asked the First Secretary of State if he will invite representatives of non-European African opinion to the forthcoming conference on the future of Southern Rhodesia.

The discussions held during this week have been between the two Governments concerned. If the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the Conference in Africa to which I referred in my statement of 21st May, then the constitution of the delegation representing the Southern Rhodesia Government must be a matter for decision by that Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of licensed betting shops at present registered in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been deported from this country up to the latest available date since the provisions of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act came into force.

Up to 21st May I had signed 237 deportation orders under Section 9 of the Commonwealth Immi-

The latest figure available is that for 1st June, 1962, when there were 13,340 betting office licences in force in England, Wales and Scotland. The next figures to be collected will be those for 1st June this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the figure of true crime compares with that of detected crime for the years 1961 and 1962, respectively.

The numbers of indictable offences known to the police in 1961 and 1962 were 806,900 and 896,424 respectively—an increase of 11·1 per cent.; I am circulating more detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The numbers of indictable offences cleared up were 361,467 in 1961 and 393,647 in 1962, or 45 per cent, and 44 per cent. respectively of the numbers of indictable offences known to the police in those years.Following is the table:grants Act, 82 relating to Commonwealth citizens and 155 relating to citizens of the Republic of Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the provision of a senior detention centre for the use of those courts in the East Midlands which at present have no such centre available.

I have decided that North Sea Camp, near Boston, Lincolnshire, at present an open borstal, should be brought into use as a senior detention centre towards the end of this year. A limited amount of secure accommodation will be provided for this purpose, but, as an experiment, most of the boys will be accommodated in open conditions.

asked the Minister of Power what consideration is being given to the construction of an experimental heated-water fish-farm in association with future power stations.

The Central Electricity Generating Board is carrying out small scale experiments to assess the effects of heated water on fish, and is aware of the relation between those experiments and the question of heated-water fish-farms.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement of his policy in regard to the authorising of new sites for opencast coalmining under Section 1 of the Opencast Coal Act 1958.

My right hon. Friend is willing to consider applications for new sites which may be needed to balance the supply and demand of particular kinds of coal or for other special reasons.

asked the Minister of Power what application he has received from the National Coal Board to authorise the commencement of opencast coalmining in the neighbourhood of Shuttington, Warwickshire; and if he will take into consideration the numerous representations that have previously been made in connection with the nearby workings in Polesworth.

None. An application would have to be advertised in accordance with the Opencast Coal Act, 1958. My right hon. Friend would then consider any representations which were made to him.

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the serious overcrowding at the present Brecon Girls' Grammar School, causing outside accommodation to be hired, why no allocation for major building work has been given to the Breconshire Education Committee for 1964–65; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the shortage of accommodation at the Brecon Girls' Grammar School and he regrets that a building project to deal with it could not be included in the 1964–65 major school building programme for Wales. The programme is intended, in Wales as in England, primarily to meet urgent needs for new school places and to complete the reorganisation of all-age schools. The programme for Wales as a whole is somewhat larger than in recent years.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will set up a committee to inquire into the possibilities of recruiting part-time professors extraordinary for industry to lecture and give tuition in the colleges of advanced technology.

Arrangements of this kind, which my right hon. Friend agrees are wholly desirable, were recommended by the Special Committee on the Supply and Training of Technical Teachers which reported in 1956, and the matter has been reviewed since then by a special committee of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers and by a committee set up by the Federation of British Industries. Some colleges already have successful schemes in operation and what is needed now is not another committee, but continuing effort by individual colleges to make contact with suitable firms to extend these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the dissatisfaction expressed by many education authorities regarding the suitability of the eleven-plus examinations, and the fact that ma ay retain them while others adopt a different method of measuring the educational capacities of children; and if he will consider the introduction of legislation to create a system which would be acceptable to and used by all authorities.

Local education authorities are best left to dicide for themselves how they should organise their secondary school selection arrangements, as part of their general responsibility for school organisation within their areas. It would not be appropriate to standardise methods of selection by legislation.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects work to start on the rebuilding of Heathrow Primary School, Harmondsworth, Middlesex; and when he expects the work to be completed.

The local education authority cannot yet give precise dates. The need to produce a soundproof building raises unusual problems but I understand that the plans for the new buildings are now well advanced.

asked the Minister of Education how many additional school places have been provided in Lancashire since April, 1955; how many are under construction or authorised; and how the current cost per place compare with costs in 1955, after allowing for the changed value of money.

