asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the waiting list for telephones in each telephone area in the United Kingdom at 30th September, 1962; and what proportion this bore in each case to the total number of subscribers in each area.

The figures are:

Telephone Area		Waiting list 30th September 1962	Waiting list as a percentage of total number of subscribers
Aberdeen	…	83	0·1
Bedford	…	993	1·8
Belfast	…	602	0·7
Birmingham	…	5,012	3·3
Blackburn	…	912	1·4
Bournemouth	…	166	0·2
Bradford	…	216	0·2
Brighton	…	869	0·7
Bristol	…	741	0·7
Cambridge	…	865	1·4
Canterbury	…	929	1·2
Cardiff	…	914	1·1
Chester	…	573	1·0
Colchester	…	285	0·6
Coventry	…	2,263	3·4
Dundee	…	38	0·1
Edinburgh	…	88	0·1
Exeter	…	14	0·02
Glasgow	…	465	0·3
Gloucester	…	347	0·7
Guildford	…	2,544	3·9
Lancaster	…	362	0·8
Leeds	…	807	0·9
Leicester	…	458	0·6
Lincoln	…	1,119	2·1
Liverpool	…	845	0·5
London—
Centre	…	Nil	Nil
City	…	Nil	Nil
East	…	439	0·3
North	…	94	0·05
North West	…	Nil	Nil
South East	…	Nil	Nil
South West	…	650	0·2
West	…	1,919	0·9
Manchester	…	4,300	2·0
Middlesbrough	…	384	0·7
Newcastle-on-Tyne	…	1,084	1·0
Norwich	…	196	0·5
Nottingham	…	231	0·2
Oxford	…	2,072	3·4
Peterborough	…	135	0·3
Plymouth	…	36	0·1
Portsmouth	…	1,270	2·1
Preston	…	889	1·1
Reading	…	3,290	4·2
Scotland West	…	1,090	1·1
Sheffield	…	809	1·0
Shrewsbury	…	252	0·5
Southampton	…	482	0·9

asked the Postmaster-General what was the size of the order list for telephones in each telephone area at 31st March, 1962, and 30th September, 1962.

At the respective dates, the number of applications, most of which were in course of provision or under inquiry, were as follows:

		Order list
Telephone Area		31st March, 1962	30th September, 1962
Aberdeen	…	917	899
Bedford	…	2,648	2,868
Belfast	…	2,595	2,411
Birmingham	…	8,164	8,307
Blackburn	…	2,095	2,180
Bournemouth	…	1,342	1,446
Bradford	…	1,782	1,508
Brighton	…	3,052	3,267
Bristol	…	1,956	2,495
Cambridge	…	2,363	2,623
Canterbury	…	2,255	2,714
Cardiff	…	3 364	3,233
Chester	…	L571	1,562
Colchester	…	1,253	1,494
Coventry	…	4,496	4,524
Dundee	…	409	402
Edinburgh	…	933	956
Exeter	…	1,002	921
Glasgow	…	3,365	3,070
Gloucester	…	1,105	1,250
Guildford	…	2,956	3,792
Lancaster	…	1,365	1,298
Leeds	…	2,713	2,725
Leicester	…	1,464	1,636
Lincoln	…	2,059	2,260
Liverpool	…	3,560	3,369
London:
Centre	…	4,331	4,069
City	…	4,004	3,019
East	…	2,544	2,516
North	…	3,338	3,851
North West	…	2,245	2,917
South East	…	2,769	2,448
South West	…	4,732	4,232
West	…	8,089	7,454
Manchester	…	8,968	9,137
Middlesbrough	…	1,542	1,501
Newcastle-on-Tyne	…	3,687	3,583

asked the Postmaster-General to state the average cost to the Post Office of the installation of a new telephone and the average cost charged to the subscriber.

The average labour cost of connecting a new subscriber to the local network is about £13. The maximum installation charge to the subscriber is £10, and this is reduced where use can be made of some existing wiring.The average total cost, as distinct from the labour cost of installation, is over £110. The rental of £12 to £16 a year, according to the type of service, covers the cost of the instrument, the subscriber's circuit to the exchange and the equipment in the exchange set aside for his personal use.

asked the Postmaster-General why the evening cheap rate concession for trunk calls was withdrawn on 1st January, 1963.

It is designed to reduce the need for Post Office staff to attend for duty on New Year's Day. This arrangement, which applies also to certain periods at Christmas, has been in operation for twelve years.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he took to inform the public that it was his intention to withdraw the evening cheap rate concession for trunk calls on 1st January, 1963.

These arrangements were notified to the Press before Christmas in accordance with usual practice. There is also a standing reference in telephone directories to the likelihood of the cheap rates being suspended at Christmas and the New Year. Operators have instructions to ensure that anyone making a call is aware that full rates are in force.

asked the Postmaster-General to state the number of Post Office contracts and the sums involved which have been placed in the North-East Region in the years, 1960, 1961 and 1962.

