asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds he increased the Treasury grant to the British Film Institute from £100,000 in 1962–63 to £107,250 in 1963–64.

In order to allow for rises in costs and some expansion of the Institute's activities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he now has for the dispersal of Government Departments and their staffs outside London; where he proposes they should go; and what is the approximate number of civil servants likely to be involved.

As my hon. Friend knows, these questions have been under review by Sir Gilbert Flemming, who has just completed his Report. We have not yet had time to consider his recommendations, but I hope to be able to make a statement before the Summer Recess.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to provide employment in the North-East by expanding the development of the theatre and the arts there.

The development of the theatre and the arts is a matter for the Arts Council. The Council's interest in the North-East is illustrated by, for example, its active support of the North-Eastern Association for the Arts and its greatly increased subvention to the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra. The Council is at present discussing with the Association for the Arts and the Newcastle Corporation the future of the Flora Robson Theatre.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a detailed breakdown of the £235 million allowed for expenses to the 20 million payers of Schedule E; what were the comparable figures for the £183 million allowed for the previous year; what steps he is taking to prevent the abuse of these allowances; and if he will make a statement.

The £235 million of expenses to which my hon. Friend refers is a provisional estimate, based on information so far available of expenses deductions, allowed for 1961–62 to about 12 million Schedule E taxpayers. I am afraid that a breakdown of these figures cannot yet be given, but the figure for 1960–61 is not comparable. My hon. Friend will, however, be aware that these figures include deductions for the up-keep of tools, working clothing, etc., as well as to directors and senior employees. The Inland Revenue do all they can to prevent abuses, and so far as directors and senior employees are concerned, have recently put into use a new and expanded version of P.11.D.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of his Department regarding the sale of intercepted smuggled watches; and if he will state the amount realised by such sales in each of the past 10 years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, for each of the last ten years to the latest convenient date, the number of watches and clocks impounded by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers in each year; their approximate value; the amount of duty charged or recovered in respect of them; the amount received by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on sale of such watches and clocks; whether the sales took place by private tender, or public auction, or by any other way and how frequently such sales are effected.

Like other saleable forfeitures, watches seized by the Customs are sold for the benefit of the Exchequer by competitive tender. Sales, which take place about twice a year, are advertised in trade journals and by circular letters sent to all known prospective bidders. Recent receipts have averaged about £55,000 a year, exclusive of Purchase Tax, which is payable in addition. I am circulating the detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I cannot give any better figure for the value of these seizures than the prices actually realised.Following are the figures:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has as to the comparative assessment of council houses and owner-occupied houses of similar design and character sited in the same areas and enjoying no greater amenities and services.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether as a means of relieving the Treasury and taxpayer of monies expended on council house building, and as an attempt to assist newly-married couples to purchase their own houses at reasonable rates of interest, he will raise a new £100 million 6 per cent, housing loan and use this money for lending to persons desirous of borrowing for house purchase at rates of interest not exceeding 5½ per cent. per annum.

:No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what improvements are contemplated in the training of recruits to the administrative class of the Civil Service.

It has been decided that a new course of centrally organised training for assistant principals in the Home Civil Service will be introduced this autumn. This will take place at a centre to be called "The Centre for Administrative Studies" in London at No. 6, Cambridge Gate, Regents Park, and will be organised by the Treasury. Assistant principals will take the course in the year after completion of their probation. The curriculum will include economics and the general principals of public administration. The normal length of courses will be 14 weeks, extended to 21 weeks in the case of officers from Departments with economic responsibilities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the importance of developing management education, he will take steps to provide the extra funds which will enable the universities to encourage these studies.

Developments in management studies are already taking place in a large number of universities. In conjunction with the Foundation for Management Education the University Grants Committee has examined proposals for a further major development of these studies, and nine university institutions are to be given special financial help to enable them to expand their activities in this field. The cost of these developments, which is expected to rise to about £100,000 a year by 1966–67, will be shared between the Foundation and the Government, Provision for the Government's share was included in the additional recurrent grants to universities which I announced on the 9th May. The Foundation and the Government are also proposing to give help on similar lines to a college of advanced technology and another leading technical college in the development of management studies. The Government regard the development of management studies as of great importance and they welcome the cooperation of industry in these developments.

asked the First Secretary of State what was the total grant-in-aid made to Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, respectively, from 1945 to 1953; and what was the grant-in-aid made to each of these territories in each subsequent year.

