asked the Minister of Education how many Grade E posts have been created in England and Wales since their inception as part of the Burnham award of January, 1962; and how many different local education authorities are involved.

By 1st April, 1962, the latest date for which I have this information, 134 head of department Grade E posts had been created in maintained secondary schools by 25 local education authorities. By that date the 1961 Burnham Report had been in operation for only three months and many authorities had not yet fully implemented its provisions.

asked the Minister of Education what assistance he will give towards the establishment of a youth centre on the Langley Estate, Slough.

No proposal for establishing a youth centre on the Langley Estate, Slough has yet been made to me.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to give special assistance to local education authorities who exercise their discretion in the matter of granting free travel passes to school children where the walking route, though less than three miles on a town map, is over difficult roads, such as steep hills, and the bus route on easier roads exceeds three miles.

No. I do not think that this would be justified, or consistent with the principle of general grant.

asked the Minister of Education what was the number of pupils in maintained and assisted schools in oversize classes at the latest available date.

2,411,791, in January, 1962.

asked the Minister of Education what reply he has sent to the representations he has received from the staff of Cedar Street school, Blackburn, about his interference with the Burnham agreement on teachers' pay.

I have thanked the staff for their letter and taken note of the points they raised.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give the number of schools in the Dearne Valley constituency area which have outside lavatory facilities.

I understand from the local education authority that some or all of the lavatories of 28 schools are outside lavatories.

asked the Minister of Education what action he is taking to assist with the problem of language difficulties in those areas which have a high proportion of immigrant children.

Local education authorities are making a variety of arrangements to provide suitable methods of teaching immigrant children and the assistance of Her Majesty's Inspectors is available to help them. A group of inspectors is giving regular attention to the best methods of teaching English to immigrant children.

asked the Minister of Education what attention is being given by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools to the special educational problems of integrating the children of immigrants to this country into the school system.

As I informed the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 6th December special arrangements have been made for a group of Her Majesty's Inspectors to give regular attention to this problem, both generally and in regard to the teaching of English. Conferences have been organised in co-operation with local education authorities to which teachers concerned with this problem have been invited. Advice and information on educational methods are made available by Her Majesty's Inspectors to the schools concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware that the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, 1960, is not being properly applied by all local authorities; and if he will take steps to remedy this.

My impression is that the Act has generally had a good effect. Some reports suggest that co-operation between local authorities and the Press is still in some places less satisfactory than it should be but my right hon. Friend does not think that he can usefully intervene.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he intends to introduce legislation to limit the Exchequer's liability for rate deficiency grants.

My right hon. Friend has already informed the House that the grants for 1963–64 will not be affected. He is not yet in a position to make any further statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the London County Council's financial and other obligations under the Town Development Act, 1952, will be taken over by the Greater London Council.

Orders to be made after the Bill becomes law will certainly transfer the London County Council's liabilities to the Greater London Council. Meanwhile my right hon. Friend is most anxious that none of these schemes should be retarded by any fears on the part of receiving authorities. I am sure that such fears will prove to be unfounded since we are creating a larger authority, with greater resources, one of whose main functions will be to see that provision for overspill is successfully carried on.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will approve for grant the installation of enclosed stoves, burning hard cokes and similar fuels, in Sheffield.

As I explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd), on 5th February, where stoves are installed grant is normally based on the notional cost of open fires designed for burning smokeless fuel. In the North-East, because supplies of smokeless fuel suitable for open fires are likely to be inadequate, grant is related to the actual cost of stoves. On present evidence my right hon. Friend is not prepared to apply this arrangement to Sheffield, but he is considering the matter further in consultation with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Power. It is necessary to take into account the availability of suitable gas cokes as well as of premium fuels.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in his study of Swynnerton as a potential site for a new town, to what extent he is taking into account the five per cent. unemployment rate in Newcastle-under-Lyme; and if, in view of the long period during which this site has lain idle, he will hasten this study.

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member on 29th January, work on the regional study of the West Midlands is being pressed ahead and the pattern of local and regional employment is one of many important factors being considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what evidence he has that passenger-controlled lifts in municipally-owned high domestic blocks of flats have resulted in accidents; and if he will draw the attention of municipalities responsible for erecting multi-storey fiats to the need of providing lifts sufficiently spacious to carry furniture to and from the upper floors.

