asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what further developments will be made in this country's technical assistance programmes arising from the meeting in Geneva this month of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations; and whether, arising from that meeting. Her Majesty's Government will offer a large British contribution to the United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and to the Special Fund for their work in 1964, and call on other countries to do the same.

I cannot anticipate developments until the recommendations of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations have been received and their implications for this country's technical assistance programmes studied. With regard to the second part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 21st May and to that given by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on 15th July.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what progress has been made in the research being carried out into cutaneous leishmaniasis in British Honduras.

Within three years and at a cost of about £40,000 to public funds research work has identified the cause and the probable means of transmission of this serious skin disease. Work has now been started on methods of prevention.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what responsibilities he has assigned to the Council for Technical Education with regard to the provision in Great Britain of technical and industrial training for students from the developing countries.

The Council acts as a source of advice and expert assistance in these fields. During the last year, the Council's advice was sought on three schemes of training in the United Kingdom. It has considered the shortage of suitable places in the United Kingdom for engineering trainees and it has been associated with the study, by Political and Economic Planning, of Education and Training Programmes for Developing Areas, with particular reference to East Africa, and to East Africans in Britain. The Council was represented at the Conference organised by the Federation of British Industries earlier this year on the Training of Overseas Nationals.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether the costs of his new Commonwealth awards for university teachers are to come out of the £6 million already authorised under Section 1(3) of the Commonwealth Teachers Act, 1960; and what the estimated expenditure is in the period to 31st March, 1965.

Costs up to 31st March, 1965, will come out of the £6 million. Twenty-five awards will be available, and if all these are taken up in October, 1964, the cost to 31st March, 1965, will be approximately £18,750.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is satisfied with the adequacy of measures taken by seaside resorts in the purification of sewage before discharge into tidal waters; and if he will make a statement.

The extent to which sewage needs to be purified before discharge into the sea depends on circumstances. In many cases it is satisfactory to discharge untreated, sewage, provided the outfall sewer is properly designed and of adequate length. While there is no doubt room for improvement in some places, I believe that local authorities generally realise the importance of watching the adequacy of their arrangements and of treating the sewage, fully or partially, where necessary.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will amend the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1950, which enables a building already used for a public purpose to be automatically granted permission for some changes of use, in view of the number of those which have been adapted as bingo halls and similar places of diversion, to the detriment and general inconvenience of local residents.

No. Each class consists of a number of uses of land or buildings which are similar from a planning point of view.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to publish the final reports and proposals of the Local Government Commission for England on the West Riding Special Review Area.

The Commission has informed me that it hopes to present its report for publication during the coming winter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many new permanent houses were completed in Manchester by the local authority and by private builders, respectively, in each year from 1946 to 1962; and if he will estimate the number likely to be completed in 1963.

The answer to the first part of the Question is given below. In reply to the second part, I understand from the council that it expects this year to complete 4,000 dwellings inside and outside the city.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what information he has received from the borough of Lambeth with respect to undesirable operations, on the scale alleged in respect of the late Mr. Rachman, in that borough.

The information I have received from the Lambeth Council is to the effect that there is no knowledge of operations on the scale alleged being carried on in the borough, but there is some suspicion that two individuals may be working some kind of housing racket. I have been assured that any evidence of anything illegal will be passed on to Scotland Yard.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the total amount paid by a tenant purchasing a house on a mortgage of £2,000, at current rates of interest, for 20 years, 30 years, and 40 years, respectively; and what the sums would be if there was a reduction of 1 per cent. in the interest rate in each case.

Assuming the rate of interest to be 6 per cent. (which is the current rate recommended by the Building Societies' Association) and that repayments are by equal half yearly instalments, total payments over 20, 30 and 40 years on a loan of £2,000 would be £3,461, £4,336 and £5,298, respectively. At interest rates 1 per cent. lower the corresponding payments over the same periods would be £3,187, £3,882 and £4,644.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what were the grounds for refusing permission to Mr. T. G. Luke to build a house on his land at Fakenham Road, Beetley, Norfolk; and if he will now reconsider his decision.

Mr. G. T. Luke's appeal was dismissed because his proposal would have meant an extension of ribbon development along a classified road in open country. Having decided the appeal, my right hon. Friend cannot now reopen the matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what protection he now proposes to give to lease holders who are threatened with eviction at the termination of their lease unless they pay a high rent for the house or a high price for the lease.

