asked the Minister of Education when he expects to receive the report of his Central Advisory Council for Education on the education between the ages of 13 and 16 years of pupils of average or less than average ability.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 14th February.

asked the Minister of Education if he is satisfied with the present willingness of the dairy trade to tender for school milk contracts.

It is the responsibility of local education authorities to arrange contracts for school milk and I have not received any recent complaint from them about the willingness of the dairy trade to tender.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the names of the members and the terms of reference of the joint committee to study the use of audio-visual aids.

The University Grants Committee, the Ministry of Education and the Scottish Education Department, with the approval of the Treasury, have decided to set up jointly a Committee with the following terms of reference:

"To survey the current use of audio-visual aids in teaching and research in the pure and applied sciences in institutions of higher education in Great Britain and, taking into account their use in similar fields in comparable institutions in selected countries overseas, to assess their potential usefulness and possible lines of development in Great Britain; and to report."

(Applied science includes medicine, dentistry, agriculture and veterinary science.)

They have appointed the following members to the Committee:

Dr. Brynmor Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull (Chairman).

Mr. G. Barclay, Vice-Principal, Moray House College of Education, Edinburgh.

Professor W. M. Humphrey Davies, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Queen Mary College, University of London.

Professor A. L. d'Abreu, Dean of Medicine, University of Birmingham.

Mr. D. J. Johnston, University of London Institute of Education.

Professor H. Lipson, Professor Physics, Manchester College of Science and Technology.

Professor E. W. Parkes, Professor of Engineering, University of Leicester.

Mr. C. W. Tonkin, Vice-Principal, Battersea College of Technology.

Professor C. M. Yonge, Regius Professor of Zoology, University of Glasgow.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figures of public expenditure for 1966 contained in the report of the National Economic Development Office correspond with Government policy; and if he will make a statement.

These estimates are not those of the Government but have been prepared by the National Economic Development Office. They represent the Office's assessment on the basis described in the Report of what the total of public expenditure might be (and, to some extent, how it might be made up) in 1966 if national output were to grow by 4 per cent. per annum. In only a few cases is the need for these items of public expenditure directly related to the rate of economic growth over a relatively short period.In recent years public expenditure has been growing faster than national output and this is likely to continue in 1963–64. If national output per head grows at a faster rate than in the past, this would clearly make it easier to sustain a rising level of public expenditure. In total the rate of increase of public expenditure included by the Office does not appear inconsistent with the rate implicit in present Government policy, which of course assumes sustained economic growth; but the distribution between the various services is a matter of Government policy, and the Government at this stage have no comments on the detailed figures for particular services in the Report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what countries received exports of immature whisky in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962, respectively; what quantities were sent to each country; and what these exports were worth in pounds sterling.

Separate figures of United Kingdom exports of immature whisky

asked the Minister of Transport what improvements it is intended to make to the A.19; when the work will begin; and what will be the cost of the improvements.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) on 27th February.

asked the Minister of Transport when work will begin on the proposed new bridge across the Tyne on the A.69 trunk road at Haydon Bridge in Northumberland.

The preparation of this scheme is in its early stages and until the statutory procedures are completed and land has been acquired I cannot say precisely when work will begin. I hope it will be possible to make a start in about three years' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state in respect of each local education authority how many teachers have gone to teaching posts in developing countries under the official code of secondment schemes.

Returns received for the two years to 31st August, 1962, show that, of the 130 Scottish teachers who went in this period to posts in developing countries of the Commonwealth, six were seconded by the education authority of Edinburgh, and one each by the education authorities of Renfrew and West Lothian. Fifteen other teachers were seconded to posts, for example, in forces schools, which do not come within the official arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage experiments with teaching machines in Scottish schools.

