asked the Postmaster-General why, in view of the large profits being made annually from Government telecommunications, he continues to refuse applications for post boxes in small Highland communities, and for public telephone kiosks, on the ground that they do not pay; and if he will make a statement.

The loss on public telephone call offices is about £3 million a year, and I think we must have regard to the cost of providing these kiosks and the revenue they produce. We recognise the needs of small scattered communities, and 470 rural kiosks have been provided in the Scottish Crofter counties during the last fourteen years. The provision of posting boxes does not depend wholly on whether they pay, but the use made of them has to be taken into account. 160 new posting boxes have been provided in these counties during the last fourteen years.

asked the Postmaster-Genet al, in view of the Beeching proposals, what further consideration has been given to the use in rural areas of mail-carrying buses or passenger-carrying mail vehicles

As I think my hon. Friend knows, the purposes of rural bus services and the needs of the mails are not easy to reconcile. We already make considerable use of bus services for carrying mail, and we are certainly keeping well in mind the possibility of making extended use of these services.

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for rebuilding the Post Office cableships "Ariel" and "Iris", thus providing the Post Office with modern ships, the crew with adequate accommodation, and the shipbuilding industry with work.

Certain improvements were made to these ships fairly recently and they are giving satisfactory service. I do not think that any further action is justified at present.

asked the Postmaster-General what estimates he made, when studying proposals for payment of television licences by monthly instalments, of the cost of collection if such payments were made by purchase of stamps at post offices; and what decision he reached regarding this system of payment.

The cost is quite small if people save towards the cost of television licences by buying savings stamps as they can do at present. If, however, the hon. Gentleman has in mind instalments in arrears by purchase of stamps, this system would increase costs substantially and create serious difficulties.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now able to announce a decrease in subscriber trunk dialling charges.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in the House about telephone call charges on 19th March last.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what consideration he has given to the potentialities of teaching machines in the developing countries.

I am keeping in touch with the research and experimental work financed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education, and I am arranging for information about advances in the use of teaching machines to be made available to the developing countries.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance he is giving to developing Commonwealth countries and British Colonies to help them to supplement their educational provision through radio and television broadcasting.

The Centre for Educational Television Overseas receives Government financial support through my Department's Vote, and undertakes advice, training and research on the production and use of educational television programmes and is beginning to produce its own programmes for use by overseas services. In addition, subject to my co-ordinating functions, further extensive services are provided through the B.B.C. and the British Council for teaching of English by television and radio.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what advice he has given to developing Commonwealth countries and British Colonies as to the relative value of British-based correspondence colleges who may offer courses in those countries.

None. This is not a form of technical assistance which my Department has so far been asked to provide or advise upon.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will make a further statement on the uses to be made of the resources of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Aldermaston.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will make a statement about the future of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston, and, in particular, about employment prospects there.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will make a statement on the future of the teams of personnel of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Aldermaston.

As I told my hon. Friends the Members for Newbury (Sir A. Hurd) and Reading (Mr. Peter Emery) on 19th March, the load on the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment is not expected to diminish substantially up to March, 1964, but a reduction thereafter cannot be ruled out. I have nothing to add to this statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps are being taken to integrate scientists at present working at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston into the educational system when the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment closes down.

The Government have no intention of closing this Establishment.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what procedure is adopted to ensure that the duplication of effort by Government research organisations is kept to a minimum.

Government Departments, Research Councils, and the Atomic Energy Authority are responsible for ensuring that there is no unnecessary duplication in their own organisations. This responsibility is exercised in a variety of ways. Use is made, for example, of advisory bodies, with interlocking membership: of interdepartmental scientific committees: and of the knowledge of scientific staff at Headquarters, and at Research Establishments, about relevant work being carried out elsewhere.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many inquiries have been received by the Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory at East Kilbride on new methods of extruding unheated metal by the application of high fluid pressures from Scottish firms, from United States subsidiaries operating in Scotland, from English firms, and from United States firms.

The National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride has received written inquiries concerning new methods of extruding unheated metals by the application of high fluid pressures from seven Scottish firms, one United States subsidiary operating in Scotland, 170 English firms, and 45 United States firms. No record has been kept of the number of oral inquiries made by visitors to the Laboratory.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what plans he has for the erection of an atomic power station in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Government. understand that the Atomic Energy Authority keeps the Electricity Board in Northern Ireland informed of developments in nuclear power.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many scientists in the United Kingdom are working on the peaceful uses of nuclear explosions.

None, but the Atomic Energy Authority keep in touch with what is being done elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many applications from local authorities in the North-East in the year ended 31st March, 1963, were received for the clearance of derelict sites; how many were approved; and what were the amounts offered.

In the year ended 31st March, 1963, fifteen applications for grant under Section 5 of the Local Employment Act, 1960, were received from local authorities in the North-East for clearance of derelict sites—most of them in the last month of the year, Seven applications were provisionally or finally approved, including six submitted in the preceding year. It was only pos- sible to settle the amount of grant in respect of one tree-planting scheme for less than two acres where £56 was offered. No final estimates of cost on which an offer of grant may be based have yet been submitted in respect of the other six schemes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, in accordance with the practice of Her Majesty's Government regarding the employment of labour on a non-racial basis, he will introduce legislation requiring local authorities to include in all contracts they enter into a clause requiring the adoption of such practices by contractors.

No. I am not aware that there is any need for this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the destruction of the seventeenth century gardens at Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire.

My right hon. Friend has no powers to secure the preservation of historic gardens.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the average time elapsing between the planning application and granting of permission for mental health projects in the County of Middlesex during the last three years.

For the three years to 31st December, 1962, five months.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which sites he has been considering for the proposed new town to accommodate Manchester's housing needs; and when he expects to be able to announce his decision.

I am about to consult the local authorities concerned and I must take account of their views before making any decision about possible sites.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will make an announcement about the future of the site of the former Royal Ordnance factory, Swynnerton.

I am not yet in a position to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 29th January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to announce his decision about the application by the county borough of Liverpool for permission to develop certain pockets of perimeter land for housing purposes.

I have just received Liverpool's application to build houses at Lee Park. I will deal with this as quickly as I can, although I should warn my hon. Friend that a local inquiry may have to be held.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his intention regarding the subjection of individual localities in the combined Tyneside area to reviews in connection with stop-listing and de-scheduling under the Local Employment Act.

As my right hon. Friend said on 7th May, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour has decided that the travel-to-work pattern on the combined Tyneside area makes it unrealistic to produce separate unemployment figures for the individual localities. We shall, therefore, consider the combined area as a whole in any review of its position under the Local Employment Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the future of the customs union of the High Commission Territories and the Union of South Africa.

The Customs Agreement, 1910, which provides inter alia for the duty-free exchange of goods and products between the High Commission Territories and the Republic of South Africa, continues in force. I understand that the Republic is considering putting forward a proposal for revision, the details of which I have not yet received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the names of the six members of the Singapore Legislative Assembly who have recently been arrested; what charges have been brought against them; and what provision has been made to enable them to attend to their parliamentary duties pending their trial.

I understand that ten members of the Singapore Legislative Assembly have been arrested in connection with the disturbances on 22nd April, that they have all been charged and brought before the court, and that they have all been released on bail and pending trial are free to carry out their parliamentary duties. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving their names and details of the charges which have been brought against them.

The names of the arrested Assembly-men are Miss Fung Yin Chin, Ong Chang Sam, Tee Kim Lang, Wong Soon Fong, Lin You Eng, Madam Hoe Puay Choo, Leong Keng Seng, Tan Cheng Tong. Dr. Lee Siew Choh. and Chan Sun Wing.

Of these, the first eight have been charged with

(i) attempting to overawe the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet by criminal force with the intention of compelling them to refrain from exercising their powers under the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance;

(ii) being members of an unlawful assembly whose common object was to overawe the Executive Government of the State;

(iii) rioting while members of an unlawful assembly;

(iv) assaulting public servants who were discharging their duties in endeavouring to disperse an unlawful assembly.

Dr. Lee Siew Choh has been charged with abetting these persons in the commission of the first three offences. Chan Sun Wing has been charged with the same offence as Dr. Lee Siew Choh, and also with abetting certain persons unknown involved in an attempt to overawe the Government by instigating them to commit the offence of intentionally giving false evidence in a judicial proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving the Maltese Government towards the promotion of emigration to other parts of the Commonwealth.

Subject to the approval of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government are offering up to £200,000 to assist the Malta Government in the promotion of emigration, the greater part of which is to other parts of the Commonwealth. Her Majesty's Government is supporting approaches made by the Malta Government to other Commonwealth Governments with a view to promoting an increased flow of migrants.A senior official just retiring from the Ministry of Labour is being appointed to the Office of the Commissioner General for Malta in London to assist in arrangements for Maltese immigrants coming to Britain within the framework of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now announce the name of the chairman of the Kenya Central Land Board.

The Governor of Kenya has decided, with my approval, to appoint Sir Richard Turnbull to be Chairman of the Central Land Board which will be set up in Kenya when the new Constitution comes into force next month. As announced in Nairobi on the 2nd March, the Board will have the duty of selecting farms for resettlement and arranging for their valuation and purchase.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what recent estimate has been made by Her Majesty's Government of the effect of nuclear bomb testing upon the weather; and if he will make a statement.

No such estimate has been made.There is no reason to think that nuclear bomb testing has at any time had a significant effect upon the weather. Local releases of energy greater than those caused by man-made explosions are always taking place in the atmosphere. For example, in the tropics there are between 1,000 and 2,000 thunderstorms in progress at any time, each releasing the same energy as a megaton bomb.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publicly associate Her Majesty's Government with the recent officially declared United States policy to the effect that, should Israel or any of the Arab States appear to violate frontiers or armistice lines, the United States of America would take immediate action both within and outside the United Nations to prevent such violation.

