asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the effect on the total tax revenue collected and on administrative convenience would be if the Pay As You Earn regulations were amended to avoid the payment of a second and heavy tax deduction by persons changing jobs within a single tax week.

Any amendment of the P.A.Y.E. regulations to meet the unusual situation about which my hon. Friend has written to me would be unlikely to have any effect on the tax revenue but it would add substantially to the administrative burden on employers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will remove the tax on light hydrocarbons oils and other raw materials such as linseed oil and phthalic anhydride.

As regards the duty on hydrocarbon oil, which is a revenue duty, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget decisions. As regards commodities liable Ito protective import duty, that is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy regarding answering Questions relating to the detailed allocation of money by the University Grants Committee; and if he will, in future, answer such Questions in order to establish Parliamentary accountability for the work of this body.

The system by which, within totals decided by the Government, the detailed allocations to universities are made by the University Grants Committee and not by Ministers, is designed to combine Exchequer support for the universities with academic freedom. As the hon. Member will be aware, the organisation of higher education is under review by the Robbins Committee and it would in any event be quite unsound to make the sort of change the hon. Member suggests before we have its Report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regulations govern the amount of leave and salary to which established women civil servants employed in the Ministry of Health are entitled before and after childbirth.

The relevant provisions are contained in Estacode and are made under the authority of paragraph 6 of the Civil Service Order in Council, 1956.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the Government's policy of stopping temporarily the sale of Defence Bonds and National Savings Certificates, he will give an assurance that he will not discourage saving in the Trustee Savings Banks; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of concern amongst voluntary savings workers of the National Savings Movement at his decision to suspend the sale of savings certificates for nine weeks, particularly in the towns where Savings Weeks have been planned during this period, if he will make a statement on his policy in this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement as to his purpose in withdrawing the current issue of savings Certificates; and whether it is his policy to continue to encourage National Savings.

I can give an absolute assurance that it remains the Government's policy to encourage savings. So far as National Savings Certificates and Defence Bonds are concerned, we naturally regret the difficulty caused to National Savings workers by the need for a gap in the availability of these securities resulting from the reduction in interest rates. We are however confident that the National Savings Movement will not allow this temporary, difficulty to discourage its splendid work to which the Government attach the highest value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the information needed to make a reliable estimate of the financial loss to the nation caused by prolonged periods of snow and ice is not available; and if he will ensure that in future it is.

Because it would be necessary to make elaborate and detailed inquiries, not only from all Government Departments and public and local authorities but also from individual firms and individuals engaged in industry, commerce and agriculture. Even then it would be to some extent a matter of opinion as to the extent to which the losses in question resulted from the weather rather than from other causes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the newly-designed float, designed and made in France, which provides new facilities for trawl fishing and with which Aberdeen trawlers, after experiment, have obtained good results, that 20 were ordered by Aberdeen Motor Trawlers Limited through Industrial Maritime Riggers (Hull) Limited, that they arrived in England on 24th November, 1962, but were not released from Customs till 28th January, 1963, and that this delay has caused loss; and if he will take steps to have future similar orders passed by Customs without delay.

As I have already explained in writing to the hon. and learned Member, no responsibility for this delay was attributable to the Customs. They released the goods on the day the duty was paid, and no request for release in advance of such payment was made to them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions have been given to the Inland Revenue Valuation Office to value council houses for rating assessment on a different basis to other dwelling houses.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what printing work is at present carried, out by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in Scotland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for increasing the printing work carried out by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in Scotland.

At present Her Majesty's Stationery Office does not carry out directly any printing in Scotland, though it places work with commercial printers in Scotland to the annual value of £240,000. On 1st April Her Majesty's Stationery Office will acquire an existing printing works in Edinburgh which will become part of that Department, and as such will undertake work for other Government Departments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the adverse comments made in the High Court and elsewhere over a period of years in connection with the anomalies arising from the treatment of tax payers who are subject to assessment under Schedule E and those who are liable to assessment under Schedule D; and whether he will give an assurance that legislation will not be introduced to deal with the liability of marriage settlements to Estate Duty until the former injustices have been remedied.

I have noted my hon. Friend's views, but he will not, I am sure, expect me to anticipate the Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total value of British overseas investments.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the increasing use being made of all forms of private arrangements to insure against sickness, accident and old age, to meet the cost of educating children and to provide for home-ownership; and, in view of this trend, if he will institute a general review of the extent, structure and financing of the State social services.