My Department is keeping closely in touch with experiments with programmed learning in various parts of the country and has had discussions with education authorities and the teaching profession on the general possibilities. With the benefit of basic research done at Aberdeen University, steps are being taken through the College of Education and the education authority, in association with the university, to set up a development unit in Aberdeen to help in furthering experimental work in schools and in testing teaching programmes: I have made available to the university a grant of £3,000 spread over three years to finance its contribution to the work of this unit. Moray House and Aberdeen Colleges of Education are this summer offering teachers short vacation courses in this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the date on which the A.26 road through Aldergrove was stopped for general use.

A portion of this road running through the R.A.F. Station near Aldergrove was temporarily stopped up by an order under Defence Regulations taking effect on 10th February, 1942.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what respects the existing route of the A.26 at Aldergrove is considered to be unsatisfactory.

I have been informed that the existing temporary route over minor roads cannot be improved to make it suitable for permanent use without disproportionate expense to public funds and inconvenience to occupiers; and also that it is well away from the main flow of traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of sentence served by prisoners released during the last five years who had been sentenced to life imprisonment.

During the years 1958–62 inclusive, 56 persons who had been convicted of murder and were serving sentences of life imprisonment were released from prison on licence in England and Wales. The actual periods of detention varied widely according to the circumstances of the individual cases—as shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement on the extent and cost of the service given recently by Royal Air Force helicopters which have dropped supplies of fodder to outlying livestock in the snow; and if he will convey to the crews the appreciation of farmers and the public for the way in which this task has been carried out.

Between 30th December, 1962, and 26th February, 1963, Royal Air Force helicopters of Coastal and Transport Commands flew some 850 hours delivering supplies of fodder to livestock cut off by the snow. Flights were made throughout the British Isles, but the majority were in South-West England. The cost of the operation, which is still continuing, has been about £80,000. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his expression of appreciation which I will convey to those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total number of convictions for drunkenness, and convictions for the age groups under 18 and between 18 and under 21 years. in the Metropolitan Police district, and in the City of London, respectively, during the calendar year 1962.

The provisional figures for the year 1962 are as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will employ Captain Farquar Atkins to further the nuclear propulsion plans recently announced.

No.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if, in view of the statement by the Italian delegate to the 17-nation disarmament conference in Geneva on 14th February that nuclear fallout that month was reaching dangerously high levels, he will state the fall-out levels in Great Britain at various dates in February; and how they compared with the normal level.

The Italian delegate referred to levels of radioactivity in milk in Italy. In this country the amount of radioactivity iodine in milk was so low during February as to be undetectable. Because of the time required for accurate analysis, figures for Strontium 90 in milk in February will not be available for some time.Measurements of the level of total radioactivity in air give a rough indication of likely trends. The measurements at Chilton, Berks. in the month in question were as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many enforcement orders under Town and Country Planning legislation have been outstanding for more than one year with the London, Essex and Middlesex County Councils, respectively; whether he is satisfied with the present powers and procedure; and if he will make a statement.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. I have no reason to think that the present statutory provisions are unsatisfactory. Appeals against enforcement notices necessarily take time to determine, but we are always anxious to see that the process is not unduly delayed. If my hon. Friend would care to send me details of any cases he has in mind I would be glad to examine them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will introduce legislation to make planning decisions effective within a shorter time after enforcement orders are made.

My right hon. Friend does not think that further legislation is needed for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs to what extent there is a limitation in the application of the £25 million for housing associations, as provided in the Housing Act, 1961, to new buildings only.

Loans from the £25 million fund may be made in respect of schemes for the provision of housing accommodation either by building new houses or by converting or improving existing buildings. But it has all along been made clear that priority would be given to new building, since the primary purpose of the scheme is to stimulate the building of new houses to let.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will state the ratio of rental charged to revised rateable value above which he will uphold compulsory purchase applications.

I assume the hon. Member has Circular 45/60 in mind.Valuations for rating are calculated by reference to statutory assumptions which are designed to secure uniformity of treatment as between one ratepayer and another. They cannot take account of such matters as variations in the apportionment of repairs liabilities or the standard of maintenance and management. Rateable assessments are therefore of only limited help in deciding whether a rent is exorbitant.