On 31st March, 1963, 38,600 primary and 47,000 secondary school places bad been completed in the Administrative County of Lancashire since 1st April, 1955, and 15,400 primary and 30,400 secondary places were under construction or included in building programmes. The Ministry's current limits of net cost per place are £175 for primary schools and £310 for secondary schools, while in 1955 the corresponding limits after allowing for changes in building costs since were £132 and £311 respectively.

asked the Minister of Education how many additional school places have been provided since April 1955 by the Lancashire County Council in the Borough of Heywood and the urban districts of Royton, Crompton, Milnrow, Littleborough, Wandle and Whitworth.

Up to 31st March, 1963, 1,200 places in primary schools and 480 in secondary schools.

asked the Minister of Education if he will publish an analysis of the 11-plus examination results in Kent, showing the percentage of places gained in grammar and technical schools, respectively, by children transferred from infant to junior sections of primary schools within the following age groups, namely, seven to seven years three months, seven years three months to seven years six months, seven years six months to seven years nine months and seven years nine months to eight years.

This information is not readily available and could be produced only at a heavy expense of time and manpower. I would not feel justified in asking the Kent authority to undertake this.

asked the Minister of Education if he has now considered the representations of local authorities who wish to increase next year's school building programme; and to what extent he has approved additions to the programme.

I am at present reconsidering a number of outstanding projects submitted for the 1964–65 programme, together with others which have been submitted since. I expect to approve additional projects from time to time, but the extent to which this will be possible depends, as I explained to the hon. Member on 2nd May, upon the Government's review of capital investment and the capacity of the building industry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what progress has been made in providing a permanent site for gypsies and other travellers at present encamped on land between Rownhams and North Baddesley, near Southampton.

I understand that the Hampshire County Council has chosen a site and is negotiating for its acquisition.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will instruct the Chief Alkali Inspector to make immediate inquiries into air pollution in Hull arising from the same source as the air pollution referred to in a number of questions and letters to him by the hon. Member for Kingston-uponHull, North, from 1960 to 1962 and which was particularly bad in the Spring Bank West area on 27th May last; and if he will make a statement.

The Chief Alkali Inspector has been giving close personal attention to ways of controlling emissions from the works my hon. Friend has in mind. The electrical precipitator installed experimentally last year has not given satisfactory results. The Chief Inspector told the company last month that other solutions must now be sought. He is making enquiries about conditions on 27th May and I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) when construction of the new advance factory on the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate will begin;(2) when negotiations for the purchase of an additional 140,000 sq. ft. of land for the extension of the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate announced in July, 1961, were completed.

The Board of Trade completed negotiations for the purchase of 18 acres of land to extend the Port Glasgow Industrial Estate and took entry in February, 1963. Civil engineering work to level the site and to provide roads will start shortly. When this work is sufficiently forward the construction of the advance factory will begin: I hope this will be in October.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the closing down of Brit Engineering Limited, Bridport, Dorset, and the consequent unemployment, he will refuse no further certificates for firms wishing to establish industries in Bridport.

I regret that I cannot give such an undertaking, as all applications must be considered on their merits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the balance of trade with the principal exporters of food to the United Kingdom; with which of these exporters individually the balance is favourable; and by how much.

Details of our main imports of food, together with principal countries of consignment, and the balance of trade with individual countries are obtainable from the Trade and Navigation Accounts. The Research Division of the House of Commons Library is always willing to help hon. Members with information of this sort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the impending dismissal of 800 workers from the Ford factory in Doncaster; and whether he will now make Thorne a development district, in view of the high rate of unemployment there.

I am aware that several hundred workers are likely to be discharged by Fords in Doncaster at the end of June or the beginning of July. It is too early to say what effect this will have on long-term employment prospects in Doncaster and the surrounding areas including Thorne, but I am watching the position there.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street can expect a reply to his letter to him of 7th May inquiring whether the Central Electricity Generating Board would benefit from the new standard grants announced in the Budget if it were to build a new power station in the County of Durham.

As soon as the remaining stages of the Local Employment Bill have been considered by the House. An Amendment to the Bill tabled by the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) and other hon. Members raises the same point, and I do not wish to anticipate any statement 1 may make to the House when that Amendment is considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms have so far decided to come to the Donibristle Industrial Estate; what is the number of jobs expected to be provided; and what are the prospects of additional firms coming to the estate.