Yes. I welcome these developments.But on the second part of the Question, I do not think I can usefully add to the reply given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 11th December last.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury in what circumstances the 10s. Treasury note is illegal tender.

The third and final series of 10s. Treasury notes ceased to be legal tender on 1st August, 1933. I understand, however, that the Bank of England will exchange such notes on presentation for current legal tender of equivalent value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the reason for the recent change of policy that led to withholding dollar guarantees to sterling balances held by European central banks; and what is his policy about the official disclosure of such information.

We took the opportunity of the recent review of the European Monetary Agreement to limit the discrimination arising from the guarantee which it contained in favour of European holders of sterling as compared with other holders. This was a joint negotiation in the O.E.C.D., by whom the results were announced in the normal way in a Press release.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer from what central banks in foreign countries special support for the £ sterling has been received this year; what rates of interest are being paid; what are the periods and other conditions attaching to these loans or deposits; and what is his policy about the official disclosure of the existence of such support.

It would not be in the public interest for me to give any of the information asked for in the first three parts of the Question. On the last point I would not be prepared to commit myself to any fixed practice on this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many under-secretaries and above in the administrative grades of the Civil Service have degrees or equivalent qualifications in scientific subjects; and what proportion they form of these senior grades.

Forty-nine, or about 15 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the required increase in the standard rate of Income Tax would be 2s. if rates were abolished and the cost of charges now borne by the rates were transferred to the Exchequer, on what basis he made his estimate that the cost of transferring education to the Exchequer would require an increase in the standard rate of Income Tax of 2s. 6d.

The second reply to which my hon. Friend refers in his Question states that total local authority expenditure on education is equal to about half a crown on the standard rate of Income Tax but that over 60 per cent. of general grant expenditure is already financed by the Exchequer. It did not therefore involve an estimate such as my hon. Friend mentions in his Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements exist for civil servants who have been attending day release classes to complete their courses and take any necessary examinations after the age of 18 years.

Departments have discretion, on a selective basis, to extend day release facilities up to the end of the academic year in which the officer attains his eighteenth birthday in cases where this will enable him to complete a planned study course in worthwhile subjects or take an examination within the academic year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why attendance at day release classes is not compulsory for all juveniles under 18 years of age in all Departments.

Because both the circumstances of Departments and the needs of their young employees vary widely. Some impose compulsion; others rely on encouragement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to make a statement of the ways in which the Government intend to use the capital investment programmes of the nationalised industries to solve the unemployment problem in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Clark Hutchison) on 14th March.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board to cease offering facilities for chimney sweeping on a commercial basis.

No.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will ask the National Coal Board, the coal supply trade and the railways, in their discussions on future arrangements for the supply of house coal, to consider the shortages of coal during the recent severe weather in areas, such as Norfolk, remote from coal-mining areas.

The National Coal Board assures me that its discussions with the railways, and the trade will take into account the difficulties that have occurred this winter in these areas, as well as others.

asked the Minister of Power what research he is conducting into the high intensity combustion of coal; and how much finance is given to such research.

None, but both the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Board are conducting research in this field.

asked the Minister of Power what research is being conducted into soil fertilisers dependent on the oxidation of coal.

Some work is being carried out at Birmingham University with the support of the National Coal Board.I have no knowledge of any other research in this field being carried out in this country.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will make a statement upon the proposed new plant for the manufacture of smokelss fuel, which is to be built in the Coventry area by the National Coal Board, indicating when it is hoped production will commence; and what will be the productive capacity.

Under the Board's provisional plans production would begin in time for the winter of 1965–66 and would be expanded by stages thereafter to a capacity of 600,000 tons a year.

asked the Minister of Power what reports he has received from producers of solid smokeless fuels, distributors, and local authorities operating smoke-free zones, concerning the quality and reliability of the fuels, their handling, and their efficiency in the grate; and if he will make a statement.

Some distributors have reported preference for premium smokeless fuels over other qualities. In its report to my right hon. Friend published recently the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council does not accept some of the criticisms of the quality of smokeless fuels, but recognizes that there is room for improvement. I understand improvements in the preparation of Phimax for supply to Bolton are being put in hand.

asked the Minister of Power if he will have discussions with the producers and distributors of solid smokeless fuels on the lessons to be learnt from experience this winter concerning the need for reliability of quality, for careful handling and for weather protection; and if he will announce the steps to be taken to bring about an improvement in this field at an early date.

