asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will expedite the local inquiry into the proposed extension of the runway at the Leeds-Bradford Airport.

My right hon. Friend hopes to arrange for a local inquiry into this proposal to be held at the beginning of April.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware of local concern about the proposal of Northumberland County Council, which has been submitted to him, to demolish residential and commercial property in High Street, Gosforth, with a residual life of 50 years; whether compensation will be based on the market value of the property before the plan was published; and whether, in view of the expense of carrying out the proposal and the recent depreciation in the value of the property, he will make a personal visit to the area in company with local councillors and representatives of the residents' association.

I know of this case but it is still being discussed locally and has not yet been submitted to me. If it is, there will be an opportunity for objections to be heard at a public inquiry before any decision is reached.If the plan goes ahead and land is purchased compulsorily for it, compensation under existing legislation is based on current market values unaffected by any depreciation attributable to the knowledge that compulsory powers were likely to be used.I have no immediate plans to visit this area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what inquiries he has made into the resources of labour, materials, and appliances available for smoke control schemes; and what plans he has to increase their availability.

My information is that in England and Wales generally there is no shortage of materials or appliances and that the numbers of qualified appliance fixers is steadily increasing.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he intends to seek amendments to the law regarding the powers of local authorities to control the means of escape from unlicensed clubs in the case of fire.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that residents in Leicester are continuing to experience hardship owing to the nuisance caused by the emissions from the local power station; what is being done to abate the nuisance; and what proposals he has for the future in this regard.

My right hon. Friend is aware that there have been further complaints. The District Alkali Inspector is keeping a specially close watch on operating conditions during the cold spell, which has resulted in an increased load on the station, and he is in touch with complainants. Before the winter started improvements were made to the existing electrical precipitators and dust monitoring instruments are being progressively installed. The Central Electricity Generating Board are at present discussing with contractors detailed proposals for increasing the capacity of the electrical precipitators.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, in future, he will give the ratios of dust emitted to clinker produced at each of the cement plants on Thames-side to local authorities in the area at the shortest practicable intervals for each plant.

It is not the practice to reveal the results of tests of dust and other emissions taken at individual works which are controlled under the Alkali Act. My right hon. Friend is, however, arranging that the Chief Alkali Inspector will, in future, include average figures for Thames-side cement works in his annual reports which are presented to Parliament.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many rating authorities under the latest revaluation will have to put private dwelling rates up; what the average percentage increase will be; how many properties are likely to be substantially unaffected; and how many will have reductions.

I regret that this information is not available. But I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a question today by my hon. Friend the Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when confirmation of the Tunstall No. 45 Clearance Area is expected to be given.

My decision will be given very shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the new rateable values on houses will be used for Schedule A Income Tax purposes; and to what extent they will affect assessments for water rates and other charges which are based on rateable value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the new assessments for rates will affect the assessments for Schedule A Income Tax.

The new rating valuations will not affect Income Tax assessments under Schedule A. As regards the second part of the Question by the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd), my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing informs me that water rates will be based on the new values, though there will be reductions in rate poundage to compensate for this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received from distributive trade organisations about depreciation allowances on commercial buildings far taxation purposes, as recommended by the Committee on the Taxation of Trading Profits and the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income:(2) what would be the cost to the Exchequer of an annual allowance for the purposes of Income Tax and Profits Tax for the structure of commercial buildings at the rate of 2 per cent. of cost, as is now given for industrial buildings.

My right hon. Friend has received representations made on behalf of the Co-operative Union, Ltd., the Multiple Shops Federation, National Chamber of Trade and Retail Distributors' Association suggesting the grant of an annual depreciation allowance of 2 per cent. for all commercial buildings. The cost would be about £20 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now reduce Purchase Tax on scooters, motorcycles and mopeds.

I cannot anticipate my Budget decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the value of industrial production lost and the additional costs incurred by the public and other services caused by the exceptionally severe ice and snow in the period 22nd December, 1962, to 22nd January, 1963.

I regret that the information needed to make any reliable estimate of this kind is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when the first instalment of the £10 million additional aid to developing countries from under-utilised resources in areas such as North-East England, Merseyside, West Cumberland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, will be authorised;(2) if he will make a statement on the progress of his efforts to provide £10 million from under-utilised resources in North-East England, Merseyside, West Cumberland, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as aid for developing countries.

