asked the Minister of Defence what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding resort to nuclear weapons in defence of vitalinterests outside Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation area.

It is not in the best interests of this country to disclose to a possible aggressor the circumstances in which nuclear weapons might be used.

asked the Minister of Defence what study he has made of the way in which an international agreement on arms reduction will affect his Department, and of the methods by which an orderly transition can be made in the fields of administration, production and research.

Any such study would depend upon the form that internationally agreed arms reduction might take and the period over which it would be implemented.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that while female state registered nurses, on enlistment, are granted a commission, male state registered nurses are not; and if, in future, the same facilities will be granted to men as to women.

Only a relatively few male nurses trained to State Registration standards are needed. Thus, the number of commissioned posts for male nursing officers is very small indeed and such posts as are available are needed to provide prospects of promotion for personnel already serving.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that bedding contracts awarded by his Department to the workshops for the blind at Newcastle-upon-Tyne were offered at an amount less than the prime cost of the item produced; why these contracts were awarded; and if he is satisfied that the lowest tender submitted by the trade was by a firm observing the standard conditions of Government contracts for stores purchases and the conditions relating to fair wages whereby suppliers are required to pay the appropriate negotiated trade union rates.

The National Association of Workshops for the Blind is one of a number of non-profit making organisations which are given preference in the allocation of a fair share of suitable Government contracts at fair market prices. Under this scheme my Department has negotiated a contract with the Headquarters of the National Association for the supply of mattresses for the Army. I am not responsible for the financial operation of any particular workshop which has been given work under this contract by the Association.I have no reason to suppose that the firm which submitted the lowest trade tender did not observe the standard conditions of Government contracts for stores purchases. Nor have I received any complaints either from workpeople in the trade or from the trade unions that commercial firms are paying less than the appropriate negotiated trade union rate of wages.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individual applications have been made to him to date by local authorities in Scotland under Section 5 of the Local Employment Act; and how many derelict sites have been cleared as a consequence of these applications to date.

Of the 60 applications submitted, 40 have been approved finally or in principle, and 14 are under consideration. Nine schemes have been completed, and work is in progress on six. In addition some 200 proposals have been the subject of preliminary submission, of which approximately half are likely to be eligible for grant on the submission of satisfactory detailed schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the teachers' salary scales recently negotiated and those in course of negotiation between the National Joint Council on Teachers' Salaries and himself, in view of Lord Johnston's Court of Session judgment that the Joint Council had not been properly constituted in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1962;and what steps he proposes to take to deal with the position, having regard to Lord Johnston's judgment.

I am considering, in the light of the judgment, appropriate action towards the constitution, in accordance with Section 83(4) of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1962, of a new council to deal with teachers' salaries. I am advised that the judgment has not invalidated the Salaries Regulations now in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details for 1961–62 and 1962–63 for local authorities in Scotland of total interest charges paid, capital debt at end of year and rate of interest paid on net capital debt.

For 1961–62, total interest charges were £42·9 million, gross capital debt at the end of the year was £890 million and average rate of interest on net capital debt (i.e., gross debt less sinking fund balances) was 5 per cent. Figures for 1962–63 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will close Felhurst Crescent, Dagenham, to all through traffic and to outside parkers, in view of the failure of the new regulations, which became operative on 14th October, to prevent its use by traffic avoiding the traffic signals at Wantz Corner.

I cannot undertake to protect this; road from all through traffic and waiting vehicles. But arrangements are in hand for my traffic engineers to discuss conditions there again with officers of the council early in the new year. As yet it is too early to judge the full effect of the waiting restrictions at the signalled junction.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that systems of remotely-controlled illuminated warning signs are in operation on some United States and continental motorways; and if he will indicate the nature of the design problems which have delayed the anticipated date for the introduction of the experimental scheme on the M.5 for 18 months beyond the original estimated time of installation.