My Department is in close touch with producers and distributors of solid fuels, who are considering what can be learnt from this winter's events. I think the hon. Member will be interested in the Report of the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Minister of Power what study has been made, when preparing legislation on the subject, of how many sites would be suitable for the underground storage of gas, and of what volume of gas could be stored in them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Skeet) on 7th March.

asked the Minister of Power what general direction he has given to the gas industry concerning the volume of natural gas to be imported during the year 1964.

None, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for the Dearne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 14th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what means are to be used to warn the public in the event of danger from fall-out.

Sirens and maroons. Until they are universally available, use would be made where necessary of the other methods described in the recent training publication on advice to the householder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps, within their administrative powers and responsibilities, the Government propose to take to reduce unemployment in Northern Ireland from its present record post-war level.

In addition to the vigorous action the Government are taking to reduce unemployment generally in the United Kingdom, special measures to deal with the unemployment problem in Northern Ireland are being taken along the lines indicated in the debate on 22nd November last, following the report of the Joint Working Party on the Economy of Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make regulations under the Consumer Protection Act to forbid the marketing of electric kettles lacking effective cut-outs.

Before considering the making of regulations my right hon. Friend intends to see how far the voluntary approvals scheme of the British Electrical Approvals Board for Domestic Appliances can secure an improvement in the standard of electric kettles which may be unsatisfactory in this or other respects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he has sent to the resolution on the imprisonment of Mr. Reginald Foster and Mr. Brendan Mulholland, forwarded to him by the Central London Branch of the National Union of Journalists; whether these two prisoners have been allowed to receive the telegrams of support and sympathy sent to them on behalf of a large number of their colleagues; and if he will give an assurance that, while they remain in prison, they will be issued with an ample supply of note-books or writing paper and will be allowed to retain on discharge whatever they may have written.

I have forwarded, in reply to this resolution, a copy of the Answer which I gave on 14th March to a Question by the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton).These two prisoners have been allowed to receive all telegrams sent to them. They will be issued with notebooks if they ask for them. I cannot at this stage say whether whatever they may have written they will be allowed to take out with them on discharge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from Commonwealth citizens for political asylum in the United Kingdom have been received by his Department since 1881, giving details of each case.

It has not been possible to examine all cases right back to 1881, but apart from Chief Enahoro the only such application from Commonwealth citizens of which I am aware is that of two Cypriots in 1962. There were special considerations in their case and, although committed by the courts for surrender, they were not returned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the Departmental Committee of Inquiry into Sunday observance; and when a report is likely to be made.

I understand that the Committee has received written evidence from over a hundred organisations and is still engaged in hearing oral evidence. I cannot yet say when the Committee is likely to report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has studied the statement made to him by Mr. E. Cronkshaw, recently released from Durham Prison, and the letters sent to him by the hon. Member for Exchange Division, Liverpool, regarding the treatment of certain prisoners at Durham Prison; and what action he is taking in the matter.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made on this subject in the House last night.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tests have been made by his Department to ensure that unnecessary suffering is not caused by use of the poisons known as 1080, phosphorus and red squill, respectively, in the destruction of vermin; and whether he will make an order substituting the poison "Warfarin" for such poisons.

My Department has no facilities for carrying out such tests. I have, however, consulted all those bodies who have an interest in the problem, including the veterinary and animal welfare organisations, about the regulations to be made under the Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act, 1962. I am considering, in the light of the views submitted to me, which poisons should be included in the regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the membership of the Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland constituted under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Acts 1949 and 1958.

Mr. Speaker is the Chairman of each of the four Commissions. The other members of the Commissions now are:

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when the hon. Member for Solihull can expect a reply to his letter of 16th January, in respect of Mr. K. D. Robinson.

As my hon. Friend knows on receipt of his letter I took up this case with the Government of Ghana from whom I hope soon to receive a reply.

asked the First Secretary of State what representations have been made by the Litunga regarding the future relationship between Barotseland and Northern Rhodesia, and Barotseland and the United Kingdom; and what undertakings have been given to the Litunga.

