asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) what measures are being taken to check extravagance in expenditure such as those revealed in the Tenth Report from the Estimates Committee of this session;(2) why he authorised the expenditure of £46,000 on an admiral's house in Aden; and what action he is taking to control expenditure of this nature in future.

I assume that both of the right hon. Member's Questions refer to remarks in the Tenth Report of the Estimates Committee (Sub-Committee D) Session 1962–63 Military Expenditure Overseas on Fort Tarshyne at Aden.This house is not just a house for a Rear-Admiral. It is the residence of a Flag Officer who is, in effect, the naval commander-in-chief for a large and strategically important area, with considerable responsibilities for entertainment and representation. The Committee do not appear to regard the house as unnecessarily large: rather do they criticise it for the opposite reason, at any rate in respect of the dining room. Equally, it would appear from paragraphs 107 to 111 of their report that they would support the decision that the house should be fully air conditioned.The final costs of the house (excluding furniture) as now established, are as follows:

	£
Building	16,100
Air conditioning	4,700
Wiring, refrigerator, cooking equipment etc.	3,700
Air Ministry agency charges	5,630
Servants' quarters, air conditioning plant room, garage, screen and retaining walls, terraces, site works and bringing up services	7,530
Total	£37,660

The first estimate after sketch designs had been prepared was £28,600, to which had to be added expected agency charges of £5,400, making a total (excluding fur- niture) of £34,000. This estimate was approved by the Treasury. As work proceeded, revised estimates were prepared. The first two reported increases. The next two reported decreases. Each estimate was scrutinised to establish that costs were reasonable. The final cost as shown in the above table, excluding furniture, was £37,660.This exceeded the estimate approved after sketch designs were available by just over 10 per cent. (£3,660).In the circumstances of urgency and extreme pressure on the building industry in Aden I do not regard this excess as indicative of more than the uncertainty generally inherent in estimates.The furniture, which cost £6,600, was more expensive than it would have been had a house of conventional design been built, but the extra cost, which was about £2,600, was only about half of the savings on foundations for the house, a fact which the Committee appear to have accepted. The decision to adopt a design making use of an existing foundation was itself a deliberate measure of financial control.In the light of the foregoing, I can find no evidence that the history of the design and construction of this house indicates extravagance or lack of financial control. Since 1st April, 1963,financial responsibility for works and building required by the Royal Navy has passed to the Ministry of Public Building and Works.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many Royal Navy officers and ratings are now serving in the United States of America.

Sixty-three officers and seven ratings on 30th September, 1963.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what were the total amounts paid in salvage in the years 1960, 1961, 1962 and in 1963 to the latest convenient date.

In the financial years 1960, 1961 and 1962, the total amounts were £137,096, £36,452 and £43,811, respectively. The total amount authorised for payment in the current financial year, up to 10th October, 1963, is £59,376.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of cruisers, destroyers and frigates of the Royal Navy now in full commission; how many are in Reserve; and how many are due for scrapping or sale.

There are at present two cruisers, fifteen destroyers and forty-nine frigates in full commission, and four cruisers, twenty-five destroyers and twenty-eight frigates in reserve or undergoing long refit, modernisation, conversion etc. It would not be in the public interest to reveal the number of ships in reserve awaiting disposal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not proceeded with the registration of common land, as proposed by the Royal Commission on Common Land, 1958.

I am not yet able to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) on 28th May, 1963.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will take action to investigate the current price of apples and pears in the wholesale fruit markets of Great Britain, and in particular in Covent Garden Market, with a view to further study for the introduction of minimum grades for these fruits;(2) if he will make a study of the practice of other countries concerning the minimum grades of fruit available at primary markets with a view to introducing similar legislation; and if he will publish his findings in a convenient form.

My right hon. Friend is kept informed of the wholesale prices of apples and pears by marketing officers of the Ministry. Among the proposals we are considering for these fruits in the light of our experience with voluntary grades and the practice of other countries which enforce grading standards is one for the introduction of compulsory minimum grades. My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many qualified architects and quantity surveyors were employed in his Department on the last convenient date; and if he will publish in the Official Report a summary of their duties.