Provided that the rateable value in 1939 did not exceed £100 in London, or £75 in the Provinces, when a long lease expires a leaseholder has the protection of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. This means that the leaseholder will normally be entitled to retain possession at a controlled rent, fixed, if necessary, by the county court.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what com plaints he has received from local authorities in the London area relating to the operations of a company whose name has been sent to him; and what action he is taking on the matter.

If, as I assume the hon. Member is referring to the name of a company sent to me by the hon. Member for Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish), the answer is none, though the Bermondsey Metropolitan Borough Council has kept me informed, through the hon. Member, of its concern about 3 houses said to be owned by the company and of the inquiries it has made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will inquire into the considerable rise in land prices in the Lea Valley since he intimated there might be encroachments on the Green Belt; and, in order to avoid land profiteering which is unduly raising housing costs, he will take steps to introduce some form of public ownership of land.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, in his current consideration of housing improvements, he will remove the requirement that the bath should be installed in a bathroom before the standard grant is allowed.

This matter is being considered, in consultation with the local authority associations and property owners organisations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made by the Committee which is discussing Latin-American studies in British universities; and if he will make a statement.

The Committee has made good progress since it started work in November last. I am hoping that it will be in a position to report in the spring of next year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received the Report of Lord Halsbury's Committee concerning the need for additional premises for the Royal Mint; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has now received the Report of Lord Halsbury's Committee on Decimalisation, and it will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to place additional Government contracts for defence and other departments in Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Wade) on 25th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider whether it will be appropriate to take steps to provide financial inducements for private investment in high unemployment areas on the lines of the most recent scheme devised by the Swedish Government, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North.

I am aware of this scheme and we shall study it further. I would, however, remind my hon. Friend that the system of free depreciation for tax purposes which was introduced in the last Budget should provide a very powerful inducement to private investment in development districts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what application he has made to the International Monetary Fund for a renewal of the United Kingdom Standby Agreement which expires on 8th August; and what has been the result.

An application was made for the renewal of the Standby Agreement for a further year from 8th August, 1963, in the same amount of £357 million ($1,000 million); and this was agreed by the International Monetary Fund yesterday.Our balance of payments position is healthy, and I consider that the prospects of securing expansion of the economy without inflation are encouraging. Nevertheless while expansion builds up our external position could still be affected by passing difficulties, such as changes in short-term capital flows, arising out of confidence movements or a temporary imbalance in trade. The ready availability of a drawing under the Standby Agreement will be a valuable reinforcement against such contingencies, and the existence of the Standby, on which it may well not prove necessary to draw, should of itself be a powerful factor making for the maintenance of confidence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to announce the result of his study of resale price maintenance.

I have nothing to add to the Answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member and the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 2nd July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to set up an industrial design centre for Wales at Cardiff.

My right hon. Friend understands that local interests are considering plans for the establishment of a Welsh Building Centre in Cardiff and that the sponsors are in touch with the Council of Industrial Design about a possible extension of the proposed Centre's activities into the design field. My right hon. Friend welcomes these developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the constitutional conference on Malta.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the constitutional conference on the future of Malta.

The conference is still proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the constitutional conference on the future of Honduras.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about his talks with the delegation from British Honduras.

The conference reached agreement on the introduction of internal self-government. The present Executive Council over which the Governor presides will be replaced by a Cabinet of Ministers presided over by a Premier. The Legislature will be reconstituted as the National Assembly, consisting of a wholly elected House of Representatives and a Senate. There will be no official members of the Legislature or of the Cabinet. Except in certain specified matters the Governor will in future act in accordance with the advice of the Ministers. The report of the conference will be issued shortly as a Command Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in education by the British administration in the New Hebrides.

In 1956 about 6,000 New Hebridean pupils attended British schools. In 1959 the figure was about 8,000 and it is now 9,000. Common external examinations have recently been introduced. An Education Advisory Committee was set up in 1960, and, following on one of its recommendations, a teachers training college, financed from colonial development and welfare funds, was established in 1962. Colonial development and welfare funds have also been provided in the last few years for overseas scholarships.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking to speed up localisation in the government service in Fiji.

