asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will introduce immediate legislation to empower the National Assistance Board to institute a rate supplement scheme on a code basis for those not paying the standard rate of Income Tax, such supplements, as a reduction in their personal liability, to be paid direct to the local authority by the Board.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, if he will relieve elderly ratepayers on low fixed incomes, other than those already entitled to National Assistance, by introducing legislation to enable them to obtain reimbursement or partial reimbursement of that portion of their rates, payable in the year 1963–64, and subsequent years, which is equivalent to the amount by which the rates payable in each year exceeds the rates payable in respect of the year 1962–63.

:As my hon. Friend said in reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemp Town (Mr. David James) on 27th May, I am sure that before contemplating relief for any group of ratepayers we must wait for the Allen Committee to provide a comprehensive assessment of the facts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the average price per acre paid by local authorities for land for building during the last convenient year; and how this average price compares with 1952 and 1957, respectively.

This information is not available as local authorities are not required to tell me what they pay for land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why Command Paper No. 2050 makes no reference to the continuing decline in the number of dwellings rented from private landlords since the passing of the Rent Act, 1957; and whether, in the light of the decline, he will propose to repeal this Act

:Before the Rent Act, landlords almost invariably sold whenever they obtained vacant possession. Today the majority re-let. If the Act were repealed, they would cease to do so and less rented accommodation would be available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how much money has now been lent to Co-operative Housing Associations of the £25 million set aside for this purpose by Section 7 of the Housing Act, 1961.

None as yet. I hope, however, that the first few co-ownership schemes will come forward for my approval this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to announce his decision on the application by Sunderland to acquire land outside the borough boundaries for housing development.

This proposal is complex and controversial. I will give a decision as soon as I can, but I cannot indicate when this will be.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the facts that there are 5,000 miles of private streets and roads which are not made up, that many of them are used as public highways, and that considerable financial hardship is caused to frontagers when such roads are made up under the present system, if he will bring forward new proposals to speed up the adoption of these streets and roads and to alleviate the burden on the citizens involved.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that any fundamental change in the law is required. There is provision already for mitigating the comparatively few cases of hardship which occur, and local authorities in general are making reasonable progress with the work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the confirmation of Clearance Area, Baker Street No. 3, Liverpool, which was submitted to him on 5th October, 1952, and on which a public inquiry was held on 8th January, 1963, will be received by Liverpool Corporation.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce the decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he has decided not to hold a public inquiry into the proposal to allow Messrs. Butlin to build a holiday camp at Lodmoor, Weymouth.

:Following further representations my right hon. Friend has decided to call-in Messrs. Butlins' application for his own determination. The Dorset County Council have been informed and a public local inquiry will be held on a date to be fixed later.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many local authorities have now submitted central development schemes for town centres to him; and how many of these he has approved.

:128 towns have submitted town centre redevelopment schemes for approval under the Town and Country Planning Acts. 76 of these have been approved. There are many more schemes in preparation but not yet submitted for my approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the impending transfer of building control in England and Wales from his responsibility to that of the Minister of Public Building and Works, if he is satisfied that there will be no duplication of the highly technical consultations which are necessary in connection with the draft Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

:My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works and I have agreed on arrangements which will avoid any danger of duplication.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to receive the report of the South-East England Study Group.

My right hon. Friend hopes that the results of the South-East Study will be published in the autumn.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet completed his inquiries into the continued existence of privately-owned toll bridges, the proceeds of which are exempt from tax; and if he will make a statement.

