asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) how many students are enrolled in each year in the three-year degree course in mechanical engineering at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon;(2) how many students are expected to be enrolled in September, 1963, for the degree courses in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, respectively, at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon;(3) how many students are at present studying at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon; and how many receive part of their instruction at colleges run by civilian authorities in the area;(4) how many students are enrolled in each year for the three-year degree course in electrical engineering at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon.

326 students are now studying at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, none of whom receives any part of his instruction at a civil college. 160 of these are on the long engineering course. Another 63 are on a first-year course which is common to students of both electrical and mechanical engineering. It is not yet known how many of these 63 students will go on to complete degree, as distinct from diploma, courses in either mechanical or electrical engineering. There are 14 students in the second year, and ten in the third year of the mechanical engineering degree course. The remaining 79 students are studying miscellaneous courses. There are as yet no second-or third-year degree students in electrical engineering.About 80 students are expected to start the common first-year course for degrees and diplomas in mechanical and electrical engineering in the next academic year.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty the total establishment of the civilian instructors, lecturers and professors, naval personnel and other staff at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon.

There are now 93 naval personnel, 53 civilian non-industrials and 218 industrials. Of these, 60 naval and 21 civilian officers are instructional staff. There are no civilian lecturers or professors at Manadon.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many vacancies at present exist for students in the courses being provided at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon.

There are no regular vacancies at the college but it may occasionally be possible to fit extra students into particular courses.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what naval property, capable of providing ward room accommodation for officers, is at present unused at Portsmouth and Devonport, respectively.

None.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many officers can be provided with quarters in ward rooms at Portsmouth and Devonport; and what was the average number of officers occupying such rooms during the past 12 months.

There is sleeping accommodation in the Devonport area for just under 700 officers and in the Portsmouth area for just under 1,200 officers. Some of this accommodation, however, provides space below the full peace-time scales. On an average, nearly 600 officers use the sleeping accommodation at Devonport and just over 900 use the accommodation at Portsmouth. The numbers fluctuate considerably, however, and the maximum numbers accommodated often approach the total of the available accommodation.Ward rooms in establishments in the Devonport area can seat just under 800 officers and those in the Portsmouth area about 1,350. The average usage of the ward rooms is about 825 in the Devon-port area and over 1,700 in the Portsmouth area. Double sittings are resorted to to accommodate the extra numbers.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many officers are at present attending the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich.

Fifty-two.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many officers are at present attending the Royal Naval War College, Greenwich; and how many are from each of the three services, from other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries and from any other country.

Seventeen, including three from the Army, three from the Royal Air Force, 10 from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and one Admiralty civilian. There are no overseas students.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he can now make a statement about sub-contracting by Shorts on the VC10 order for the Royal Air Force.

Years beginning 1st June				£ million
—	1959–60	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63 (forecast)
Labour	300·5	299·5	298	301
Rent and Interest	93·5	105·5	116	121
Machinery	221	215·5	228	229
Feedingstuffs	355	356	382·5	406
Fertilisers	118	111	120·5	123
Other	168	178·5	194·5	204·5

A programme of subcontracting to Shorts on the VC10 aircraft for the R.A.F. has now been agreed. Shorts have been authorised to begin work on the manufacture of jigs and tools.The programme allocates work to Shorts on the building and equipping of the front and rear parts of the fuselage of the aircraft. This will provide work for a substantial number of Shorts' staff for two or three years.Dividing the work on the VC10 between Weybridge and Belfast in this way necessarily involves extra cost mainly on duplication of tools. This extra cost is estimated at some £2·8 million of a total programme costing more than £30 million. This will be carried on Air Vote 7 as part of the production cost of the aircraft. The Government have authorised this additional expenditure in order to help provide employment in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the expenditure by the United Kingdom agricultural industry on labour, rent and interest, machinery, foodstuffs, fertilisers and other costs of production for the years 1959–60 to 1962–63 inclusive.

The estimates of expenditure by the United Kingdom agricultural industry are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the gross and net output of agriculture in the

GROSS* AND NET OUTPUT† OF AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AT CONSTANT 1945–46 PRICES AND AT CURRENT PRICES‡
Years beginning last June					£ million
—		1959–60	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63 (Forecast)
Gross Output at 1945–46 prices	…	1,054	1,114	1,122	1,175
Net Output at 1945–46 prices	…	812	863	858	894
Gross Output at current prices	…	1,627	1,633	1,732	1,753
Net Output at current prices	…	1,150	1,156	1,215	1,209
*"Gross output" is that portion of the total agricultural production which is sold off farms in the United Kingdom together with the quantity consumed in farm households, the figure so obtained being adjusted for the value of work already achieved.
†"Net output" is * reduced by the cost of farmers' purchases of feedingstuffs, and imported store animals and seeds, and by certain other related costs.
‡The figures include estimated output from units under one acre.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, owing to the length of time which the negotiations have taken, and the difference of price between that paid in 1939 and that now asked, he will now hold an inquiry to consider the resale of land on Scorton aerodrome to Mr. Bell.