91 per cent. of officers in the public service are now of local origin. The staff requirements of the Fiji Civil Service over the next decade have recently been reviewed; and the training programme has been revised to meet them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the average rate of interest charged on colonial development and welfare loans during the year 1962–63; and what were the normal terms of repayment.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to development loans under Section 2 of the Act. The average rate of interest was 6·45 per cent. The normal repayment terms were equal annual instalments, of principal and interest combined, over 25 years. Most of our aid under Section1 of the Act takes the form of outright gifts, but loans are sometimes made for projects which are expected to earn sufficient revenue to service a loan. In such cases the terms of interest and repayment are fixed according to the capacity of the particular project. Some are interest free. An average figure would therefore have no significance.

asked the Secretary of Stats for the Colonies what steps are being taken in the High Commission Territories in southern Africa to improve the standards of husbandry by means of agricultural demonstrators and other methods.

In Basutoland there are 9 senior demonstrators, 37 demonstrators, and 97 assistant demonstrators. These officers are assisted by 90 unqualified staff who are being replaced each year by qualified men from the Agricultural Training School. Thirty more officers are expected to qualify next month. The aim is to have one demonstrator or extension agent per 600 households.In animal husbandry work the demonstrators are assisted by 30 qualified veterinary assistants and 200 stock assistants.Four training farms provide refresher courses and it is planned to convert these into agricultural institutes as soon as possible. Credit is being made available to progressive farmers for seed, fertilisers and insecticides through the co-operatives and the agricultural development funds.In the Bechuanaland Protectorate, as a result of the Agricultural Department's extension programme there are now approximataely 1,000 pupil, progressive and master farmers, who have acquired a scientific approach to agriculture which has greatly increased their yields. There are 10 senior agricultural demonstrators, 82 demonstrators and 19 assistant demonstrators, whose work is supervised by 14 professional and technical officers. Veterinary work in the Territory employs about 50 professional officers and 200 supporting staff.Grants have been given by the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief towards the establishment of an agricultural demonstrator training school and a co-operative department.In Swaziland 122 agricultural demonstrators and 160 cattle-guards are employed by the Department of Agriculture.Farmers' associations and women's and young farmers' groups are encouraged, and a co-operative officer has recently been appointed.The Agricultural Training Centre at Malkerns produces about 20 qualified demonstrators a year and selected demonstrators are being sent to Britain for diploma courses. An agricultural college is also planned, at which two year agricultural diploma courses will be offered.Further information is given in annual Agricultural Department reports. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the reports for Basutoland and Swaziland and will send him a copy of the report for the Bechuanaland Protoectorate as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) if Her Majesty's Government will recognise the Ngwanyama as King of the Protectorate of Swaziland;(2) if he will grant an interview to the Swazi delegation representing the ruler, the Ngwanyama, within the next 10 days to discuss the proposed constitutional changes in Swaziland;(3) whether he will modify the constitutional proposals for Swaziland contained in the White Paper by providing that the ultimate decision as to mineral concessions shall be with the Swazi nation;(4) If he will modify the constitutional proposals for Swaziland contained in the White Paper by providing that the High Commissioner shall not have the power of unlimited nomination of members to the elected legislative council, but that his powers shall be restricted to the nomination of such members only if there is a breakdown in the constitution.

:These members of the Swaziland National Council were received yesterday by my noble friend the Minister of State. He reminded them that my decisions, set out in the White Paper, had resulted from most exhaustive consultation with all shades of opinion in Swaziland over a period of three years and told them that I was not prepared to reopen negotiations on them. He undertook, however, to arrange for a statement to be made by the Resident Commissioner clarifying the circumstances in which the power of nomination to the Legislative Council might be used.He also reminded them that the Constitution was devised as a first step forward towards self-government and urged them to do everything in their power to ensure that it was applied in a manner which would serve the best interests of all the people of Swaziland.My hon. Friend will be aware from the White Paper that special recognition will be given in the Constitution to the position of the Ngwanyama.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he will take to improve the appearance of the new industrialised barracks being erected in Aldershot which present a large expanse of unrelieved grey constructions.

This is an uncompleted scheme. When the other buildings and the landscaping which form part of this scheme are finished I hope that the appearance will be satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Public Buildingand Works how far the programme for building new married quarters at Aldershot is falling behind its target for the present year; and what steps he is taking to accelerate the building of these quarters so as to ensure the fulfilment of this year's programmes.

One contract for 55 houses due for completion in July is running 2½ months late. Another for 298 quarters and a Naafi shop due for completion in September is running 15 months late.The delay is due to shortage of skilled labour in the district. Steps have been taken to import operatives from as far as London and Portsmouth, but I regret that it will not be possible to make up for the delays which have already occurred.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will open No. 10 Downing Street to public view as soon as it is practicable and until it is occupied.