I am aware of systems abroad which depend on the use of neon tubular signs or mechanical indicators. One of our main problems has been to devise an illuminated sign equally legible by drivers travelling at motorway speeds in all daylight conditions and by night, and also equally illegible when not switched on. I think we have now found a better answer to that problem than neon tubes. With mechanical indicators there would be too great a risk of breakdown in view of the size of the signs and their location at exposed sites remote from the control point.As I have said before, I am anxious to start this experimental scheme as soon as possible. I have recently placed an order for a full-sized prototype sign and I hope to invite tenders for the control equipment shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to receive the report of the consulting engineers who have been surveying possible alter native routes for the M.4 motorway through Berkshire and Wiltshire.

Spring 1964 at the earliest.

asked the Minister of Transport for what reasons he is not prepared to build an underpass for the North Circular Road, thus leaving the traffic down Neasden Lane unaffected at the intersection of Neasden Lane and the North Circular Road.

As I explained in reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 6th December, no final decision can be taken at present.The consulting engineers considered an underpass for the North Circular Road but rejected it on the grounds that dual three-lane carriageways would be required to cater for future traffic growth and to provide for this by an underpass would have caused more extensive disruption in the area.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the approximate average of unused parking capacity in the Hyde Park and other publicly-built garages in London; and to what extent this unused parking space is due to the disparity between the charges imposed for garage and meter parking, respectively.

At the present time there are usually some 600 spaces in the Park Lane garage available on week days, and about 600 more in the other publicly-built garages in central London. A good deal of the unused space is due to parking meter spaces, which are at present cheaper than garages, being improperly and unfairly used by long-term parkers. The higher meter charges proposed in my Department's booklet Parking—the Next Stage would encourage the proper division of use between meters and off-street car parks.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will replace the panda crossings, which are confusing to many drivers, by the pedestrian traffic control system being tried in Harrow Road, Paddington, and other areas.

No. The pedestrian traffic control system is an experiment and I do not propose to extend it until I have assessed the results.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will improve the operation of the experimental pedestrian traffic control system in Harrow Road, Paddington, and other places by increasing the degree of linking between the traffic signals.

At each site the signals are already linked so that in normal traffic conditions vehicles can progress through them all at a speed between 15 and 20 m.p.h. But the linking has to be biased at times in favour of the heavier traffic flow. The only signals not so linked are those at the Great Western Road junction on Harrow Road, which is so complex that I have not so far been able to link it on every cycle of the lights. I am still experimenting with the signal settings in order to secure the best arrangements for both vehicles and pedestrians.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the most recent estimate of the time it will take to complete the North Orbital Road.

No worthwhile estimate is yet possible. I cannot add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Delargy) on 26th July.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the confusion caused to drivers by the fact that regulations governing parking, waiting, loading and unloading of cars and commercial vehicles vary considerably between different boroughs in London; and if he will have them all reviewed with the object of bringing about greater uniformity.

Regulations restricting waiting must vary from one part of London to another, as traffic needs vary. Complete uniformity could be achieved only by making some restrictions unduly onerous. I have made proposals to local authorities for greater uniformity in some minor ways. But in the general interest some major differences—e.g. in hours of operation—are bound to continue. I want motorists to be in no doubt just what restrictions apply in each street, and I shall shortly be consulting local authorities and representative organisations about an improved system of traffic signs for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will postpone the work on developing the proposed Osborne Road, Windsor, project until the effects of the M.4 motorway on west-east traffic are ascertained.

No. I agree with the Berkshire County Council, the highway authority for this road, that it is needed to enable traffic from north of Windsor to the Staines area to avoid the congested town centre.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of developing the Osborne Road, Windsor, route.

The cost of the new road between Clarence Road and Osborne Road is estimated at about 180,000. It is estimated that a further £50,000 will be needed to improve the roundabout at the junction of Osborne Road and Francis Road and to convert the triangle formed by these roads and Alma Road into a one-way traffic route.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that, on the proposed Osborne Road, Windsor, route, there is situated a main London Transport garage from which buses and Green Line coaches will daily traverse the proposed route at right angles to the traffic it is intended to carry; and what action he will take to deal with this situation.