I cannot yet say when the first instalment of the additional aid will be authorised, but I hope it will not be long now.I shall make a statement as soon as am in a position to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the new rateable values in the Hazel Grove and Bramhall areas of Cheshire are of the order of 3·7 times the previous values; and why this increase is so much greater than any other increase in Cheshire.

All rateable values in England and Wales are based on the rentals at which the properties might reasonably be expected to let. The increase in value in this Area (which is 3·4 times the previous value) is greater than in other areas in Cheshire because it contains a higher proportion of good modern residential properties. If any ratepayer thinks his rating assessment is too high he will have the right after 31st March to take the matter to appeal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will transfer all those Post-War Credits that become due for repayment but are not claimed within one month into National Savings certificates in the name of the person to whom repayment is due.

I am afraid that this suggestion would be impracticable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will release Post-War Credits to people residing in areas of high unemployment.

I do not think it would be right to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion. A person who has been registered as unemployed for a continuous period of twenty-six weeks is entitled to claim repayment of Post-War Credits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that hire-purchase agreements are of particular importance and utility to small furniture factories in Scotland, and if he will have regard to this in framing his forthcoming Budget.

Changes in the hire-purchase regulations are not necessarily, or even usually, matters for the Budget. I take note of what the hon. Member says and would remind him that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade recently announced his intention of permitting the furniture trade to make add-to agreements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now reduce Purchase Tax in respect of furniture in line with the reductions of tax on television sets and other similar commodities.

I would refer the hon. Member to my replies to Questions on 24th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of President de Gaulle's official statements of policy on Great Britain's application to join the Common Market, what alternative plans Her Majesty's Government have for the rehabilitation and expansion of Great Britain's economy.

I would ask the hon. and learned Member to await the forthcoming debate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is now Her Majesty's Government's intention to effect an early devaluation of the £ sterling.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review his decision not to legislate so as to enable Income Tax allowances to be made to accredited ministers of religion for the purchasing of books necessary for their vocation.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion and my right hon. Friend will consider it, along with many other suggestions he is receiving for changes in the tax law.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury upon what basis local authority water undertakings have been valued for rating revaluation; and why the Leeds City Waterworks, situated in the Wharfedale rural district, have only increased in value by 16 per cent., whilst all other property has increased by over 100 per cent., council houses by 250 per cent., and farms and semi-detached houses by 300 per cent.

Statutory water undertakings are valued for the new rating valuation lists by a formula prescribed by the Rating and Valuation Act, 1961.The rateable value of the Leeds City Waterworks as a whole in the 1963 lists is 83·7 per cent. more than its value in the current lists. In apportioning this value between different rating authorities as required by the 1961 Act the valuation officer has had to revalue all the works of the undertaking: the effect has been to reduce the share of the total rateable value apportioned to the Wharfedale Rural District. In comparing percentage increases it should be remembered that unlike water undertakings dwellinghouses have hitherto been valued on 1939 rentals and industrial premises have had the benefit of 50 per cent. derating.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a five-year tax holiday on undistributed profits for firms located in development districts.

I have noted this suggestion but my hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the planned intake of students into the universities in England and Wales in each of the years 1963 to 1970; and how these figures compare with the relevant age-groups.

The annual rate at which universities in Great Britain should expand their student intakes to attain the objective of 150,000 student places in 1966–67 will depend on a number of factors, and is not a matter on which it would be appropriate for the Government to set figures. It has, however, been estimated that a 1966 student intake to British universities of 42,000 or 4·6 per cent. of the age-group in that year, would be consistent with the objective in question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to relieve the present recession in the furniture industry.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) and Cardiff, North (Mr. Box) on 24th January and 1st February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the prospects for the establishment of new industries in the areas of Llanelly, Ammanford and Garnant which are scheduled as areas of high and persistent unemployment under the Local Employment Act.

My right hon. Friend will continue to draw the attention of suitable firms to the facilities available in the area, but he cannot forecast what the response will be. Meanwhile, a substantial number of new jobs should arise from developments already under way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the commodities which have been given

asked the President of the Board of Trade how long he expects the Anti-Dumping Duty Order 1962, No. 2631, imposed on phthalic anhydride originating in Austria, West Germany and Poland to remain in force.