I regret that this suggestion is not practicable, since the building will be occupied as soon as the work of restoration has been completed and the building is furnished.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what improvements are being made in the arrangements for disseminating the results of research into bad weather building.

:The Building Research Station has published a Digest on bad weather working and my Ministry has also published Advisory Leaflets on this subject.The technical committee which I set up two months ago has been asked to review all existing knowledge, and to prepare in good time for next winter a report suitable for wide distribution among all concerned with building. At a Building Exhibition which my Ministry is arranging in Leeds for the week beginning 23rd September part of the central feature will be devoted to winter building.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he proposes to take following the representations sent to him by the Cleethorpes Borough Council against stamping all Cleethorpes letters and postcards with the date stamp Grimsby and Cleethorpes; if he will give instructions for the continuance of the Cleethorpes only stamp; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is asking our officials to seek a discussion on this matter with the Cleethorpes Borough Council. In the meantime, no change will be made in the arrangements for stamping mail posted in Cleethorpes. I will let my hon. Friend know the outcome of the discussions as soon as I can.

asked the Postmaster-General when the additional British Broadcasting Corporation 405 line station on Band III, which has been designed to give improvement in reception in North Lincolnshire, will be built; if he will hasten this extra service; and if he will make a statement.

The B.B.C. hopes to have its new Band III television station in East Lincolnshire ready about the end of next year. I have asked the B.B.C. whether it cannot hasten matters. The I.T.A.'s new Band III station will be at the same site, and the I.T.A. plan to build there a 1,250 ft. mast to a new design. The existing television services of the B.B.C. and the I.T.A. and the B.B.C's VHF sound services in Band II will all be radiated from this mast, from which in due course will be broadcast the B.B.C's second television programme on 625 lines in UHF and any further UHF programmes which may be authorised.

asked the Postmaster-General when the television transmitting station at Holyhead will be completed.

The B.B.C. tells me it hopes to complete this station by the middle of next year.

asked the Postmaster-General why there has been a delay in the introduction of the subscriber trunk dialling service in Chiswick; and when he now expects this service to come into operation there.

:The very rapid rise in trunk traffic has unfortunately made it necessary to delay the introduction of S.T.D. at Chiswick. The S.T.D. equipment serving the London area needs to be extended: this is being done as a matter of urgency, and I now expect S.T.D. to come into operation in Chiswick in December this year.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange for the early provision of a second telephone kiosk at Tongwynlais, Glamorganshire, in view of the number of residents at the Greenmeadow estate at the south end of the village.

I am informed that the existing kiosk is reasonably accessible to the majority of the residents on this estate, and that the provision of a second kiosk could not be justified on financial grounds.

asked the Postmaster-General how many new telephone kiosks were installed in Wales and in the county of Glamorgan, respectively, during 1962; and how many additional kiosks will have been installed in Wales and in Glamorgan by the end of 1963.

In 1962, 106 kiosks were installed in Wales and the Border Counties, including 20 in the County of Glamorgan. I expect the number in 1963 to be about the same.

asked the Postmaster-General how many new telephones were installed in the Gower constituency in 1960, 1961, and 1962, respectively, and at the nearest available date in 1963; how many persons remain on the waiting list; and what is the approximate waiting time for those on the list.

In the Gower constituency 697 new telephones were installed in 1960, 915 in 1961, 748 in 1962 and 454 in the first six months of 1963. I am glad to say that there is no waiting list; 115 applications are under inquiry or being met and most orders are completed within a month.

asked the Minister of Education (1) why he has persisted in excluding from the school building programme for 1964–65 all the building and replacement projects urgently needed in the borough of Barking; if he will publish in Hansard a table showing, for each year since 1958–59, which of these projects have been recommended to his Department by the Essex Local Education Authority, and with what results: and by what objective standards he has decided that the only Essex project entitled to a share in the £5 million additional increase in starts is a project at Halstead;

My right hon. Friend will publish in the Official Report the information asked for by the hon. Member. In considering the building programmes originally authorised for 1964–65, my right hon. Friend gave priority