Some 250 a year, of an estimated value rising from £2·4 million to £2·8 million.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the need for an early improvement in Didcot Post Office; and whether he will reconsider his decision, in view of past assurances, not to start work before June, 1964.

I recognise that there is a need to improve facilities at Didcot Post Office, and I am sorry that the timetable previously quoted for the scheme has had to be put back. I have reviewed the position, but would not be justified in changing the new time-table, as explained to my hon. Friend last July. I will keep the position under special review, and if it proves possible to speed up the time-table, I will certainly do so.

asked the Postmaster-General to make a statement on his discussions with the Independent Television Authority on the control of cigarette advertising; and why he has not so far banned it.

On the first part of the Question I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 9th November last. On the second part, I see no reason to single out the television medium for such a purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what advice is given to local authorities and new town development corporations on the fitting of attachments for fireguards to fireplaces in new homes and flats.

My right hon. Friend has advised local authorities and new town development corporations to provide every open fireplace with fixing points for a fireguard, in accordance with the appropriate British Standard Specification.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many new town development corporations fix attachments for fireguards to fireplaces in new housing developments.

Five. My right hon. Friend has very recently reminded the remainder and the Commission for the New Towns of the need to fix such attachments in new housing.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will introduce legislation further to protect tenants against the hardship involved when such people are evicted by landlords who wish to sell their property.

A return to control would make it increasingly difficult for anyone to find a house to rent since it would encourage landlords to sell their houses as soon as they became vacant. The only way to meet housing needs is to build enough houses. I am encouraging local authorities with severe shortages to build more.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what decision he has reached following his inquiry into the Pembrokeshire Water Board's scheme for the supply of water to the Regent Company's oil refinery at Pwllcrochan, Pembrokeshire.

An order was made on 14th January, 1963, enabling the Pembrokeshire Water Board to abstract up to 6 million gallons per day from the river Eastern Cleddau. The Order came into effect on 17th January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs in how many cases since the passing of the Local Government Act, 1958, he has disallowed excess expenditure under Section 6; and for what classes of expenditure have the disallowances been made.

None so far. Grant calculated on provisional figures is paid without disallowance. Only when audited figures are available can any excess expenditure be finally assessed and a decision taken under Section 6 about the payment of grant in respect of it. That time is now approaching for the year 1959–60 and my right hon. Friend is considering in the light of representations from local authorities affected whether there are special circumstances in which grant ought to be paid on some or all of their excess expenditure. In the great majority of oases it seems probable that grant will be warranted.Meanwhile provisional figures for 1960–61 and 1961–62 have been notified to those authorities who on present information appear to have incurred excess expenditure so that they may have some indication of the size of the excess. Expenditure estimates for 1962–63 are not yet sufficiently reliable in general to justify the making of a first estimate of excess expenditure for that year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what are the prospects of new industries being established in the Pontardawe and Llwchwr districts;(2) if he will restore the Pontardawe district to the full provisions of the Local Employment Act, 1960, on account of the increase in unemployment; and if he will further consider the establishment of an advance factory there.

My right hon. Friend is aware that there has been some increase of unemployment in the Pontardawe/Ystalyfera group of Employment Exchange areas. He believes however that, as a result of the Government's measures to stimulate total demand within the economy, South Wales, including Pontardawe and Llwchwr, has good prospects of acquiring new industry. In these circumstances he does not consider that he would be justified in restoring to Pontardawe the facilities of the Local Employment Act. For the same reason he would not consider this area appropriate for an advance factory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the Donibristle site in Fife; and whether there is any immediate prospect of attracting some major industrial project to the site.

The conversion of the main building at Donibristle into an advance factory should be completed by the middle of this year. There is no immediate prospect of a major industrial development on the site, but we have

NUMBER AND AREA (SQUARE FOOTAGE) OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES ISSUED IN 1962 STANDARD REGIONS: MONTHLY
Area: Thousand square feet
Standard Region	1962
	January		February		March		April
	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area
Northern	10	357	13	298	9	138	3	81
East and West Ridings	11	161	18	334	10	78	14	138
North Midland	11	202	15	137	20	340	14	235
Eastern	17	203	8	219	19	693	21	374
London and South Eastern	35	627	30	455	23	524	31	584
Southern	14	288	10	150	17	456	15	584
South Western	11	306	11	214	12	279	10	211
Wales	10	237	5	88	14	421	4	56
Midland	20	246	24	647	20	354	20	354
North Western	12	228	22	442	14	306	11	94
Scotland	4	157	8	370	8	349	8	194

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many jobs are estimated to have arisen from the granting of industrial development certificates in the northern region in each of the last five years.