Accidents do inevitably occur from time to time but my right hon. Friend has no evidence on this subject. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind, my right hon. Friend will be glad to look into it. As to the second part of the Question, advice has already been given to local authorities in a design bulletin published last October. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he is delaying his decision on the Goole Council's proposal for building houses on vacant land in Pasture Road; and whether, in view of the need for more houses in the town, he will deal with this urgently.

This application first reached my right hon. Friend on 14th February and he authorised it on the 26th.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what representations he has received from tenants in Peterlee about the proposed rent increases; and what instructions he gave to the Peterlee Corporation before the decision to increase rents was announced.

My right hon. Friend has received a telegram from the Ratepayers' Association and a letter from the local branch of the Labour Party. No instructions have been given, other than the general instruction to all new town corporations that they should, with the aid of subsidy, keep their housing finances in balance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on how many occasions the rents of houses in Peterlee have been increased and what is the average rent at present compared with average rents when the new town was first occupied.

There has been a general increase on three previous occasions: the first houses to be occupied in Peter- lee were three-bedroomed standard houses, let in 1951 at 21s. 3d. per week. For comparable houses let at current rents, the weekly charge is 37s. 6d. per week, and the increase now proposed is 6s. Rents are subject to a rent rebate scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the amount of subsidy granted to those local authorities which plan to improve aged people's bungalows by installing some form of central heating.

The Housing Acts provide for the payment of subsidies towards the cost of new houses and grants for improvement of existing houses. Improvement grants are not intended to assist the replacement of one form of heating by another, and my right hon. Friend has received no proposals of this nature from local authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to announce the name of the chairman of the proposed Consumer Council.

I hope to announce the name of the chairman of the Consumer Council and its terms of reference in the fairly near future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a creditors' meeting was held at Glasgow on 12th February, 1963, to consider the affairs of Corinthian Farms, Brookfield, and Highland and Northern Dairy Farms; and if he will, in the public interest, agree to a thorough investigation.

I am aware that such a meeting was held. Winding up resolutions have been passed in respect of all three companies and the creditors have appointed a liquidator. The police are investigating these cases.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the high proportion of unemployment in the Borough of Morpeth, Northumberland; and what action has been taken to deal with it.

I am aware that unemployment in the Morpeth Employment Exchange area has increased recently. I shall continue to encourage industrial development in Morpeth, as in Northumberland generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make official inquiries to the Soviet Government as to how much oil they would be prepared to sell, at what price, and what restrictions would be attached to its resale; and if he will make a statement.

No.

the President of the Board of Trade, having regard to the fact that a total of some £300 millions has been paid by British and Anglo-Dutch petroleum companies to host governments in the underdeveloped countries of the Middle East and Venezuela during 1962 on account of royalties, taxes and levies, if he will take steps to limit to the present quantity imports of oil from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an Industrialised state, when world oil markets are in surplus.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that large numbers of workers in Messrs. Hendersons and in Messrs. John Lewis and Sons, both of Aberdeen, have within the last few weeks been declared redundant owing to shortage of contracts; and if he will now state what steps he is taking to attract work there and to solve the problems of unemployment in Aberdeen.

Firms in the Aberdeen area are eligible to benefit from the Government Contracts Preference Schemes. I shall continue to do every- thing practicable under the Local Employment Act to encourage the introduction and expansion of industry there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of projects, and what were the amounts of grants and loans, provided during the last 12 months under the Local Employment Act in the Gateshead and Felling Employment Exchange area.

None. Gateshead and Felling are not in a development district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the average length of credit provided in connection with Great Britain's exports, and the average length of credit taken upon British imports.

The information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that babies' white carrying shawls not less than 48 inches square, knitted or made from woven cloth or such cloth with a mixture of rayon, silk or cotton, and blue or pink shawls, knitted, are free of purchase tax, but identical articles of a smaller than usual babies' size of 36 inches square are subject to Purchase Tax; why lemon, peach, maize, cream and pale green shawls are all subject to Purchase Tax, whereas white, blue and pink shawls 48 inches square and over, are exempt; why he is differentiating between colours of infants' shawls and against under-sized babies; and whether he will make a statement.