I am satisfied that the one-way traffic system which will be introduced on this route will permit the buses and coaches to operate with safety and without unreasonable delay.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will announce his decision with regard to the public inquiry held in December 1962 regarding the project of a relief road for traffic passing through Windsor.

I announced my decision about the relief road in January 1961. As regards the public inquiry, this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for new regulations to improve the rear-lighting of cycles during hours of darkness.

A new British Standard for cycle rear lamps has recently been issued and I intend to propose regulations to permit the use of lamps conforming to the new standard as an alternative to the lamps with which cycles are now required to be fitted. At a later date lamps conforming to the new standard may be made compulsory.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish the information he has received, under Section 56(8) of the Transport Act, 1962, regarding objections lodged with transport users' consultative committees to proposed railway closures in the county of Dorset.

The Area Transport Users Consultative Committees have notified me that objections have been lodged to three closure proposals affecting passenger services in Dorset, namely the Bath Green Park—Bournemouth West, Salisbury—Fordingbridge—Bournemouth, and Brockenhurst—Ringwood—Bournemouth proposals.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the Railways Board failed to fulfil their statutory duly under Section 56(7)(a) of the Transport Act, 1962, with regard to notice of particulars of alternative services to the Somerset and Dorset railway line; and if he will therefore not permit the closure of this line.

I have seen no evidence of any failure on the part of the Board in this respect. I will reach my decision on the proposals in the light of the T.U.C.C. reports on hardship and all other relevant factors.

asked the Minister of Transport what would be the cost of carrying out the request of the Newlyn-Mousehole Fishermen's Association for a light and a fog signal on the south coast of the Land's End peninsula.

Trinity House estimate that to provide on this coast a light and fog signal of sufficient power to assist general navigation would cost about £60,000. It is possible that a light and fog signal to meet the needs of local fishermen could be provided at a lower cost but this would need further investigation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of the Buchanan Report's recommendation that the planning of traffic must provide a good environment for pedestrians, he will withdraw his directive that the Holford plan for Piccadilly must be radically revised to allow for a greatly increased flow of vehicular traffic.

Discussions with the London County Council about the problem of Piccadilly Circus are in progress, and I am not yet in a position to make any statement.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether, having regard to the fact that in certain circumstances personnel of the Army and Royal Air Force are issued with free leave warrants to travel by air, he will consider issuing such free warrants in similar circumstances to officers and other ranks of the Royal Navy; and whether he will issue such warrants to those who desire to fly on leave to Northern Ireland.

The Royal Navy follows the inter-Service rules for free leave travel. These allow, exceptionally, for air travel between the Hebrides and the mainland of Scotland, but not for travel to Northern Ireland. No naval personnel have been involved in travel from the Hebrides this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the normal period of time between the making of an application by a boy entrant for entry to the Royal Air Force and notification of its rejection being given.

The general average is about two months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has studied the representations sent to him by the hon. Member for Morpeth, regarding grey seals and fisheries; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has only recently received these representations. The matters raised in this document also concern my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Nature Conservancy. My right hon. Friend is in touch with them and willreply to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on his plans for an extension of the runway at London, Gatwick, Airport.

I have decided that the runway should be extended to the east by 1,200 feet, making a total length of 8,200 feet. This will equip the airport for the new types of aircraft likely to be used on short- and medium-haul services as well as large jet aircraft on diversion from Heathrow. Work on the extension will begin in March 1964 and should be completed by the spring of 1965.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will instruct the International Air Transport Association to abolish the present system of the licensing of travel agents in this country.

No. The appointment of agents to act on behalf of I.A.T.A. members and the standards expected of firms seeking appointment are matters for commercial agreement among the members of the Association.

asked the Minister of Education why the Surrey Education Officer refuses to accept children as pupils for grammar schools in Surrey, although they have been selected for grammar schools in other counties.