School building projects for Barking submitted by the Essex Local Education Authority since 1958–59			Projects included in Programmes
Year		Gross Cost £	Year		Gross Cost £
1958–59	Barking, Thames View County Junior School.	81,312	1958–59	Nil
	South East Essex County Technical School—Stage II.	29,000
1959–60 Main	Barking, Park Modern County Secondary School—Science accommodation.	12,000	1959–60	Barking, Park Modern County Secondary School—Science accommodation.	12,000
1959–60 (Reserve Programme)	Barking, Thames View County Junior School.	81,312
1960–61 and 1961–62	Barking, Thames View County Junior School.	81,312	1960–61	Barking, Eastbury County Secondary School—2nd instalment.	81,312
	Barking, Eastbury County Secondary School, 2nd instalment: art and craft room—Housecraft room and class room.	28,000	1961–62	Barking, Erkenwald County Secondary School—2nd instalment.	28,000
	Barking, Bifrons County Secondary School Gymnasium and Further Education accommodation.	27,000		Barking, Bifrons County Secondary School—Gymnasium and F.E. accommodation.	27,000
	Barking, Erkenwald County Secondary School, 2nd instalment: art and craft room—Housecraft room and class room.	28,000
	Barking, Eastbury County Secondary School, 3rd instalment.	55,000
	Barking, Park Modern Secondary School—Additional practical rooms.	30,000

asked the Minister of Education what additional projects he has approved for the 1964–65 major school building programme, following his decision that authorised starts would be increased from £55 million to £60 million.

I have now approved some thirty additional projects, with a total value of £5 million. These projects, which are set out in List A below, mainly replace or improve existing secondary school buildings. In addition, since the original announcement of the 1964–65 programme, I have approved a further 45 projects, totalling £2·3 million, mainly to accommodate increasing numbers of pupils or to keep pace with new housing. These are set out in List B below.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will organise a study into the relationship of coalmining and the problems arising from subsidence in residential areas.

Relationship between coalmining and surface damage is already being studied by the National Coal Board.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many persons who have been held or interned for any substantial period in Communist hands have been re-employed and are employed for the first time in any post in the Foreign Service within the field of positive vetting.

We know of only one person now employed in such a post in the Foreign Service who has been in Communist hands for any substantial period since 1945.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the desirability of amending the conditions for the award of the Victoria Cross, in the light of modern circumstances, in such a way as to make it possible for a posthumous award to be made to those qualified for the award in the course of secret activities in enemy occupied territories during the war, for which they could not be decorated at the time.The Prime Minister: No. This would not in my view be a suitable amendment to the conditions of award and the George Cross was instituted in 1940.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will initiate an inquiry into the many anomalies in Service and civilian pensions.The Prime Minister: As I told the House on 23rd July, I am ready to consider these matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the heavy and increasing burden of responsibility on the Board of Trade, he will set up a working party to consider the advisability of reallocating Ministerial responsibilities in this field.

The tasks of the Board of Trade, although heavy, are closely inter-related; and on information at present before me I do not think that an inquiry on the lines my hon. Friend suggests would be appropriate. But the allocation of ministerial responsibilities is a matter which I keep under regular review.

asked the Prime Minister what initiatives he now proposes to take, following the conclusion of the partial nuclear test ban, to reduce tension in Europe between the Eastern and Western blocs.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement, following the nuclear test ban talks in Moscow, on his plans for further disarmament.

As I told the House on 25th July, the agreement on a nuclear test ban should be regarded as a first step. I hope that it will pave the way for new measures aimed at reducing East-West tension and in the disarmament field. The next step must be to consult fully with our Allies about the possibilities that lie ahead.

asked the Prime Minister whether during the forthcoming visit of the Foreign Secretary and Mr. Dean Rusk to Moscow, joint proposals will be made for an agreement on measures against surprise attack and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The purpose of the forthcoming visit to Moscow by my noble Friend and Mr. Rusk will be to sign the nuclear tests ban treaty. This will provide a useful opportunity for a further exchange of views.

asked the Prime Minister whether, following the conclusion of the three-power nuclear test ban, he will propose to President Kennedy that the Western Powers should support, at the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the seating of the representative of the People's Republic of China.

Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly made it clear that they favour the seating of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the recent official statement of the Government of India that the situation on the Chinese-Indian borders is deteriorating, he will consult President Kennedy on the joint action now to be taken by the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America further to the joint programme for military and economic assistance to India already undertaken by their countries.

During the recent visit of President Kennedy to Britain he and I agreed that we should continue to help India to strengthen her defences against the threat of renewed Chinese Communist attack. We are, of course, in close and continuous contact with the Government of India.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many farmers in Wales and in Glamorgan, respectively, were owners of their farmlands in 1951; how many were tenants; and what were the comparable figures at the latest convenient date in 1963;(2) how many farmers in the United Kingdom were owners of their land in 1951; how many were tenants; and what were the comparable figures at the latest convenient date in 1963.