Three firms have decided to go to the Donibristle Industrial Estate. Well over 400 jobs, mainly for men, should be provided as a result of these projects. A number of other firms have been shown the estate and several have expressed considerable interest.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the progress made on the building of an advance factory at Chester-le-Street, the type of tenant expected to occupy the factory, and the date set for production to start.

Some difficulty is being experienced in acquiring a site for this factory and this is delaying the start of construction. No prospective tenant has yet been found but the factory will be suitable for a wide range of industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there has been a further rise in rates, rents and the price of butter, sugar and bread, and that the cost-of-living index figure has risen to its highest peak; and what new action Her Majesty's Government will take to reduce prices and the cost of living.

Yes. But I am also aware that there has recently been a fall in the price of eggs, of some fresh vegetables and of coal, and that the price of milk will be reduced by ½d. a pint next Sunday. In April the Retail Prices Index was 2·1 per cent. higher than in April, 1962. Most of this increase was due, directly or indirectly, to personal incomes outstripping national production. As the Government have emphasised repeatedly, the most effective way of stabilising prices is to keep the rise in personal incomes within the long-term increase in national production.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the percentage rise or fall since October, 1951, until the latest stated date, of the purchasing value of the £ sterling and its relative cash worth today, the index of retail prices, unemployment, personal income taxation, expenditure on local authority housing, expenditure on private house building, National Insurance contributions, income from rents, rates, radio and television licences, including postage and telephone charges, purchase tax, Bank Rate and Public Works Loan Board rate, imports, exports, terms of trade, and national production; and on what dates the cost of living reached its highest level and the £ sterling reached its lowest purchasing value.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22nd January last to a similar Question. Such changes as have occurred in the intervening period can be readily ascertained by reference to the White Paper "Preliminary Estimates of National Income and Balance of Payments, 1962" (Cmnd. 1984), and to the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" and "Financial Statistics", all of which are available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the accident to Mr. Robert Thompson and the subsequent coroner's observations, in Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the inadequacy of safety regulations in shipyards; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

My right hon. Friend has noted the observations of the coroner and has examined a detailed report of the accident to which the hon. Lady refers. He is advised that there was no breach of the Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Regulations in this case. He is always ready to consider representations for amendment of Factory Law. The Code of Regulations in question was recently extensively revised in consultation with both sides of industry and came into force in its present form in 1961.

asked the Minister of Labour how many work permits for male foreigners to work in the hotel trade have been issued since May last year; and if he is satisfied that no British citizens were available for this work.

Between 1st May, 1962, and 30th April, 1963, 5,306 such permits were issued for employment in the hotel and catering trades. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that no suitable British labour was available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many school leavers in Rhondda have been unable to find employment up to the last available date.

Seventy-eight on 13th May, including 56 who left school at Easter.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons there were in Rhondda at the last available date; and what was the percentage relationship to the insured population.

Two thousand five hundred, or 8·8 per cent. on 13th May, 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General why there are long delays in the rendering of telephone accounts in the Hampton Wick area of Twickenham.

I am making inquiry regarding the individual case which I understand my hon. Friend has particularly in mind, and I will write to him as soon as I can.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the names of the persons and organisations from whom he has received representations on the Television Bill since it concluded its Committee stage; and what was the nature of their requests and his replies, particularly on Clause 7 and the demand for a second independent television channel.

Since the Committee stage of the Bill I have continued receiving many representations on various matters connected with the Television Bill, including the two mentioned by the hon. Member. In general, the views expressed are reflected in the notices of Amendments to the Bill now on the Order Paper. As the House will soon be debating these matters on Report I have meanwhile merely noted the representations received.

asked the Postmaster-General what provision he is making to ensure that pay-television franchise holders are not dominated by commercial television contractors and the major cinema groups.

As stated in the General Requirements, copies of which were placed in the Library on 4th March, the pay-television operator must be a company set up to operate pay-television as its main interest, and effective control of a pay-television company must not be hold by any of the I.T.A.'s programme contractors. However, I also think it is important that the pay-television experiment should be allowed to draw support from as wide a field as possible, including the film industry.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in order that a true test of public demand should be undertaken before pay-television is allowed to be permanently established, he will take steps to ensure that companies granted a licence do not give their selected audiences pay-television sets.