The technical inquiries have now been completed, but certain questions of policy still remain to be decided.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many, and what are the names of, companies or industries, nationalised and otherwise, in which Her Majesty's Government has a financial interest; how much public money has been invested in them since 1951; how much interest they have paid to the Treasury since 1951; and whether he will take steps to form all of them into parastatal organisations responsible to Parliament.

amble to Table

The Government's financial interest in major nationalised un-dertakings is well known, and is clear from the published accounts of these un-dertakings, which are readily available. No reference is therefore made to the following:

National Coal Board

Electricity Council

South of Scotland Electricity Board

North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board

Gas Council

British Transport Commission (and successor bodies)

British Overseas Airways Corporation

British European Airways Corporation

Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency

Table

1. PUBLIC COMPANIES IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HOLDS SHARES OR DE-BENTURES
Company								Investment of public funds since April, 1951	Dividends paid to the Government since April, 1951
								£	£
Suez Finance Company			…	…	…	…	…	None	17,805,503
British Sugar Corporation			…	…	…	…	…	None	472,500
British Petroleum Co.		…	…	…	…	…	…	None	112,866,074
Cable and Wireless		…	…	…	…	…	…	None	8,461,800
S.B. (Realisations) Ltd.			…	…	…	…	…	None	277,580
Power Jets Ltd	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	None	262,000
Cunard Steamship Co.		…	…	…	…	…	…	None	61
Park End Sawmills Ltd.			…	…	…	…	…	None	390
Cowal Ari-Sawmilling Ltd.			…	…	…	…	…	15,000	6,750
Itabira Iron Ore Co. Ltd. (in liquidation)					…	…	…	None	None
Welsh Highland Light Railway Co. (in liquidation)							…	None	None

2. COMPANIES IN RECEIPT OF INTEREST-BEARING LOANS FROM GOVERN-MENT DEPARTMENTS
Company								Loans made since April, 1951	Interest received since April, 1951
Aluminium Co. of Canada			…	…	…	…	…	$Can. 42,200,000	$Can. 44,139,519
Steetley Magnesite Co.			…	…	…	…	…	£550,000	£178,336
Orkney Island Shipping Co.			…	…	…	…	…	£36,500	£3 162
Colvilles Ltd,	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	£47,500,000	£529,865

In addition to the above loans, £92,024 has been lent since 1951 to various boards of Harbour Commissioners. Other Government loans have also been made under the following schemes:—

(i) Revolving Fund for Industry: since 1951 loans totalling £716,978 have been made to 74 firms. and £71,160 has been received in interest.

(ii) Distribution of Industry: loanstotalling £71,201,394 have been made since 1951 to 367 undertakings under the Dis-tribution of Industry Acts and the Local Employment Act and interest received during the same period has amounted to £4,409,098.

(iii) Fuel Saving Equipment Loans: since 1951 loans totalling £5,180,000 have been made to a variety of companies and other bodies, and interest amounting to £351,500 has been received.

(iv) Loans of £8,780,000 to the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board and of £6,070,000 to the Essex and Kent County Councils in respect of the partford-Purfleet tunnel: these loans are interest-free until the bridge and tunnel are in operation and charging tolls.

I am circulating a table in the Official Report containing the information requested. So far as the last part of my hon. Friend's Question is concerned, I see no general reason for disturbing the existing arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research was carried out prior to the imposition of Purchase Tax on soft drinks.

:All available information about the products in question, the structure of the trade and the pattern of consumer expenditure was studied before the 1962 Budget. In the month between the announcement of the tax and its coming into effect there was further study and consultation with the trade organisations directly concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now announce a decision on the granting of full university status and degree-granting powers to the Royal Technical College of Science and Technology in Glasgow.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for giving to the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow, independent degree-granting powers.

:I would refer the hon. Members to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Kelvingrove (Mr. Lilley) on 31st May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements exist for co-ordination of the work of the National Economic Development Council with that of similar planning organisations in other Commonwealth countries.

:There are no formal arrangements for this purpose, but the National Economic Development Office has been in touch with representatives of various Commonwealth countries on matters of mutual interest. These contacts will be maintained and extended as appropriate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has now been made in the grant of special credits for the use of idle capacity for exports to developing countries; and whether he now proposes to extend the facilities.

Under the Government's plan for linking aid to the developing countries with the use of surplus productive capacity offers of additional aid have been made to the value of some £15 million. Formal loan agreements have been signed for over £7 million of this total, and, in addition, an agreement to lend £2 million to Pakistan, for the purchase of sugar machinery, is being signed today. We shall continue to make every effort to match proposals for overseas aid with the use of spare capacity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total income from the National Health Service part of the National Insurance contribution in England and Wales, and Scotland, respectively, in each year from 1948–49 to 1952–53.