The employment estimated by the firms concerned as likely to arise from industrial development certificates issued for the Northern region in each of the past five years was, to the nearest thousand:

Year					Employment Estimate
1958	…	…	…	…	4,000
1959	…	…	…	…	3,000
1960	…	…	…	…	8,000
1961	…	…	…	…	12,000
1962	…	…	…	…	8,000

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state for each month of 1962 the number of certificates granted for factory construction in each region of the country and the amount of factory space to be constructed in each case.

The figures are as follows:

Standard Region	1962
	May		June		July		August
	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area
Northern	10	199	9	437	5	40	5	79
East and West Ridings	14	209	15	180	23	350	13	280
North Midland	15	271	10	136	15	198	15	140
Eastern	37	750	11	177	9	108	15	255
London and South Eastern	33	595	23	376	40	646	25	463
Southern	16	245	9	144	11	276	14	217
South Western	10	116	11	207	13	295	6	51
Wales	8	119	4	25	5	51	12	343
Midland	13	195	24	329	19	253	21	452
North Western	31	622	18	435	22	593	18	349
Scotland	9	270	13	596	15	395	5	140

Standard Region	1962
	September		October		November		December
	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area	No. of Schemes	Area
Northern	8	355	12	562	7	202	5	121
East and West Ridings	4	52	13	179	17	223	6	107
North Midland	7	375	7	104	18	266	14	134
Eastern	14	626	15	541	26	181	46	470
London and South Eastern	11	290	25	306	34	495	28	393
Southern	4	68	7	92	14	214	12	254
South Western	8	124	11	207	9	200	5	145
Wales	6	200	5	189	6	218	7	157
Midland	11	331	24	255	23	236	14	116
North Western	27	346	25	329	24	369	12	286
Scotland	12	297	11	200	11	239	17	519

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a further statement regarding the building of an advance factory in Sunderland.

Negotiations for a site in North Hylton Road are now in progress with the Sunderland Corporation. Detailed planning is going forward and the factory should be completed before the end of the year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to appoint a Consumer Council as recommended by the Molony Committee.

As my right hon. Friend said in reply to the hon. Members for Morpeth (Mr. Owen) and Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Darling) on 20th December, he is pressing on with this matter as rapidly as possible. He hopes that the Council will be in existence by the spring or early summer at the latest.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the level of unemployment in the Bideford and Torrington Employment Exchange area and in view of the likelihood of increased unemployment, owing to factors of which he is aware, he will now schedule this employment exchange as a Development District under the Local Employment Act, 1960.

As he told my hon. Friend in a letter sent to him on 21st January, my right hon. Friend is at present considering this matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what study he has made of the speech by Professor A. B. Pippard, F.R.S., about the special needs of the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for West Lothian; and if he will make available additional help, financial and otherwise, for the development of research in experimental physics at the Cavendish Laboratory, in view of its importance to the entire scientific effort of the United Kingdom.

My noble Friend and I have read with interest the speech by Professor Pippard to which the hon. Member refers. Government support for universities is chiefly channelled through the University Grants Committee. I am informed that the university intends to redevelop the New Museums site, on which the laboratory is situated, but that it has not yet put forward firm proposals. In order to assist research at the Cavendish Laboratory, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has made grants totalling £918,000 since 1956, and remains willing to consider suitable applications for further grants in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the political future of the Northern Frontier District of Kenya, in view of the report of the Commission, Command Paper No. 1900.

I am at present considering this matter in consultation with the Governor of Kenya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about the inquiry on Messrs. Bailey of Malta Limited, and on the future of the Malta Dockyard.

I hope to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what steps he is taking to ensure that a share of expenditure on the development of Polaris and of bases for the submarines shall go to the Malta dockyard.

I am not sure what my hon. Friend has in mind in referring to the development of Polaris. As regards the building of submarines, the facilities and experience required are not available in the Malta dockyard, which is essentially equipped for ship repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what is the scope and objective of the proposed Constitutional Conference on Malta; and what will be the representation of political parties at the conference.

The aim of the proposed conference will be to discuss the request for independence made last August by the Prime Minister of Malta. All parties represented in the Legislature will be invited to attend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he will make a statement on his visit to the Bahamas.

During my visit to the Bahamas I had talks with representatives of the United Bahamian Party, the Progressive Liberal Party and the Legislative Council. As a result, I have invited representatives of the Bahamian Legislature to come to London for a conference to discuss the constitutional changes that should be made in order to enable the Bahamian people to exercise a wider measure of responsibility for the Government of the country. The conference will be held during the first half of this year. In the meantime, the political parties will prepare their detailed proposals for discussion at the conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on his visit to the West Indian colonies.