At 1st October, 1963, there were fourteen qualified architects employed in the Department. There were also thirteen building surveyors—associates or fellows of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors—who do the same work as the architects. There were no quantity surveyors.Thirteen of the architects and all the building surveyors are in the Farm Buildings Advisory Group of the Agricultural Land Service. Their primary function is to give advice on the design, layout and construction of farm buildings but they also undertake normal architectural duties in connection with the construction of major buildings on the department's properties.The remaining architect is in the Advisory Service and Infestation Control Division and is engaged largely in advising the department on the proofing of its food storage depots against insect and rodent infestations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce a decision on the availability of farm improvement grants for the installation of sealed silos for storing undried grain for livestock feeding.

Our survey of this method of storing undried grain is in its final stages and my right hon. Friend hopes to announce his decision in about 3 months' time.

asked the Attorney-General if he will seek power to ensure that in all those cases in which motorists have been arrested for minor motoring offences, a summons has first been served on the alleged offender.

I have been asked to reply.I am considering whether the law relating to the issue of process in such cases requires amendment or clarification.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many aircraft took off from No. 5 runway at London Airport from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. on the night of 31st July–1st August; and what types they were.

Forty-six comprising three Boeing 707s, nine Comets, seven Caravelles, one Canadair CL.44, four Britannias, seven Vanguards, seven Viscounts, two Argosies, one DC3, three Convair 340/440, one DC4 and one Constellation.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether aircraft noise measurements were taken in Myrtle Avenue, near London Airport, between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. on the 31st July-1st August.

No.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the landing fee for a British European Airways Comet and a British Overseas Airways Corporation's Comet, respectively; and why there is a difference.

The landing fee for a Comet is £59, irrespective of ownership, with slight variations for different marks. In addition, all aircraft on intercontinental flights pay a surcharge of approximately 100 per cent. Normally British Overseas Airways Corporation's flights—but very few of British European Airways—are intercontinental and, including the surcharge, pay £116. The surcharge, which reflects the higher earning capacity of aircraft employed on longer hauls, was increased to its present level of 100 per cent. in 1952. I am now proposing to reduce it to 66⅔ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement about the Northern Rhodesia constitution and the next general election there.

A new constitution, providing for internal self-government, is now in preparation, and I hope to be able to make a statement shortly. It is planned to hold a general election on the basis of this new constitution in January, 1964.

asked the Secrtary of State for the Colonies, in the light of the recent interim agreement with Northern Rhodesia, what further assurances he has given to the Litunga of Barotseland, with regard to the validity of pledges previously given that no change affecting the status of Barotseland will be made without the agreement of the Litunga and his council.

No new assurances have been given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, having regard to the need for long-term economic planning in the remaining British dependent territories, he will consider lengthening the period for which funds are normally provided for development and welfare schemes under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts.

The period of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act was extended to 31st March, 1966, by the Commonwealth Development Act, 1963. It is not now practicable to forecast requirements for Colonial Development and Welfare Assistance over a longer period than three years. Such a period gives the Governments concerned sufficient assurance of funds to enable them to plan ahead. It is open to them to plan for longer periods, subject to the possible need to revise the later stages of their plans in the light of decisions about British assistance after the expiry of the present legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to obtain the views of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands about the future political and economic structure of that territory.

Two Colonial Office officials are now in the Turks and Caicos Islands investigating the financial and economic problems. They will have the opportunity of meeting the local government and members of the local community. I am at present seeking the views by correspondence of the Turks and Caicos Government about future political progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when steps will be taken to provide the necessary finance to allow the compassionate farm purchase scheme in Kenya to be completed.

As I informed the House on 28th May, our financial assistance to Kenya in their current financial year will include £700,000 for this purpose. The money is available as and when the Kenya Government require it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what opportunities for higher education are being developed in the Seychelles; and how many scholarships have been awarded to Seychelles citizens in the last five years to enable them to gain higher education in the United Kingdom or Commonwealth countries.