No. I do not think this would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Defence what was the cost per 1,000 men, in each of the last six years, of maintaining forces in countries comparable with Sinai and Congo.

There are so many variables affecting the costs of maintaining forces in particular places that no figures of actual expenditure can be given which would be comparable with costs in Sinai and Congo.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give a list of schools in the Blyth constituency, the year in which they were erected and the programme of

The latest estimates, made at this year's Annual Review, are as follows:new schools to be built in the Blyth constituency in the next two years.

The local education authority has supplied the following list:

School	Year Built
Backworth County Primary	1875
Backworth, St. Edmund's R.C. Primary	1903
Barrington County Primary	1909
Bedlington County Junior	1908
Bedlington County Infants	1913
Bedlington R.C. Senior Mixed	1870
Bedlington R.C. Junior and Infants	1931
Bedlington Station County Primary	1912
Bedlington, Stead Lane County Infants	1956
Bedlington Village Infants	1874
Bedlington, Whitley Memorial C. of E.	1858
Blyth, Bebside County Junior	1953
Blyth, Bedside County Infants	1953
Blyth, Cowpen Quay County Infants	1862
Blyth, Cowpen B.C. Aided	1898
Blyth, Croften County Junior	1904
Blyth, Croften County Infants	1904
Blyth, Morpeth Road County Junior	1910
Blyth, Morpeth Road County Infants	1910
Blyth, New Delaval County Infants	1874
Blyth Newsham County Junior	1876
Blyth, Newsham County Infants	1896
Blyth, Plessey Road County Junior	1892
Blyth, Plessey Road County Infants	1892
Blyth, Princess Louise County Infants	1934
Blyth, St. Wilfrid's R.C. Junior	1894
Blyth, St. Wilfrid's R.C. Infants	1874
Cambois County Junior	1869
Cambois County Infants	1869

asked the Minister of Education how many boys and girls, respectively, under 18 years of age were released by their employers to attend courses for part-time education in each year since, and including, 1956–57; and what percentage of the estimated number of insured female employees under 18 years of age those released represented.

The table below shows the number of day release students aged 15 and under 18, and girl students as a percentage of girls under 18 insured at the end of May preceding the educational year stated. The ages of students in day release are as at 31st December of the years stated.

	Boys	Girls
—	Number released (thousands)	Number released (thousands)	Percentage of insured
1956–57	148·7	36·1	6·0
1957–58	145·3	37·0	6·4
1958–59	143·4	38·3	6·5
1959–60	147·3	38·9	6·4
1960–61	165·6	41·6	6·3
1961–62	199·6	50·6	7·6

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was recovered in fines and costs, respectively, in proceedings against defendants summoned at Old Street Magistrates' Court, within the Metropolitan Police District, on 29th March, 1963, for offences against the Companies Act, 1948; and how many of such defendants there were.

149 persons were summoned to appear to answer a total of 296 informations alleging offences under the Companies Act, 1948. 98 defendants were convicted and ordered to pay fines and casts totalling £875 6s. and £489 6s. respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, if he will give the latest available number and percentage of dwellings in rural areas not connected with a piped water supply, and yet connected to mains sewerage, respectively.

It is estimated that rather less than 300,000 dwellings in rural areas, or about 10 per cent., are without a main water supply. More accurate information will be available in due course from the 1961 census. I regret that a similar estimate of dwellings without main drainage is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour when he proposes to introduce legislation to prohibit the employment of children under 15 years of age on fishing vessels, and the employment of young persons under 18 years of age as trimmers or stokers on coal-burning fishing vessels, in accordance with his statement in Command Paper No. 1318 of March 1961, that the Government would implement Convention 112 of the International Labour Organisation.

As stated in the White Paper, the legislation necessary to bring about complete conformity with the Convention will be introduced when a suitable opportunity occurs.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider his decision not to implement Convention 113 of the International Labour Organisation concerning the compulsory medical examination of fishermen, in view of the opinions which have been expressed by the trade unions about the dangers which may arise from sudden illness overcoming a man who may be on watch for long hours unaccompanied by another member of the crew.

I have received no evidence to suggest that my decision should be altered.

asked the Minister of Power what is the total amount of loss sustained by the coal industry since nationalisation until the present day; and what is the total amount of money advanced to the industry by the Government during that period.