I met the Litunga in Lusaka on 25th January and was given a memorandum in which the Barotse Native Government expressed their wish that Barotseland should become a separate protectorate. I undertook to study the question of Barotseland's future and in due course have further discussions with the Litunga. I am therefore not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Education why he has refused to approve the project to build a Hall of Residence for Woolwich Polytechnic.

My right hon. Friend is sorry that he was unable to include this and other similar projects in the building programme which he recently announced. In view of the increasing demand for further education he has had to give priority to the provision of teaching places.

asked the Minister of Education what is the total value of the proposed school building programmes he has received from local authorities in Scotland, the North-East and North-West of England, respectively, for the year 1964–65; and what Government contributions have been promised toward the cost of these programmes.

School building programmes for Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. For the 1964–65 school major building programme local education authorities in the North-East submitted proposals to the value of £21·3 million and those in the North-West proposals to the value of £28·5 million. My right hon. Friend has so far approved projects amounting to £5·2 million in the North-East and £8·5 million in the North-West.

asked the Minister of Education what changes he is proposing to make in the Burnham Committee negotiating machinery in view of his recent rejection of its report on teachers' salary increases.

As I have told the Burnham Committee, I intend as soon as is practicable to open discussions with the appropriate bodies to review the present arrangements for negotiating teachers' salaries. My own starting point will be that each of the responsible parties in the education service, including the Minister, should be assured of an appropriate place in any revised machinery and procedures.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the urgent need for an accelerated school building programme in Cardiff; what reply he has made to the proposals of the Cardiff Education Committee for its school building in 1964.65; and if he will make a statement.

I do not consider that Cardiff's need in this regard is any more urgent than that in other parts of England and Wales. The Cardiff Education Committee submitted six school building projects for the 1964–65 main School Building Programme. It was informed last month that three of these had been included, at a total estimated cost of £582,000. This compares with approvals of £485,000 in 1963–64 and £387,000 in 1962–63 and represents a generous proportion of the total capital available for the Welsh school building programme as a whole.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will reconsider his decision concerning the school building programme in Wales; and whether he will make a statement.

No. The capital provision for the Welsh school building programme in 1964–65 compares favourably with the amount set aside under earlier programmes. In Wales, as in England, the latest programme has been designed to meet the most urgent need for new provision and to complete the reorganisation of all-age schools.

asked the Minister of Education how the estimated costs of projects approved in Surrey for the school building programme, 1964–65, compare with the authorisations in the preceding five years.

The estimated cost of projects approved for 1964–65 is £441,000. From 1960–61 to 1963–64 the programmes approved by my right hon. Friend amounted to £1,522,000; £1,483,000; £1,862,000 and £1,253,000.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the total cost of training an individual teacher at a teacher training college.

About £2,000 for a three-year course.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons were employed at the Bridgend Industrial Estate, at the latest convenient date; and what were the comparable figures for the past five years.

The number of persons employed at the Bridgend Industrial Estate in February of each of the last five years was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many factories on the Bridgend Industrial Estate are, or are about to become, vacant; and what steps he is taking to find suitable tenants.

Three factories, two of which are very small, are now vacant on the Bridgend Estate, and two more small ones are expected to become vacant in the next few weeks. My Department is doing all it can to find suitable tenants for them.

asked the Minister of Health what is the title of the new coloured film to be used to publicise the dangers of cigarette smoking; what is its duration; which Government Departments commissioned and made it; what was the cost of making it; to whom and by whom it is to be shown; and whether he will arrange for it to be shown in the Palace of Westminster to hon. Members.

Smoking and You; 12 minutes; my Department and the Central Office of Information on behalf of the Health and Education Departments; about £4,000; primarily to children by school authorities but it will also be generally available from the Central Film Library; if desired.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the grant in aid required to meet the expenses of administration in Antigua for the current year is 37 per cent. less than estimated; and where the savings are taking place.

The original provision, which was based on calculations made by the former Government of the West Indies Federation, has proved to be an over-estimate of the deficiency between Antigua's revenue and expenditure. The question of savings does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will order an inquiry to be held into the proposal to develop for industrial purposes part of the Grange Estate at Wigston, Leicestershire.

No. The decision in this matter was taken by the Leicestershire County Council in the exercise of its statutory responsibility as local planning authority for the area, and my right hon. Friend sees no justification for intervening.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he is likely to reach a decision on the new shopping centre for West Hartlepool.

Shortly.