The total income from the National Health element in National Insurance contributions in England and Wales, and Scotland, respectively, in each year from 1948–49 to 1952–53 was as follows:

Financial Year	England and Wales	Scotland
	£m.	£m.
1948–49*	24·7	3·1
1949–50	35·5	4·4
1950–51	36·4	4·1
1951–52	36·9	4·2
1952–53	35·9	4·1
* From 5th July, 1948.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings have accrued to the Government in railway fare paid for Members of the House of Commons in the last available year as compared with the year before Members' car allowances were paid.

None. In 1961–62 rail travel cost £81,720. In 1962–63, following increases in rail fares, the cost rose to £86,714.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take the initiative in sponsoring a conference of representatives of Commonwealth and European Free Trade Association countries for the purpose of discussing methods of increasing trade between these two groups of nations.

In view of the different circumstances of the E.F.T.A. countries and the countries of the Commonwealth, I think that the commercial interests of the members of both groups can best be served if we all work in the G.A.T.T. and elsewhere towards the greatest possible reduction in barriers to trade on a multilateral basis.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will accept a given rate of migration from any one area of the country as an indication of unemployment in that area with a view to directing Government assistance towards it.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what imports of new potatoes have been licensed for the months of June and July; and how these imports will compare with those last year.

:Imports of new potatoes in June and July are admitted freely under open general licence and I cannot say in advance what quantities will be imported.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs have now been created in Scotland, and in England and Wales, respectively, as a direct result of the operation of the Local Employment Act, 1960; and how many jobs have been lost in Scotland in the three years since April, 1960.

It is estimated that projects for which assistance has been offered under the Act will give rise to 34,000 new jobs in Scotland and 56,600 new jobs in England and Wales. I cannot say how many of these jobs have already arisen. Between mid-1960 and mid-1962 decreases in extractive and manufacturing industries were more than offset by increases in other industries. The overall increase of jobs in Scotland was more than 31,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he intends to take to reduce the delays in dealing with applications for loans or grants to Board of Trade Advisory Committees under the terms of the Local Employment Act. 1960.

:This is one of the matters on which a recommendation has been made in the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee on the Administration of the Local Employment Act, 1960. The Board of Trade will be sending their observations to the Committee as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now allow the management corporations set up under the Local Employment Act, 1960, to exercise their initiative in attracting industry to their respective development districts.

This was one of the matters dealt with in the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee on the Administration of the Local Employment Act, 1960. The Board of Trade are considering the recommendations made and will be sending the Committee their Observations as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the Local Employment Act, 1960, has solved the problems of the development districts.

:This Question bears on part of the conclusion of the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee. The Board of Trade will send their comment to the Estimates Committee and I cannot anticipate that comment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he expects expenditure under the terms of the Local Employment Act, 1960, to fall to £10 or £15 million in the near future, as shown in evidence published with the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee.

:This is one of the matters dealt with in the Conclusions of the Seventh Report of the Estimates Committee on the Administration of the Local Employment Act, 1960. The Board of Trade will be sending their observations to the Committee as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to improve the balance of trade with Chile.

:The Government services for exporters are freely available to assist trade with Chile; but it is not our policy to try to balance our trade country by country. British exports to Chile should however be helped by the loan of £1½ million which we have recently offered Chile to be spent on the products of industries with surplus capacity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he will state the terms of reference, the evidence and the recommendations of his depart mental committee on resale price maintenance.

The terms of reference for this inquiry were "to inquire into the extent and effects of the practice of resale price maintenance; and to report to the President of the Board of Trade". In accordance with long-established practice, reports by officials to Ministers are confidential.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now announce the appointments to the three vacant places on the Consumer Council; and if he will ensure that people who are clearly associated with the consumers' point of view, and are not associated with the manufacturers' or suppliers' point of view, are appointed.