No special receivers are needed for pay-television; meters or coin boxes are fitted as separate units, for which some applicants envisage making a small charge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the difficulty for local authorities in preparing their cases before the Transport Users Consultative Committees, he will take steps to increase the period for notification from six weeks to three months, excluding the months of August and September.

No, Section 56(7) of the Transport Act, 1962, lays down the period during which objections can be lodged. In effect, it provides for not less than seven weeks' notice.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give a general direction to the Railways Board that, before any proposals for closures are published, due notification should be given to all local authorities, including parish councils, to ensure that local opinion is given an adequate opportunity to express its opinions before the Transport Users Consultative Committees.

No. Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, requires the Board to publish a notice, not less than six weeks before carrying its proposal into effect, in two successive weeks in two local newspapers circulating in the area affected and in such other manner as appears to them appropriate. In fact, the Board will also be sending copies of the notices to local authorities, including parish councils, in the area and to the hon. Members whose constituents are affected. Copies will also be put on stations affected.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made by his divisional road engineers in considering the consequences of the proposals in the Beeching Report; and if he will give an assurance that all closed lines will be considered for conversion into roads, whether as part of a national system or otherwise.

My divisional road engineers have made a first general assessment of the effect that the implementation of the proposals in the Beeching Plan would have on roads in their divisions. In addition, each proposal will be examined individually and this will include consideration of the possibility of converting lines into roads. The scope, however, for such action is limited.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the Russian shipbuilding orders placed with France, West Germany, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Denmark and Yugoslavia during the past two years, he is satisfied that sufficient effort is being made by his Department in its support of British industry to secure a share of future Russian orders for British shipyards; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, but the securing of any orders is a commercial matter for the yards concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport if, with a view to easing traffic congestion, he will make Cromwell Road and the parallel Road, Kensington High Street, one-way streets.

This would be advantageous to some through traffic but would be difficult for local traffic and bus passengers and for other through traffic. It would also appreciably increase the traffic in Kensington High Street which, as a major shopping centre, is less suitable than Cromwell Road as a major through traffic route. I am trying instead to improve the Cromwell Road route as a 2-way route.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance on how many occasions during the last 12 months a second medical appeal tribunal, appointed under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts, has disallowed a disablement pension after two medical boards have awarded a pension.

I am not clear what the hon. and gallant Member has in mind but, in general, information of this kind is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance on how many occasions during the last 12 months a second medical appeal tribunal, appointed under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts, has been composed of the same three members, the same chairman and one doctor, and one member of the first tribunal, respectively.

I am afraid information of this kind is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what will be the total weekly increase paid by all insured classes in Scotland consequent on the increased contributions commencing on 3rd June, 1963.

Rather over £300,000, including employers' contributions.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why ships are being sent to Malta to be repaired when there is a shortage of work at Portsmouth Dockyard.

There is no shortage of work for Portsmouth Dockyard at the present time so the question does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the continued high unemployment in many areas of Scotland, he will take immediate steps to increase the investment in school building, especially in areas such as Fife.

I have already authorised much additional public investment in Scotland with a view to stimulating the growth of the economy. School building, which is currently running at a record level, is only one of a number of large public works programmes in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the facts that school building in Fife is being curtailed in the current financial year, that a large part of the county is scheduled as a development district, and that there is unemployment in the construction industry, if he will undertake an immediate review of the investment in school building in Scotland.

I am already keeping under consideration all aspects of investment in school building in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the total volume of cod liver oil, orange juice and vitamin tablets, respectively, supplied as welfare foods during each of the last three years.

The quantities of these foods distributed by local authorities in Scotland in the years ended 31st March, 1961, 31st March, 1962 and 31st March, 1963, were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement on the eligibility for grant of slatted floors for cattle.

My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and I have now decided that, subject to certain constructional standards and to the normal tests of eligibility, wholly slatted floors in buildings required to house store and beef cattle may be approved for hill farming and livestock rearing land improvement and farm improvement grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total contribution made by the insured population to the National Health Service in each year since 1948 by way of the weekly insurance contribution; and, taking this sum, plus the service charges, what proportion of the total cost of the Service this represents.

The information is contained in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average number of patients per doctor in the National Health Service; and how many areas are still classified as being under-doctored.

