asked the Secretary of State for Air what representations he has received from the Society of Civil Servants for the replacement of senior Royal Air Force officers in his Department by experienced civil servants; and what reply he has sent.

Over the past few years, the Society of Civil Servants has made representations to my Department on a number of occasions, both directly and through the staff side of the Departmental Whitley Council. In general, it has been found that the proposals could not be adopted without detriment to the efficient working of the Royal Air Force; but in a few cases a more favourable reply has been possible. A staff side proposal to replace R.A.F. officers by civil servants at Aircraft Equipment Depots is at present being examined.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is satisfied that adequate provision has now been made to provide for the needs, and relieve the distress, of Polish ex-Service men who served under British command and are still in the United Kingdom, and their dependants; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. A great deal was done in the years after the war to help these ex-Service men and their dependants—at a cost of over £60 million. The whole situation was reexamined last year and, as my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby) was informed on 25th October last, it was decided to make a grant of £50,000, to be reviewed annually, available to those Polish ex-Service men who may be in distressed circumstances. The grant is being administered by the British Legion in consultation with Advisory and Executive Committees on which representatives of Polish ex-Servicemen sit. The arrangements are working well.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers have obtained employment at the British Motor Corporation factory, Bathgate, through his employment exchanges at Bathgate, Shotts and Airdrie, giving separate figures for each employment exchange.

Since the British Motor Corporation started recruitment at Bathgate in September, 1961, they have engaged a total of 2,097 workers through the Bathgate Employment Exchange. All submissions are made through this exchange. The total includes 1,365 from Bathgate, 17 from Airdrie and 14 from Shotts.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many Polish ex-Service men who served under British command and are still in the United Kingdom, and their dependants, receive National Assistance.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the statistics obtained by the Board do not distinguish recipients of National Assistance by nationality or country of origin.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent firms subcontracting to the Atomic Energy Authority were involved in the research, development and production of beryllium as a fuel element material; which firms were involved in development of techniques and provision of facilities for the manufacture of materials and cans; and to what extent they were compensated when the beryllium canning development was halted.

Contracts placed by the Atomic Energy Authority with industry accounted for about two-thirds of the total of approximately £10 million spent on research, development and production of beryllium as a fuel element canning material. The firms mainly involved in development of the techniques and the provision of facilities for the manufacture of materials and cans were: I.C.I Ltd., Whitworth-Gloster Aircraft Ltd., Murex Ltd., and Imperial Smelting Corporation Ltd. As a result of terminating the contracts for the production of beryllium components last year, about £500,000 became due and has been paid to the companies concerned.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science which firms are assisting the Atomic Energy Authority to develop and produce the stainless steelclad fuel elements for the advanced gas-cooled reactor.

In addition to the three nuclear consortia, the firms are Jessop-Saville Ltd., Accles and Pollock Ltd., Fairey Engineering Ltd., H. M. Hobson Ltd, and Welding Components Ltd.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what action the Government are taking on the recommendations of the Bridges Committee.

My Department is discussing these recommendations with other interested Departments and I hope to be able to make a statement before the Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek powers to compel all commercial vehicle owners to put their names and addresses on each side of their motor vehicles.

No. I consider that the registration mark provides a sufficient means of identification.

asked the Secretary of State for War what representations he has received from the Society of Civil Servants for the replacement of senior military personnel in his Department by experienced civil servants; and what reply he has sent.

The Society of Civil Servants has submitted a Memorandum of Evidence on this subject to the Nye Committee which is examining the organisation of the War Office. The terms of reference of this Committee, which I announced in the House on 18th December, 1962, include the examination of the practicability of making more senior positions in the War Office open to civilians. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on the Society's memorandum until the Committee has reported.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the high-altitude parachute descent by eight men on 30th January, 1962, was a military or Service descent; and if it was made from a Service aircraft.

Free-fall parachuting is an official Army activity, and the men from 22nd Special Air Service Regiment who had volunteered for this descent were on duty. A civilian aircraft, which was particularly suitable for parachuting at very high altitudes and which had been cleared for parachute descents by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation, was used on this occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for War if a Royal Air Force parachute given for a team of eight men to jump from 34,000 feet over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for War if War Office permission had been instructor was carried on board the aircraft from which eight men descended by parachute over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962.

No. However, the Commanding Officer of 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, who is one of the most experienced free-fall parachutists in the Army, himself acted in the capacity of instructor and gave the executive jump instructions.

asked the Secretary of State for War if exclusively military equipment was used by the eight men who descended by parachute over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962.

No. The parachute equipment was privately owned by the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment. All the parachutes had been in frequent recent use, and were checked and repacked immediately before the descent. Some of the equipment had been purchased privately from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the eight men involved in the exercise over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962, descended through cloud; and what was the cloud base over the dropping area.

The parachutists entered a layer of light cloud at 6,000 feet, and emerged from it slightly above 2,000 feet. They were instructed to open their parachutes at 2,000 feet, and at this height they were all clear of cloud.

asked the Secretary of State for War how close to the target the men involved in the descent by parachute over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962, landed.

Seven men landed on the dropping zone. The eighth man jumped late and landed safely two or three miles away.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements had been made to warn airfields and aircraft in the vicinity that the parachute descent over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962, was to take place.

All necessary warning action was taken before the aircraft's flight. The descent took place on a recognised dropping zone, which is marked as a permanent danger zone to all aircraft. The aircraft from which the men jumped was under radar control at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, was consulted before the parachute descent was made over Salisbury Plain on 30th January, 1962, by eight men; and if their advice was followed.

As this was an attempt on a record, the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough was consulted and gave much valuable advice. However, decisions such as whether jumping should take place, at what height, and so on, were naturally for the Commanding Officer to take since he was able to take into account the conditions at the time of the descent.