So long as the circumstances which led to the decision to make this Order remain unaltered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if Her Majesty's Government will arrange that the whole of the North-East be regarded as a development district under the Local Employment Act, 1960.

Following are details of the seven products on which duties have been imposed under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957:

No. By no means all the North-East is suffering from, or threatened by, high and persistent unemployment. We must concentrate our efforts on those districts which stand most in need of help.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give favourable consideration to applications by suitable persons for assistance under the Local Employment Act for the development of the former Royal Air Force depot at Kintore for industrial purposes.

Applications for assistance under the Local Employment Act, for sound projects to provide employment at Kintore are eligible for consideration under the Local Employment Act. The Board of Trade will consider any such applications as sympathetically as possible. My right hon. Friend has no powers to offer assistance to estate developers as such, since the Act lays down that assistance can be offered only to the undertakings which actually provide employment for workers in the development district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to expedite decisions on applications for compulsory licences under Section 41 of the Patents Act, 1949, and in particular to limit delay, now normally extending to more than a year, between filing of application and hearing, since such delays tend to frustrate the purposes of this section.

If an application for a compulsory licence is opposed it must proceed to a formal hearing. Before a hearing is appointed both parties submit written evidence and each party is allowed to reply in writing to the other's submission. This inevitably takes time, but the Patent Office do everything possible to avoid delay, subject to the need to give the parties adequate opportunity to put their case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for the issue of compulsory licences have been made under Section 41 of the Patents Act, 1949, in the last 10 years; how many of these have been successful; and in such cases what has been the average period between the lodging of the application and its subsequent grant.

In the last ten years nineteen applications for compulsory licences under Section 41 of the Patents Act, 1949, have been made. Of these, thirteen were not proceeded with. The other six, having been opposed, are being prepared for a formal hearing between the parties. The earliest was made in August, 1961.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the national total of employment in manufacturing industries is in the development districts as defined by the Local Employment Act; and what percentage of the total new jobs in these industries has been provided in those districts since April, 1960.

Areas now listed as development districts account for about 11 per cent. of all insured employees in manufacturing industries. Over 25 per cent. of the jobs estimated to arise from manufacturing projects for which industrial development certificates were issued from 1st April, 1960, to 31st December, 1962, were for development districts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade has been the total number of new jobs created in the development districts of England, Wales and Scotland, respectively, since April, 1960; and what has been the total number outside those districts.

The figures are as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of development districts in England, Wales, and Scotland, respectively; in how many of them has no industrial development occurred as a direct result of the operation of the Local Employment Act; and what proportion of the total insured population in all development districts this represents.

Development districts are defined in terms of Ministry of Labour employment exchange areas, some of which are grouped together into larger areas within which there is an established pattern of travel-to-work. Counting each such group as one development district, there are 36 development districts in England, 13 in Wales and 38 in Scotland, a total of 87 for Great Britain. Of that total 20, covering 7·2 per cent. of the insured popoulation in the development districts have not so far had projects to which assistance has been offered under the Local Employment Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of all the new jobs created in 1960, 1961 and 1962 as a direct result of the Local Employment Act were in Scotland.

Of the total increase in employment estimated to arise from projects to which assistance was offered under the Act up to 31st December, 1962, 39 per cent. is in Scotland. I cannot say how many of the new jobs have already arisen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many additional jobs have been provided at Camborne by John Heathcoat & Co. consequent upon the undertaking referred to by the President of the Board of Trade on 26th June, 1962 and 12th July, 1962.

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary Board of Trade has explained in correspondence and in discussion with the hon. Gentleman, the company did not undertake to provide additional employment at Camborne. In the course of the examination of their application to develop at Tiverton, they disclosed that they proposed to transfer some of their activities from Tiverton to Camborne. This was one of several factors influencing the decision, but it was not decisive and it was not a condition of the grant of a certificate for Tiverton. The reasons for the grant of the certificate were explained in a reply I gave to the hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 2nd August, 1962.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the total value of claims submitted and the amount of financial assistance paid at the latest available date in respect of textile machinery installed under the Cotton Industry Act 1959.

