asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which individual legislatures of the eight territories proposed for the new West Indies Federation have now approved the proposals of the recent Constitutional Conference; and if he will make a statement on progress towards the new Federation.

The Legislatures of Montserrat and of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla have approved the proposals.Meanwhile the Fiscal and Civil Service Commissions have been appointed and are at work. An economic survey has been started and a preparatory study for a possible customs union has also begun.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that practically all the refugees from Tristan da Cunha have decided that they wish to go back to their island home; and, since it has been inspected and declared fit for their return, if he will now take steps to transport them in one group and not split them up into small parties which will travel at different times.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) on 27th November. Arrangements are being made for an advance party of about 50 to go out in February and my right hon. Friend hopes to arrange for all the others who wish to do so to leave together later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what contribution Hong Kong makes to British Overseas Airways Corporation's routeing agreements with foreign and Commonwealth airlines; and how many agreements are obtained through reciprocal rights offered by Her Majesty's Government for operating into Hong Kong;(2) what effect the expansion achieved by Hong Kong's industry over the past 10 years has had on the value of the Colony's flying rights.

Hong Kong's industrial expansion has undoubtedly added to its attractions for the world's airlines. Exchanges of air traffic rights are on an overall basis and it is therefore not possible to distinguish the benefits obtained for British airlines in exchange for rights in this particular Colony, although they are certainly very great.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Government of Hong Kong has yet adopted the recommendation of the 1959 Hong Kong Salaries Commission that men and women medical officers should be remunerated on equal terms.

The Commission's recommendation in this respect was accepted to the extent that equal pay was granted to women medical officers, serving on the pensionable establishment or on agreement, upon reaching the fourth point in their salary scale or upon entry at or above that point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in regard to the siting and building of the new capital for British Honduras.

A team of consultants, comprising civil engineers, town planners and architects, and electrical and mechanical engineers, has been appointed to draw up plans for building a new capital at a site about 51 miles west of Belize on the Western Highway. They started work in September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the purposes of the proposed ordinance in the Colony of Aden for the registration of societies.

The main purpose is to secure better management of societies and to discourage the formation of bogus bodies or of societies organised from outside the Territory for objects contrary to the public interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to Aden.

On my way back from India and Pakistan last week I stopped off for a day in Aden. This gave me the opportunity to have talks with the Governor, with Federal and Aden Ministers and with representatives of the principal political parties in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the propaganda being directed at Aden Colony, stating that Jordanian troops had been sent to Aden and had been stationed on the Aden Protectorate side of the northern frontier; and what action his information services are taking to refute these allegations.

Yes. An Aden Government statement refuting this groundless allegation has been issued and broadcast by Aden Radio.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the expenditure in Gambia on education in 1961–62.

Expenditure under the recurrent budget in 1961 was £199,061, and is estimated to be about £240,000 for 1962. Capital expenditure in 1961 was about £70,000, and in 1962 will be about £160,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much money went to the Gambia Government in the form of aid during 1961–62.

£446,064.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the future of the Gambia.

At the joint request of the Senegalese and British Governments, the Secretary-General of the U.N. has agreed to send a team of experts to examine the possibilities of association between the Gambia and Senegal.After the receipt of the experts' report the Government of the Gambia propose to hold discussions with the Government of Senegal.I have informed the Premier of the Gambia that if, in the light of the experts' report, a satisfactory basis for association between the two countries can be worked out, Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to grant independence to the Gambia so that she may conclude the necessary agreement with Senegal as a sovereign nation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for residents in Kenya to retain their rights as British citizens after that Colony becomes independent.

The question of citizenship will not arise in connection with the new constitution, which will give Kenya internal self-government. The problem of citizenship will have to be settled in the next stage when we come to make the arrangements for independence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what circumstances led to the resignation of the Governor of Kenya.

I would refer the hon. Member to my today's reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Healey).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been made to provide for the future of aged Europeans now in distressed circumstances in Kenya.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to my right hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to deal with the increase in unemployment in Fiji.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Loughlin).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what consultations he had with the Governor of Fiji before legislation was passed forbidding any person expelled from a trade union by the Registrar of Industrial Associations to hold office in that or any other union for a period of five years.