A distinction has to be drawn between babies' carrying shawls, which are by Statute exempt from tax, and other shawls and squares which are taxable. I am satisfied that the existing distinction is a reasonable one.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that on an ignition-key fob with a commercial badge the fob is free of Purchase Tax whereas the key-ring is taxed at 10 per cent.; that the same ignition-key fob with St. Christopher medallion is taxed at 25 per cent.; that on an ignition-key chain with set of spanners attached, the former carries Purchase Tax at 10 per cent., the latter no tax, and the protective case 25 per cent.; and that when a penknife is substituted for spanners the whole, less the protective case, is taxed at 10 per cent.; why motorists' spanners are fiscally preferred to penknives; why three different rates are applied to components of one article; and what action he will take to remedy this anomaly.

A key-ring or chain and its appendages are taxed as separate articles if, as is usually the case, they can be readily separated. This avoids anomalies because it means that they bear the same tax whether they are put together before or after the point when tax becomes due. Penknives are taxed as personal articles of cutlery under Group 13 of the tax Schedule; spanners, like most industrial tools, are tax-free.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give consideration to the possibility of substituting an added value tax, as used in France, for the existing Purchase Tax.

This is a topical issue and my right hon. Friend is of course watching closely the way in which informed opinion for and against an added value tax is developing, but at this time of year I cannot comment on such matters.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider making a reduction in the rates of Income Tax.

The hon. Gentleman will not, I am sure, expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he is releasing hundreds of millions of pounds sterling of purchasing power into the economy, in view of the fact that personal savings have increased from £230 million to £2,300 million; if he will reduce interest rates still further in order to discourage savings; and if he will make a statement.

The increase in personal savings over the last decade has provided very welcome scope for a higher rate of investment. It does not in any way constitute a reason why my right hon. Friend should not have taken the measures he did take to stimulate demand.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to make Scottish bank notes legal tender.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Joint Fuel Tax Committee concerning tax on bus fuel oil; and what reply he has made.

I saw a deputation from this Committee on 15th January and have reported to my right hon. Friend on the case which it put to me for the abolition of this duty. At this time of year I cannot make any further comment.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that British motor cars, which have sustained accidents abroad requiring replacements carrying import duty, are retained at the port of entry until an assessment has been made and that this can cause great inconvenience to returning British subjects through no fault of their own; and if wider local discretion can be allowed, in bona fide cases, to let travellers continue their journey without interruption.

If security is given for any Customs charges which may be found to be payable, repaired cars arc not detained by the Customs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements for the necessary forms of appeal against the new assessments under the Rating and Valuation Act, 1961, to be made available to applicants at town halls and post offices.

The forms will of course be available at local valuation offices and also, for 6 months as from 1st April, 1963, at the offices of local rating authorities. For practical reasons forms will not be available at post offices, which could not deal with inquiries, but valuation offices, the address of which can be obtained at post offices, will send forms in reply to postal requests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the maximum salary for shorthand-typists in the Inland Revenue Department is just over £600 per annum, whereas the Ministry of Works is advertising for holders of comparable qualifications and offering a salary of £684 per annum, rising to £908 per annum; and what action he is taking to revise the former scales.

The figure quoted for the Inland Revenue Department refers to the highest starting salary for a Shorthand Typist Grade I; the figure of £684 quoted for the Ministry of Works is the highest starting salary for a Clerical Officer (Secretary)—a higher grade calling for higher qualifications.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Taxation of Trading Profits in February, 1951, and of the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits on Income in May, 1955, that a depreciation allowance should be given for all commercial buildings.

I cannot of course anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the usual pre-Budget White Papers will be published.

In place of the Economic Survey, which will be discontinued, an Economic Report giving an analysis of economic developments in 1962 will be published as a Supplement to Economic Trends on 28th March. The National Income White Paper, which will also be published on 28th March, will be enlarged to include tables giving the main balance of payments figures. The half-yearly White Papers on balance of payments statistics are being discontinued. Detailed balance of payments figures will in future be published quarterly instead of half-yearly as hitherto, and this will be done in Economic Trends, starting with the March issue. There will also be an annual publication during the summer bringing together all the figures relating to the balance of payments for a run of years in similar fashion to the National Income Blue Book. The White Paper on Government Expenditure below the line will be published on 28th March.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the shortage of smokeless fuel in Dagenham; and whether he will take steps to improve the position.