The following figures relate to 1950 and 1961, the dates of the World Censuses of Agriculture, in which we participated; no comparable data are at present available for Northern Ireland and those for Glamorgan are not of sufficient accuracy to be given separately.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS
				000's
	Great Britain		Wales (including Monmouthshire)
	1950	1961	1950	1961
Wholly owned by occupier	157	180	21	26
Wholly rented	242	161	29	19
Part owned and part rented	58	55	6	6
All holdings	457	396	56	50

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for the future of his Department's Paglesham Estate in Essex; and if he will make a statement.

:The Paglesham Estate of about 950 acres, was generously given to my predecessor free of charge in 1943 by the late Mr. A. D. Martin as a contribution to the war effort.One hundred and fifty acres of the Estate are still being used, under the Agricultural Research Council, by the National Vegetable Research Station for experimental work on seed breeding and multiplication. In addition about 60 acres of saltings are being used by my Ministry, largely for oyster research. But the remaining 740 acres are no longer needed by my Department. I have therefore decided to sell this part of the Estate by public auction on the 6th September next, and with the agreement of my right hon. Friends, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, to devote the proceeds of the sale to the King's Fund, of which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions is principal trustee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the desirability of further research into tractor design and the need for fitted safety cabs or frame, in order to minimise the risk of fatal accident to tractor operators.

Investigations made by my Department's safety officers show that there is little doubt that properly made and fitted safety frames (including cabs) can reduce the risk of fatal accidents to tractor operators. The National Institute of Agricultural Engineering are already carrying out a programme of research on tractor design, and are also doing a great deal of work on anti-roll devices and on the development and testing of safety frames. They have set up equipment for testing safety frames made by private firms. The British Standards Institute are also working on the production of a standard test for safety frames and the method of applying it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to require manufacturers of tractors to conform to the greatest possible safety standards.

This point is already covered by the Agriculture (Field Machinery) Regulations, 1962, made under the Agriculture (Safety, Health and Welfare Provisions) Act, 1956. From 1st July, 1964, it will be an offence to sell a new tractor for use in agriculture in Great Britain which does not comply with the Regulations.

asked the First Secretary of State what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of the break up of the Rhodesian Federation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 27 of the Report of the Central Africa Conference, 1963 (Cmnd. 2093).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken, or intends to take, regarding the handcuffing of persons who are brought to court and of persons who are escorted to airports, seaports or railway stations when being deported from this country.

:Police or prison officers in charge of persons being brought to court or being deported have a personal responsibility to see that they do not escape from custody, and handcuffs are used in appropriate cases. I am not aware of a need for a change in the existing practice.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that silicosis and dust of all kinds cause more deaths and suffering than any other occupational disease, and that 93 per cent. of all deaths due to occupational diseases can be traced to silicosis; and what action is to be taken to reduce the danger of this disease.

Dust diseases are responsible for the great majority of deaths from disease of occupational origin. Current mortality figures, however, reflect working conditions in past years. I am confident that the measures now taken to reduce exposure to dust in industries where this is a hazard will result in a steady improvement in the position.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the average weekly local authority rent taken into account in determining needs of National Assistance recipients in the West Riding in 1962; and what were the corresponding figures for 1960 and 1958.

The average weekly local authority rents taken into account in determining needs of National Assistance recipients in the East and West Ridings Region of the National Assistance Board in 1958, 1960 and 1962 were, respectively, 19s., 20s. 10d. and 24s. 5d. I regret that information is not available for the West Riding alone.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensions were cancelled due to death during the months of February, March, April, and May, 1963, respectively.

Following are the figures:

Numbers of retirement pensions which terminated on death
1963				Estimated Number*
February	…	…	…	37,760
March	…	…	…	38,420
April	…	…	…	26,500
May	…	…	…	22,340
* On the basis of a sample of pensioners.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will publish in the Official Report the average concentrations of strontium 90 in milk in Great Britain at the most recent date for which figures are available, and at comparable dates in previous years.