The total value of claims for grant submitted by 31st January involved expenditure by the firms of £24,377,163. Grant of one-quarter of eligible expenditure is payable from public funds against approved claims, and £4,155,072 has now been paid out. These figures include the installation of new machinery and the modernisation of existing machinery.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the growth of unemployment in the valleys of South Wales, he will consider rescheduling them under the Local Employment Act 1960.

As the hon. Member is aware, some of the valleys are already included in the development districts of Ammanford and Garnant, Llanelly, and the Rhondda, where the full facilities of the Local Employment Act are available. I do not consider that I should be justified at present in making the facilities of the Act available elsewhere in the South Wales valleys, but I shall continue to keep a careful watch on the position there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the necessity for increasing trade as a result of Britain's exclusion from the Common Market, he will visit the People's Republic of China in order to explore the possibilities of expanding trade with that country.

The possibilities of expanding trade with China are regularly explored by officials in discussion with the Chinese authorities here and in Peking. These discussions will, I hope, be mutually beneficial.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new industries have been attracted to the north-west of Monmouthshire during the last 10 years; how many extra jobs have thus been created; and, in view of the consistent high level of unemployment in this area, if he will consider scheduling it as a development district.

Three new manufacturing units have been established since 1952 in the Ebbw Vale group of employment exchange areas in north-west Monmouthshire, which together now employ some 50 people. Unemployment in this area has for some time exceeded the national average, and my right hon. Friend would be glad to see suitable new industry established there. But he does not consider that he would be justified in listing the area as a development district.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what alternative employment is to be provided for the 300 Maltese employed at Hal Safi Royal Air Force airfield who have been served with redundancy notices.

The hon. Member may be thinking of the anticipated 300 discharges mentioned in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Air on 21st November; only 84 redundancy notices in respect of these discharges have so far been issued.The question of alternative employment is not in the first instance one for the United Kingdom Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now in a position to reply to the petition of the Malta Labour Party against the Broadcasting Ordinance in Malta; and whether he will make a statement.

A despatch is on its way to the Governor conveying my decision and it will no doubt be conveyed to the petitioner very soon. In the meanwhile it would not be proper for me to disclose its contents. I shall be pleased to do so if the hon. Member cares to put down a Question for answer a little later on.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to publish the Muirie Report on Malta Dockyard; and whether the reply of Messrs. Bailey will be published simultaneously.

I will deal with the matters raised in this question in the statement I hope to make shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the date on which the Muirie Report was completed and presented to him; what representations have been received from the Prime Minister of Malta about the Report; what discussions he proposes to have with the Governor of Malta about the Report; when, and where; and if he will make a statement.

The Report was received on the 15th August. I have had discussions with the Prime Minister and the Governor on it and the Minister of State for Colonial Affairs continued the discussions in Malta last weekend. I am still aware of the anxiety felt in Malta and hope to make a statement very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the increasing concern among the people of Malta, and especially among the workers in the dockyard, over the delay in publishing the report of the Committee of Inquiry; and whether he is now able to publish it.

Yes. I am well aware of the situation, but must ask the hon. Member to await the statement which I hope to make very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the present economic position in Malta.

This is a matter falling within the responsibility of the Malta Government. I understand that they are studying the position with the assistance of a United Nations economist.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he or the Malta Government have made to provide alternative employment for men discharged from Malta Dockyard.

The solution of the employment problem in Malta depends upon widening the base of the Island's economic activity. I understand that measures to this end are being actively studied by the Government of Malta with the assistance of expert advice from the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to receive the report of the Basutoland Constitutional Commission from the Paramount Chief; and when he intends to call a Constitutional Conference to discuss the next steps for constitutional advance in Basutoland.

I understand that the Commission is unlikely to report until at least the second half of this year. In the circumstances I have no plans at present for a Constitutional Conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Legislatures of Antigua, Barbados, Dominica and St. Lucia have now approved the general proposal to join a new West Indies Federation.

The proposal has been approved in Dominica. The matter has not yet been debated in Antigua. The debate is adjourned to 6th February in St. Lucia. In Barbados the debate in the House of Assembly is due to be completed today, after which a debate will be arranged in Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in the discussions between Grenada and Trinidad about possible union.

