asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether British support for research in East Africa will continue now that Kenya is independent.

Yes. British aid to research in East Africa, currently running at approximately £614,000, has not been diminished by Kenya's independence.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will take steps to protect the Cardiff City Council against any claims made on them if they make ex-gratia payments to mortgage-owing owner-occupiers of property scheduled for clearance.

No. As I have said in a letter just sent to the hon. Member, the Council must act on their own responsibility in this matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will make a statement on what action he has taken or proposes to take to publicise the work of the Committee under Sir Milner Holland on the London Housing Survey, and to assist this Committee in offering evidence from the general public.

A Press notice was issued when the Committee was first appointed and since then there have been numerous references to their work in the Press. The Committee themselves have written to London Members of Parliament, local authorities, citizens' advice bureaux, rent tribunals, all London newspapers and other organisations and I am sure they can be relied on to arrange any further publicity which they think they need.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs where, and on what dates, he proposes to hold regional housing conferences.

:The programme of local conferences to encourage cooperation among housing authorities which was announced by my Department on 29th November is now under way. The first two were held at Cambridge on 17th December and at Stafford on 20th December. Arrangements are being made for further conferences at Oldbury on 23rd January, Maidstone on 12th February, Thetford on 20th February, Oxford on 25th February, Huddersfield on 27th February, and Bradford on 3rd March. Other conferences will be held as soon as possible but the centres and the dates have not yet been fixed.In addition to this programme the Northern Housing Office is continuing discussions with authorities in Lancashire and Cheshire which have already led to the formation of three groups of authorities in the Manchester area, Merseyside and Central Lancashire. The Welsh Office has had similar discussions with many of the housing authorities in Wales; and the North-East Regional Office has been holding a series of meetings with individual authorities before calling conferences to encourage the formation of groups.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will publish a table showing the numbers and value of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research grants to students working in the field of pure science, as compared to the number and value of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research grants to students working in the field of electrical and mechanical engineering.

The number of awards in the various subjects are published in the annual reports of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Figures for 1963 have not yet been published and, with permission, I will circulate a table in the Official Report. This will also show the value of the awards, which is the same in pure or applied science and engineering.Following is the table:

D.S.I.R. POSTGRADUATE STUDENTSHIPS
Subject	Total current on 1st November, 1963	Number of these awarded in 1963
Biology and Bio-chemistry	486	203
Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy	308	162
Chemistry	1,077	427
Electrical Engineering	197	110
Other Engineering	376	241
Geology	264	114
Human Sciences	123	87
Mathematics	411	242
Physics	794	346
Totals	4,036	1,932
D.S.I.R. studentships in pure or applied science or engineering are of the following value:
£450 p.a. for students living in college, hostel or lodgings.
£340 p.a. for students living at home.
Approved fees are also paid, and dependants' and other allowances are paid in appropriate cases.
Details of the rates are published in H.M.S.O. booklet "D.S.I.R. Studentships and Fellowships 1963" price 3s., a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science (1) what is the extent of the Government's Marine Reactor Research Programme and the current total expenditure;(2) how much money was allocated for nuclear marine research; and how much of this sum of money remains.

The programme has covered research into, or studies of, a number of reactor systems and their variants, both British and American, as well as the joint Vulcain project undertaken with Belgonucleaire.Expenditure on the programme from November, 1961, to the beginning of this year was about £3 million which was the sum allocated for that purpose. Work is continuing on approximately the same scale.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how much money has been allocated to research into the nuclear marine reactor design put forward by Belgonucleare Vulcain system; and how much money has so far been expended on this project.

:The costs of the collaborative programme on Vulcain, which the Atomic Energy Authority share equally with Belgonucleaire, are the subject of an agreement which, for commercial reasons, is confidential to both parties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what purpose the Crown Estates Commissioners propose to acquire the share capital of the Norfolk Estuary Company; and whether it is intended that the Commissioners shall make a thorough new survey of the possibilities of land reclamation combined with benefits to land drainage and navigation in the Wash.