I am pleased to be able to tell the House that Mr. Aubrey Diamond and Mrs. Felicia Palmer have accepted my right hon. Friend's invitation to become members of the Consumer Council. So far as he is aware, neither has any association with manufacturing or distributing interests. My right hon. Friend hopes to announce the name of the final member very shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what decision he has made about the quota of British films to be shown by exhibitors during the year beginning 1st January, 1964.

Yes. After consulting the Cinematograph Films Council I have decided, in accordance with their advice, to leave the prescribed quota for first feature films at 30 per cent. in the exhibitors' quota year beginning 1st January, 1964. I have also decided, contrary to the Council's advice, to leave the quota for supporting programme at 25 per cent. in that year. No Order to amend the Cinematograph Films (Quotas) Amendment Order, 1950, is therefore required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further conversations he has had with the Danish Government, since the European Free Trade Association meeting in Lisbon, to consider means by which our trade position with Denmark can be improved; and if it is envisaged that imports of Danish agricultural produce, particularly bacon, will be increased or reduced.

The United Kingdom and Danish Governments are in constant consultation, in E.F.T.A. and bilaterally, about means of increasing trade generally, but I cannot predict the course of imports of particular products. We are exploring informally with Denmark the possibility of arrangements to bring greater stability to the United Kingdom bacon market.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what evidence has been submitted to him that the price of milk sold for producing sterilised cream has been forced down from 2s. 1d. in 1961 to 1s. 7d. per gallon as a result of imports of Danish sterilised cream at a price below the cost of production in the country of origin; and what action he proposes to take.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "None".

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will instruct the Governor of the Gambia to dissolve the Legislative Council and hold a general election, because of the irregularities in the last election.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on his proposal to legislate retrospectively with regard to election registers in the Gambia at a time when parliamentary democracy is being questioned throughout Africa.

I would refer the hon. Members to my reply of 28th May to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many security risk cases there are in Kenya in the following categories, namely, owners of farm property, owners of residential property, pensioners and annuitants without capital, and destitute people either in homes or receiving support in their own homes, respectively.

:In round figures it is estimated by the Governor of Kenya that the number of security risk and hardship cases, excluding those covered in the normal settlement programme, are, in the following categories:—

Owners of Farm Property	100
Pensioners and Annuitants without Capital	50
Destitute People	100

2. The Governor is still in correspondence with unofficial organisations in Kenya as to the number of owners of residential property who might be considered security risk or hardship cases. A preliminary estimate of cases in this category is 150.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about his discussions with the Maltese Government.

I have agreed with the Prime Minister of Malta that all parties in the Malta Legislature should be invited to send representatives to a conference which will be held in London during the second half of July to discuss a draft constitution for an independent Malta. I am placing in the Library copies of the statement I made in Malta at the end of my visit there during the Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the situation in British Guiana arising out of the general strike there.

The eight week general strike unfortunately continues. The situation was already grave when my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Undersecretary visited the territory at the end of last month. It has since grown worse. Fuels and imported foodstuffs are running short, although limited amounts of essential supplies are being brought in. There were a number of violent incidents last week. The economic damage to the country is, of course, considerable and cumulative. The struggle is now more political than industrial, and it has become clear that the two sides are evenly balanced.I should like to pay tribute to the British Guiana police force which, although hard pressed, has proved itself efficient, loyal and disciplined.My hon. Friend received many appeals for intervention by Her Majesty's Government. I must make it clear that there can be no lasting settlement unless the Guianese people themselves work out a widely acceptable settlement of the dispute. I urge them to do so soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the position in Swaziland.