A sixth form science class was started at Seychelles College this year and it is hoped that a lower sixth form for science will begin next year if staff can be recruited from overseas. Since the 1st January, 1958,29 Seychellois citizens have come in the United Kingdom for higher education leading to university degrees. Details are being collected about those going to other parts of the Commonwealth and will be supplied to the hon. Member when available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the increase in the cost of living in the Seychelles in the last few years, what action he will take to amend the regulations on minimum wages.

Statutory minimum wages in Seychelles were last raised in February, 1961.A development plan is now being framed and wages policy will no doubt play an important part in this. I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member when I know his views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on law and order in Nyasaland.

The situation in the territory continues to be generally quiet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Her Majesty's Government propose to assist the Nyasaland Government to meet that Government's share of the cost of the compensation scheme for overseas officers and the commutation of their pensions.

The British Government have agreed, in view of Nyasaland's financial circumstances, to provide the following assistance:

(a) An interest free loan of £1,750,000 to cover the Nyasaland Government's share of the cost of compensation; after a grace period of 6 years the loan will be repayable by 19 equal annual instalments.

(b) A loan of £1,000,000 on the terms applicable to Commonwealth Assistance loans to meet the cost of commutation of pensions; after a grace period of 6 years during which interest only will be payable, repayment together with interest will be made by 19 equal annual instalments.

Of this, £500,000 will be payable in 1963–64 and the Supplementary Estimate for this amount will be presented in due course. In the meantime, since the provision of funds is urgent, an advance is being made from the Civil Contingency Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what grants have been paid, and are to be paid, to the Women's Migration and Oversea Appointments Society.

Since 1945 the annual grant-in-aid of administrative expenses paid to the Society has varied between £1,562 and £10,000. This year it is £8,500, and in 1964 it will be £6,500. No further payments are proposed thereafter.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Dorset are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all those children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(2) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Essex are not on any school register, and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(3) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Buckinghamshire are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(4) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Cornwall are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(5) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Durham are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(6) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Gloucester shire are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(7) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in the Isle of Ely are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(8) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Lincolnshire (Kesteven) are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(9) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Lincolnshire (Lindsey) are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;(10) how many children of gypsies and other travellers of school age in Somerset are not on any school register; and what action is being taken or contemplated to ensure that all these children attend school in accordance with statutory obligations;

With one exception, all these local education authorities are either unaware of any such children out of school in their areas or are taking immediate steps to secure the registration of children who have newly arrived. The exception is the Isle of Ely authority which, in a special inquiry last week, discovered 72 children not on school registers. Despite the difficulty of enforcing school attendance in families moving frequently from place to place, the authority is doing everything it can to get these children into school.

asked the Minister of Education when he will authorise the replacement of Friarswood School, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

On 18th October I invited local education authorities to submit by the end of the year their school building proposals for the three years 1965–66 to 1967–68. I must await the Staffordshire authority's proposals before considering further the future of the Friarswood School.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the number of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools by grade in the various regions of the country, for the years 1950, 1955, 1960 and 1962, together with the total number of teachers per region for, and to whom, they had responsibility.

I shall write to the hon. Member as the information for which he asks is not immediately available.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the number of Inspectors of Schools employed by local education authorities in England and Wales, by region, in the years 1950, 1955, 1960 and 1962.

I have no information on this subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has now reached a decision as to what chocolate biscuits shall be exempt from Purchase Tax; and whether such exemption will include wrapped biscuits as well as unwrapped biscuits.

My right hon. Friend has decided to make no change in the Purchase Tax on chocolate biscuits for the present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is his policy to tax salvage money paid to officers and ratings in the Royal Navy.

Salvage money is income and is liable to tax under the Income Tax Acts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give a direction in the public interest under Section 4 of the Bank of England Act, 1946,to the Bank of England to ensure that Treasury notes being returned to London for pulping should be appropriately defaced before final transit.

It would not be appropriate to give a formal direction to the Bank of England on this subject; but I can assure the hon. Member that arrangements for the transmission of bank notes are at present being actively re-examined by those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the licensed dog population in England, Wales and Scotland in the year 1962; what was the estimated number of un- licensed dogs or strays in the same year; and what increase there has been in this figure over the last five years.