The Crown Estate Commissioners' proposal is to acquire some 1,000 acresof farm land already reclaimed by the Norfolk Estuary Company and rights vested in the company to reclaim a large area of tidal land. The Commissioners who already have substantial interests in this area will let the farm land and will embank areas of tidal land as these become ripe for reclamation. Land drainage and navigation authorities will be consulted when reclamation schemes are prepared. They will not acquire the share capital of the company which will be wound up under a Private Bill to be presented in this Session.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis the Board of Inland Revenue grant dispensation from residential qualification for tax purposes.

:The Board has no power to give any dispensation from the provisions under which a person would be regarded as resident here for tax purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring profits within the national incomes policy by means of measures against monopolies which will ensure that excessive profits are distributed to the consumer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to prevent unduly high profits in monopolistic undertakings, in view of the policy of Her Majesty's Government to secure an incomes policy which is fair to all sections of the community.

My right hon. Friends and I have already made clear our view that a policy of economic expansion without inflation requires a competitive economy in which prices are reduced wherever possible and increased only where this is unavoidable. This is one of the subjects which the National Economic Development Council at present has under consideration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development hopes to make a statement before long.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why Income Tax under Schedule A is still being charged on ground rent from house owners who are not owner-occupiers.

Under the Finance Act, 1963, a tenant is still entitled to deduct tax from ground rent for the current year, 1963–64, and he has to pay over the corresponding amount of tax under Schedule A. The new system for taxing rents does not come into operation until next year, 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that many householders who considered they would no longer be eligible for Schedule A tax on property have been taxed for the current financial year; and if he will introduce amending legislation to free all owner-occupiers from Schedule A considerations, irrespective of ground rent or leasehold commitments.

No. My right hon. Friend pointed out in his Budget statement that Schedule A tax would be payable for 1963–64 on ground rents. The payer does not bear the tax in these cases but passes it on by deducting it from the ground rent. Next year there will be no Schedule A tax and ground rents will be payable in full.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the funds necessary to enable the Trustees of the British Museum to extend the evening opening of the Reading Room from two to five nights per week.

This is a question of priorities for the British Museum Trustees. I understand that they propose to extend late opening to three nights a week in the near future. Any further extension will be a matter for them to decide within the limits of the resources which Parliament will be asked to Vote them for 1964–65.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Richardson Committee to report on the practical effects of introducing a turnover or added value tax.

I understand that the Committee hopes to report in the near future.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the examination by the Inland Revenue and outside experts of the possibilities of bringing taxation of company profits for Income Tax on to an accounts basis in the same way as for Profits Tax has yet been completed.

There have been discussions on this matter between the Inland Revenue and outside experts but I am not yet able to make any announcement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will ask the National Economic Development Council to work out criteria which can be used to assess whether any particular wage increase above the Government's guiding light is justifiable from the point of view of the community.

:I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave today to questions from himself and from the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a means of reducing prices, he will now abolish the tax on sweets and confectionery.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which my right hon. Friend gave on 3rd December, 1963, to the hon. Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many refugees from Communist China were returned to that country by the Hong Kong Government in 1963; and whether he will seek, in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to change the policy.

:1,883 illegal immigrants were returned to China in 1963. Hong Kong, which is already seriously overcrowded, is obliged to restrict the flow of immigrants.We are in close touch with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees but so far no international solution to this problem has been suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many people were detained in Aden State on or about 10th December under the state of emergency; how many of those detainees are still in custody; where they are being kept; and why no charges have been brought against them.

:Fifty-five yere detained of whom 28 are still in custody. All are now in or near Aden. They were detained under an emergency decree which does not require the bringing of specific charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when Her Majesty's Government will next publish estimates for future expenditure in the three High Commission Territories, indicating the period that such expenditure is designed to cover.

It is expected that the Draft Estimates for the financial year 1964–65 will be published by the Governments of the three Territories in February or March. I will arrange to have copies placed in the Library as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if a date has yet been decided for the inauguration of the independence of Nyasaland.

6th July, 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been made for readjustments in the service of the staff of the Colonial Office, in view of its reduced responsibilities resulting from the extensions of independence to Colonial Territories.