None, in this particular instance, but I am in touch with the Governor over the revision of Fiji trade union legislation as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now make a statement on the findings of the Committee of Inquiry into Bailey's of Malta.

The Report made by Mr. Muirie has been sent to Bailey (Malta) Ltd. and their comments as to the facts disclosed in the report are awaited. Thereafter it will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent documents in the Colonial Office archives historically relevant to now independent ex-colonial territories have been transferred to the Governments of those territories; what requests have been made for this transference; and what assistance has been given to those Governments in securing for their archives suitable official premises in London.

No Colonial Office archives have been so transferred nor have any requests been received for this to be done.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give an assurance that no further public highway extensions will be made in Hyde Park now or in the foreseeable future.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will give an assurance that he will not allow any further highway extensions to be made in Hyde Park.

I can assure my hon. Friend that there will be no surrender of the Royal Parks for such purposes as public highway extensions, unless this is clearly shown to be in the public interest and the benefit to be gained manifestly justifies the loss of amenity.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what plans he has for rebuilding the northeast wing of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea; and when he intends to undertake this work.

I hope a start can be make towards the end of 1963.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he is taking to encourage the system of dimensional co-ordination in the building industry.

I am giving urgent consideration to proposals for dimensional co-ordination in the design of housing, schools, hospitals and offices, where industrialised methods of building are used. I hope that this preliminary work may later prove applicable also to traditional methods and other types of buildings.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will make a statement on Government policy on firm price tendering.

So far as Government contracts are concerned I am satisfied that the policy of inviting firm price tenders for contracts of two years or less for building and civil engineering work has been successful. Many other building owners, including public authorities, too often invite tenders before the job has been properly planned; bills of quantities are issued to tenderers which fail fully to describe the work; necessary drawings and specifications are not always provided and sub-contractors are not nominated sufficiently early to allow the works to proceed in orderly fashion. There is need too for the prompt acceptance of tenders. If a tenderer is to give a firm price it is reasonable for him to look for acceptance within two months. The whole basis of the tender is undermined where the starting of the work is delayed or excessive variations are subsequently introduced.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why the air conditioning system in the House of Commons allowed fog to persist in the Chamber after it had begun to disperse outside; and what the cost would be of an efficient system to eliminate smog particles.

The present air conditioning system eliminates fog particles, but when fog is dense and persistent some fog gets into the Chamber as hon. Members and visitors come and go. The air conditioning system disperses this as quickly as can reasonably be expected.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for domestic and business telephone services were met in Wales during the past 12 months; and how many were outstanding at the latest convenient date.

11,000 domestic and 8,727 business applications in Wales and the Border Counties have been met during the last 12 months. 6,845 orders were on hand on the 30th September, 1962, including 5,067 under inquiry or in course of being met.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone exchanges in Wales are automatic and how many manual; and how many of the latter he expects will be changed to automatic service during the next 12 months.

In Wales and Monmouth there are 428 automatic and 33 manual exchanges at present. I expect nine of the manual exchanges to be converted to automatic working in the next 12 months. STD will be provided at the outset in three of these areas and at 16 other exchanges during the year.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent he has achieved his declared objective in eliminating party lines for telephone subscribers in the London Region, and in regions outside London.

My objective is to let everyone have a choice of shared or separate telephone service, but until we have enough lines we must continue to ask residential subscribers to accept a liability to share, in order to help others.Shared service reached a peak of 1,187,000 connections in 1957; since then the number has been reduced by 44,400 in the London Region and 35,500 in regions outside London.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the shortage of telephone lines in South Yorkshire and the need for modernising the telephone exchanges; and whether he will speed up the programme of work.

The number of telephone applications on the waiting list in South Yorkshire is about 1 per cent. of the number of subscribers in the area. 95 exchanges are automatic: only 5 are manual and these will be converted as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement on the renewal of the emergency telephone system on the M.1 motorway.