I have been asked to reply. The number of dog licences issued in the financial year 1962–63 in England, Wales and Scotland was 2,792,906, an increase of 110,964 over the last five years. No estimate of the number of unlicensed dogs or strays is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reports have been received from the United Nations Mission to the Yemen; and what was the result of their investigation into allegations of the use of poison gas by Egyptian forces of intervention.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations circulated a report to the Security Council on 4th September on the progress of the United Nations Yemen Observation Mission. A copy of this report is in the Library of the House.The report does not refer to allegations of the use of poison gas. I understand that the Secretary-General received no evidence which substantiated such allegations, and that any evidence which has been brought to his attention has proved negative. That evidence included a report on certain bomb fragments handed over to Her Majesty's Government, which showed that the fragments Her Majesty's Government had received came from a tear gas container.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of the Union of South Africa concerning the shooting of Mr. Dennis Brutus, a citizen of the United Kingdom, in Johannesburg.

There is no ground for formal intervention in this case unless Mr. Brutus can establish that he is not a South African citizen.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reports he has received on the situation in South Viet-Nam from the International Control Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what recent reports have been received from the International Control Commission for Viet-Nam regarding infringements of civil and religious liberties in North or South Viet-Nam, contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Agreements.

Her Majesty's Government have received no reports on the situation in Viet-Nam from the International Control Commission since the Special Report dated 2nd June, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Government gave to Brazil to alleviate the distress caused by the forest fires in September in the State of Parana.

Her Majesty's Government made an immediate gift of £2,000, with which Her Majesty's Ambassador arranged to have essential food supplies bought, dispatched and donated to the local relief commission. This sum has been advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund and Parliament will be asked to reimburse it by means of a Supplementary Estimate to the Foreign Grants and Loans Vote.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish the text of amendment to the protocols of the revised Brussels Treaty recently approved by the Council of Western European Union.

The following amendment was unanimously adopted by the Council of the Western European Union on 9th October, 1963, in accordance with the procedure in Article II of Protocol No. III of the Revised Brussels Treaty, and on the recommendation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Supreme Allied Commander Europe:Sub-paragraph (

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many amendments have been made to the Brussels Treaty since it was revised in 1954; and what is their purport.

There have been six amendments to Annex III of Protocol No. III of the Revised Brussels Treaty, in accordance with the provisions of Article II of the same Protocol. The purpose of the amendments has been to permit the Federal Republic of Germany to meet North Atlantic Treaty Organisation requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information the French Government have now submitted to the Council of Western European Union regarding their production and stockpile of nuclear weapons, in accordance with the requirements of the revised Brussels Treaty.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the cost to date of the British Police Mission to the Government of South Viet-Nam; what proportion of the cost is borne by Her Majesty's Government; and what is the planned expenditure on this service during the remainder of this financial year.

There is no British Police Mission to Viet-Nam. I assume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the British Advisory Mission.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish at regular intervals a summary showing the concentration of radioactive strontium caesium and iodine in the milk supplies of areas in the United Kingdom which are designated by the Agricultural Research Council as special areas because of their altitude or high rainfall.

I have been asked to reply by my noble Friend the Minister for Science, who is responsible for the Agricultural Research Council.Reports on radioactivity in milk and other foods are already published at appropriate intervals by the Agricultural Research Council. These reports include figures for strontium 90 and caesium 137 in milk from "special areas" and also figures for iodine 131 (which is monitored on a somewhat different basis). The latest report was published on 25th September, 1963. As explained in that report "Special Areas" are sites, usually isolated farms, where high rainfall or characteristics of vegetation and soil can be expected to lead to the highest concentrations of strontium 90 in milk. It was also explained that these sites are in no way representative of normal agricultural conditions in the counties where they are situated, and that production of milk at such sites is often intermittent.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of children in each local health authority area have received smallpox vaccination and poliomyelitis immunisation.

