not yet formulated proposals on the application of these provisions to the film industry. It would therefore be inappropriate for Her Majesty's Government to make the proposal the hon. Gentleman suggests.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the current level of the import levy on imports of barley and maize, respectively, into the European Economic Community; and, in cases where the common external tariff has not been superseded for the levy system, what is the common external tariff.

As I informed my right hon. Friend on 3rd December, rates of levy vary from country to country and with variations in c.i.f. prices. The latest period for which figures are available is the fortnight from 10th to 23rd November. The levies applied by each country changed frequently during this period, but our information indicates that the range both for barley and for maize extended from about £2 to £20 per long ton. There is no tariff on barley or maize, since the tariff has been superseded by the levy system.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a further statement on the situation in the Congo, and on the action to be taken to secure a settlement of the problem.

The United Nations "Plan for National Reconciliation" was accepted by both the Congolese Prime Minister and Mr. Tshombe at the beginning of September. Her Majesty's Government welcomed this plan and gave it their full support. The draft Constitution for the Congo was presented to provincial Prime Ministers at a meeting in Leopoldville in mid-October, but this was not attended by representatives of South Kasai or South Katanga. Renewed fighting between Central Government troops and Katanga gendarmerie has since been reported in North Katanga.There have been negotiations in Elisabethville in the framework of the United Nations plan. They have related primarily to a division of the revenues between the Central Government of the Congo and the Katangan provincial authorities and to the unification of all military, para-military and gendarmerie units. It remains our earnest hope that the parties will reach agreement on the outstanding issues and that the United Nations plan will thus be fully and fairly implemented.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of the declaration of the Common Market Governments on the special difficulties of accepting the three neutral members of the European Free Trade Association as associate members of the Common Market, if he will now make a further statement about the operation of Her Majesty's Government's pledges to the members of the European Free Trade Association; and what consultations he is having with European Free Trade Association Governments about this position.

The House has been informed on a number of occasions that the Government adhere firmly to their European Free Trade Association obligation. We are in constant touch with the other member Governments about the progress of the negotiations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that the official present strength of the West German Army is 245,000, and of the Air Force 83,000, and that the official planned strength for the year 1963–64 is 350,000 for the Army and 100,000 for the Air Force; and by how much these strengths exceed those laid down in the Revised Brussels Treaty and the Special Agreement annexed to the European Defence Community Treaty.

The Special Agreement annexed to the European Defence Community Treaty is classified as "Secret", and I cannot reveal the details. The present strength of the German armed forces is in conformity with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation requirements and has the unanimous approval of the Western European Union Council in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Revised Brussels Treaty.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the present rate of unemployment benefit for a single male person expressed in terms of a percentage of the average current wages for an adult male worker computed to the most recent convenient date; and what were the corresponding figures for 1924 and 1949, respectively.

In April, 1962, 18·4 per cent.; in April, 1949, l8·6 per cant. Corresponding figures for average earnings in 1924 are not available, but the unemployment benefit rates, following an increase in August of that year, were 32 per cent. of the average earnings of all males, including juveniles, as shown by an inquiry carried out on a rather different basis from those made for 1949 and 1962.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many men and women in the North-East, having exhausted unemployment benefit, are now on extended benefit, and how many are on National Assistance.

On 5th November in the Northern Region of the Ministry of Labour, 38,481 men and women were receiving unemployment benefit and 7,948 who had exhausted their title to such benefit were receiving National Assistance. The provision for extended benefit under Section 62 of the National Insurance Act, 1946, lapsed in 1953.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will consider amending the regulations so that a person being examined under the Silicosis and Asbestosis (Medical Arrangements) Scheme 1931–1946 is notified on Form D of the percentage of disablement accruing from the condition for which the person is being paid compensation under this Scheme.