The North Thames Gas Board has told me that it holds good stocks of Gloco near to Dagenham. Producers and distributors in many parts of the country have been hard put to meet the much increased demand of recent weeks for solid fuels of all kinds aid they are doing their best to distribute supplies fairly, with special regard for cases of hardship.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the shortage of smokeless fuels in South Bristol; and what action he is taking to make supplies more readily available there.

The South Western Gas Board has told me it holds good stocks of Gloco. Producers and distributors in many parts of the country have been hard put to meet the much increased demand of recent weeks for solid fuels of all kinds and they are doing their best to distribute supplies fairly, with special regard for cases of hardship.

asked the Minister of Power in view of the fact that there is a shortage of premium smokeless fuels at the present time, whether the expected increase in manufacturers' capacity next winter for these fuels will be sufficient to meet the demands of householders of the Sheffield region, and particularly in the No. 10 smoke-controlled zone at Ecclesall, which is designated to come into operation on 1st December, 1963.

The output of premium fuels will be substantially increased next winter. I cannot guarantee, however, that there will not be local shortages of particular types. Gloco will continue to be available to meet all demands.

asked the Minister of Power, what is the approximate tonnage of stocks of smokeless fuels, such as coke oven cokes, including Sunbrite, suitable for domestic use within an area of 25 miles of the Sheffield Town Hall.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what procedure he followed with regard to Chief Enahoro's application to remain in the country for political asylum; how this procedure differed from that followed with regard to other such applications from Commonwealth citizens; and whether he will make a statement;(2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the grant of political asylum or the equivalent to Commonwealth, as distinct from foreign, citizens; and in how many cases such consideration has been extended to Commonwealth citizens in the past 10 years.

I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the exercise of my discretion not to return persons who have been committed by the courts under the Fugitive Offenders Act 1881. I am now considering an application from Chief Enahoro that on political grounds, among others, he should not be returned to Nigeria. This will be decided in the light of all relevant considerations, as would any similar applications from other Commonwealth citizens. So far as I am aware, the Home Secretary has exercised his discretion under the Act of 1881 to refuse surrender in only one case in the past 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will grant political asylum to Chief Anthony Enahoro, a political refugee from Nigeria.

I have nothing yet to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington, East (Mr. Fletcher) on 21st February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a week are at present worked by men in Birmingham Prison; and what steps are being taken to increase this.

Of 710 convicted prisoners on 22nd February, 677 were available for work. 403 were employed in workshops for 18 hours a week or less, and 73 for 28 to 30 hours. 122 were employed for 25 to 35 hours and 79 for 40 hours or more on work connected with prisons.I attach great importance to the improvement of prisoners' working hours in the 26 closed local prisons, of which Birmingham is one. It depends largely on the reduction of the number of prisoners in them and an increase in their staffs. To this end a large prison building programme and a vigorous recruiting drive for prison officers are being undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the nuisance, deleterious to health, caused throughout the Metropolitan Police district by unnecessary noise from motor vehicles; and whether he will make a statement on action taken by the Metropolitan police, including prosecutions, successful and unsuccessful, with regard to horns sounded late at night and from stationary vehicles, and to insufficiently silenced engines.

So far as the available manpower and their other commitments allow, the Metropolitan Police continue to take action against this nuisance. In 1962, there were 2,267 prosecutions for noise offences relating to motor vehicles, of which 2,253 were successful. In addition, 360 written warnings were issued.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the import of liquid milk from Holland to supply United States Air Force bases in Britain involves no disease risks for United Kingdom livestock; and if he will consult the Milk Marketing Board to ensure that milk from British farms is supplied to the United States forces while they are stationed here.1. The Medals available to other ranks in each of the three defence Services are:

I am informed that U.S. Service units stationed here use only pasteurised milk so no risk of livestock disease arises. The Milk Marketing Board is in touch with the U.S. Service authorities on this question.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will state the war medals, meritorious or long service, available to other ranks in each of the three defence Services, the number of present holders of each medal in each service, the amount of gratuity, annuity or pension authorised for each class of medal, and the number of holders who have received the gratuity, or are receiving the annuity or pension.