One thousand, nine hundred and eighty-four patients; seven areas (Burntisland, Cupar, Castle Douglas, Beauly, Airdrie, Kirkwall and Polmont).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total amount paid by patients for dentures and dental treatment, respectively, in each of the last 10 years.

The sums payable by patients for dentures and dental treatment in each of the last 10 years were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been collected in prescription charges from patients in the National Health Service in each of the last 10 years.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much the running expenditure of hospitals in the National Health Service has increased in the last 10 years; and how much of the increase was due to increases in prices and pay of staff.

The total increase in the running expenditure of hospitals in Scotland from 1952–53 to 1962–63 was £29·2 million; of this total £21·4 million was attributable to increases in prices and pay of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total National Health Service charges collected since they were introduced, showing each item separately but excluding local health authority charges, for each year since 1948–49.

For the years since 1952–53 I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him yesterday; for earlier years the following is the information requested:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the gross cost per prescription in Glasgow, in Edinburgh, and in Scotland as a whole, in April of each year since 1952.

The following table gives the information required:

asked the Minister of Defence what change in the command of the British V-bomber force was agreed by Her Majesty's Government at the Ottawa meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministerial Council.

The V-bomber force has been assigned to SACEUR and would come under his command for operations in support of N.A.T.O. For national purposes the V-bombers remain under British national command either at home or in any theatre to which they are allotted.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what commitment was made by Her Majesty's Government at the Ottawa meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministerial Council regarding the United States proposal for a multilateral North Atlantic Treaty Organisation deterrent force.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 29th May to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Zilliacus.)

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will table a list of members of the United Nations which are in arrears with their apportioned share of the expenses of the regular budget of the organisation of the United Nations Emergency Force, and of the 0.N.U.C., respectively, specifying each member the amount of whose arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the immediately preceding two full years.

The following is the list, as at 30th April, 1963:

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of the recent refusal of the Italian authorities to permit a deputy of the Tyrolean Diet to travel from East to North Tyrol by way of the Puster Valley, what steps he has taken to draw the violation of Article 10(1) of the Italian Peace Treaty to the attention of the parties concerned.

No incident of this nature has been brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government by either of the parties concerned. In any case disputes concerning the interpretation or execution of this kind of provision in the Italian Peace Treaty are in the first place a matter for direct negotiation between the parties.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government, as a member of the Council of Europe, will make a financial contribution towards the work being done by the College of Europe at Bruges in furthering understanding among the peoples of Europe.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government believe that the College of Europe at Bruges has an important part to play in promoting co-operation among European countries in the field of higher education. Subject to Parliamentary approval, it is accordingly proposed to make to the College an annual grant of £2,500 starting in the current financial year, and Parliament will be asked in due course to vote the amount by means of a Supplementary Estimate.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will seek, in association with France and West Germany, an early meeting with Mr. Khrushchev in order to discuss urgent European problems.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the decision to purchase for the Meteorological Office a computer costing about £400,000, what progress has been made in the application of advanced computing methods to the forecasting of weather.

For a number of years the Meteorological Office has been studying ways of forecasting the weather by purely mathematical methods. Experiments using a high speed computer have now reached the stage where computed forecasts of the field of atmospheric pressure for up to 24 hours ahead are as good as, and in many instances better than, those produced by experienced forecasters. The more powerful computer now to be purchased will make it possible to develop these methods and use them in routine short range forecasting. This should lead to improvements in the forecasts published by the Meteorological Office, though it will be a gradual process.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish up-to-date figures comparable to those provided in Table V of the Report by the National Resources Technical Committee, entitled, Scale of Enterprise in Farming.

The figures in this Table of the Report were derived from the two-year identical samples of the Farm Management Survey. The figures from the Farm Management Survey for the 1960–61 and 1961–62 identical sample are as follows:

asked the Attorney-General whether inquiries by the police into the bribing of football players by a syndicate have been concluded; if a report is now in the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

Police inquiries are still in progress.