The 12-month average level of strontium 90 in milk in the United Kingdom was 9·6 picocuries per gram of calcium for the year ending 30th September, 1962. For the three preceding years it was 9·6, 7·1, and 5·6, respectively. More recent figures, to be published in a few weeks' time, are likely to show an increase of about one-third between September, 1962, and March, 1963.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if, in view of the number of science graduates who are leaving Scotland due to lack of employment prospects, he will take steps to provide scientifically based projects adequate to reverse this trend.

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research would welcome more applications for development contracts from firms in Scotland, but applications must be judged on their scientific merits. My noble Friend welcomes the decision of the Scottish Council to establish a New Products and Development Committee, on which the D.S.I.R. is represented. Firms expanding in, or moving to, development districts in Scotland are, of course, eligible to apply to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade for assistance under the Local Employment Act, and qualify for free depreciation of plant and machinery.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what new legislation or new powers are required to implement the plan for the North-East.

I cannot anticipate the outcome of the Government's consideration of my noble Friend's plan for the North-East.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to lay before Parliament the Teachers' Salaries (Scotland) Regulations, 1963.

I hope to make these Regulations about the middle of August or as soon thereafter as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the nature of the existing playing fields available for the exclusive use of each secondary school in Coatbridge and Airdrie; what playing field projects he has approved for each school, respectively; what was the date of each such approval; and when he proposes to start these projects.

The following is the required information:

School	Provision for exclusive use of school
Airdrie
Airdrie Academy	3 football pitches
	1 hockey pitch
	1 all weather pitch
	2 tennis courts
Airdrie High	1 ash pitch
St. Margaret's Roman Catholic Secondary	None
Coatbridge
Clifton High	None
Coatbridge High	1 football pitch
	1 hockey pitch
Rosehall Secondary	2 football pitches
St. Ambrose Secondary	1 football pitch
St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Secondary	None
St. Margaret's Roman Catholic High, Whifflet	1 ash pitch
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Secondary	None

It is understood that the education authority are proposing to acquire additional ground adjoining the existing playing fields for Coatbridge High School in order to extend those facilities. I have not received any proposals for any additional playing field accommodation for the exclusive use of schools in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the dangerous condition of Aidrie Court House; where he proposes to erect a new court house; when he estimates that a start will be made; and if he will make a statement.

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 14th December last, I am aware that there are structural defects in this court house, but remedial action has been taken and I am informed that there is no danger to persons using the building. Responsibility for providing a new court house rests with the Lanarkshire County Council as Court House Commissioners, and I understand that they are considering where the new building should be situated.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he intends to take to counter discrimination by Uruguay against British vessel.

I understand that the Uruguayan discriminatory decree of 13th June is a temporary measure, while proposals for the development of the Uruguayan Merchant Marine are under consideration. I view this decree with considerable disquiet and representations have been made to the Uruguay Government about it. We are watching the situation and we are keeping in touch with other European Governments.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made on the Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway.

The County Council of Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire, who have been surveying a route on my behalf, have submitted their recommendations for a line from Worsley in Lancashire across the Pennines to Outlane near Huddersfield. I hope to publish a draft scheme for this length in the autumn. I expect to receive the West Riding County Council's recommendation for the remaining length of the route, from Outlane to the A.1, and to publish a draft scheme for it, before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of soldiers who have been killed or died while serving abroad outside north-west Europe since 14th March, 1963, to the nearest convenient date, the number whose bodies have been brought to Great Britain for burial at public expense, the number of occasions when the body has been brought back to Great Britain at the expense of the relatives, the number of occasions that relatives have been sent to the funeral service at public expense, and the number of occasions that relatives have attended the funeral service at their own expense.

Between 14th March and 24th July, 1963, twenty-three officers and men died or were killed while serving abroad outside north-west Europe. In no case were their bodies repatriated to the United Kingdom or their relatives flown out to attend their funerals at public expense. War Office records show that during this period the bodies of one officer and two men have been repatriated at private expense. There may have been others as repatriation of bodies at private expense is not necessarily reported to the War Office. No records are available of private visits by relatives to funerals of servicemen whose deaths have occurred abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for War what has been the value of battledress and trousers ordered in the Republic of Ireland from 1st May, 1962, to the latest convenient date.

One contract valued at about £10,000 for blouses was placed in the Republic of Ireland in July, 1962. No contracts for battledress trousers have been placed there since 1961. Since July, 1962, the capacity offered by firms in the United Kingdom at competitive prices and acceptable delivery dates has been adequate to meet the Army's requirements. The total value of battledress contracts let since 1st may, 1962, was of the order of £5000,000.