The answer is as follows:

asked the Minister of Defence if he will state the present total annual allocation of money for each of the medals with a gratuity, annuity or pension, in each of the three defence Services; and what further allocation would be required in each Service to pay all holders of medals the gratuity, annuity or pension authorised.

The answer is as follows:

1. With the exception of the special pension paid to holders of the Victoria Cross and the annuities payable to holders of Meritorious Service awards, there is no specific allocation of money for each of the medals attracting a gratuity, annuity or pension.

2. The sum allocated for the Victoria Cross special pension accords with the number of present holders. In the Royal Navy this sum amounts to £300; the Army £10,800 and the Royal Air Force £100.

3. (a) The amounts allocated by each of the three Defence Services to pay annuities, on the existing basis, to holders of meritorious service awards, are shown below:

(b) The additional allocations which would be required in order to pay annuities to all personnel of the Royal Navy and the Army awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and to all those of the Royal Air Force nominally eligible (other than having fulfilled the age qualification) for the Meritorious Service Annuity, are estimated to be:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation to require recognition of Wales by the Scottish Courts.

I think my hon. Friend has in mind that the Scottish courts should recognise Welsh domicile for the purpose of re-sealing of probates and letters of administration. This would involve amending the present rules as to what constitutes English domicile, which would not in my view be an appropriate subject for Scottish legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much electricity the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board exported in the last 12 months, giving dates, inclusive; how much it imported; and what proportion of the total output in the same period of the North and the South Board is represented by those figures in each case.

During the 12 months ended 31st January, 1963, the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board exported 552 million units, or 19–5 per cent. of its output, to the South of Scotland Electricity Board, and imported 228 million units, or 2.8 per cent. of the South Board's output.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will set out the percentage increase or decrease in unemployment in each region at February, 1963, compared with February, 1962.

The following is the information required:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the average percentage rate of wholly unemployed in the Gateshead and Felling Employment Exchange area for the last 12 months.

3·9 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of unemployed in the Gateshead and Felling Employment Exchange area at February, 1952, as compared with February, 1963; what percentage increase this represents of the 1952 figure; and what factors have brought about this increase.

2,243 compared with 4,318 an increase of 92·5 per cent. Much of the difference is due to the effects of the recent severe weather on the construction industry; the rest reflects the lower level of activity in industry generally.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a further statement on the Meritorious Service Medal.

I regret that in answering the hon. and gallant Gentleman's supplementary question—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th February, 1963; Vol. 671, c. 1284–5]—I said that the amount of the Meritorious Service annuity had always been £10. The original Royal Warrant of 1845 provided for annuities "not exceeding £20". The annuities were, however, limited to £10 by the Royal Warrant of 1920. This is the basic amount: the annuities attract pensions increase in the same way as do Service pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of Meritorious Service Medal annuities of £10 which were awarded in the year 1962, the regiments and number of their awards and the age of each annuitant.

Ninety annuities of £10, with increases under the Pensions Increase Warrants, were awarded in 1962. At the date of award, the highest age among the annuitants was 78 years 1 month and the lowest was 77 years 6 months.The annuitants were from the following corps and regiments:

asked the Secretary of State for War why certain holders of the Meritorious Service Medal are not entitled to the £10 annuity; what is the number in each category; and what annual allocation of money would be required to pay each category.

The number of recipients of the annuity has always been limited by the sum provided under Royal Warrant. The latest Royal Warrant, that of 1920, made £7,500 available for annuities not exceeding £10 to soldiers of the rank of sergeant or above with prescribed Colour service. In 1950, the Government of the day decided to issue the medal to qualified candidates without the annuity, which continued to be paid only as vacancies occurred in the quota.During the First World War and for some years afterwards, soldiers were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for gallantry, saving or attempting to save life, or devotion to duty; but under the Royal Warrant of 1920 these soldiers could not receive, the annuity as well as the medal unless they qualified by rank and service.There are at present 5,700 holders of the medal, of whom 750 receive the annuity. I regret that the records do not readily show how many holders of the medal are not qualified by rank and service for the annuity; and I cannot therefore say what the cost of paying the annuity to this category would be. The cost of paying it to all holders of the medal who do not at present receive the annuity would be £95,000 a year.