The present system was developed at short notice to meet the opening date of the M.1 motorway. It will be replaced in stages, starting next spring, by the more effective and safer system since developed for later motorways.

asked the Postmaster-General how much money has been spent on the installation of new telephones in the last 12 months in Northumberland and Durham; and what percentage this is of the national total.

I am sorry that information is not available for the counties of Northumberland and Durham. In the telephone areas of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Middlesbrough, £1£65 million was spent in the 12 months ended 31st October, 1962, on the provision of equipment in customers' premises and line plant from the local telephone exchange. This sum was 3·6 per cent. of the national total.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the number of homes in Buchan whose occupants desire a telephone and have failed to get one; and if he will specify the districts involved.

Four—two in the Lonmay, one in the New Deer and one in the New Pitsligo exchange areas. In addition there are 71 applications for telephones under inquiry or in course of being met.

asked the Postmaster-General how many extra staff were employed by each head postmaster in Northern Ireland during the Christmas and New Year period last year; how many were ex-Service men; and if he will give an assurance that every suitable ex-Service man who applies will be engaged this Christmas and that preference will be given to them for any casual work available during the year.

A total of 2,827 extra staff were recruited in Northern Ireland for the 1961 Christmas period, 459 of whom were ex-Service men. Below are the detailed figures for each head postmaster's area. Preference is given throughout the year to suitable unemployed ex-Service men who apply for casual work; and every suitable ex-Service applicant for whom a vacancy is available will be engaged this Christmas.

EXTRA STAFF EMPLOYED BY EACH HEAD POSTMASTER IN NORTHERN IRELAND DURING THE 1961 CHRISTMAS PERIOD
1	2	3
Head Offices in N. Ireland	Extra Staff employed during the Christmas and New Year period 1961–62	Number of Ex-Service men included in col. 2
Armagh	32	12
Ballymena	71	11
Banbridge	18	5
Belfast	2,058	234
Coleraine	88	50
Cookstown	19	7
Downpatrick	8	2
Dungannon	49	4
Enniskillen	45	2
Lisburn	60	20
Londonderry	109	53
Lurgan	39	2
Newry	100	25
Omagh	44	8
Portadown	75	15
Strabane	12	9
	2,827	459

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been drawn to the Public Accounts Committee's criticisms on the method of tendering for contracts; what consideration he has given to changing the policy of his Department to allow all firms to compete for contracts for telecommunication and other equipment so that orders can be won on the basis of price, quality and maintenance of time schedules; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Post Office has always let a substantial volume of contracts competitively and will continue to do so increasingly. As regards extending the scope for competition within the field hitherto covered by bulk supply agreements, I would refer the hon. Member to my statement in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 24th July last.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cost per ton of paper user for printing stamps; and what is the additional cost of printing double-sized stamps in a full year.

The prices we pay for stamp paper are fixed by competitive tenders, and it would be contrary to established practice to disclose them. The extra cost of producing double-sized stamps varies from year to year according to the number of special issues. This year it is expected to be about £27,000.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will cease the practice of sending letters from the Director-General to senior officials on their retirement after a lifetime of service bearing a rubber stamp facsimile of the Director General's signature.

The Director General's letters to senior officers are all signed personally. Other officers, numbering some 6,000 a year, receive a letter bearing a printed facsimile of the Director General's signature. I see no reason to change these arrangements.

asked the Postmaster-General when the percentage of boys and girls, aged 15 to 18, attending day release classes in his Department is likely to reach the level of most of the other civil Departments.

Our local managers give all possible encouragement to these boys and girls, but as attendance is largely voluntary I cannot make a forecast. Our staff are also much more widely distributed over the country than those of most Departments.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which local authorities and joint boards in the counties of Brecon and Radnor have asked for financial assistance towards water supply schemes and the provision for sewerage, or the disposal of sewage, and have been disallowed in full or part under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts, 1944 to 1955.

The following authorities in Breconshire and Radnorshire have at various times submitted water or sewerage schemes in respect of which financial assistance under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts, 1944 to 1961, has been disallowed in full:

• Builth Rural District Council.
• Builth Wells Urban District Council.
• Brecon Borough Council.
• Rhayader Rural District Council.
• Vaynor and Penderyn Rural District Council.