The latest available figures are as follows:

SMALLPOX AND POLIOMYELITIS VACCINATION PERCENTAGES
ENGLISH AUTHORITIES
Local Health Authority		Smallpox	Poliomyelitis
		Children under 2 vaccinated in 1962	Persons under 20 at 31st December, 1962
All in England	…	68	83
Bedfordshire	…	80	82
Berkshire	…	52	89
Buckinghamshire	…	53	83
Cambridgeshire	…	95	87
Cheshire	…	69	85
Cornwall	…	62	79
Cumberland	…	64	88
Derbyshire	…	41	78
Devon	…	68	95
Dorset	…	70	90
Durham	…	53	79
Essex	…	88	81
Gloucestershire	…	78	85
Hampshire	…	81	82
Herefordshire	…	73	82
Hertfordshire	…	79	86
Huntingdonshire	…	60	74
Isle of Ely	…	64	74
Isle of Scilly	…	53	65
Isle of Wight	…	62	87
Kent	…	79	77
Lancashire	…	70	82
Leicestershire	…	64	84
Lincs., Holland	…	62	85
Lincs., Kesteven	…	49	80
Lincs., Lindsey	…	55	79
London	…	80	76
Middlesex	…	76	84
Norfolk	…	62	81
Northamptonshire	…	64	82
Northumberland	…	54	89
Nottinghamshire	…	61	85
Oxfordshire	…	68	81
Peterborough, Soke of	…	63	82
Rutland	…	30	83
Salop	…	58	90
Somerset	…	82	82
Staffordshire	…	45	85

asked the Minister of Health how many chief welfare

——		1958	1959	1960	1961	1962
All types	…	196,383	166,349	199,943	236,430	280,780
Transistor Aids	…	6,961	13,343	56,108	159,808	249,059
Bone Conduction Aids	…	8,856	7,939	8,406	8,251	7,697

Transistor bone conduction aids were not supplied until the end of 1962. 425 were supplied in 1962 and about 10,000 so far in 1963.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will now announce the terms of reference and membership of the Road Research Laboratory Working Party on urban road needs.

I have been asked to reply.The terms of reference of the Working Party are:

All county and county borough councils employ chief welfare officers. About a quarter of them combine the appointment with that of medical officer of health or clerk to the council.

asked the Minister of Health how many hearing aids were supplied in each of the last five years; and how many were transistor aids, bone-conduction aids and transistorised bone-conduction aids, respectively.

The numbers of hearing aids supplied in the last five years were as follows:H. C. Grenyer, Esq. (Board of Inland Revenue).L. Moss, Esq. (Social Survey, Central Office of Information).W. B. Red away, Esq., M.A. (University of Cambridge).V. L. Parkinson, Esq., A.R.I.B.A., M.T.P.I. (Ministry of Housing and Local Government).H. N. Ginns, Esq., B.Sc, M.I.C.E. (Ministry of Transport).A. E. A. Brain, Esq., B.Sc, A.M.I.C.E. (Ministry of Transport).Mrs. M. Venning (Ministry of Transport).D. J. Lyness, Esq. (Ministry of Transport).G. A. Atkinson, Esq., B.A., A.R.I.B.A. (Building Research Station, D.S.I.R.). H. C. Stanton, Esq. (Board of Trade).J. L. Nicholson (Central Statistical Office, Cabinet Office).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in Hansard the text of the letter he has received from Dr. Stephen Ward, addressed to him in his official capacity, relating to police inquiries within the Metropolitan Police district.

The text of this letter has been given in paragraph 203 of Lord Denning's Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hospital orders were made by the Courts under Section 60 and Section 65, respectively, of the Mental Health Act, 1959, in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many Section 65 orders were for an unlimited period; and how many guardianship orders under Section 60 were made during the same period.

During 1962, the last complete year for which figures are available, 1,149 persons were made the subject of hospital orders under Section 60 of the Mental Health Act, 1959; in 138 of these cases further orders were made under Section 65 of the Act, 84 of which were without limit of time. There were 14 guardianship orders under Section 60.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists have been arrested in the Metropolitan Police area for minor driving offences; how many have been kept in police station cells or otherwise in custody overnight, or for longer periods, since 1st January, 1963; what steps he is taking to obtain full information on this topic; and whether he will make a statement

397 people have been arrested in the Metropolitan Police District since 1st January, 1963, in respect of minor traffic offences. 30 were kept in custody overnight or longer. I am considering whether the law relating to the issue of process in cases of this kind needs amendment or clarification, but I think it will be universally agreed that the courts must be able by some means to bring before them people who neglect their summonses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that persons complaining to the police about alleged blackmail in respect of homosexual practices receive adequate protection against prosecution in respect of these practices.

This is a matter for the discretion of chief officers of police; but my information is that it has for some time now been the usual practice that the Director of Public Prosecutions is first consulted, and that proceedings are taken only in grave or exceptional cases or where the complaint is not made bona fide. Persons who are blackmailed in respect of homosexual practices can therefore report the blackmail to the police without fear generally that they will themselves be prosecuted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments were conducted upon live animals during the past twelve months; how many inspectors are available to supervise these; and how many prosecutions occurred in the past twelve months for failure to observe the regulations in connection with experiments on live animals.

The latest figures available are for the year 1962, when 4,041,944 experiments were performed under safeguards prescribed by the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876. There are six inspectors and two more are to be appointed. It has not been necessary to bring any prosecution under the Act during the last twelve months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will arrange for an independent investigation of the circumstances in which a number of persons were charged with having pieces of brick in their possession during the demonstrations of protest against the Greek royal visit, and in particular of the reasons for the withdrawal of the prosecution in some of these cases; and if he will make a full report on this matter to Parliament.

I have asked the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for a report on these cases. I will consider in the light of his report what further statement should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has studied the report by preventive detainees on conditions in Nottingham Prison, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I have received a document purporting to have been written by a group of prisoners in Nottingham Prison. It is mainly concerned with the allocation of vacancies at prison hostels and with the recommendations of my Advisory Council in its Report on Preventive Detention. I have taken note of the views expressed in it.

asked the Secretary of the Home Department what was the number of boarding establishments for animals and pet shops licensed by local authorities for 1962; what increases there have been in these numbers over the last five years; and whether these figures include puppy farms.

No licence for keeping a boarding establishment for animals will be required until the Animal Boarding Establishments Act, 1963, comes into operation on 1st January, 1964. Local authorities are not required to report the grant of licences under the Pet Animals Act, and I have no information as to the number of licences issued or the nature of the businesses carried on by licensees. No licence is required by any person keeping or selling pedigree animals which he himself has bred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to curb the activities of puppy farms and prevent the sale of pets being pushed by advertising techniques.

I have no such legislation in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, (1) what provision is being made to provide a site for the gypsies and other travellers required to move from Canford Heath, Poole, required for housing development, in view of hardship to men, women and children because of the impossibility of obtaining another site without the aid of the local council or the Dorset County Council;(2) in view of the hardship experienced by gypsies and other travellers in recent years because of the absence of sites, what provision is now being made for the forthcoming winter by the Essex County Council to ensure that each family has a place to live within the law and where the necessary arrangements have been made for water and sanitation;(3) what information has been obtained from county councils in England and Wales in reply to Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962, on the problem of gypsies and other travellers;(4) what the results are of the survey made by the Cheshire County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(5) what progress has been made by the Berkshire County Council, in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(6) what the results are of the survey made by the Lancashire County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(7) what progress has been made by the Cornwall County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(8) what the results are of the survey made by the Middlesex County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(9) what progress has been made by the Dorset County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(10) what the results are of the survey made by the Norfolk County Council in to the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(11) what progress has been made by the Durham County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(12) what the results are of the survey made by the Shropshire County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by circular No. 6/62;(13) what progress has been made by the Gloucestershire County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(14) what the results are of the survey made by the Staffordshire County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(15) what progress has been made by the Hertfordshire County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(16) what the results are of the survey made by the Cardiganshire County Council into the problem of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(17) what progress has been made by the Lincolnshire (Kesteven) County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(18) what the results are of the survey made by the Pembrokeshire County Council into the problems of gypsies and other travellers as suggested by Circular No. 6/62;(19) what progress has been made by the Lincolnshire (Lindsey) County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(20) what progress has been made by the Somerset County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(21) what progress has been made by the West Suffolk County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(22) what progress has been made by the Surrey County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(23) what progress has been made by the West Sussex County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(24) what progress has been made by the Yorkshire (East Riding) County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(25) what progress has been made by the Yorkshire (West Riding) County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;(26) what progress has been made by the Carmarthenshire County Council in consultation with district councils, in the provision of permanent sites for gypsies and other travellers in accordance with Circular No. 6/62 of 8th February, 1962;