During my tour of the West Indies I visited Antigua, Montserrat, Dominica, Barbados and Grenada, and in each island 1 had talks with the Administrators and with representatives of Government and Opposition groups.In Grenada, the Chief Minister gave me an account of the recent discussions his Government had had with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago concerning a possible union between the two countries.While in Barbados I had a joint meeting with the Premier of Barbados and the Chief Ministers of Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Lucia and St. Vincent to discuss the future relationship between these Islands, after which a joint statement was issued, which was as follows:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works when work is to start on the new Government building in Broad Sanctuary; and whether it is to be faced with stone of a quality fitting to its surroundings.

The work is expected to start next year. I have agreed the architect's proposals for the use of Portland stone. The Royal Fine Art Commission has also expressed approval.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to amend the Road Traffic Act 1962, so as to make it compulsory for mudflaps to be fixed behind the rear wheels of all motor vehicles.

Regulations made under the Road Traffic Act, 1960, already require most motor vehicles to have wings or other similar fittings to catch so far as practicable mud or water thrown up by the wheels. Many vehicles are fitted with mudflaps as well but the number of different types of vehicles and the many uses made of them make it impracticable to require them to be fitted in all cases. I am, however, considering whether there is any way in which the present requirement can be improved.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the yearly expenditure on roads in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each of the last five years.

The amounts spent on trunk and classified roads in Newcastle-under-Lyme during the last five years are:—

	£
1958–59	120,542
1959–60	179,257
1960–61	177,010
1961–62	123,180
1962–63 (April-Dec. only)	225,600 (est.)

These figures are of total expenditure including that proportion of the cost of classified road works which falls to be borne by the local highway authority.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking in respect of contracts entered into under Section 46 of the Patents Act, 1949 for the supply of certain drugs for the hospital service, following the judgment of Mr. Justice Lloyd-Jacob in the case of Pfizer Corporation of New York versus the Ministry of Health.

The judge has not yet made a declaration.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the additional cost to the National Health Service if all diabetic persons were allowed, on recommendation by the family doctor, to have a Palmer Injection Gun.

I regret no estimate can be made.

asked the Minister of Health how many homes for elderly people there are in England and Wales which charge the inmates between £5 and £7 a week for accommodation and living needs including food, heat and light; where these homes are; and which are controlled by public authorities and which by voluntary bodies.

Information about charges is not collected centrally.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds, other than the normal number of beds which are kept available for emergency cases, were not in use in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and at the latest available date in 1962; what the average length of time was each year; and why such beds were not in use.

The question is not capable of a precise answer.

asked the Minister of Health to give the number of hospital beds covered by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and for the latest date in 1962.

The average numbers of occupied beds in the Board's hospitals were as follows:

1958	30,096
1959	29,985
1960	29,703
1961	29,217
1962 (to 30.9.62)	29,330

asked the Minister of Health (1) what was the financial grant to the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962 and what is the proposed figure for 1963;(2) to give the total amount of wages and salaries paid out by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and the estimated amount for 1962;

asked the Minister of Health (1) to give the number of persons, excluding children, who were awaiting hospital treatment in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area in the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and at the latest available date in 1962;(2) how many children were awaiting hospital treatment in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's area for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and at the latest available date in 1962.

The figures for the area, including the teaching hospital, are:

Date	Adults	Children
31st December, 1958	39,630	11,423
31st December, 1959	38,633	10,738
31st December, 1960	39,731	11,008
31st December, 1961	39,469	11,926
30th September, 1962	37,672	11,824

asked the Minister of Health to give the number of consultants, doctors, and members of the nursing staff employed by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board for the years 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, and for the latest date in 1962.

The available information is as follows:

Figures for all the years in question can only be given on the following basis:

—		Registrar and above	Other Medical Staff	Nursing and Midwifery Staff
1958	…	627	283	11,787
1959	…	630	298	12,340
1960	…	660	317	12,623
1961	…	670	337	13,059
1962	…	689	357	14,111

(Figures represent whole-time equivalents as at 30th September).

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to improve the quality of food supplied to nurses and patients of Rush Green Hospital.

I have no reason to think that any action on the part of my right hon. Friend is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the cost of the Forth Road Bridge has caused a reduction in the allocation of funds for other roads in Scotland; what annual revenue he now estimates will be raised by the toils to be charged on this bridge; and if Her Majesty's Government will devote the money so raised to the construction of those roads in Scotland on which work has been delayed because of the priority given to expenditure on the building of the bridge.

While expenditure on the Forth Road Bridge was taken into account in drawing up the Government's road programme of which it is part, it is impossible to speculate on the progress which would have taken place elsewhere if there had been no bridge.I have as yet no information as to the revenue the Joint Board will seek to secure by the tolls which are, of course, subject to the approval of my right hon. Friend; but the level of expenditure on roads in Scotland will be determined by the proportion of the national resources which the Government consider can be devoted to this purpose.

asked the Prime Minister, why he has appointed the Lord President of the Council to deal with the question of unemployment in the North.

asked the Prime Minister, if the new duties of the Lord President of the Council for unemployment include responsibilities for West Cumberland.

