asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will re-examine the law relating to the vivisection of animals in order to ascertain the extent to which it is necessary to introduce new provisions for the control and inspection of experiments.

On 23rd May my right hon. Friend announced the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the working of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876. The Committee is now considering evidence which has been submitted to it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to reduce the maximum sentence applicable to minor offences at public demonstrations.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds visas to enter the United Kingdom were refused to Mr. Alexander Korneichuk and to Mrs. Wanda Wasilewska, members of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and whether he will make a statement.

These persons were believed to be seeking to come here on the business of a Communist dominated body, the "World Council of Peace". Since 1950, successive Governments have considered that it would be contrary to the national interest to allow visits to the United Kingdom for the furtherance of the business of such Communist "front" organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the extract about publicising civil defence from the minutes of the Ilford Borough Council meeting on 22nd October, 1963, sent to him by the hon. Member for Ilford, North; what action he is taking in response to it; and if he will make a statement.

The Government thoroughly agree with the Council on the importance of informing the public as fully as possible about civil defence preparations. I arranged that the Press advertising during the publicity and recruiting campaign this autumn should be as explicit as possible, setting out more specifically than ever before the purpose as well as the breadth and the progress of these preparations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary are satisfied that police forces are provided with the clerical assistance and modern office equipment necessary to reduce officers' desk work to a minimum.

Much progress has been made in improving the clerical assistance and office equipment available to the police, but a good deal more could be done in some areas. This is a matter to which H.M. Inspectors of Constabulary are paying special attention in the course of their visits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the hardship caused to many householders by landlords who threaten them with eviction under the Rent Acts and demand extortionate rents; and if he will take steps to protect such tenants.

The police are and always will be prepared to take appropriate steps to protect a tenant in any case where action by a landlord involves a breach of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make regulations on the colour coding of electric flexes; and when these regulations will be issued.

Draft regulations have been circulated to interested bodies. The comments so far received show considerable difference of opinion as to the colours which should be prescribed. Before making regulations my right hon. Friend must also take into account the consideration being given to the fixing of international standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is anticipated that the report of the Working Party on the Prison Medical Service will be completed; and whether the report will be published.

This is not a formal committee but a study of the future of the prison medical service which I initiated a year ago and I hope will be completed shortly. I cannot reach a decision about publication until I see the outcome of the study, but I will in any case be informing the House of my conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, to obviate the possibility of a minor who is a married pregnant woman being gaoled for contempt of court, he will take steps to provide that signatures purporting to be a parent's consent to the marriage of a minor should be attested by a magistrate or a commissioner for oaths.

This is one of a number of questions arising on the working of the marriage law which are being considered. The hon. Member's suggestion could not be given effect to without legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licensed betting shops were registered in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively, as at 1st June this year.

The numbers were 11,453 in England, 1,268 in Wales and 1,667 in Scotland. The total of 14,388 for Great Britain showed an increase of 1,048 over the figure for 1st June, 1962.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the large number of betting shops being established in Great Britain; and whether he will introduce legislation to limit the growth of these establishments.

The number of betting office licences in force in Great Britain on 1st June,1963 was 14,388, an increase of 1,048 over the figure for 1st June, 1962. The local licensing authorities have power to refuse applications, and I am not convinced of the need for further legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiry has been made into the death of Brian Harry Thomas at Wakefield Prison on 4th April, 1963; and what was the result.

An inquest was held, and the Coroner's verdict was that Thomas committed suicide by hanging himself with a belt from his cell window and that there was insufficient evidence as to his state of mind at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the recruitment of members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to Civil Defence; to what extent Civil Service personnel are bound by the Official Secrets Act; and what reports he has received from Essex and elsewhere of Civil Defence officers engaging in propaganda against Her Majesty's Government's defence policy.

I know of no reason why a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who genuinely wishes to help in the humanitarian work of civil defence should not do so. As to the second part of the Question, broadly, anyone who receives classified information is bound by the Official Secrets Acts. My hon. Friend may have in mind reports which appeared in the Press about the part played in recent C.N.D. activities by a member of the Civil Defence Corps. I have had a brief report on that case from the Civil Defence Corps authority concerned, and the authority is looking further into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had relating to the proposal that doctors should in future be required to examine a body before issuing a death certificate.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of crimes of violence against the person and the number of sexual offences, including rape, known to the police for the year 1962; and what percentage of these offences was committed by juvenile offenders.

:17,948 indictable offences of violence against the person and 20,010 indictable sexual offences, including 473 offences of rape, were known to the police in 1962 in England and Wales.15 per cent, of the persons convicted of indictable offences of violence against the person and 19 per cent, of those convicted of indictable sexual offences were under 17.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will appoint an independent public inquiry to investigate the conduct of the police at the West End Central Police Station, Savile Row, in the light of the Woolf case and the "half bricks case".

I am considering the Woolf case in the light of the judgment of the High Court on the application for a fresh inquest on Mr. Woolf. I have asked the Commissioner of Police for some further information. When I have received his report, I will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give instructions that the Beatles should no longer receive police protection in the London area from their admirers.

It is the duty of the police to take any necessary steps to prevent disorder or breaches of the peace, whatever the nature of the occasion. The steps to be taken in relation to any particular event in the Metropolitan Police District must be for the Commissioner of Police to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his decision on the case, first brought to his attention nine weeks ago, of Maurice Frederick Walton, who was sentenced to imprisonment at Durham County Quarter Sessions in April this year for an offence to which other persons have since confessed.

I am studying the full reports which I called for in this case, and I hope to write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the programme of registration of charities under the Charities Act, 1960, has now been completed.

Charities in England and Wales, unless excepted by the provisions of Section 4 of the Act, are required to register particulars with the Charity Commissioners or the Minister of Education. The registration of religious charities has been deferred until 1964. Up to 16th November, 1963, the Charity Commissioners had registered 28,267 charities. Further information about the progress of registration will be given in the Charity Commissioners' Annual Report for 1962, which I hope shortly to present to Parliament. Inquiries about the progress of registering education charities should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the calculations by his scientists which relate to the number of people expected to survive a nuclear attack on Great Britain.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to his Question about publishing an evaluation of the effects of a nuclear attack on Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reject the proposal made officially to him by the Senior Steward-designate of the Jockey Club and the Senior National Hunt Steward that steps should be taken to establish a totalisator monopoly.

No such proposal has been made to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to inquire into the use of pressure by the Metropolitan Police on witnesses in the recent Ward case; and what were the results of these inquiries.

The Commissioner of Police has had thorough inquiry made into certain allegations about pressure being brought to bear upon witnesses in this case, and he has submitted a report to me. On the information before me, I have no reason to think that there is any substance whatever in these allegations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children in the care of local authorities have been sent overseas under emigration schemes since the passing of the Children Act, 1948.

:Precise figures are not available for the whole period, but since the Children Act, 1948, came into force about 500 children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales have emigrated, including about 130 who went under emigration schemes.