My reply of 25th October, 1962, to previous Questions by the hon. Member summarised the information available at that date. Since then the councils of the following counties have stated that they have in their areas no problem of gypsies and other travellers, or that the problem is not so great as to require the provision of permanent sites:

Cheshire, Derby, Isle of Ely, Norfolk, Salop, West Suffolk, West Sussex; Cardigan, Carmarthen, Monmouth.

The county councils of Lincolnshire (Holland) and Warwick had already reported a similar position at the time of my last reply.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state, for 1961–62 and 1962–63,the proportions of the housing expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales devoted to interest charges and capital repayment respectively.

The proportions are as follows:

			Interest charges	Capital repayment
			Per cent.	Per cent.
1961/62	…	…	56	15
1962/63*	…	…	57	16
*Estimated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the value of loan sanctions issued so far this year for expenditure on private street works.

Loan sanctions issued during the first half of this financial year totalled £1·32 million.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what further progress has been made in the discussions about the future use of the site of the former Royal Ordnance factory at Swynnerton, in Staffordshire.

This matter is still under study but I hope that it may be possible to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest figure of unemployment in Newcastle-under-Lyme; what proportion of the working population this represents; and how many disabled persons it includes.

On 14th October, 672 or 2·3 per cent were unemployed, including 164 disabled persons. There were in addition 50 disabled persons who were considered to need employment under sheltered conditions.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he has yet received the report he commissioned on the improvement of publicity for the development districts; and when it will be published.

Yes. I am grateful to S. H. Benson Ltd. for this Report. The Report itself will not be published, but the Government's attitude to the improvement of publicity for the development districts will be made plain in the near future.

asked the Postmaster-General how many of the staffs on travelling post office trains have been positively vetted in the last three years.

None. The duties of staff employed on travelling post office trains are not within the range of those to which positive vetting applies.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to increase the security of mail trains of all types operating in the United Kingdom.

In co-operation with British Railways many steps have been taken to increase the security of mail trains. To give details would be to help the criminals; but the measures include increased physical protection of the coaches on travelling post offices, arrangements for alerting the police more rapidly in the event of unusual delays to these trains, and the provision of improved alarm systems.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the financial target of the Post Office in accordance with the policy embodied in Command Paper No. 1337.

I have agreed a financial target for the five years 1963–64 to 1967–68. The Post Office will aim at an average return—before deducting interest or making provision for supplementary depreciation—of 8 per cent, on its net assets during this period.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will amend the direction he has given under Clause 15(4) of the British Broadcasting Corporation's licence so as to allow separate party political broadcasts for Scotland and Wales in addition to those for the United Kingdom as a whole, in accordance with the recommendations made by the Pilkington Committee.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for 25 per cent. building grants have been received since 3rd April,1963; how many of these have been approved; and what is the total sum involved in these grants.

422 applications for building grants, estimated to amount to £8 million approximately, have been received since the 3rd April, 1963—the great majority of them in the last three months; of these 171, for grants estimated at £2 million approximately, have been approved in principle.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet able to make a statement following his study of resale price maintenance.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for 10 per cent. equipment grants have been received since 3rd April, 1963; how many of these have been approved; and what is the total sum involved in these grants.

359 applications for plant and machinery grants, estimated to amount to £7 million approximately, have been received since 3rd April, 1963;the great majority of them in the last three months; of these, 85, for grants estimated to amount to £1·9 million approximately, have been approved in principle.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take on the report and recommendations from the Cinematograph Films Council about monopolistic practices and tendencies in the film industry and cinema trade.

The Cinematograph Films Council has not yet made its report to me. A sub-committee of the Council has presented a report to the Council, which has sought the views of the industry upon it. The Council will consider both the report and the views of industry together early in the New Year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many chairmen of leading companies with growth prospects he has seen since the announcement on this matter made on 4th April; how many of these have at his suggestion undertaken new projects in the development districts; and how many new jobs have so far been created.