Only Nyasaland has received grants-in-aid since 1945 and details are as follows:

asked the First Secretary of State if he will make a statement about his discussions with the Federal Government of Rhodesia and Nysaland on the procedure for breaking up the Federation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the House on 21st May, to which I have nothing to add at present.

asked the First Secretary of State what action he is proposing, by legislation, to ensure continuity of services at present provided by the Federal Government in Northern Rhodesia and Nysaland in the transitional period before the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasland.

I have no such action under consideration. As I informed the House in my statement on 21st May I am communicating with the Governments concerned about a conference to discuss the orderly dissolution of the Federation and the consequential problems involved.

asked the First Secretary of State what progress has been made in the removal of the colour bar in Northern Rhodesia.

The Government of Northern Rhodesia intends to repeal all legislation within this field of competence which is unfairly discriminatory. Since 1960 racial discrimination in cafes, restaurants and cinemas has been unlawful. There are Race Relations Committees in all the main centres of population to combat discrimination and to advise the Government on further measures. There has been considerable improvement in social attitudes in the last few years.

asked the First Secretary of State what facilities Her Majesty's Government are providing to the United Nations sub-committee investigating the situation in Southern Rhodesia; and what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to this committee.

The Sub-committee of the United Nations Committee of Twenty-four has completed its investigations and its Report was published on 9th May as a United Nations document, of which copies are available in the Library of the House. As far as Her Majesty's Government's statements to the Sub-committee are concerned, I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) on 25th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that present legislation concerning drinking by motorists is inadequate, in view of recent cases where acquittals have resulted in spite of the accused's admission of considerable consumption of alcohol; and if he will introduce amending legislation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport on 15th May to a Question by the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mr. Dempsey).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why raw eggs are supplied as extras to prisoners at Parkhurst Prison without the provision of the means of cooking them.

Where, as at Parkhurst and most other prisons, it is impracticable to arrange for prisoners to cook for themselves food purchased from the canteen, eggs are not normally placed on sale. Lately, however, it was represented that certain prisoners at Park-hurst, knowing that cooking facilities could not be provided, wished nevertheless to purchase eggs for consumption raw; and this facility was accordingly granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue instructions prohibiting the sale of farm produce to prisoners unless they have means to cook it.

At prisons where facilities cannot be provided for cooking food purchased in the canteen, articles of food which require cooking are not placed on sale. The arrangements for farm produce which it is possible to eat uncooked must depend on local circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the services of the Metropolitan Police are to be withdrawn from the training of child cyclists under the National Cycling Proficiency Scheme at the end of the present year.

The Commissioner of Police has found it necessary to limit the extent of police participation in the scheme because of the continuing short- age of manpower in the Metropolitan Police and the greatly increased number of requests for the police to assist local authorities in the training of children. The Metropolitan Police will continue to test children and to train instructors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are issued to the Metropolitan Police about the prevention of homosexual offences; and if constables are specially assigned to patrol places which it is believed homosexuals frequent.

No special instructions about the prevention of homosexual offences are issued to the Metropolitan Police, but the Commissioner of Police from time to time assigns officers to keep observation at places where there is reason to believe that such offences may be committed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Departmental Committee which he undertook to appoint to inquire into the working of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, has now been appointed; and if he will state its composition.

I am grateful to all those who have accepted my invitation to serve on this Committee. The membership will be as follows:

• Sir Sydney Littlewood (Chairman).
• Mrs. Joyce Butler, M.P.
• Lady Dyer.
• Admiral Sir Guy Grantham, G.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O.
• Mr. Thomas Green.
• Sir Charles Harington, K.B.E., F.R.S.
• Mrs. Katharine Horsfall.
• Sir Hugh Linstead, O.B.E., M.P.
• Mr. Lionel McColvin, C.B.E.
• Col. Sir James Miller, M.C., T.D., D.L.
• The Rev. Edward Rogers, M.A., B.D.
• Professor Francis Stammers, C.B.E.
• Mr. Alasdair Steele-Bodger, M.A., B.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.
• Lord Walston.

asked the Minister of Power what attention he paid, when considering the proposals put to him for electricity tariff increases in rural areas, to the hardship caused to small farmers.

Each area electricity board is responsible for fixing its own electricity tariffs after discussing them with the Consultative Council and the Electricity Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, in view of the assurances given to Her Majesty's Government that the Nigerian Government would not refuse an English barrister entry into Nigeria merely because he was going to represent Chief Enahoro, if he will make representations to the Federal Government of Nigeria to permit English counsel of Chief Enahoro's choice to enter Nigeria.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, if, in view of the assurances given to Her Majesty's Government that the Nigerian Government would not refuse an English barrister entry into Nigeria merely because be was going to represent Chief Enahoro, he will urge the Nigerian Government to allow Chief Enahoro to be represented by counsel of his own choice at his forthcoming trial in Lagos.

My right hon. Friend, following representations to his legal adviser from the solicitors and junior counsel who acted for Chief Enahoro in this country, has conveyed to the Nigerian Government the solicitors' request that the hon. and learned Member for Ipswich (Mr. D. Foot) should be allowed to represent Chief Enahoro at his forthcoming trial in Lagos. The Nigerian Government have now told our Acting High Commissioner that they are unable to depart from their statement of 17th May. Junior counsel, Mr. Potter, has now been admitted into Nigeria. The Registrar of the Federal Supreme Court has confirmed that the Chief Justice would be glad to consider Mr. Potter's application to appear in court.

asked the Minister of Education what consultations he has had with the Liverpool Education Authority or the Law Society about the proposed law school for the city.

None, but I understand that the education authority is in touch with the Law Society about a proposal to provide a course leading to Part I of the Society's qualifying examination at the Liverpool College of Commerce.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects the reorganisation of the remaining all-age schools in Liverpool to be completed.

The Liverpool authority's 1964–65 major school building programme, which was announced in February this year, includes all the new secondary schools required to complete the reorganisation of the authority's remaining all-gage schools. Nine new schools are needed, costing nearly £2 million. If all these projects are started in the programme year it should be possible to complete reorganisation within about two years thereafter.

asked the Minister of Education (1) if he is aware that the Nissen huts used as a training kitchen by institutional catering course students in Bristol were built during the last war, and should now be replaced by up-to-date kitchens as recommended by the Bristol authority in their programme for 1964–65; why this recommendation has not been approved; and if he will review the position:(2) if he is aware that members of the catering trade have been considering the withdrawal of their support for the official courses run for their employees at Claremont Avenue, Bristol, because of existing conditions there; and if he will take steps to remedy this position.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the difficulties which have arisen in connection with the catering courses at the Bristol Technical College. A new building for the Department of Domestic Science and Institutional Management has only recently been opened, but owing to the growth of demand it has been necessary to continue to make use of accommodation which is admittedly unsatisfactory. My right hon. Friend regrets that owing to the pressure of other urgent projects he was not able to include the education authority's proposal for further new building to meet

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what arrangements are made by his Department for the accommodation and welfare of young persons in Admiralty employment while attending courses in London.

The official joining instructions for courses offer the assistance of the Admiralty welfare officer in obtaining accommodation in approved lodgings. Lodgings known to the establishment from which the young person comes are also sometimes used.

asked the Minister of Education what proportion of Dorset candidates for the 11-plus examination are offered grammar school places or the equivalent; and how this compares with Hampshire and Devon.

I have collected the information from local education authorities. It is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give an assurance that it still remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to make basic alterations in the constitution of Kenya between internal self-government and independence; and whether he remains satisfied that the present constitution will be suitable in all respects for independence.

As I informed Kenya Ministers during my recent visit to Nairobi, the British Government do not contemplate making any basic alterations in the Kenya Constitution between the introduction of internal self-government and the achievement of full independence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of sugar in order to avoid a steep rise in price, or what alternative measure he proposes to take to avoid a steep rise in the price of sugar.

I have been asked to reply. There is no shortage of sugar in Britain, nor is there likely to be one this year or next. The rise in price reflects the high world price of sugar. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced yesterday, action under Section 14 of the Sugar Act, 1956, to help offset the rise in prices that has taken place is being urgently considered.