At exploratory discussions between the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the Chief Minister of Grenada early in December, it was agreed to refer the economic, fiscal, and constitutional implications of association to experts for detailed study. Three Commissioners, appointed by the Trinidad Government, arrived in Grenada later in December to study the Grenada develop- ment programme, the structure of the Grenada public service and the legal and constitutional aspects. I understand that it is intended to appoint two other teams of experts to consider the economic implications, and local government aspects respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking to improve the conditions of the people on St. Helena.

It is proposed to spend over £76,000 in 1963 on projects which will provide employment, and on subsidising the cost of essential foodstuffs, and also on relief of the poor and unemployment relief work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he has taken to correct the retarded development of children on St. Helena, as reported by a nutrition consultant of the World Health Organisation.

All school children receive a third of a pint of reconstituted milk daily during term time and twice weekly take fish liver capsules containing 4,000 I.U. Vitamin A and 800 I.U. Vitamin D. In addition over 500 children (one-third of the total number) receive a free meal daily of bread, margarine, cheese and fruit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he will make available extra funds for the Kenya Land and Agricultural Bank, so that European farmers who wish to sell and African farmers who wish to purchase land in the non-settlement areas may be able to do so;(2) if he is aware that money repaid to the Kenya Land Bank when land bought under the Government Settlement Scheme is sold will no longer revert to the bank revolving fund for fresh loans, but to the British Treasury; that this will further limit the help that can be given to British settlers who wish to, or have to sell their farms; and what remedial action he proposes to take.

Money repaid to the Land Bank when land bought under the Government Settlement Scheme is sold will not revert to the British Treasury but will be used to meet development costs under the Land Settlement Scheme.Her Majesty's Government have agreed to provide an additional £200,000 this year for the Land Bank for the purpose of facilitating the purchase of land outside the settlement areas. The Kenya Government has requested that this provision should be increased; the request is under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General what powers he intends taking to enable him to implement Her Majesty's Government's decision on pay-television, as contained in Paragraph 46 of Command Paper No. 1893.

I already have the powers necessary to control the experimental arrangements in pay-television.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to implement the decision to change television from 405 lines to 625 lines; and what timetable he proposes for the complete change-over.

My Television Advisory Committee are at present considering both the method and the timetable for changing the existing television services over to the 625-line standards.

asked the Postmaster-General what estimate of the total capital cost, for television transmission and reception, has been made for the complete change-over from 405 lines to 625 lines; and over what period it is proposed to spread the cost.

The capital cost of transmission, and how it will be spread, depends on the method of change-over adopted. On this, I am awaiting the advice of my Television Advisory Committee. Subject to this, the capital cost for transmitting stations and Post Office links might be of the order of £15 million or £25 million, according to the method of change-over used. These costs would be additional to the costs of providing a network of stations for the B.B.C.'s second programme. The total extra cost to the public of receiving sets will depend upon how many of the different types will be required, and this again will depend on the method and timetable of change-over.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what evidence there was during recent snow falls of snow being contaminated by strontium 90; and what was the degree of contamination.

The measurement of strontium 90 levels is, for technical reasons, a lengthy process and no figures are as yet available of strontium 90 levels in the recent snowfalls.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how much has been spent on research into muscular dystrophy for the years 1959, 1960, 1961, and 1962, respectively; and what are the estimated figures for 1963 and 1964.

Research relevant to the problem of muscular dystrophy is being undertaken by the Medical Research Council and in many university and hospital departments as part of a wide programme of neuro-muscular research, so that it is not possible to estimate the expenditure on research on muscular dystrophy alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of rebates and average amount of rebate granted on the rents of local authority houses at 31st May, 1962, and 30th November, 1962.

The total number of rebates granted on the rents of permanent local authority houses in Scotland at 28th November, 1962, was 26,593 and the average amount was £12 17s. 1d. A return covering about 90 per cent. of local authority houses showed that there were 19,093 rebates at 31st May, 1962, with an average amount of £13 16s. 5d.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what record he has of how many lives were lost, how many people were injured and what was the value of property damaged and destroyed in the earthquake and subsequent fire in Jamaica on 14th January, 1907.