Between April and September, 1963, my predecessor, his Parliamentary Secretary and senior officials met the chairmen or senior management of 73 out of the 123 companies invited to discuss their prospects for expanding in the development districts. Meetings with a further 35 companies have been deferred at their suggestion, but I hope that they will take place early in the New Year.The immediate objective of these talks was to draw the attention of the major companies with growth prospects to the facilities which development and districts can offer so that they would be taken into account in forward planning. Ten companies described projects in various stages of planning which, if they mature, should provide about 5,000 new jobs for the development districts.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet authorised the final plans for Euston station; and if he will make a statement.

Final plans for Euston station as a whole depend upon the extent to which commercial office development may be permitted. The London County Council, as the local planning authority, have refused planning permission for commercial office development at Euston, and the British Railways Board have given notice of appeal against this decision to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. Action on this is, however, in abeyance, and the Board are considering the possibility of modifying their proposals.Meanwhile I have approved investment proposals put to me by the Board for the construction of facilities for the operation of main-line electric train services from Euston to Manchester and Liverpool.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is still in negotiation with the British Railways Board with a view to obtaining better supplementary pension for railway super-annuitants; and whether he proposes to make a grant of Government money for that purpose.

Responsibility for the pensions of railway super annuitants rests primarily with the British Railways Board, which introduced its new supplementation scheme as recently as 1st January of this year. The Board has no present proposals for further supplements.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for transport users' consultative committees, in carrying out their responsibilities under Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, to receive financial information about proposed passenger railway closures; and if he will make a statement.

The duties of the Committees under Section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962, in relation to a passenger closure proposal are to report to me on any hardship which they consider it would cause. They can also make suggestions for alleviating hardship.Under the Act no duty is laid upon the British Railways Board to provide the Committees with financial information, or upon the Committees to assess the financial grounds for a passenger closure proposal. The Board has, however, agreed to provide the Committees with certain financial and other figures to assist the Committees in their task.I have had no complaints from Transport Users' Consultative Committees about the information which the Railways Board has agreed to provide. But, in view of the interest expressed from time to time by hon. Members and others in this subject, I decided to arrange for an independent investigation with the object of establishing the appropriate figures for the Railways Board to give the Transport Users' Consultative Committees. On 2nd August, therefore, on the advice of the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, I invited Sir William Carrington, a past President of the Institute, to carry out this task. He has now reported and, with permission, I am placing a copy of his Report in the Library of each House. Subject to safeguards to secure uniformity of presentation as between one region and another, and certain minor alterations in the method of preparing the figures, Sir William Carrington's main conclusion is that the figures currently supplied by the Railways Board are appropriate for the purposes of the Consultative Committees.I have brought the Report to the attention of the Chairmen of the British Railways Board and the London Transport Board and also to that of the Chairman of the Central Transport Consultative Committee who is sending copies of it to the Area Committees.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present position of negotiations about a possible channel tunnel.

Her Majesty's Government are now studying the implications for the United Kingdom of a fixed Channel Link, in the light of the joint report by British and French officials, and of comments received following publication of the Report on 19th September. This study will be completed as soon as possible, with a view to an early exchange of views with the French Government on the main issues of principle.

asked the Minister of Transport why some 50 miles per hour signs were covered on certain main roads such as A.11 while the nationwide 50 miles per hour limit was in force; and whether, in order to avoid confusion to motorists in future on such occasions, he will arrange for all 50 miles per hour signs to remain uncovered.

Instructions were given for all the temporary "50" signs to be kept covered during the five week-ends when there was a general speed limit. It would have been more confusing to have signs on some of the roads subject to the general speed limit and not on the rest.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have taken place on the portion of the A.20 road known as Death Hill, near Farningham, since the repairs and improvements were completed earlier this year; and how many accidents took place on the same part of the road in the corresponding number of weeks in 1961 and 1962.

Since these improvements were completed in August there has been one accident involving personal injury on this stretch of the A.20.For the corresponding periods in 1961 and 1962 the figures are two and nil.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the cost of the improvement and repairs on the portion of the A.20 known as Death Hill.