Information about those authorities whose claims have been disallowed for grant in part is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many towns have had mare than one scheme of central redevelopment approved; and how many have more than one scheme under consideration by his Department.

Ten towns have more than one central redevelopment scheme approved under the Town and Country Planning Acts, 1944 and 1947, and seven towns have more than one scheme submitted but not yet approved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the capital investment of all local authorities in England and Wales for each of the last five years to the latest convenient date; and if he will divide these figures into the various sources of such investments between Public Works Loan Board, issues on a stock exchange and investment from individuals.

The capital investment of all local authorities in England and Wales for the five years 1956–57 to 1960–61—the latest available figures—was as follows:

	£ million
1956–57	561
1957–58	535
1958–59	516
1959–60	573
1960–61	626

A part of this capital investment was met by Government grants, from proceeds of the sale of land and buildings and from revenue accumulations. The remainder was met by the raising of loans, details of which are as follows:

		Loans raised from
	Total loans raised*	Public Works Loan Board†	Stock Issues	Other Sources
	£m.	£m.	£m.	£m.
1956–57	501	110	57	334
1957–58	471	107	38	326
1958–59	464	37	38	389
1959–60	513	40	54	419
1960–61	530	36	58	436
"Other sources" include private individuals, institutions, public companies and other accounts of the local authorities. It is not possible to identify the amounts borrowed from private individuals.
Sources: *Local Government Financial Statistics.
†Public Works Loan Board annual reports.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that building societies more readily lend money to owner-occupiers who wish to buy either older houses or newly-built houses of unconventional design.

Most building societies are, I believe, perfectly willing to finance the purchase of older houses where the houses are sound investments and so far as their funds permit.Nor am I aware that in general they are unwilling to make advances on newly-built houses of unconventional design, although they may take a conservative view of the value of such houses.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what is the annual sum at present being spent by Her Majesty's Government on research into the problem of autism in children.

Research on the condition of infantile autism forms part of a larger programme of work on mental disorders in childhood carried out mainly in departments of child psychiatry and child health at teaching hospitals and at other hospitals where children are treated. For this reason, it is not possible to make a separate assessment of the amount of money spent on research on this specific condition.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary far Science when he expects the Glasgow linear accelerator to be in operation.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Snow) on the 4th December.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the number of scientists employed by the Coal Tar Research Association, and what their qualifications, degrees and academic experiences are.

The Coal Tar Research Association is an independent cooperative industrial research association and my noble Friend is not responsible for its staff.A copy of the latest annual review of the Association has been placed in the Library of the House and this substantially contains the information asked for.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will make a written statement on the qualifications of each of the 43 British scientists and technologists recruited by the interview- ing board in North America last year for posts in this country.

I regret that the figure, which I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) last week, did not take account of 11 candidates

1961 NORTH AMERICAN BOARDS ANALYSIS OF "SUCCESSFULLY-ASSIGNED" CANDIDATES BY QUALIFICATIONS
		University Degree
	Ph.D.	1st Class Hons.	2(i) Class Hons.	2(ii) Class Hons.	2nd Class Hons.	3rd Class Hons. Pass	Other qualifications	Total appointments	Average years of postgraduate experience
Civil Service Commission Appointments	15	—	2	—	3	1	1	22	6·5
D.S.I.R./NATO Fellows	12	—	1	—	—	—	1	14	5
D.S.I.R. Students	—	4	4	—	—	—	1	9	2
U.K. Atomic Energy Authority Appointments	6	1	—	—	1	1	2	11	6
								56

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many British physicists, chemists, bio-chemists and biologists the interviewing board in the