The 1906–07 report for Jamaica, presented to Parliament as Cd. 3729 in November, 1907, gave an estimated loss of life of 800. The number injured was not given. The value of property destroyed was estimated at £2,010,000.

asked the Minister of Education how many special schools for handicapped children are provided by local education authorities in England and Wales; how many children attend; how many specially trained teachers are employed; what is the cost per child; and what estimate he has of the number of handicapped children who are unable to find places in special schools.

In 1962 there were 710 special schools, including 86 hospital schools, maintained by local education authorities, with 59,000 children and some 4,900 teachers. Special training is required only for teachers of the blind, the deaf and the partially hearing, of whom there were 646. Other teachers may also have received special training, and some 300 teachers have attended supplementary or advanced courses in special education since the war. In 1962–63 the estimated cost of the schools was £13·7 million; it would, however, be misleading to calculate an average figure of cost per child because the wide disparities in disabilities and needs are reflected in a wide range of costs. In January, 1962, there were some 13,800 children awaiting places in special schools.

asked the Minister of Education what is the planned intake for each of the years 1963 to 1970 in colleges of advanced technology, training colleges, diploma of technology courses, and comparable courses in regional and other colleges of technology, respectively; and, for each of these years, what proportion these figures will form of the total relevant age group in each case.

The plans for the expansion of the colleges and courses to which the hon. Member refers have been made in terms of total student numbers. The objectives so far announced are that the total number of full-time and sandwich students in the colleges of advanced technology should increase from about 10,500 this year to 15,000 in the mid-1960's and subsequently to 21,000, and that the total number of students in the training colleges should rise from about 48,000 this year to 80,000 in 1970–71. The regional and other technical colleges at present have about 24,000 advanced full-time and sandwich students. The numbers in these colleges in 1970 are likely to be considerably higher; but no estimate can usefully be made at this stage.I would also draw the hon. Member's attention to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 24th January.

asked the Minister of Health how long dentists in the National Health Service normally have to wait before receiving permission from the Dental Estimates Board to carry out treatment that requires the Board's approval; and how long normally elapses between receipt by his Department of an appeal against a decision of the Dental Estimates Board and the publication of a decision on the appeal.

The Board replies in two or three days normally and within ten days in more complex cases. Six to eight weeks.

asked the Minister of Health how many mentally handicapped children in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board area requires permanent hospital accommodation.

On 31st December, 1961, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 586 in hospital and 283 on waiting lists. I have no means of knowing how many of these will need to be in hospital throughout their lives.

asked the Minister of Health what are his proposals to help the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board to supply permanent hospital accommodation for those mentally handicapped children in the Board's area who require hospital treatment.

About 200 additional beds are being brought into use now. Further provision is included in the schemes outlined in Cmnd. 1604, pages 75 and 76.

asked the First Secretary of State what consideration has been given, following his visit to Central Africa, to Nyasaland's secession from the Central African Federation; and what timetable is visualised to complete it.

It has been agreed that detailed arrangements for Nyasaland's withdrawal will be handled through a Working Party composed of representatives of the Federal and Nyasaland Governments, with a United Kingdom chairman. Representatives of the Government of Northern and Southern Rhodesia will be invited to participate in the discussions as necessary. Matters for consideration will include the apportionment of the Federal debt, and problems affecting members of the Federal Public Service in Nyasaland. Meanwhile I am not in a position to assess what the effect of Nyasaland's withdrawal might be as regards the financial assistance rendered to the territory by Her Majesty's Government. The Working Party will be appointed without delay and while the problems involved are difficult and complex, I am anxious that the work should be completed with all due dispatch.

asked the First Secretary of State what consideration has been given to the problem of the federal debt of the Central African Federation in the event of Nyasaland's secession; what percentage will be borne by Nyasaland; and to what extent Her Majesty's Government will be involved in annual payments to assist the Nyasaland economy.

It has been agreed that detailed arrangements for Nyasaland's withdrawal will be handled through a Working Party composed of representatives of the Federal and Nyasaland Governments, with a United Kingdom chairman. Representatives of the Governments of Northern and Southern Rhodesia will be invited to participate in the discussions as necessary. Matters for consideration will include the apportionment of the Federal debt, and problems affecting members of the Federal Public Service in Nyasaland. Meanwhile I am not in a position to assess what the effect of Nyasaland's withdrawal might be as regards the financial assistance rendered to the territory by Her Majesty's Government. The Working Party will be appointed without delay and while the problems involved are difficult and complex, I am anxious that the work should be completed with all due dispatch.

asked the First Secretary of State what consultations he has had with the Federal Government about the reorganisation of the Federal Services in the Central African Federation following Nyasaland's secession.

It has been agreed that detailed arrangements for Nyasaland's withdrawal will be handled through a Working Party composed of representatives of the Federal and Nyasaland Governments, with a United Kingdom chairman. Representatives of the Governments of Northern and Southern Rhodesia will he invited to participate in the discussions as necessary. Matters for consideration will include the apportionment of the Federal debt, and problems affecting members of the Federal Public Service in Nyasaland. Meanwhile I am not in a position to assess what the effect of Nyasaland's withdrawal might be as regards the financial assistance rendered to the territory by Her Majesty's Government. The Working Party will be appointed without delay and while the problems involved are difficult and complex, I am anxious that the work should be completed with all due dispatch.

asked the First Secretary of State whether Her Majesty's Government, in allowing Nyasaland to secede from the Central African Federation, will assume responsibility for that Territory's annual budget deficit; and what this will cost the British Exchequer.

It has been agreed that detailed arrangements for Nyasaland's withdrawal will be handled through a Working Party composed of representatives of the Federal and Nyasaland Governments, with a United Kingdom chairman. Representatives of the Governments of Northern and Southern Rhodesia will be invited to participate in the discussions as necessary. Matters for consideration will include the apportionment of the Federal debt, and problems affecting members of the Federal Public Service in Nyasaland. Meanwhile I am not in a position to assess what the effect of Nyasaland's withdrawal might be as regards the financial assistance rendered to the territory by Her Majesty's Government. The Working Party will be appointed without delay and while the problems involved are difficult and complex, I am anxious that the work should be completed with all due dispatch.

asked the First Secretary of State what proposals he made during his recent visit to Central Africa to preserve the benefits which have resulted from federation, in view of the fact that an economic association between Northern and Southern Rhodesia would be largely ineffective without the retention of political links.

I will ask the hon. Member to await the statement on my visit.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware of the shortage of premium grades of smokeless hard fuel in Sheffield; whether, to enable the operation of the Clean Air Act in the city, he will give an assurance that the demands will now be met; and whether he will take steps to secure an immediate expansion of production of these grades.

Supplies of Cleanglow to the Sheffield area have been 60 per cent. higher this year than last, but are not enough to meet present demands. The East Midlands Gas Board, and other manufacturers, are planning to increase production of premium fuels for next winter. Meanwhile there are adequate supplies of Gloco, which is suitable for use in improved open fires.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the large number of water pipes burst by frost recently and the consequent damage caused, what long-term remedies he is proposing to the building and water supply industries.

My Ministry issued Advisory Leaflet No. 41 in 1956, describing how water pipes and other fittings should be installed in new houses to be safe from damage by freezing and how existing installations could be improved and it has issued other leaflets on related subjects. These are obtainable from the Stationery Office. I am sending copies to the hon. Member.There is certainly a need to make this and other technical information more widely known. I have recently appointed a Director of Research and Information who will be concerned with improving the quality of technical information services in close association with the professional bodies and all sides of the building industry. It must be remembered, however, that no matter how good the installation burst pipes are still liable to occur in any building which is inadequately heated during very cold weather.

asked the Ministet of Transport (1) how many branch line closures he has approved in the past two years; and how many of these cases were first considered by the appropriate Transport Users' Consultative Committee;(2) on how many occasions in the past two years he has withheld his permission to close a branch line as a result of representations made before a Transport Users' Consultative Committee.

During the last two years I have accepted 55 recommendations from the Consultative Committees about proposals for withdrawal of railway services. 50 approved closure as proposed by the railways; a further three approved closure with some modifications, and the other two recommended rejection of the proposals. Rejection was also recommended in a further instance, but I did not accept this recommendation. In addition, I have, under Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, consented to one closure after receiving a report from the Consultative Committee. In all these cases representations were examined by the appropriate Committee.