The National Coal Board's accumulated deficit at the end of 1962 was about £91 million; exact figures will be available when the Board's Accounts are published. Since 1st January, 1947, net Exchequer advances under Section 26 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946 have amounted to £602 million and repayments of vesting liabilities to £45 million, making a total of £557 million at 31st March, 1963.

asked the Minister of Power if he will introduce legislation to establish a national coal and smokeless fuel distribution organisation, to ensure that available supplies are distributed fairly, efficiently and at reasonable prices.

No. I think that the Approved Coal Merchants Scheme and voluntary co-operation between producers and distributors will best ensure that the available supplies are so distributed.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware that in the London area smokeless fuel is being freely offered for sale in 28 lb. bags at 19s. 10d. a cwt., whereas merchants are still waiting for supplies of Welsh boiler nuts, Clean-glow and Rexco ordered over two months ago; and what steps he is taking to correct this maldistribution.

I understand that supplies of boiler fuels generally are now adequate, and any merchant who is short of Welsh boiler nuts should approach the National Coal Board in the usual commercial way. Supplies of Gloco for improved open grates are good. I do not think that such delays as there may still be in deliveries of premium fuels are attributable to the existence of bagged supplies. The North Thames Gas Board supplies only 50 tons a week in this form, a minute proportion of its output, the remainder of which goes to the merchants in bulk. The Board plans to increase its supplies of Cleanglow for the next winter.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the number of houses in rural areas which are not yet connected to a mains electricity supply, and the percentage that this number represents of all dwellings in rural areas in England and Wales.

The Electricity Council thinks the number is about 93,000, or about 4 per cent. of the total.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many one-apartment houses are occupied; how many two-apartment houses are in occupancy; how many have no separate toilet facilities; and how many have no hot water, at the latest convenient date.

These statistics for the whole of Scotland will not be available until all the 1961 county census reports have been completed. The 1951 census report showed that there were 71,784 one-roomed houses and 361,433 two-roomed houses in Scotland, and that 416,167 Scottish households shared toilet facilities. No information was then collected about hot water facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March last and the total estimated new commitments in 1963–64 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for classified roads and loans to highway authorities respectively.

The estimated commitments for major improvements and new construction outstanding at 31st March 1963, were £21·5 million, made up of:

Trunk roads	£11·1 million
Classified roads (grant)	£7·7 million
Classified roads (loan)	£2·7 million

The commitments planned for 1963–64 amount to £17·8 million. made up as follows:

Trunk roads	£9·7 million
Classified roads (grant)	£5·6 million
Classified roads (loan)	£2·5 million

These figures include projects authorised or in prospect as part of the special supplementary programme of works costing £3·35 million, which is to be carried through in the next two years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries were received from Czechoslovakia in 1962 about the purchase of steel and steel goods; what amounts of these products were involved; in how many cases purchases were made; and what information he has as to why other purchases were not made.

Inquiries for purchases of United Kingdom goods are addressed to industry. The information is, therefore, not available.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March last and the total estimated new commitments in 1963–64 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for classified roads and loans to highway authorities respectively.

Outstanding commitments at 31st March, 1963, for new construction and major improvement of motorways trunk roads and classified roads are provisionally estimated at £221·18 million. The following table shows the breakdown:—

	£ million
Motorways and trunk roads	163·94
Classified roads (Grants)	48·94
Classified roads (Loans)	8·30
Total	221·18

In 1963–64 we plan to commit £74½ million worth of trunk road and motorway schemes, and to issue grants worth £41 million for classified road schemes. We do not plan to authorise any new loans this year.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to introduce legislation to implement Convention 114 of the International Labour Organisation, dealing with fishermen's articles of agreement, in accordance with his statement in Command Paper No. 1318 of March 1961, that the Government would take this step.

As stated in the White Paper, Command 1318, legislation to enable this Convention to be ratified will be introduced when a suitable opportunity arises. Practice in the United Kingdom is generally in conformity with the provisions of this Convention.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the statistics published on the balance of payments, he will consider showing a figure for income derived from oil separately from the general heading of, "Other net."

Estimates of income derived from oil are now included in the interest, profits and dividends item and the shipping item of the invisibles account. There are however statistical problems in the way of satisfactorily translating the financial results of complex and integrated oil operations into balance of payments terms. These and other difficulties have not yet been overcome, and it is not possible to publish separate figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of the National Debt, and the rate of interest payable, in 1951 and 1961, respectively; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in relation to this matter.

The figures are as follows:

—	1951	1961
National Debt outstanding on 31st March	£25,922m.	£28,252m.
Average rate of interest paid in the following financial year	2·2%	3·6%

The Government's policy is to continue to be guided by the needs of the economy as a whole.