No. I am advised that Section 89 (1) of the Industrial Injuries Act precludes any such amendment.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the financial result if women contributed 8s., men 9s., and juveniles a little extra, if self-employed paid 7 per cent. of their wages, if basic benefits were raised to £5 per week, all dependency benefits including the wife of an insured person to remain as at present, the Exchequer supplement to be one-fifth of the total contributions and the surplus of graduated contributions above the graduated benefits paid to be used as at present to help to meet any deficiency of income in the general National Insurance department.

The National Insurance Fund would incur a deficit of the order of £400 million in the first year and more in later years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what financial assistance he will provide to the County Borough of Sunderland towards the cost of the intercepting sewer scheme.

Revenue expenditure on the scheme, including loan charges, will attract rate deficiency grant as long as the council qualifies for this grant. My right hon. Friend has no power to make a specific grant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what are his plans for increasing the number of houses to be built in the County Borough of Sunderland.

The council has been building houses at the rate of 1,000 to 1,200 a year. I understand that it aims to increase this to 1,600 next year and I hope it will. I want to see it build as many houses as it can.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that heavy loads of fuel, hitherto carried by water to power stations in the London area are now to be carried by road and, in view of the overcrowded conditions on the roads, what steps he will take to discourage this trend.

Transport users are free to choose the means of transport that best serves their needs. It would be wrong for me to try to influence the commercial judgment of the managements of the fuel industries in this.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent it is his policy to encourage or discourage the use of cat's eye reflectors in the surface of main roads.

It is my policy to encourage their use on important traffic routes where a substantial volume of traffic uses head lamps in addition to side lights.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will issue a White Paper on the policy put forward by him with regard to a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear force, at the meeting in Park of the Western European Union.

asked the Minister of Defence what are his proposals for the development of a European nuclear force, referred to in his speech to the Assembly of the Western European Union in Paris on 4th December and if he will make a statement.

I did not refer to a N.A.T.O. nuclear force in the speech which I made to the Assembly of the Western European Union in Paris. I will, however, make a copy of this speech available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the percentage of the aircraft contracts placed by Govern-meat Departments and the Airways Corporations which is at present being undertaken by Short Brothers and Harland, Belfast; and what were the comparative annual figures from 1950.

I regret that information is not available in the precise form asked for by my hon. Friend.The percentage of the total annual aircraft work on behalf of Government Departments and the Airways Corporations which has been undertaken by Short Brothers and Harland, Belfast, in each of the years from 1950 to 1961 and during the first nine months of 1962 is estimated as follows:

	per cent.
1950	2·6
1951	2·0
1952	1·5
1953	2·4
1954	2·0
1955	2·0
1956	2·0
1957	1·8
1958	4·2
1959	3·1
1960	4·1
1961	1·7
1962 (first 9 months)	1·3

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the percentage of work at present being undertaken by Short Brothers & Harland, Belfast, which has been placed by a Government Department and the Airways Corporations; and What were the comparative annual figures from 1950.

The percentage of the total annual work on aircraft and guided weapons carried out by Short Brothers and Harland, Belfast, which was undertaken for Government Departments and the airways corporations in each of the years from 1950 to 1961 land during the first nine months of 1962 is estimated as follows:

	Per cent.
1950	98
1951	93
1952	94
1953	87
1954	92
1955	92
1956	87
1957	87
1958	61
1959	85
1960	86
1961	92
1962 (first 9 months)	93

Apart from aircraft and guided weapons activities, the company does a small amount of other work, not on Government account which is not covered in the above table.

asked the Minister of Aviation what was the average annual number of employees of Short Brothers & Harland Limited, Belfast, for each year from 1950 to the nearest convenient date.

Following are the figures of the company's employees in Northern Ireland for June of each year:

1950	4,400
1951	5,000
1952	6,600
1953	7,600
1954	8,000
1955	7,900
1956	8,600
1957	8,900
1958	8,400
1959	8,500
1960	7,100
1961	6,700
1962	7,000

The most recent figure available is 7,300.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many of the companies listed by him on 28th November have had contractual relations with his Department; what was the extent of such relations; and what were the ranks of the civil servants who joined each of the companies listed on 28th November.

Firm				Grade of Officer
Aberdale Cables Ltd.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Aero Jet General Corporation of America	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Air Trainers Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
Albright & Wilson Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
Aldis Bros. Ltd.	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
Appleby & Ireland Ltd.	…	…	…	Director General (Engineer)
Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
Blackburn & General Aircraft Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Assistant Director (Engineer)
B.R.D. Ltd.	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Engineer I
Bristol Aircraft Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
British & French Bank	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
British Communications Corporation Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Scientific Officer
British Motor Corporation	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
British Oxygen Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Scientist
British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Chief Executive Officer
Brockworth Engineering Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
S.G.Brown Ltd.	…	…	…	Assistant Director (Engineer)
				Principal Scientific Officer
Canadian British Aluminium Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Cogswell & Harrison Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Executive Officer
Collins Radio Co. of England Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Experimental Officer
Constable Hart & Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
Coventry Gauge & Tool Co.	…	…	…	Assistant Director (Engineer)
Dowty Group	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
				Assistant Director (Engineer)
B. Elliott & Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Assistant Secretary
Ferranti Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
W. J. Fraser & Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Garringtons Ltd.	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
General Tire & Rubber Co.	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
General Precision Corporation of New York		…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Glass Developments Ltd.	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
Glass Yarns & Deeside Fabrics Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
Guest, Keen & Nettlefold Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Scientific Officer
Hawker, Siddeley Group Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Hecht, Levis & Kahn	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Hispano-Suiza Group	…	…	…	Director (Engineer)
Hobourn Aero Components Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
Hunting Engineering Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Scientific Officer
International Computers & Tabulators Ltd.	…	…	…	Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
J. Langham Thompson Ltd.	…	…	…	Principal Scientific Officer
Legal & General Assurance Soc. Ltd.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Manicouagan Power Co.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary
Massey Harris Ferguson Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Maudslay Motor Co. of Coventry	…	…	…	Principal Executive Officer
Microcell Aircraft	…	…	…	Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
Mullard Equipment Ltd.	…	…	…	Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
Mullard Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Nathan Agran Ltd.	…	…	…	Senior Chief Executive Officer
Newman Industries Ltd.	…	…	…	Assistant Director (Engineer)
Jack Olding	…	…	…	Assistant Secretary
Painton & Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Deputy Chief Scientific Officer
Pena Copper Mines Group	…	…	…	Director (Engineering)
Petters Ltd.	…	…	…	Chief Scientific Officer
Projectiles & Engineering Co. Ltd.	…	…	…	Director General (Engineer)
				Deputy Secretary
Pulsometer Group	…	…	…	Senior Principal Scientific Officer
Reynolds T.I. Aluminium Ltd.	…	…	…	Permanent Secretary

Fifty-six. In three other cases I have not immediately been able to determine with certainty whether or not a contractual relationship has existed.It would be contrary to established practice to disclose the extent of a firm's contracts with the Department.The answer to the last part of the Question is as follows:

asked the Minister of Aviation how many administrative, executive and technical officers of his Department, with salaries of more than £1,500 per annum, have, within the past 10 years, joined industrial firms within two years of leaving the Civil Service and failed to seek permission or notify his Department, in cases where such permission or notification was required by his regulations; how many applied and were refused permission; and what criteria his Department adopts regarding these releases.

I know of no cases in which permission was required and was not sought. In two cases permission was refused. In a number of other cases, of which no complete record has been retained, the officers concerned decided after informal inquiries not to submit formal applications.My Department is guided by the Memorandum on the subject of the Acceptance of Business Appointments by Officers of the Crown Services, Cmd. 5517 of 1937. The rule that permission is required before an offer of employment is accepted has been applied by my Department and by the previous Ministry of Supply to a very wide range of posts down to a very junior level. That is because the Department, which employs some thousands of scientists, engineers and technical staff of potential value to industry, also has wide ranging contractual relationships. It has been the object of successive Ministers to ensure that, while industry is not denied the services of some very able people, nor they themselves denied the chance to make a new career, this fruitful exchange should not be allowed to influence the placing of contracts or to lead to favours being sought or given. Each application is therefore closely examined.

asked the Minister of Aviation 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 following table shows the numbers of officers by grades for whom applications to take up posts with industrial firms have been approved over the last 10 years:

Year	Grade of Officer
1953	—
1954	1 Senior Principal Scientific Officer.
1955	1 Senior Scientific Officer.
	3 Senior Experimental Officers.
	1 Engineer II.
1956	1 Senior Scientific Officer.
	3 Engineer II.
	1 Chemist II.
1957	2 Engineers II.
1958	1 Senior Executive Officer.
	1 Engineer II.
1959	2 Senior Scientific Officers.
	1 Engineer II.
	1 Chemist II.
1960	1 Principal Scientific Officer.
	1 Engineer II.
1961	—
1962	—

This includes 6 officers in former Ministry of Supply posts no longer part of the Ministry of Aviation.

asked the Minister of Aviation 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 or commercial enterprises; and to what extent restraint is exercised upon those officers upon leaving his service.

During the past 10 years between 1,000 and 2,000 serving officers have been seconded to my Department. The exact number could not be determined without laborious inquiries. Some officers were seconded for more than one tour of duty during the period.Although my Department was consulted by the Service Departments about applications from officers who had been seconded and who wish to join industrial or commercial enterprises, the responsibility for deciding whether to grant or to withhold such approval rested with the appropriate Service Minister.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent the estimated development costs on the mach 2·2 airlińer will need to be revised as a result of the destruction of the prototype engine; and what the additional charge will be.

The engine recently destroyed during ground tests was an Olympus engine under development for military purposes and not that being developed from it for the Anglo-French civil supersonic transport aircraft. The effect of the accident, if any, on the development costs of the supersonic transport project cannot yet be estimated.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many of the proposed mach 2·2 airliners would have been required to carry the whole of the passenger traffic which used the normal scheduled services of the International Air Transport Association airlines on North Atlantic routes in the most recent year for which figures are available; and on what average load factor this estimate is based.

On the basis of the traffic carried in 1961, and with an average load factor of 60 per cent., it is estimated that about 35 of these aircraft would have been required.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the estimated selling price of the proposed mach 2·2 airliner; how much of this price covers repayment of the development costs borne by the British and French Governments; to what extent, in calculating this amount, allowance has been made for interest on the progress payments which will have to be made by the two Governments; what percentage is assumed; and how many aircraft would need to be sold in order to recover the development charges borne by the Government.

It is too early to decide what provision should be made for the amortisation of development costs and for this and other reasons an estimate of the selling price is not yet possible.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he is taking to ensure that the Royal Air Force is able to acquire a V.T.O.L. fighter aircraft without delay.

The Hawker P1154 aircraft is intended as a replacement for the Hunter in the Royal Air Force. A project study is currently being undertaken as the first stage of the development of this aircraft.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether consideration of the organisation required to meet the future requirements of air traffic control in the United Kingdom has yet been completed.

Yes. As I indicated during the debate on aviation on 18th July this year, a detailed study of future requirements for the control of air traffic in the limited airspace over this country has shown the need for a common system of control for both civil and military traffic. The first step towards this common system will be the formation of a single headquarters comprising both civilian and Service officers. This will be under a Controller, National Air Traffic Control Services, who will be responsible to me and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air, acting on behalf of the Service Ministers.This new headquarters will be responsible for air traffic control policy, for planning the control system and for formulating operational requirements. Executive responsibility for implementing the agreed policy will for the time being rest with the existing separate civil and military air traffic control organisations. These will, however, be under the operational direction of the Controller, National Air Traffic Control Services. It is also intended to bring together as soon as possible the headquarters of the separate civil and military operational organisations so as to form a single operational headquarters for air traffic control in this country.The new integrated policy and planning headquarters came into existence today. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air and I have jointly appointed Air Vice-Marshal Sir Laurence Sinclair, who has been controller of ground services with my Department, as the first Controller, National Air Traffic Control Services.

asked the Minister of Education what awards have been made pursuant to article 13, older students, of the University and Other Awards Regulations, 1962.

I have no separate information about additional payments made by local education authorities under this regulation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the rates of interest charged to local authorities borrowing from the Local Loans Fund.

The rates for P.W.L.B. loans to local authorities for over 15 years were reduced from 6⅛ per cent. to 5⅞ per cent. from Saturday, 8th December. This means that the P.W.L.B. rates are now 5⅞ per cent. for all periods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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 are no such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, to the latest convenient date, the number of recommendations for deportation under Part II of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act; how many have actually been deported; and from which countries they had come.

Up to the end of November, 379 recommendations for deportation under this Act had been made, 20 of which had been quashed on appeal. 89 persons had actually been deported. The countries of origin of all the indi-

Country of origin	Recommendations made	Recommendations quashed on appeal	Deported	Deportation orders made for enforcement at end of offender's sentence	Decisions not to deport	*Cases still under consideration on 30th November
Irish Republic	218	8	51	16	50	93
Aden	1	—	1	—	—	—
Australia	2	—	2	—	—	—
Barbados	6	—	4	—	2	—
British Guiana	22	1	6	—	7	8
Canada	5	—	1	—	2	2
Cyprus	9	1	—	—	2	6
Gibraltar	1	—	—	—	—	1
Hong Kong	2	—	1	—	—	1
India	1	—	1	—	—	—
Jamaica	62	6	11	2	15	23
Kenya	1	—	—	—	1	—
Leeward and Windward Isles	14	—	4	—	5	5
Malaya	1	1	—	—	—	—
Malta	10	—	1	—	4	5
Mauritius	1	—	1	—	—	—
New Zealand	3	—	1	—	1	1
Nigeria	3	—	2	—	1	—
Pakistan	2	1	—	—	1	—
Sierra Leone	1	—	—	—	1	—
Tanganyika	1	—	—	—	1	—
Trinidad and Tobago	13	2	2	—	7	2
TOTALS	379	20	89	18	100	152
* NOTE: In all the cases still under consideration the offender was serving a prison sentence and/or the appeal period had not yet expired.

asked the Secretary of State for War which administrative executive and technical officers off 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.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many official members of the War 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.

The only two applications made by members of the Army Council under Cmd. 5517 of 1937 for permission to join an industrial or commercial firm within two years of leaving their appointments at the War Office were those of the Permanent Under-Secretaries of State referred to in my reply to the hon. Member's Question of 30th November, 1962, and in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence of the same date. The firms concerned were:

• Messrs, Goodyear Tyres (Great Britain) Ltd.
• Messrs, Stothert and Pitt Ltd.
• International Computors and Tabulators Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for War 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 or commercial enterprises; and to what extent restraint is exercised upon those officers upon leaving his service.

During the last 10 years 13 military officers employed at War Office headquarters have had their applications approved to take up posts with industrial or commercial enterprises within two years of resignation or retirement from the Service.One application from a military officer in this category has been refused. All military officers on leaving the Army are required to sign a Declaration drawing their attention to the Official Secrets Acts, and in particular to the fact than the unauthorised communication of information acquired during service to any person after leaving the Service would render them liable to prosecution.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps are being taken to locate suitable premises for a National Assistance Office in Willesden; and when he expects a local branch to be opened.

We are searching for premises for a National Assistance Board Office in Willesden, with the help of the local authority, but no suitable accommodation has been found. I cannot yet say when a local office will be opened.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the United States of America have now agreed to give compensation for the increases in their bound tariffs on British exports of sheet glass and carpets.

Yes. As compensation, the United States have agreed to make reductions of about one-fifth in their duties on products of which our exports to them in 1961 were worth $9¼ million. Our exports of glass and carpets in 1961 were worth $4·2 million, but the increase in duties was larger. The reductions will come into force in two stages, on 1st January, 1963, and 1964. My Department is making available today details of the reductions.