On 20th May. 1,400 workers at the Havelock Asbestos Mine, the most important industry in the territory, went on strike for a minimum wage of £1 a day. The mine has just increased minimum wages from 3s. 9d. to 5s. 4d. a day in addition to rations. Under Swaziland law, once a labour dispute has been reported by either party to the dispute to the Labour Commissioner, strikes are illegal for a period of 21 days, during which conciliation and, if requested, arbitration can take place. On 24th May, the strike leaders were warned by the Government that they were in breach of the law. On 29th May, a board of inquiry was appointed to consider the cause and circumstances of the strike, the wage structure and the machinery for settlement which existed immediately before the strike. Despite this the strike continued and the Government, in face of a clear breach of the law, had no alternative but to arrest twelve of the strike leaders. This action was followed by attacks on the local police station and police property and a call by the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress for a general strike for a territory-wide minimum wage of £1 a day. The attacks were repulsed by means of tear smoke.On 10th June, the leaders of this new political party led a procession of 1,500 Swazis armed with sticks towards the Secretariat at Mbabane. They were halted without much difficulty or the use of force, but a general strike developed in Mbabane and later the entire labour force (1,700 workers) at the Big Bend Sugar Mill and Plantation also came out on strike. In view of the uncertainties of the situation and the strain under which the small police force have been working, it was decided to fly in a small contingent of police from the Bechuanaland Protectorate to help stabilise the situation until a battalion of troops could arrive from Kenya. The announcement that troops were arrived had a steadying effect.The situation is now calm. There has been no loss of life, or serious damage to property. Order has been restored throughout the Mbabane area and there has been some resumption of work there and at the Havelock Mine. At Ubombo the strike continues though half the workers have expressed the wish to return to work.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what progress he has made with the rebuilding of the Bernhard Baron Pavilion in Regent's Park.

It has become clear that the cost of this scheme as originally planned would be very considerably higher than had been expected, and this has caused delay. The plans are being modified, but owing to this set back it will not, unfortunately, be possible to start the work until next year.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will institute an appropriate form of study to determine how much money and time he could save in the daily cleaning of St. James's Park by ceasing to use mechanically propelled vehicles for it.

I have looked at the arrangements for cleaning St. James's Park and I am satisfied that the use of mechanically propelled vehicles is generally the most efficient method. I am reviewing the arrangements for the winter months, when there is less litter.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works at what periods during the weekend of 8th-9th June, 1963, the car park provided at Gloucester Slips, Regent's Park, was filled to capacity; and what alternative places for parking were recommended to motorists seeking entry to it.

At no time on either day was the car park filled to capacity.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications are still outstanding for telephones in the Sedge-field constituency; and what are the prospects for the future.

There are 197 applicants now being provided with service and 78 on a waiting list because of the shortage of cables in the districts concerned. Additional cables are constantly being laid, and more than half of those now waiting will be given telephones before the end of the year. I cannot give precise information about the remainder, but I hope most of them will have service during 1964 or during the early months of 1965.

asked the Postmaster-General the average time applicants have to wait for the provision of a telephone line on the Eltham, Kipling and Woolwich Exchanges, and the present number of outstanding applications on each exchange.

The average waiting time is four weeks. Two hundred and thirty-seven applications are under inquiry or being met; and I am glad to say that there is no waiting list.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the shortage of equipment is delaying the installation of new telephones in Anglesey; and if he will make a statement.

:Most new telephones in Anglesey are installed without delay, and I am only sorry that at four of the twenty-two exchanges shortage of equipment is causing difficulty. I hope, however, to complete extensions to three of these exchanges by September and of the fourth by February next.

asked the Postmaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the list of telephone exchanges in Scotland at present providing Sub scriber Trunk Dialling facilities; and which additional exchanges will be transferred to the Subscriber Trunk Dialling system in 1964, 1965, and 1966, respectively.

Yes. I am today publishing the information in the Official Report. I should add that the forward programme is somewhat less firm for the later years than for 1964.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the urgent need for subscriber trunk dialling facilities at London Airport; and when he expects to transfer the Skybolt exchange to the subscriber trunk dialling system.