1962 NORTH AMERICAN BOARDS ANALYSIS OF "INTERVIEWED" AND "SUCCESSFUL—ASSIGNED" CANDIDATES BY DISCIPLINE
—			Physics	Chemistry	Biochemistry	Biology	Others	Total
Interviewed
Canada	…	…	11	22	6	3	20	62
U.S.A.	…	…	50	69	10	3	49	181
TOTAL	…	…	61	91	16	6	69	243
Successfully Assigned
Civil Service Commission Appointments	…	…	5	19	—	2	4	30
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research/NATO Fellows	…	…	4	10	1	5	5	25*
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Students	…	…
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Appointments	…	…	12	4	1	—	4	21
TOTAL	…	…	21	33	2	7	13	76*
Other appointments in U.K. (where known)	…	…	3	4	—	—	3	10
TOTAL	…	…	24	37	2	7	16	86*
* Includes five candidates for studentships, including two biologists, not interviewed by the Board.

Following is the information:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science when he expects to publish the social survey findings into the causes of emigration of British physicists to North America.

The survey will certainly take some months to complete and thereafter the facts collected will have to be properly evaluated before any report capable of publication is in existence. The question whether the findings should be published cannot be decided until this has been done.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what research he is conducting at the Warren Spring Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, or elsewhere at grant-aided research associations, into pollution of the atmosphere caused by internal combustion engines.

The Warren Spring Laboratory is collaborating with the Ministry of Transport in devising test procedures for roadside measurement of diesel-powered motor vehicle exhaust smoke. The British Internal Combustion Engine Research Association is studying the effect of combustion system design on the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the exhausts of diesel engines. Work at the Motor Industry Research Association on pollution from petrol engine exhausts is related mainly to the Californian anti-smog legislation, which requires reduction of crankcase emissions of hydrocarbons and exhaust emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. M.I.R.A. is co-operating with member firms in the study of the problems of completing the combustion of constituents in the exhaust gases and in the development of both direct flame and catalytic after-burner devices.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps he is taking to bring the latest research into the safe use of depleted uranium for the shielding of high activity sources to the notice of industries, where such discoveries would be significant.

The Atomic Energy Authority is currently advertising the safe use of depleted uranium for shielding and non-nuclear purposes in selected British and European journals. It bas available an illustrated brochure on the properties and uses of depleted uranium, and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member and arranging for a copy to be made available in the library. The Authority is actively seeking markets for this material at home and abroad and the results so far are encouraging.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps he is taking to ensure the prompt exchange of ideas on their latest discoveries between the British Ship Research Association and those shipyards which are carrying out modernisation plans.

In addition to its other research programme this independent co-operative industrial research association is conducting a programme of research into the organisation and techniques of production. I understand that this programme is controlled by committees on which various shipyards are represented, and that reports of the research results are circulated to members without delay. In addition assistance is always available from the research association to its member firms with problems of shipyard layout and equipment.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what research he is conducting into the preparation of smokeless fuels from the types of coal that are mined in Yorkshire, Scotland and Durham.

None. I understand that research into smokeless fuel is undertaken by the nationalised fuel and power industries concerned.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what grant is made by Her Majesty's Government to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for its research into the chemical uses of coal; what proportion of this grant goes to the Coal Tar Research Association; and how much finance is given for research into work undertaken by the British Coal Utilisation Research Association.

No funds are voted to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research specially for research into the chemical uses of coal. In 1961 the Department made a grant of £24,000 to the Coal Tar Research Association in aid of its general programme which includes work on the chemical uses of coal. It also made a grant of £86,000 to the British Coal Utilisation Research Association whose programme, as I told the hon. Member on 4th December, includes a limited amount of work on this subject.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science when he expects to publish a report of the work of the British Coal Utilisation Research Association into the chemical uses of coal.

The British Coal Utilisation Research Association is an independent body and is responsible for the publication of its own research work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will place the Report, which is to be made to his advisory council by an ad hoc Committee of the Royal Society on the Future of Biology, in the Library of the House.

This document will be appended to the Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy which will be published and laid before the House early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the large number of would-be candidates in forthcoming by-elections, he will introduce legislation to ensure that the successful candidate and the runner-up shall not forfeit their deposits if they obtain the appropriate proportion of votes.