asked the Attorney-General why he consented to the prosecution of three Bristol citizens under the Official Secrets Act, whose cases were dealt with on Friday 24th May, following their detention in custody for seven days on appearing before the Norfolk Magistrates' Court on lesser charges; and if he will give an undertaking that under such circumstances such charges will not be made against people remanded on lesser charges.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to three of the case; dealt with by Downham Market Magistrates' Court on. Saturday 25th May in respect of offences committed on Saturday, 18th May. I consented to pro. secution under the Official Secrets Acts in these cases because' there was submitted to me evidence of offences under those Acts and I considered it to be in the public interest that such proceedings should be brought. The only undertaking am prepared to give about cases submitted for my consideration under the Official Secrets Acts is that I will consider each one on its merits.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the number of round trips per day and the expected load factor on which he based his decision to allow a grant to British European Airways to operate a service to the Scilly Islands with S61 helicopters; if he will compare the expected number of passengers with the present actual numbers travelling to the Scilly Islands; and if he will give the expected annual loss on the helicopter service, assuming that fare levels remain as at present, with the 3s. coach fare for the journey between Penzance Railway Station and St. Just Airport added to the helicopter fare.

My right hon. Friend has agreed to make a grant to B.E.A. because he believes that this project will be of great value in developing the commercial use of V.T.O.L. aircraft.The detailed estimates of the results from the operations are matters for B.E.A. but I have no reason to doubt its conclusion that the loss—after taking into account the revenue it expects to earn from charter and experimental work—should not be very different from the loss which would be incurred if the aging Rapide aircraft were replaced by another fixed-wing type.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what information he has obtained from the Commonwealth Economic Council on the balance of trade and the balance of payments between the Commonwealth and the United States of America and between the Commonwealth and the European Economic Community; and whether he will publish this information for 1960, 1961, and 1962, respectively.

The balance of trade figures requested by my hon. Friend can be found in tables 3 to 6 of the Commonwealth Economic Committee's publication "Commonwealth Trade 1961–1962" of which I am sending him a copy. I understand that the figures for 1962 will be included in the next issue, which will be published in a few months' time.Many Commonwealth countries, including Britain, do not keep separate balance of payments figures for their transactions with the United States of America and the European Economic Community because in conditions of convertability it is a country's balance of payments with the rest of the world, rather than with individual countries which matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he will now make a statement about constitutional progress in Swaziland;(2) what alterations he intends to make in the system of administration in the High Commission Territories.

New arrangements in respect of Swaziland are contained in a White Paper laid today and now available in the Vote Office. These include provision that the Resident Commissioner will be made directly responsible to the Colonial Secretary for the government of the territory. To mark this change he will be described as Her Majesty's Commissioner for Swaziland, and will be appointed like Colonial Governors, by the Sovereign.This decision is in keeping with a recommendation by the Swaziland Constitutional Committee.Similar suggestions have been made from time to time by representative bodies in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and it is proposed to create a like post of Her Majesty's Commissioner for that territory.The necessary instruments to effect these changes are in the course of preparation.A Commission is at present reviewing the constitution of Basutoland.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what proportion of the total cost of the National Health Service has been paid for by means of contributions and charges together in each of the last 10 years;(2) what was the percentage of gross National Health Service expenditure borne by the Exchequer in each year from 1950–51 to 1962–63; and what is the estimated percentage for the current year.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 6th May to my noble Friend the Member for Hertford (Lord Balniel). The estimated Exchequer figure for the current year is 67.

asked the Minister of Health what was the gross cost per prescription in the National Health Service in April of each year since 1952.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health when he hopes to be able to publish the comprehensive and detailed report on the outbreaks of smallpox in Great Britain during 1962.

Shortly.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take following the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Mental Health Advisory Committee on the training of staff of training centres for the mentally subnormal; and if he will make a statement.

I propose by administrative action to establish a central council, on the lines recommended in this Report, to promote the provision of training for the staff of training centres for the mentally subnormal, and to approve courses of training. While I hope to see experiment with two-year and other types of course, I anticipate that one-year courses of training will for the present continue to be normal. The principal current need is more facilities for such courses and for training during service. I do not consider that the time has come when specific qualification should be made a condition for entering this service or continuing in it. I am sure that the recommendations of the Report generally will be of value to the new council in its work.

asked the hon. Member for Holland with Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, why fish was not available in the Members' cafeteria and strangers' cafeteria on 27th May, when it was available in other more expensive refreshment rooms in the House.

Fish was available in the Members' and strangers' cafeterias on 27th May until approximately 8.45 p.m. At about that time the depletion of staff, as a chef was involved in a road accident, and a sudden influx of business together made it necessary to stop frying fish while the staff dealt with Members and strangers who desired attendance.I much regret the inconvenience caused to hon. Members, but would point out that its causes were quite beyond the Department's control.