STD was recently provided at Skyport exchange for subscribers' lines,

Telephone Area					Order list at 31st March, 1963	Waiting list at 31st March, 1963	Waiting list as a percentage of total number of subscribers
Aberdeen		…	…	…	977	86	0·1
Bedford	…	…	…	…	3,264	1,178	2·0
Belfast	…	…	…	…	2,417	391	0·5
Birmingham		…	…	…	7,601	4,086	2·6
Blackburn		…	…	…	2,111	775	1·1
Bournemouth		…	…	…	1,395	184	0·3
Bradford	…	…	…	…	1,600	157	0·2
Brighton	…	…	…	…	3,689	983	0·8
Bristol	…	…	…	…	2,687	444	0·4
Cambridge		…	…	…	2,878	1,218	1·9
Canterbury		…	…	…	3,058	1,247	1·6
Cardiff	…	…	…	…	3,046	833	1·0
Chester	…	…	…	…	1,565	595	1·0
Colchester		…	…	…	1,622	303	0·6
Coventry	…	…	…	…	4,300	1,827	2·6
Dundee	…	…	…	…	540	36	0·1
Edinburgh		…	…	…	932	76	0·1
Exeter	…	…	…	…	973	11	0·02
Glasgow	…	…	…	…	3,168	652	0·4
Gloucester		…	…	…	1,338	399	0·8
Guildford		…	…	…	3,980	2,091	3·1
Lancaster		…	…	…	1,282	320	0·7
Leeds	…	…	…	…	2,524	664	0·7
Leicester	…	…	…	…	1,678	452	0·6
Lincoln	…	…	…	…	2,351	1,037	1·9
Liverpool		…	…	…	3,745	685	0·4
London/Centre	…	…	…	…	5,169	Nil	Nil
London/City		…	…	…	3,169	Nil	Nil
London/East		…	…	…	2,832	338	0·2
London/North		…	…	…	4,663	331	0·2
London/North West			…	…	3,918	Nil	Nil
London/South East			…	…	3,182	18	0·001
London/South West			…	…	5,744	752	0·3
London/West		…	…	…	8,539	1,882	0·9
Manchester		…	…	…	9,299	3,405	1·5
Middlesbrough			…	…	1,508	350	0·6
Newcastle-on-Tyne			…	…	3,460	970	0·9
Norwich	…	…	…	…	963	206	0·5
Nottingham		…	…	…	2,121	231	0·2
Oxford		…	…	…	4,234	2,176	3·4

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what the size of the waiting list for telephones was in each telephone area in the United Kingdom at 31st March, 1963; and what proportion this bore in each case to the total number of subscribers in the area;(2) what was the size of the order list for telephones in each telephone area in the United Kingdom at 31st March, 1963.

The figures are as follows: the difference between the order and waiting lists represents applications under inquiry or being met.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in the light of the increase in the population and in the demand for postal facilities in the area of Mottingham Station, London, S.E.9, he will now reconsider his previous decision not to provide a sub-post office in the area.

We have looked into this matter again: but I am sorry that we should still not be justified in opening a Sub-Post Office in the area.

asked the Postmaster-General how many of the 2½d., 4d., and 1s. 6d. lifeboat stamps have been printed; how many have been sold in bulk to dealers; and why some post offices had less than one sheet at each value issued to them on the first day of issue.

The numbers of lifeboat stamps printed are:

2½d.	85,644,000
4d.	8,424,000
1s.6d.	10,872,000

It is not possible to say exactly how many of these have been sold in bulk to dealers: we do not keep records from which the information could be obtained. As issues to postmasters are based on the estimated local demand, it would be possible for some post offices to have less

asked the Postmaster-General how many different commemorative postage stamps of Great Britain were issued during the reign of George VI; how many have so far been issued in the present reign; how many were issued in each of the years 1952 to 1962, and in 1963 to date; and what number were printed of each issue.

Twenty-three commemorative postage stamps were issued during the reign of George VI and 34 have so far been issued during the present reign.The number issued each year since 1952 has been:

1952	Nil
1953	4
1954	Nil
1955	Nil
1956	Nil
1957	4
1958	3
1959	Nil
1960	4
1961	8
1962	3
1963 to date	8

asked the Postmaster-General what fresh action he proposes to take to make it possible for Cleethorpes and North Lincolnshire viewers to see British Broadcasting Cor-

I hope very soon to make a statement about the possibility of providing additional television stations operating in Band III in order to improve reception in certain parts of the country including Lincolnshire.