The Government are at present considering as a matter of urgency the problems raised by apparently frivolous candidatures. I will keep the point referred to by my hon. Friend in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many robberies have taken place during each of the past five years; what amount of money or value was involved; and in how many cases culprits were caught.

The numbers of offences of robbery and assault with intent to rob known to the police in England and Wales from 1957 to 1961, and the numbers cleared up, were as follows:

Year	Number of offences known to the police	Number of offences cleared up
1957	1,194	573
1958	1,692	788
1959	1,900	879
1960	2,014	933
1961	2,349	922

Information about the value of property stolen is available only for the Metropolitan Police District. The figures are as follows:

Year	Number of offences of robbery and assault with intent to rob known to the police	Number of these offences in which property was stolen	Value of property stolen
			£
1957	398	308	77,000
1958	558	460	172,912
1959	671	535	219,267
1960	763	633	372,663
1961	963	806	683,296

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires have taken place during each of the last five years; whether the fires in domestic houses and flats were ascribed to carelessness or to defective stoves or electrical appliances; and how many children died as a result of such fires.

ENGLAND AND WALES
—		1957	1958	1959	1960	1961
Number of fires*	…	108,114	90,372	222,400	119,684	145,800
Number of fires in houses and flats*	…	19,581	20,824	22,840	23,212	25,508
Number of fires in houses and flats—
(a) involving solid fuel appliances	…	6,666	6,652	6,556	6,276	6,424
(b) involving oil stoves	…	1,158	2,032	2,204	2,088	2,220
(c) involving electrical appliances	…	3,545	3,800	4,160	4,808	5,772
(d) resulting in the death of children (under 15 years of age)†	…	35	26	30	29	34
* These figures show the number of fires attended by fire brigades.
† This category excludes deaths from burns arising from personal accidents not attended by fire brigades.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the work of the Commonwealth Immigrants Advisory Council.

To ensure that the collective experience represented on the Council is as wide as possible I have decided to enlarge its membership, and I am glad to say that the following have accepted my invitation to serve as members:

• Dr. H. O. M. Bryant. M.B., C.H.B., D.P.H.
• Lady Coussey
• Mr. Philip Mason, C.T.E., O.B.E. and
• Mr. John Peile, J.P.

I have asked the Council:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total number of applications that

Following is a table setting out such information as is available:have been made for betting shops in the petty sessional area which includes the Borough of Willesden through the appropriate betting and licensing committees, detailing the number granted and refused, and the number that have been granted to any person already holding a licence in the area.

Up to 31st May, 1962, the latest date for which figures are available 55 applications for new grants of betting office licences had been made to the betting licensing committee for the petty sessional division of Willesden. Forty-five of these were granted and 10 refused. There were three appeals to quarter sessions against refusals, two of which were allowed. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet received a report from the Nature Conservancy on the action necessary to minimise the damage to fishing activities off the east coast of Yorkshire caused by grey seals; and if he will make a statement.

A copy of a report from a Consultative Committee to the Nature Conservancy and the Development Commission about the effect of grey seals on fisheries in general has been sent to my Department. It will, I understand, be published by the Conservancy as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the precepts levied, in terms of a penny rate, by river boards in England and Wales over the last five years for which figures are available.

I am sending my hon. Friend a schedule setting out the precepts levied, in terms of a penny rate, by the 32 river boards and two catchment boards in England and Wales over the last five years.

asked the Minister of Education how many local education authorities in England and Wales have appointed teachers as non-elected members of their education committees; and bow many have not done so.

This information is not available, but I believe that most do.