:The staff of the Colonial Office are members of the Home Civil Service and are therefore eligible for transfer to other Home Departments. During recent years staff have been so transferred as the functions of the Office have contracted. This process will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on the result of the European fisheries conference with special reference to fishery limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on the result of the European fisheries conference with special reference to fishery limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what decisions have been reached and recommendations made by the European

									£	Per cent. Total
United Nations Regular Budget				…	…	…	…	…	2,120,530	7·58
Special Accounts:
Middle East Operation (UNEF)					…	…	…	…	288,676	8·5*
Congo Operation (ONUC)				…	…	…	…	…	1,043,327	8·8*
United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assis tance	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1,339,375;	7·0
United Nations Special Fund					…	…	…	…	2,232,250	8·5
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1,928,572:	15·9
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)							…	…	335,000	5·2
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees							…	…	200,000	8·2†
International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA):
Regular Budget			…	…	…	…	…	…	178,370	7·01
Operational Budget			…	…	…	…	…	…	51,000	13·15
Specialised Agencies:
Food and Agriculture Organisation					…	…	…	…	519,809	10·15
World Health Organisation				…	…	…	…	…	763,289	6·92
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	487,726	7·23
International Labour Organisation					…	…	…	…	468,200	9·36
International Civil Aviation Organisation						…	…	…	166,820	9·9
International Telecommunications Union						…	…	…	70,413	5·45
World Meteorological Organisation					…	…	…	…	18,522	5·89
International Maritime Consultative Organisation							…	…	17,726	12·95
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development								…	Her Majesty's Government provide 12·4% of the capital
International Development Association						…	…	…	—	13·5
International Finance Corporation					…	…	…	…	—	14·4
International Monetary Fund				…	…	…	…	…	—	12·95
* Half year only·
† Amount offered subject to matching conditions·

The Fisheries Conference resumed on 8th January and is still in progress. I am at present unable, therefore, to add to what my hon. Friend said to the House on 9th December last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what were the most recent annual United Kingdom contributions to the United Nations and the Specialised Agencies, including the voluntary funds, and what were the proportions which these contributions bear to the total contributions in each case.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Attorney-General if he will set up an inquiry into the present procedure for transfer of ownership of houses, with a view to legislation to simplify procedure and reduce the cost of purchase.

:No. The only way in which the transfer of ownership of house property can be simplified is by an extension of the system of registration of title. This is proceeding as rapidly as possible, but is bound to take time. In these circumstances I do not consider that an inquiry would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a number of young persons who will be 21 years of age at the date of the election will not be able to vote because they are not on the register, and that many young people cannot vote till they are 24 or 25 years of age; and whether he will introduce legislation to allow persons to vote if they are 21 years of age when an election takes place.

The law provides that persons who have reached the age of 21 by 10th October, the qualifying date for a register, are eligible to vote at any election held after 15th February in the following year: those reaching the age of 21 after 10th October and before 15th June in the following year are eligible to vote at an election held on or after 2nd October. With the system of annual registers it would not be practicable to combine arrangements allowing persons to vote from the day they reached the age of 21, though I do not regard the present arrangements, which date from 1949, as ideal

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to receive the report of the Crathorne Committee on Sunday Trading and other matters.

I understand that the Committee has completed taking oral evidence. I cannot yet say when a report is likely to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review the arrangements for dealing with appeals in criminal cases.

Yes, my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor and I have decided that the time has come to review the position of the Court of Criminal Appeal, to consider whether or not it is desirable that some or all of the appeals which now lie to that Court should lie instead to the Court of Appeal, and to review the constitution of the Court which is to hear these appeals, and the practice and procedure for handling them. After consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls, we have decided to appoint a Committee to enquire into these and related matters. I am glad to say that Lord Donovan has agreed to be Chairman of the Committee. I will make a further statement about the terms of reference and membership of the Committee in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what study he has made of the products of Aberdeen and other industrial centres in North-East Scotland in relation to the export trade potentialities between that area and industrial and importing centres in Northern and Western Europe, with a view to expanding exports and imports generally between those areas and so diminishing unemployment in North-East Scotland.

The Board of Trade officers in Scotland are well informed about the industries of North-East Scotland and are ready to help them to develop their trade with all suitable markets, including those of Northern and Western Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on the position of British Lion Films, Ltd.

I would ask the hon. Lady to await the statement which I intend to make on Thursday, 16th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will state the occasions since 1959 when the late and present Leaders of Her Majesty's Opposition were formally consulted on foreign affairs and defence, respectively.

I am not sure what the right hon. Gentleman means by formal consultation. The Leader of the Opposition and his predecessor have, of course, discussed issues of foreign policy and defence with me, and with my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromley (Mr. H. Macmillan), on several occasions.

asked the Prime Minister what time limit he has imposed on the stay of British troops in Cyprus.

No time limit has been imposed. There is no intention of employing British troops on peace-keeping duties in the Republic of Cyprus any longer than necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the Verdon-Smith Report before the 1964 Price Review.

I understand that I shall be receiving the Committee's Report within a few days. It will be published as soon as possible after that. I am informed that the Report deals comprehensively with the very wide range of issues covered by the Committee's terms of reference. It is unlikely that the necessary consultations with the great many interests concerned can be complete in time for the Government to take a view on the Report before the end of the Annual Review.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what is the present rate of recruitment for pilots in the Fleet Air Arm; and what steps he is taking to remedy deficiencies.

In 1963, 112 new entrant cadets and general list officers began training to become pilots. Recent measures taken to remedy deficiencies include improved selection procedures and Press advertising, and market research surveys. In addition a flying scholarship scheme for young men in suitable youth organisations is being introduced.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will now give consideration to building a Royal Navy fleet replenishment tanker fitted with a British-designed marine reactor.

:The possibilities of nuclear propulsion for surface ships continue to receive the active consideration of the Admiralty, but the reasons given in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend on 31st January, 1963, why nuclear propulsion has not been adopted for Fleet replenishment tankers still apply.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how much money has been spent on training of naval crews in the United States of America for nuclear submarines.

Key men for the crew of H.M.S. Dreadnought were attached to United States Navy nuclear submarines for varying periods between March, 1959, and March, 1961. No payment was sought or made for this, or for other training in the U.S. Navy for the crew of this boat.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how much money has been spent on training contractors' staff in the United States of America to enable them to operate the Dounreay submarine prototype.

Approximately £45,000, including the salaries and wages of those being trained. I regret that this cost was inadvertently omitted from the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend on 20th November, 1963, and is additional to the figures of £270,000 I then gave him.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is satisfied with the number of aircraft available for transport duties in Middle East Command; and why normal supply runs from Aden to units of the Federal Regular Army were interrupted during the moving of British troops to Swaziland.

:The number of transport aircraft in Middle East Command is adequate to meet its normal tasks. There was no interruption in supply runs to Federal Regular Army units.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the number of feet for one foot vertical rise in the slope of the ramp leading to the passenger exits from the first floor in the civil airports at Aldergrove in County Antrim.

Ten.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations he has received from the British Legion, the Royal Air Force Association, and other bodies asking Her Majesty's Government to indemnify from public funds ex-Service men settled in Kenya with the backing of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.

:It has been represented to me that British ex-Service men who went to Kenya under the auspices of the European Agricultural Settlement Board merit special consideration. I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend on 10th December to the hon. Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson).

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (1) what reply he has received from the Ghana Government about the increased income tax now being levied on overseas pensions;(2) what further action he is taking to remedy the cuts in pensions of British overseas civil servants caused by the recent tax increases brought into force by the Ghana Government.

I have been asked to reply.Following the representations made by the British High Commissioner to the Ghana Government on the effect of the increased income tax now being levied on the pensions of former overseas officers, discussions are proceeding with the Ghana authorities with a view to affording relief to these pensioners.

asked the Minister of Defence what will be the expenditure on military research and development in the financial year 1963–64.

:I am not prepared to give precise figures, but expenditure on military research and development in the current financial year is likely to be of the order of £250 million.

asked the Minister of Defence what number of men in uniform there will be in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, respectively,

SERVICE PERSONNEL (ADULT MALES) AT 1ST NOVEMBER, 1963
Royal Navy (including Royal Marines)						…	88,910
Army	…	…	…	…	…	…	171,092
Royal Air Force			…	…	…	…	127,342

CIVILIANS (AT 1ST OCTOBER, 1963)
					Home		Overseas
					Non-Industrial	Industrial	U.K. Based		Locally Employed
							N.I.	I.	N.I.	I.
Royal Navy		…	…	…	29,778	70,677	1,004	468	2,670	15,722
Army	…	…	…	…	46,427	79,474	3,207	—	17,489	56,197
Royal Air Force			…	…	23,511	26,166	1,446	9	4,633	18,006
Totals		…	…	…	99,716	176,317	5,657	477	24,792	89,925

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish figures for each region showing the number of workers at present being retrained in Government retraining centres.

The number of persons undergoing training at Government training centres in each region on 9th December, 1963, was as follows:

Region	9th December, 1963
Northern	173
Yorkshire & Lincolnshire	171
Eastern & Southern	451
London & South-Eastern	551
South-Western	168
Wales	119
Midlands	266
North-Western	243
Scotland	279
Total	2,421

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he will publish a breakdown of the figures given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for numbers on 1st January, 1964; and what number of civilians will be employed by each of the three Services.

The latest available figures are:unemployed in principal towns and development districts so as to show the numbers of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled who are unemployed in each of the towns and development districts;(2) whether he will publish seasonal unemployment figures showing the breakdown between skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers in those towns in England and Wales which are seriously affected by this problem.

Detailed occupational analyses of men and women registered as unemployed are made each quarter, in March, June, September and December, for all employment exchange areas. The figures are published for Great Britain as a whole, Scotland, Wales and the seven administrative regions of England. The corresponding figures for individual employment exchange areas, including those which have marked seasonal fluctuations in employment, are available on request. It would require a heavy expenditure of time and money to compile and publish summaries for areas smaller than regions. I would however, be ready to give such information as I readily can in relation to any particular area.

asked the Minister of Health when the Standing Committee on Dental Health Education was appointed; how many times it has met; and what recommendations it has made.

:In October, 1957; seven times. This is an independent committee set up to advise its constituent bodies and co-ordinate their work. It has recommended four rules for dental health to be emphasised in all publicity material and given guidance on the organisation of local campaigns in dental health education and the assessment of their effectiveness.

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates receiving the report of the Cohen Committee on Health Education.

:The Report was endorsed by the Central and Scottish Health Services Councils and sent to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and me at the end of last month.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give for the end of September, or any convenient recent date, the home trade or schedule prices for the United Kingdom, Germany and France of general purpose cold reduced sheets, on the same basis as in Appendix V of the 1962 Report of the Iron and Steel Board.

I am informed by the Iron and Steel Board that in December 1963, the prices asked for were as follows:

	per	ton
United Kingdom	£54	12s.
Germany	£62	17s.
France	£58	12s.

The alignment system involves reductions in actual prices in France and Germany in particular instances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a table showing for each of the past three years, at the most recent convenient date, the total number of cases appearing on first diet at Glasgow sheriffs' courts, the number of cases outstanding at each of those dates, the number of pleas of guilty and not guilty, and, of the totals, the number of accused who waited two months, three months, four months and six months, respectively, between the date of the alleged offence and the date of first diet.

The following are the figures which are available:

Glasgow Sheriff Court: Summary Court	1961	1962	1963
Accused appearing on first diet*	16,518	17,457	19,172
Cases outstanding at 31stDecembert†	2,051	2,727	2,024
Pleas of Guilly*	15,277	15,833	17,243
Pleas of Not Guilty*	1,241	1,624	1,929
* Estimated.
† Persons awaiting trial or sentence and persons served with a summary complaint and awaiting a first diet.

The numbers of accused who waited two months, three months, four months and six months between the date of the alleged offence and the date of first diet couldnot be obtained without undue labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a table showing for each of the past three years, at the most recent convenient date, the number of those appearing at first diet on motoring offences at Glasgow sheriffs' courts, the number of pleas of guilty and not guilty, the number of casesoutstanding at each of those dates, and, of the total, the number who waited for two months, three months, four months and six months, respectively, between the date of the alleged offence and their appearance at first diet.