As was announced on 9th January, my noble Friend the Lord President of the Council has accepted my invitation to undertake special responsibilities in relation to the present problems of the North-East of England, that is to say, the counties of Northumberland and. Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire. He has already made a preliminary visit to the North-East and will be making a more extended tour at the beginning of February. He will advise my colleagues and me on the measures necessary to deal with these problems and will be responsible for ensuring that action authorised by the Government is carried out as quickly and effectively as possible.

asked the Prime Minister what date has been arranged for the official visit to Great Britain of the Prime Ministers of Tanganyika and Uganda.

The Vice-President of Tanganyika and the Prime Minister of Uganda have just arrived in London. They will be having talks with me and other members of the Government on matters relating to regional co-operation in East Africa and other general questions of common concern.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will list the number of ships by classes which have been disposed of by the Royal Navy since the end of the war with Japan.

The number of ships by classes which have been disposed of by the Royal Navy between the 31st March, 1946, and the 31st December, 1962, are:

Battleships	15
Battle Cruisers	1
Monitors	2
Aircraft Carriers and Escort Carriers	28
Cruisers	48
Anti-Aircraft Ships	3
Fighter Direction Ships	2
Destroyers	187
Submarines	102
	(includes one sunk)
Sloops	39
Frigates	100
Corvettes	145
Submarine Escort and Target Vessels	8
Surveying Ships	3
Minelayers and Minelaying Lighters	10
Mine Destructor Ships	3
Minesweepers	169
Motor Minesweepers	222
Minesweeping Attendant Craft	1
Minesweeping Trawlers	36
Anti-Submarine Trawlers	28
Trawlers—anti-submarine and minesweeping	124
Destroyer Depot Ships	4
Submarine Depot Ships	4
Repair Ships	15
Maintenance Ships	12
Total	1,311

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to receive a deputation from the Fish Merchants' Association before he makes his decision on the proposed increased levy from the White Fish Authority.

All the objectors to the proposals have been offered the opportunity to present their objections orally, if they wish, at meetings with officials of my Department. The Federation of British Port Wholesale Fish Merchants' Associations have already taken advantage of the offer.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress is being made in the development of the T.S.R.2; and when he expects it will be ready for operational service.

I do not think that periodic reports on military projects of this kind serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the Vulcan test bed accident has resulted in delaying the development of the T.S.R.2.

It is too early to judge the full consequences, but we still hope the first prototype will fly this year.

asked the Minister of Aviation if the T.S.R.2 design is being altered to allow the aircraft to carry a Blue Steel type missile.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose what weapons we propose to put into the T.S.R.2.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent he has succeeded in gaining the interests of European Powers in the joint development of Blue Streak as a first stage rocket for space satellite launching purposes.

The Convention for the establishment of the European Launcher Development Organisation has been signed by Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands in addition to the United Kingdom and Australia. This organisation is developing a satellite launcher based on Blue Sreak as the first-stage.Pending the entry into force of the Convention a Preparatory Group has 'been established and work is going ahead in member countries.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) to what extent platforms have been made, and at what cost, to fit beneath V bombers that were destined to carry the Skybolt missile;(2) to what extent the fuselage of the Vulcan bombers now in production has been jigged to take Skybolt missiles; to what extent this will now affect production; and at what cost.

It is impracticable for me to give individual answers on the many inter-related changes which were necessary to equip Vulcan aircraft to carry the Skybolt missile. I can, however, say that about one-third of the work had been completed at the time of cancellation. Production of the aircraft will not be affected.Deliveries to the Royal Air Force should not be delayed. The cost has still to be negotiated with the contractors concerned.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent work has been carried out on the development of the Pandora missile by the aircraft industry; and whether assistance has been given to the industry by Her Majesty's Government to produce this missile.

Feasibility study contracts covering missiles of this kind were placed by my Department in 1961, but there has been no development.

asked the Minister of Labour how many work permits have been issued to aliens during 1961 and the first nine months of 1962; what trades or professions were covered by these permits; and what steps are being taken to ensure that there is no English person available in these trades before such permits are issued.

The total number of labour permits issued in 1961 was 51,775 and in the first nine months of 1962 40,021.The following Table analyses these by occupational groups:

	Permits issued in
—	1961	1962 (Jan.-Sept.)
Resident domestic service in private households, hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other institutions.	19,186	13,342
Concert, stage, film and variety artists, musicians and other entertainers.	4,501	4,117
Film technicians	44	15
Industry and commerce	8,823	5,670
Hotels and restaurants:
Domestic workers	2,678	2,898
Others	5,982	6,307
Teachers (mainly of foreign languages).	1,784	404
		(see note below)
Nurses	2,472	1,850
Student employees:—
Industry and commerce	5,749	5,043
Hotels and restaurants	516	330
Others	40	45

NOTE: In 1962 a scheme was introduced under which teachers holding a certificate of appointment issued by the appropriate Education Department were admitted without labour permits.Except in the case of resident domestic service and student employees (who must be supernumerary to the employer's normal establishment) my local officers are asked to confirm that suitable British (or long resident foreign) labour is not available before a permit is issued.

asked the First Secretary of State how many refugees have entered Northern Rhodesia as a result of the United Nations operation in Katanga; and what arrangements have been made for their relief.

I have been asked to reply.No accurate estimate can be given of the total number of refugees who entered Northern Rhodesia. Up to 5,000 crossed the border after the entry of the United Nations into Kipushi. Following the occupation of Elizabethville, approximately 10,000 refugees gathered at the border in several places, but most of these did not proceed into Northern Rhodesia. A further 700 crossed the border when the United Nations approached Mokambo. The Northern Rhodesian Government have appointed a Refugee Commissioner to deal with this problem and to assume overall charge of arrangements for accommodating and feeding refugees.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that Mr. P. Clayton Gompertz, of Laindon, after paying full national insurance contribution's for 39 years, has been disallowed five days' sickness benefit by reason of the interruption of his insurable employment by 12 weeks' uninsurable employment in 1946–47; what effect this interruption will have upon Mr. Gompertz's future insurance rights and, in particular, upon his claim to full retirement pension; and what steps he can take to restore his entitlement to full rights.

I am aware of the circumstances in which the claim for sickness benefit made in 1961 was disallowed. The fact is that the gap in Mr. Gompertz's contribution's under the superseded Acts was one of nearly three years and not twelve weeks, and his insurance under those Acts came to an end in June 1947. Mr. Gompertz therefore entered insurance for national insurance purposes on 5th July, 1948, as one of the group of late-age entrants, to whom special terms were applied. Consequently he has had to be treated as having retired in 1958. Thereafter he became a pensioner and was no longer liable to pay national insurance contributions or entitled to sickness benefit. As with other men retirement pensioners under 70, his pension is subject to adjustment for earnings until his 70th birthday next May. He will then receive it in full and without this condition.

DISBURSEMENTS OF BILATERAL ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
£ million
				1958–59	1959–60	1960–61	1961–62
							(provisional)
Commonwealth countries (including colonial territories)
Loans	…	…	…	32·4	50·8	66·6	70·6
Grants	…	…	…	38·8	40·8	43·5	48·7
Technical assistance	…	…	…	3·5	5·7	7·3	20·8
Total	…	…	…	74·7	97·3	117·4	140·1
Other countries
Loans	…	…	…	5·0	5·0	3·8	3·4
Grants	…	…	…	5·7	7·2	8·6	10·3
Technical assistance	…	…	…	0·6	0·9	1·0	1·3
Total	…	…	…	11·3	13·1	13·4	15·0
Grand total	…	…	…	86·0	110·4	130·8	155·1

Of this bilateral assistance, loans made to independent countries (both Commonwealth and foreign) under Section 3 of the Export Guarantees Acts, 1949–62 are formally tied to the purchase of United Kingdom goods and services. Disbursements under these loans in the years concerned accounted for the following proportion of bilateral assistance (the amount of the disbursements is shown in brackets.)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual amount of aid given in the years 1958–62, inclusive, to all countries within the Commonwealth and to other countries, respectively; and what proportions were given as loans and grants of money, and in the forms of goods and services, respectively.

The figures are as follows:ensure that, wherever possible, aid to under-developed countries takes the form of capital goods and of services, in order that such aid should also play a part in the economy of the United Kingdom by creating employment and assisting exports.

Most loans to independent countries must be used to make purchases in this country, and other assistance is tied in appropriate cases. Moreover, as my right hon. Friend said in the House on 17th December, 1962, we are now looking for possibilities of linking additional overseas aid to purchases of goods for which we have spare production capacity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what calculation he has made of the extra cost to Great Britain of the application of a common customs tariff on goods imported into Great Britain from the Commonwealth.

No such calculation has been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the extent to which, in the event of the United Kingdom accepting the Treaty of Rome, the application of Article 221 three years after Great Britain's entry will affect British subjects in the Commonwealth who wish to participate in British firms and companies.

Under the current exchange controls residents of the Commonwealth may invest freely in United Kingdom firms and companies and, with the exception of residents of Canada, may also freely repatriate their investments. The application of Article 221 will not affect this situation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what estimate he has made of the effect of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market on British friendly societies.

I have been asked to reply.There is no reason to suppose there would be any immediate effect.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what was the expenditure on advertising for each respective Government Department calculated in pounds sterling and in column inches in the London and provincial evening papers during the present financial year to the latest convenient date.