GRANTS FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Institution	Project	Approximate total cost	Estimated duration of project
		£
Department of Education, Sheffield	Programmed learning ("O" level mathematics) and teaching machines.	13,000	3 years
Department of Sociology, Manchester	Effects of home life on school performance.	10,000	4 years
Department of Education, Leicester	Experiments by serving teachers with programmed learning in primary schools.	1,000	3 years
Department of Industrial Administration, Manchester College of Science and Technology.	Observation of mathematics teaching in secondary modern schools.	1,500	1 year
Institute of Education, Nottingham	Education of the deaf	2,500*	2 years
Department of Education, Swansea	Teaching of educationally subnormal children.	5,000	3 years
Institute of Education, London	New methods of marking examination papers in English.	1,000	1 year
Department of Education, Birmingham (in association with Department of English, Leeds).	Oral English tests in the Certificate of Secondary Education.	6,000	3 years
Brunei College of Technology	Learning of intellectually complex material.	20,000	5 years
Educational Foundation for Visual Aids.	Contribution to audio-visual aids experimental development unit.	15,000	3 years
National Foundation for Educational Research.	Merits of block and day release	20,000	4 years
National Foundation for Educational Research.	Effects of "streaming" in primary schools.	58,000	5 years
National Foundation for Educational Research.	Grant in aid	21,000	3 years
* Together with £2,500 from the Dulverton Trust.

GRANTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Institution				£
British Interchange Committee of the English Speaking Union		…	…	3,800
Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges	…	…	…	14,500
Council for Education in World Citizenship	…	…	…	500
Field Studies Council	…	…	…	4,000
League of British Commonwealth and Empire	…	…	…	3,250
National Council for Technological Awards	…	…	…	6,500
National Council for Diplomas in Art and Design	…	…	…	14,000
Nursery Schools Association of Great Britain	…	…	…	250

asked the Minister of Education what grants have been made pursuant to the Educational Services and Research Grant Regulations, 1946.

In the financial year 1962–63 the following grants have been made or approved under the Educational Services and Research Regulations, 1946:

asked the Minister of Education what were the average amounts of grants given to students entering the universities or teacher training colleges in 1961, including help from local and national sources; and what were the average individual financial liabilities these students had to meet at the colleges.

The average cost of fees and of maintenance as assumed for grant purposes was approximately £397. Towards this, grants from public funds provided on an average £330, the balance being found by parental contributions and the students' own income from scholarships, etc.

asked the Minister of Education what are the salaries paid for men and women teachers after they have been two years at a teachers training college: what extra amount is paid for a university degree; and what is the average salary of a schoolmaster at a primary school with 200 or 300 scholars.

Full-time non-graduate qualified teachers with two years of training—whether men or women—are paid on a basic scale £570 to £1,170. This minimum and maximum are increased by £30 for each year of education or training beyond two, by £100 for the possession of a degree and by a further £100 if the degree is of good Honours standard. Additional allowances are also payable to non-graduate and graduate teachers. Including these, the average salary of all full-time qualified men teachers in primary schools on 31st March, 1962, was £1,236. It is not possible to quote an average for teachers in any particular size of school.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the average adult male earnings for each of the five years to the latest convenient date.

For the industries covered by the Ministry's half-yearly earnings inquiries the average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers for the latest available date, April, 1962, and for the previous five years, are as follows:

April, 1962	312s.	10d.
April, 1961	301s.	4d.
April, 1960	282s.	1d.
April, 1959	262s.	11d.
April, 1958	253s.	2d.
April, 1957	241s.	6d.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much of the £75 million authorised to date under the Local Employment Act has been devoted to industrial development in England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster, respectively.

Of the £75 million that has been authorised to date under the Local Employment Act, £25.5 million has been offered in respect of industrial projects in England, £41.6 million in Scotland and £7.9 million in Wales. The Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the total amount of capital invested by United Kingdom industrialists in the European Economic Community up to the latest convenient date, and the total amount invested by European Economic Community countries in the United Kingdom up to the same date.

Direct investment—other than in oil and insurance—by United Kingdom companies in the European Economic Community since its inception on 1st January, 1958, up to the end of 1961 amounted to £69 million; the total invested in the United Kingdom by E.E.C. countries in the same period was £28 million. Figures including investments made prior to 1st January, 1958, are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will utilise the quarries at Stoney Stanton for the purpose of dumping surplus soil during the construction of the portion of the M.1 between Crick and Markfield.

It is the responsibility of the contractors to remove surplus soil, and to provide tipping sites for it. My hon. Friend may wish to put his suggestion to Robert M. Douglas (Contractors) Ltd. who will be building the length of motorway nearest to these quarries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer if stamp duty on shares, etc., was reduced from 2 per cent. to 1 per cent.; if it was abolished on all transactions where the transfer amount did not exceed £100; and if it was abolished altogether.