The figures for those accused of offences under the Road Traffic Acts are approximately four-sevenths of those for all offences given in my Answer to the hon. Member's Question today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will provide a table showing for each of the past three years at the most recent convenient date the total number of cases tried at Glasgow sheriffs' courts after a first diet plea of not guilty, and, of the total tried, the number who waited two months, three months, four months and six months, respectively, between the date of first diet and their trial;(2) if he will provide a table showing for each of the past three years at the most recent convenient dates the numbers of those tried for motoring offences at Glasgow sheriffs' courts after a first diet plea of not guilty, and, of this total, the number who waited two months, three months, four months and six months, respectively, from the date of first diet until the date of trial.

I regret that these figures could not be made available without undue labour and I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport by what percentage the proportion of British Railways police engaged primarily on motor traffic control duties has varied over the past 10 years.

I am advised by the British Railways Board that it is not practicable to give this information, because the extent to which the British Transport Police Force have been engaged on motor traffic control duties has varied and still varies greatly from day to day and from place to place.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the value of losses by pilferage on British Railways in each year in the last 10 years.

I am informed by the British Railways Board that the only relevant figures available are of the overall amounts paid by them in particular years in compensation for goods lost, stolen or pilfered while in transit on the railways. The figures for the ten years 1953–1962 are as follows:—

	£
1953	1,172,932
1954	932,468
1955	847,368
1956	879,294
1957	825,640
1958	837,903
1959	777,140
1960	923,421
1961	1,288,905
1962	1,427,912

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers in each rank and total salaries of British Railways police for each year in the past 10 years.

The number of British Transport police engaged primarily on British Railways duties, and the corresponding total salaries and wages paid, for each of the years 1953–1962 are as follows:

Year	Number of police	Total of wages and salaries paid
		£ million
1953	3,459	1·8
1954	3,166	1·9
1955	2,990	1·9
1956	2,913	2·0
1957	2,903	2·3
1958	2,889	2·3
1959	2,723	2·3
1960	2,589	2·2
1961	2,520	2·7
1962	2,514	2·7

Owing to changes in the organisation of the British Transport Police force within the period, it is not possible to give the numbers in each rank without a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Minister of Transport if the Government have now received a proposal to build a British reactor for a commercial nuclear ship which has some prospect of being economically attractive.

No.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) when the Government will be in a position to reach a decision to commence building the first commercial nuclear ship in Great Britain;(2) when it is anticipated that he will receive the report of the working group examining the merits of different nuclear marine reactor systems.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Transport what fire and boat drill was attended by one of the officers of his Department before the "Lakonia" sailed from Southampton; how long it lasted; and whether the officer was satisfied with the stowing of the lifeboats.

:A surveyor of my Department witnessed on 18th and 19th December the fire and boat drills which were carried out in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1948. He was on board the ship for a total of about six hours, spread over two days. Stowage of lifeboats is a matter covered by a ship's international safety certificate, but the boat drill on the "Lakonia" provided for seven boats being lowered to the embarkation decks and four of these being lowered into the water and exercised afloat. These exercises were carried out satisfactorily.

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents involving death or serious injury occurred in the 12 months to the latest convenient date;and in what proportion of these cases a driver or rider of a motor vehicle was charged, or would have been so charged had he not been killed or seriously injured, with a drink offence under the Road Traffic Acts.

In the 12 months ended 31st October, 1963, there were 77,047 fatal and serious road accidents, involving 110,612 drivers or riders of motor vehicles. Of these drivers or riders 402 were charged, or would have been so charged had they not been killed or seriously injured, with a drink offence under the Road Traffic Acts. This figure, which is known to understate the number of cases in which drink is a contributory factor, represents a proportion of less than one half of 1 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now give an assurance that the route to be followed by the London-Crawley motorway will cross that part of the former Croydon Airport designated as open space, so as to minimise interference with large-scale redevelopment plans already approved for other parts of the site; and if he will make a statement.

If the route of the motorway crossed the former Croydon Airport site it would be confined to the open part and I would do all I could to minimise its indirect effects upon those parts of the site which are to be built on. But while the motorway route remains uncertain I see no point in making a statement.