Further to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member on 21st December [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 669, c. 263], expenditure by Government Departments on display advertising in the London and provincial evening papers, up to and including 31st December, 1962, is detailed below. As regards semi-display and classified advertising, I would ask the hon. Member to await the Answer which I shall give to the hon. Member for Rossendale (Mr. Greenwood) on 25th January.

Department	Column inches	£
Central Office of Information on behalf of:—
Admiralty	885	1,853
Air Ministry	1,207	2,064
Ministry of Health	1,212	2,466
Home Office	260	2,498
Ministry of Housing and Local Government	65	371
Scottish Office	667	1,840
War Office	992	2,063
Ministry of Public Building and Works	288	149
National Savings Committee	14,058	29,636
Scottish Savings Committee	1,567	3,269
	21,200	46,209

NOTES:1. The figures include departmental production costs.2. Post Office expenditure is excluded.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what was the expenditure of each Government Department on advertising on hoardings during the present financial year to the nearest convenient date.

Further to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member on 21st December [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 669, c. 262], expenditure by Government Departments on advertising on hoardings, up to and including 31st December, 1962 was as follows:

	£
National Savings Committee	14,630
Scottish Savings Committee	2,296
Central Office of Information and Stationery Office expenditure on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government	706
Total	17,632

NOTE:—These figures include departmental production costs.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what voting power in the Council of Ministers for Great Britain he has requested in the negotiations with the Six;(2) what is his policy regarding the minimum voting power for Great Britain in the European Economic Community Council of Ministers; and to what extent he has established such a minimum voting power as a condition for Great Britain's entry in the negotiations with the Six;(3) what the membership in the European Economic Community Parliament will be in the event of Norway, Denmark, Eire and Great Britain being admitted to the Community; how many delegates there will be from each of these countries if admitted; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the number of delegates from Great Britain that should be permitted in the event of Great Britain's accession to the Treaty of Rome;(4) if, in the negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the Common Market, he will insist that Great Britain shall have four votes and Norway, Denmark and Eire two each in the Council of Ministers when resolutions are required to be reached by qualified majority, and that not less than 20 votes shall be required for the adoption of resolutions.

So far as the United Kingdom is concerned, it has been agreed that our vote in the Council of Ministers would have the same weighting as that of other member countries of comparable size, and that the scale of British participation either governmental, parliamentary or individual, as the case may be, in the other institutions of the Community should be of the same order as that of other member countries of comparable size. The precise institutional arrangements for an enlarged Community including Norway, Denmark and the Irish Republic as well as the United Kingdom will be for negotiation between the Six and all the prospective new members.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in the course of the negotiations in Brussels, he has made proposals to the Six to improve the accountability of the Commission both to the Council of Ministers and to the European Parliament; and if he is satisfied that the present position of the Commission in this respect is acceptable to Her Majesty's Government.

This matter is not being raised in the negotiations. The relationship between the Council of Ministers, the Commission and the Assembly will no doubt evolve with the passage of time and, if we joined the Community, we should play our full part in that process.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has made it a condition of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community that the British Parliament retains the sovereign right to legislate for the United Kingdom until such time as a properly constituted European Parliament is established on a democratic basis to which the sovereign powers of Parliament are transferred with a general agreement of the nation.

No. The Treaty of Rome deals with certain specific matters and if we accede to it we shall comply fully with its provisions in respect of these matters. We have accepted the institutions of the Community and the powers which they enjoy under the Treaty. The Treaty itself requires the Assembly to draw up proposals for elections by direct universal suffrage, but this is not a matter for the current negotiations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what financial contribution he has proposed for Great Britain under Article 200, paragraph 1, of the Treaty of Rome;(2) what scale of contribution he has proposed for Great Britain under Article 200, paragraph 2, of the Treaty of Rome.

It has been agreed that our contribution under Article 200 (1) of the Treaty would be the same as that of France, Germany and Italy and that under Article 200 (2) the same as that of France and Germany.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what efforts he has made, or intends to make, during the course of the negotiations in Brussels, to ensure the continuation of the National Health Service in Great Britain in the context of a European social security system.

The National Health Service is not incompatible with the Treaty of Rome and this question has, therefore, not arisen in the negotiations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in the negotiations in Brussels, he has accepted the common customs tariff of 20 per cent. on fresh bananas; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this duty on imports into Great Britain of bananas from Commonwealth countries not wishing to be associated states.

In view of the importance of the United Kingdom as a market for bananas from Commonwealth countries which are likely to become associated with the European Economic Community, the common external tariff of 20 per cent. is acceptable to us.As I informed the House in my report of the ministerial meeting of 15th to 17th of November (Cmnd. 1882), it has been agreed that the common external tariff should be very gradually applied to all exports to the United Kingdom from Commonwealth countries which decide not to become associated. This would apply

asked the Lord Privy Seal what common customs tariff he has accepted, in the course of the Brussels negotiations, on butter; and what estimate he has made of the quantities likely to be imported over this tariff from New Zealand and Australia, respectively, compared to the quantities imported in the last available year.