The cost of reducing the duty on share transfers from 2 per cent. to 1 per cent. would be nearly £25 million in a full year and the cost of abolishing it would be nearly £50 million. It is not possible to estimate the cost of abolishing the duty on all transactions where the consideration did not exceed £100 since there would be no effective means of ensuring that

GROSS FIXED INVESTMENT AS A PROPORTION OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT FACTOR COST
—					1957	1958	1959	1960	1961
United Kingdom	…	…	…	…	17·4	17·2	17·5	18·3	19·0
West Germany	…	…	…	…	25·3	25·5	26·8	27·7	29·1
Italy	…	…	…	…	24·4	23·1	23·6	25·3	26·3
France	…	…	…	…	22·3	21·7	21·2	20·7	21·2
Japan	…	…	…	…	29·2	29·7	31·0	34·8	n.a.
Norway	…	…	…	…	31·8	36·0	32·5	31·3	32·8
Sweden	…	…	…	…	21·7	22·8	23·9	24·5	24·8
United States of America		…	…	…	19·0	17·8	18·3	18·0	17·4

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer if all expenses on research or education were allowed as a deduction from the profits of professional firms, in addition to trades, as at present.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross national product has been invested for the last five years separately to 31st March, 1962; and what information he has been given about similar percentages for West Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America.

The following table shows gross fixed investment in the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost, with similar figures for the other countries mentioned. The figures for these other countries have been calculated from returns made to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and to the United Nations. While the figures are as far as possible on a consistent basis, there may still be some differences in definition and coverage which would affect comparisons between one country and another but not the year-to-year trends. All the figures relate to calendar years.to the Exchequer if the child allowance were granted, first, in all cases irrespective of the child's income; and secondly, in an amount equal to the satutory allowance less that amount by which the child's income exceeds the present income limit of the child.

About £20 million and about £8 million respectively in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the product from P.A.Y.E. for the last five years separately to 31st March, 1962.

The total tax deduced under P.A.Y.E. during the Income Tax years ending on 5th April is given below in £ million:

1957–58	956·8
1958–59	1,025·7
1959–60	1,051·0
1960–61	1,245·4

The figure for 1961–62 is not yet available but it is estimated at about £1,385 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many £3 game licences were issued in the earliest year for which records are available, in 1951, and in 1961, respectively.

Separate figures for game licences are not available. The following table shows combined figures for game licences and game-keeper's licences:

Financial Year	England and Wales	Scotland	Total
1861–62	40,631	4,833	45,464
1951–52	40,635	5,149	45,784
1961–62	57,499	5,756	63,255

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many 10s. gun licences were issued in the earliest year for which records are available, in 1951, and in 1961, respectively.

The numbers of licences issued are given in the following table:

Financial Year	England and Wales	Scotland	Total
1871–72	109,863	11,612	121,475
1951–52	268,581	22,774	291,355
1961–62	354,657	30,581	385,238

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the number of individual firms in the Sheffield cutlery industry to which temporary relief from Import Duties has been granted on cellulose nitrate plastics materials under Section 7 of the Import Duties Act, 1958.

So far as this information can be traced from the available classified import records, apparently none.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will review the duties on betting.

I have asked the Commissioners of Customs and Excise to examine the practical issues that would arise if I should decide that it is, in principle, desirable to extend the scope of the existing duties on betting. The Commissioners will be approaching various bodies who are specially concerned and will be glad to discuss with them and receive their views, and those of any interested parties, upon the form that an extended duty may take.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the estimated cost of clearing the various sites at Woolwich Barracks of bricks and rubble; and when the clearance will take place.

The large pile of rubble on the west side of the barracks is to be sold as soon as possible. Tenders have been invited, but the price is not yet known. It will be a condition of the contract that the purchaser shall remove the rubble within a very few weeks.The other piles of rubble within the barracks will of course be required as hardcore for rebuilding.