Yes. I am glad to endorse the President's statement. Her Majesty's Government are deeply interested in peace and stability in this area and are opposed to the use of force or the threat of force there as elsewhere in the world. We are equally opposed to the interference by any country in the internal affairs of another, whether by the encouragement of subversion or by hostile propaganda. I cannot say in advance what action we would take in a crisis, since it is difficult to foresee the exact circumstance which might arise. We regard the United Nations as being primarily responsible for the maintenance of peace in the area. If any threat to peace arises, we will consult immediately with the United Nations and will take whatever action we feel may be required.

asked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that at the forthcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organisation meeting in Ottawa the representatives of Her Majesty's Government will oppose, on military and political grounds, proposals far West German participation in the proposed mixed-manned Polaris-carrying fleet of surface vessels.

No.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether agreement has been reached on the establishment of a United States under-water test centre in the Bahamas; and whether the Royal Navy will be able to use the centre.

The Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, with the concurrence of the Bahamas Government, have reached an understanding about the establishment of an undersea test and evaluation centre in the Bahamas, and are taking steps to implement the project.The new centre, which will cost about £34 million, will provide the United States Navy with facilities for precise evaluation and testing of equipment for under-water defence. The centre will be used both by the United States Navy and the Royal Navy, and will facilitate continued close and effective co-operation between the two navies in this important field of defence.The land being made available for the centre is partly Crown land, and partly land in private ownership which is being acquired by the Admiralty. The remaining cost of establishing, constructing and maintaining the centre will be met by the United States Government.The Admiralty will pay to the United States Treasury for twenty years an annual sum not exceeding £150,000, but will not otherwise be charged for use of the centre by the Royal Navy.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what resources were used for the establishment of the Royal Navy's stand at the Engineering Exhibition at Olympia; what co-operation took place with industry; and what were the results obtained.

The resources of Admiralty Departments and of Naval Establishments were used, as well as those of appropriate Admiralty contractors who co-operated by making available suitable exhibits. In addition to its undoubted recruiting value, Naval participation in this international exhibition stimulated wide interest in the advanced state of engineering and welding development and its application in the Royal Navy. In the long term, I hope that this interest will lead to orders for British industry.

asked the First Secretary of State what guarantees will be provided in the legislation to effect the dissolution of the Federation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland to ensure that Federal citizens and British protected persons will not be deprived by territorial legislation or executive action of vested rights which have hitherto been protected actually or potentially by Federal legislation, such as the right of freedom of movement from one territory to another.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply of 2nd May to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason).

asked the Minister of Power what progress has been made in reducing the cost of power produced by atomic power stations; and when he expects them to break even with conventional stations.

The cost per unit is expected to fall by about 40 per cent. between last year, when the station at Berkeley was commissioned, and 1966 when generation begins at Oldbury. On the second part of my hon. Friend's Question, I would refer him to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Mr. Wingfield Digby) on 10th December last year.

asked the Minister of Power if he will seek to arrange an exhibition of the work of the Safety in Mines Research Station to be held in the Palace of Westminster.

Yes. I have arranged for an exhibition of some of the work of the Safety in Mines Research Establishment from the 20th to 24th May in the Upper Waiting Hall.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from local authorities about congestion caused on the Outer Circle of Regent's Park, due to the absence of parking facilities at the London Zoo.

The neighbouring local authorities suggested to the Department last year that parking on the Outer Circle should be restricted, so as to encourage visitors to the Zoo to use the existing Gloucester Slips car park. Parking is permitted all round the Outer Circle except near intersections, and I am not aware of any special danger or congestion round the Zoo which would make it desirable to apply special restrictions to this particular section of the road.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how long his Department has been examining the question of export certificate arrangements for dahlias; and when they will complete their examination.

This matter was raised with my Department last August but, as I explained to the hon. Member in my Reply of 7th May, it is linked to the general question of export certificate arrangements which is under examination and I cannot add to what I said in that Reply.

asked the Minister of Transport when telephone boxes will be established on the Slough section of M.4 for the service of motorists, particularly in the event of accidents.

In Spring, 1965, when the complete 24½ mile Chiswick-Maidenhead Thicket length of M.4 will be open to traffic. On short lengths of motorway, as on many stretches of trunk road in open country, drivers must rely for assistance in emergencies on passing drivers, police and other patrols, and any nearby telephones.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the urgency of sanctioning the Llantrisant by-pass road scheme which has received high priority in the Glamorgan County Council roads programme since 1955; and if he will make a statement on the result of the traffic survey carried out to estimate the traffic likely to use the bypass when it is built.

It was to assist me in assessing the urgency of this scheme that the traffic survey to which the hon. Member refers was held. I expect to receive the results shortly and shall then be able to decide whether to include the scheme in the next phase of the rolling programme.