The Community have not yet adopted regulations for milk products, sugar or mutton and lamb.We have very closely in mind the importance to Commonwealth countries of exports of these commodities, and have put forward appropriate proposals. Negotiations have not yet been completed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what estimate he has now made of the effect of the imposition of the common customs tariff of 20 per cent. on oranges during the period October to the middle of March on the quantities imported into Great Britain during the winter months and the prices at which they would be available to the consumer.

We have made certain proposals in this respect. Negotiations have not yet been concluded.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in Brussels, he has accepted the common customs tariff of 30 per cent. on natural honey; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this on imports into Great Britain from Commonwealth countries.

These matters are still under negotiation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has accepted the common customs tariff of the European Economic Community of 25 per cent. on crayfish and lobsters.

Yes.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has accepted the European Economic Community common customs tariff of 18 per cent. on crabs and shrimps.

Yes.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he has accepted the European Economic Community common customs tariff of 18 per cent. on dead poultry;(2) if he will insist on a nil tariff on wheat flour for the common customs tariff in the negotiations in Brussels in view of the importance of keeping prices of bread low in the United Kingdom, protecting Commonwealth producers and securing the most efficient production of this basic food;

We have accepted that the common agricultural policy must apply in full to the United Kingdom by the end of a transitional period. We are at present negotiating on how our existing system is to be adapted and what the length of the tran- sitional period for the United Kingdom should be so as to achieve this result. I am unable to disclose the details of our proposals at the present stage but they are designed to take account of both British producer and consumer interests and those of the Commonwealth countries concerned.We have repeatedly made it clear in the negotiations that, in our view, the transition should be as smooth as possible and adequate time allowed for it. Until the ultimate harmonised price levels of the enlarged Community have been decided, however, we shall not know precisely how much these price increases will be during the transitional period nor their precise effect on producers.The levy system has replaced tariffs on poultry meat, cereals, and cereal products both in intra-Community trade and in trade with third countries.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on his participation in the special study group on agriculture established by the Six and the United Kingdom; what memoranda he has presented; and whether he is satisfied that the outcome of the committee's deliberations meets Great Britain's requirements and resolves outstanding differences with the French Government.

I shall be making a statement to the House shortly on the progress of the negotiations as a whole, including the work of the Mansholt Committee.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what study he has made of the extent to which acceptance of the Common Market agricultural policy conflicts with the Agriculture Act, 1947; whether he has made the results of his study clear to the Six; and if he will make a statement on the negotiations in relation to this matter.

As I said in my opening statement on 10th October, 1961, the agricultural objectives of the Treaty of Rome are in line with the objectives of our own agricultural policy, of which the Agriculture Act, 1947, forms the basis. If we adopt the common agricultural policy of the Community some of the mechanisms for achieving these objectives in the United Kingdom will have to change. Therefore, one of out aims in the negotiations is to ensure that these objectives would continue to be achieved in the enlarged Community both during the transitional period and in the common market stage. During the negotiations, we have made clear to the Community what steps we consider necessary to arrive at this result and on some points, as I have reported to the House, agreement has already been reached. On other points, however, negotiations are still in progress, and I shall continue to keep the House informed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what reply he sent to the United States Secretary for Agriculture to his representations regarding the effect of Great Britain's application on the protectionist nature of the Common Market's agricultural policy.

The views which the United States Government have expressed to the European Economic Community on this subject do not call for a reply from Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he has accepted the common customs tariff of the European Economic Community of 9 per cent. on cocoa beans; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this on the trade to Great Britain of Commonwealth countries which do not wish to become associated States;(2) what common customs tariff he is proposing for cocoa paste, cocoa butter and cocoa powder, respectively, in the Common Market negotiations.

When the new Association Convention under Part IV of the Rome Treaty comes into force, the common external tariff on cocoa beans will be reduced from 9 per cent. to 5·4 per cent. It has been provisionally agreed that this tariff should be applied by gradual stages to exports to the United Kingdom from those Commonwealth countries which decide not to become associated with the Community. The production of cocoa beans by the present associates is far less than would be the requirements of the enlarged Community, and exports to the existing Community by those countries which are not considered likely to become associates are very much larger than their exports to the United Kingdom. The benefit these countries will derive from the cut in the common external tariff is therefore likely to outweigh the effect of the imposition of the tariff on their exports to Britain.We are at present negotiating with the Community about the level of the common external tariff for semi-processed cocoa products and I cannot disclose the nature of our proposals.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what common customs tariff he is proposing in the negotiations in Brussels for tinned salmon, in view of the importance of this commodity to British housewives and to Commonwealth producers.

These matters are still under negotiation.