The provision in Surrey of secondary education for able pupils includes, as well as grammar schools, courses in other secondary schools of equivalent standard to those found in grammar schools elsewhere. Children moving into Surrey are placed in either type of school on the same basis as Surrey children.

asked the Minister of Education how many children have been selected for grammar school education from private schools in Surrey in the last three years; and how many of those selected had no public primary school education before selection.

In reply to the first part of the Question, the numbers were 1,371 in 1961, 1,345 in 1962 and 1,285 in 1963. The figures needed to answer the second part are not available.

asked the Minister of Education what was the number of oversized classes in primary schools and secondary schools on the latest available date.

In January, 1963, there were 18,201 (14·5 per cent.) junior classes with more than 40 pupils and 43,295 (43·6 per cent.) senior classes with more than 30 pupils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing how many students there were in each faculty of British universities and colleges of advanced technology in the auturon of 1963, compared to autumn 1962 and autumn 1961.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing how many students began first degrees and diplomas in each faculty of British universities and colleges of advanced technology in autumn 1963. compared with autumn 1962 and autumn 1961.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give instructions for the revision of the practice of the Foreign Compensation Commission of refusing claimants any explanation of how their claims have been assessed; and whether he will give reasons for the present practice.

No. The Foreign Compensation Commission is a quasi-judicial body constituted under the Foreign Compensation Act, 1950. The Act does not give the Secretary of State power to issue instructions to the Commission as to the manner in which they should exercise their judicial functions. The Commission regulate their own procedure and adopt the practices that they believe to be in the best interests of claimants generally, having regard to the need to distribute the Compensation Funds administered by them as expeditiously as possible, and to the importance of keeping down the costs of distribution which under the Act are recoverable from the Funds.

asked the Secretaryof State for Commonwealth Relations what representations have been made to the Ghana Government about the recent increase in Ghana income tax whereby 7s. in the £ sterling of pension payable to pensioners living outside Ghana is being deducted; and whether he is aware of the grave effect this will have on widows and other pensioners.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the grave effect that this increased tax is likely to have on Ghana government pensioners who have retired to live outside that country. Representations have been made to the Ghana Government and we await their reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names of the persons who have been granted political asylum in this country during the last two years; to which countries they belong; and on what conditions asylum was granted in each case.

There were a number of cases in which political considerations were among those advanced in applications which were granted to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, but no separate record is kept of them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give the number of Minister's references to medical appeal tribunals, the number whose assessments by the medical boards have been reduced, and the number of those whose assessments have been increased, for 12 months to the nearest convenient date.

During the year 1962, 5,370 medical board decisions involving disablement assessments came before medical appeal tribunals on a reference by the Minister. In 2,769 cases the medical board's decision was varied unfavourably to the claimant; in 1,616 it was varied favourably; and in the remainder (985) there was no change.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the number of Minister's references to the Nottingham Medical Appeal Tribunal, the number in which assessments by the medical boards have been reduced, and the number in which assessments have been increased, for 12 months to the nearest convenient date.

During the year 1962, 536 medical board decisions involving disablement assessments came before the Nottingham medical appeal tribunal on a reference by the Minister. In 351 cases the medical board's decision was varied unfavourably to the claimant; in 101 it was varied favourably; and in the remainder (84) there was no change.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephones are on the waiting list in Stalybridge, Hyde, Dukinfield, Longdendale and Tintwistle, respectively.

The figures are:

asked the Postmaster-General when he first notified the firms which make telephone equipment of his intention to carry out an increase in capital investment of £900 million in the inland telephone service in the next five years.

In recent years Post Office investment has been increasing steadily. It is regular practice to maintain close liaison with manufacturers about Post Office requirements in the shorter term, and in the longer term where appropriate. This made it unnecessary to give the manufacturers a specific notification of the increased programme outlined in my recent White Paper on the Telephone Service. I should add that the £900 million for the next five years, quoted in the White Paper, represents the total investment in inland telephone service, and not the increase in the present level.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Bridges Committee following the publication of Command Paper 2099 of 1963; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Since the publication of Command Paper 2099 at the end of July action has been taken as follows under the main recommendations of the Bridges Committee: