asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will institute an independent inquiry into allegations of bribery and corruption against a Metropolitan Police officer, details of whom have been communicated to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on various dates, and about whom his Parliamentary Under-Secretary replied in a letter on 6th December, 1963.

:The Commissioner of Police, who has had a full and thorough investigation made, is satisfied that the allegations, which relate to events in

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for removing Adamsdown Gaol from the centre of Cardiff and for replacing it.

None. There are advantages as well as disadvantages in having prisons situated within large cities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases since the war aliens have been admitted to the United Kingdom without valid travel documents from their home Governments.

Statistics of foreigners entering the United Kingdom are published

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the ages of 15, 16 and 17, boysand girls, respectively, were remanded to prisons in England and Wales during the periods 1st January to 31st March, 1st April to 30th June, 1st July to 30th September, and 1st October to 30th November, 1963.

The Answer is given in the following table of figures:every year as a Command Paper. They are not in a form that enables me to give a precise Answer to my hon. Friend's Question, but he will see from Command Paper 2008 that in 1962 more than seven thousand foreigners coming for short visits were admitted on non-national travel documents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he refused the entry to the United Kingdom of M. Moisé Tshombe, who had been invited to address the Institute of Race Relations at Chatham House.

There was no discrimination againstMr. Tshombe personally involved in tins case, neither was there any information in my hands about his being invited here to address the Institute of Race Relations. He applied for a visa to enable him to pay a short private visit to the United Kingdom, and it was solely because he did not appear to possess an acceptable travel document that, in accordance with normal practice, a visa was refused.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he will publish a White Paper on the Government's proposals for compensating the victims of crimes of violence;(2) why Her Majesty's Government are considering the adoption of an experimental non-statutory scheme for compensating the victims of crimes of violence; and if he will make a statement.

The White Paper will be published as soon as possible, and it will set out, among other things, the Government's reasons for proposing an experimental non-statutory scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals not included in the laboratory experiments listed by his Department were used in 1962 in the preparation and testing of horse serum and polio vaccines, respectively.

:The use of animals for the preparation of sera and vaccines is not considered to come within the scope of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, which governs only the conduct of experiments. No figures are thereforeavailable of the numbers of animals used for such preparation. Animals used for the testing of sera and vaccines are included in the published figures of experiments performed under the Act, except that those figures do not include any animals killed outright to obtain tissue for such tests, figures for which are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will name and reprimand the official of his Department who left secret docu- ments in a train between Clapham Junction and Streatham at midnight on 4th January;(2) if he will state the nature of the official documents contained in the briefcase left on a train by an official of his Department on the night of 4th January.

:After full inquiries I am satisfied that the briefcase was not left by the officer on a train, but was taken by another person and then abandoned on another train. The officer concerned has been the subject of disciplinary action. It is not customaryto announce names in such cases.The documents, which consisted of indexes used in the Immigration Service, were out of the officer's possession for not more than half an hour before coming into the custody of railway officials.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the fatal accidents, particularly to children, arising out of the use of inflammable materials in the manufacture of night clothes; and whether he will issue regulations under the Consumer Protection Act to ban the use of inflammable materials in the manufacture of these garments.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to Questions by the hon. Members for Huddersfield, East (Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu) and Bradford, South (Mr. George Craddock).

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what further steps have been taken towards securing understanding or agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of colonial territories and independent self-governing territories within the Commonwealth in respect of the control of immigration into this country.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, made clear in his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 14th January, we are in constant touch with Commonwealth Governments over the operation of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act. I believe this method is the best way of securing understanding of our view-point and of the working of the controls.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what communications, in addition to a request for British troops and aid in restoring or maintaining order in Zanzibar, he has received from the Zanzibar Government regarding the causes of recent conflict and the restoration of an orderly and peaceful interracial relationship in Zanzibar.

As I made clear in my statement to the House on Tuesday, Her Majesty's Government were not asked by the Government of Zanzibar to send British forces for the purpose of restoring order, but for the purpose of protecting British lives and property. Nor have we, of course, been asked to cooperate in an examination of the causes of the recent events.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will circulate in the Official Report the text of the statement he made at the opening of the Cyprus Conference in London on 14th January.

The text is as follows:"On behalf of the British Government I wish to welcome you all to this Conference. The fact that the Conference had to be convened at such short notice has, I know, caused difficulties for some, particularly the Greek and Turkish Governments. We are, therefore, mostgrateful to their distinguished Foreign Ministers for agreeing to attend at this early date, and for giving to the Conference the benefit of their counsel.We are meeting today under the shadow of tragic events in Cyprus. We in Britain have for some time anxiously watched the unfolding of this unhappy story.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what recommendations have been submitted by the study group on restrictive practices set up by his predecessor; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the statement my right hon. Friend made yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, in view of continuing high unemployment in Northern Ireland, what assistance he is giving in this country to encourage industrial development in Northern Ireland; and what proposals he has for the wider use of the resources of his department in this regard.

:The financial inducements of the Local Employment Acts do not apply to Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Government offer financial assistance under separate legislation of their own. In steering industry to areas of high unemployment, the Board of Trade will continue to give Northern Ireland the same priority as that accorded to the development districts in Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will make a statement about the Western Hemisphere Exports Council.

:Yes. Lord Rootes, who has been Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Exports Council and of its predecessor the Dollar Exports Council since 1st July, 1951, has told me that he wishes to be released from this service on 31st March, 1964. With much regret I have accepted his decision. In doing so I should like to put on record on behalf of the Government and myself, and, I am sure, of my predecessors at the Board of Trade, the deepest appreciaction of the work Lord Rootes has done and the contribution he has made to the promotion of British exports, in particular to the countries of the Western Hemisphere.This contribution has indeed been a unique and intensely personal one; and with Lord Rootes'departure it has seemed to the Board and to the sponsoring bodies of the W.H.E.C. that it would be timely to consider how the continuing task of export promotion could best be carried out and what organisation would in the new circumstances be most appropriate for this purpose. This review is now proceeding with the full agreement of Lord Rootes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what directions he has issued to the National Film Finance Corporation in the last three months on the subject of the British Lion company, and what dates.

No such directions have been issued within the last three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will state the names of the organisations from which he has received representations about the proposed sale of the British Lion company by the National Film Finance Corporation; what was the nature of the representations received; and what replies he made to them.

I have received representations from the Federation of Film Unions, the Federation of British Film Makers, the Association of Independent Cinemas, the Cinematograph Exhibitors'Association and the Trades Union Congress. The representations were to the effect that the Government should, through the National Film Finance Corporation, retain controlof or a substantial financial interest in British Lion Films Limited. I informed those concerned of my intention to make an early statement to this House about the future of the company.

asked the Minister of Power when he expects to come to a decision on the proposal he is considering regarding an electricity generating station on the surplus War Office land in the Woolwich Arsenal.

My right hon. Friend has received no application for consent to build a power station at Woolwich although he is aware that the Central Electricity Generating Board would like to buy land from the War Office for a possible future station.

asked the Minister of Power what steps he has taken to ensure an adequate supply of suitable fuel for householder; in the smokeless zones of Hull.

:There are ample supplies of Gloco, for improved open fires and of Sunbrite for closed stoves. Gas, oil and off-peak electricity are also widely available in Hull.

asked the Minister of Power, in view of several recent deaths arising from fractured gas pipes and mains, if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to deal with this recurring problem.

There are over 100,000 miles of gas mains and services in this country, varying widely in age and in the conditions in which they are laid. All Gas Boards keep a continuous watch on the system including, where practicable, regular surveys to detect leakages, followed by the replacement of pipes found to be faulty. New developments include the increasing use of pipes made from ductile iron. This is a new material which is more flexible, and hence less liable to fracture, than the cast iron from which most gas pipes have been made previously. Arrangements are being made to increase production of ductile iron pipes as quickly as possible. Flexible tee joints for service connections are already standard in all areas.

asked the Minister of Education what application to extend the Bournemouth School for Boys he has now received from the Bournemouth Education Authority.

A proposal has been received for the extension of the Bournemouth School to 860 places (including 260 sixth-form places) in the 1965–66 programme.

asked the Minister of Education, as a result of his inspector's recent visitto Avonbourne Secondary Girls' School, Bournemouth, what information he now has concerning the inadequate buildings; and what steps he proposes to take to improve them.

I am fully informed of the deficiences in the accommodation at this school and am at present considering the Bournemouth Local Education Authority's proposal to replace the present buildings in the 1965–66 programme.

asked the Minister of Education if he will initiate a study into the reasons why, of those boys and girls reaching sixth forms, a much smaller proportion of girls proceed to universities.

:I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I have given today to the hon. Member for Dunferm-line (Dr. A. Thompson).

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to ensure that a higher proportion of girls than at present are able to take advantage of the proposed expansion in higher education.

:The schools cater for girls and boys on equal terms, and girls have no less opportunity than boys to obtain the qualifications needed for entry to all forms of higher education. The selection of students for admission is, of course, a matter for the institutions themselves. I hope that the expansion of higher education which the Government has authorised will in itself encourage more girls to continue their education at school with a view to equipping themselves for higher education. I am considering whether any further study is needed in this field.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the present provision for grammar school education for girls in Staffordshire, including in particular the parishes or districts of Codsall, Bilbrook, Wrottesley and Aldersley within the constituency of Brierley Hill, is inadequate, that children have to travel long distances by bus and train in order to attend grammar schools in Bilston and Willenhall and this travel is injurious to their health, and that the provision of accommodation for girls at Brewood Grammar School in accordance with his decision is urgent and immediate;and whether he will authorise Staffordshire County Council to proceed with the improved facilities necessary to accommodate girls at Brewood within the financial year 1964–65.

I approved last year the proposal to enlarge Brewood Grammar School so that it might cater for girls as well as boys because this offered the best long-term plan for meeting the educational needs of the area. But I informed the Staffordshire Authority at the time that I could not add the necessary building project to the 1964–65 programme since, although the present arrangements for girls are inconvenient there is no immediate shortage of grammar school places for them. The Authority have now asked me to include the project in their 1965–66 programme and I am considering this proposal with all the others put forward by local education authorities for the programmes for 1965–66 to 1967–68. I hope to announce my decision before Easter. I will certainly take into accountany evidence that travelling to school under present arrangements is injuring girls' health if this is sent to me.

asked the Minister of Education when he proposes to introduce legislation on public libraries.

I intend to introduce this legislation as soon as the necessary Parliamentary time can be found.

asked the Minister of Education if, when considering legislation to implement the recommendations of the Roberts Committee, he will take note of the implications of the Robbing Report in regard to the quality of the service required.

In considering legislation I shall have regard to the value of the public library service to students in higher education as well as to many other people.

asked the Minister of Education why he has not included in the 1964–65 educational building programme the expansion scheme of Ruskin College, Oxford; and, in the light of the views expressed in the Robbins Report on residential colleges of this kind, whether he will reconsider his decision.

The answer to the first part of the question is that, as I explained to the principals of these colleges, resources for 1964–65 were already committed. In answer to the second part, I have arranged for the start of work on the several projects proposed by Ruskin, Coleg Harlech, Fircroft and Hillcroft Colleges to be phased over a period of about three years beginning in 1965–66; and I shall consider the needs of the Catholic Workers'College when it has an actual project in sight. The Colleges have been informed accordingly. Ministry grant will cover 50 per cent, of the approved capital expenditure and the Colleges plan to raise the rest by means of a joint appeal.

asked the Minister of Education when he referred the question of ancillary help in schools to the National Advisory Council; and when he expects to receive their advice.

Early in 1962, the National Advisory Council decided to examine a number of suggested short-term measures for relieving the teacher shortage, including the use of auxiliaries, but had not completed this examination when its term of office ended. The new Council has remitted the question to its Main Committee for further consideration. I cannot yet say when the Council is likely to offer me advice on this matter.

asked the Minister of Education on how many occasions meetings were held of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers during 1963; and what were the dates.

The National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers which I reconstituted during 1963 held its first meeting on 14th November. The Council's main committee held the first of a number of monthly meetings on 17th December. The Supply Working Party of the previous Council held its final, meeting on 31st July.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of registered pupils is classified as educationally sub-normal.

Local education authorities are responsible forproviding special educational treatment for children who are educationally sub-normal, but I encourage them to do so, so far as possible, without any formal process of classification and no statistics are therefore available.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made with the implementation in Great Britain of the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10th December, 1948, calling upon all member nations to cause the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded in schools and other educational institutions.

Like our predecessors in 1958, I and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, drew specialattention to the Resolution on Human Rights on its 15th Anniversary last year by sending messages to local education authorities and schools. In addition our Departments' annual circulars on International Affairs in 1963 reminded the authorities and schools of the 15th Anniversary and included a reference to the educational and publicity material on the Declaration obtainable from the Council for Education in World Citizenship, which makes available annually to schools a selection of relevant material,including the text of the Declaration.

asked the Minister of Education what proportion of children entering secondary schools have a reading age of less than nine years.

The term "reading age" denotes an average standard which has been rising continuously since the Ministry surveys began in 1948. By the standard of 1948 the current proportion of pupils entering secondary schools with a reading age of less than 9 years is 7 per cent.; by today's standard the proportion is 15 per cent.

asked the Minister of Education if he will list the book stocks at present available in the libraries of each local education authority training college, the funds now available for building up those stocks, and the qualified staff administering each library, with their clerical support.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education if he will issue a building bulletinon training college libraries for new libraries and for the adaptation of old buildings.

A report on libraries in training colleges, prepared by a group of H.M. Inspectors, was sent to training colleges in 1961. I am sending thehon. Member a copy. My officers have been closely concerned with the planning of projects in the training college building programme, including library provision, and I do not consider it necessary to publish a separate building bulletin on this single aspect of college design.

asked the Minister of Education in how many training colleges annual expenditure on new library books falls below £4 per student and £10 per member of staff.

For annual recurring expenditure the number in 1961–62 was 111. Later figures are not available for local education authority colleges, but the number of voluntary colleges has dropped from 37 then to an estimated 30 this year. In addition, voluntary colleges are receiving, where appropriate, a special non-recurring grant spread over a period of years to enable them to bring their book stocks up to an acceptable level, and I understand that local education authorities are treating their colleges similarly.

asked the Minister of Education how many training colleges have neither a tutor librarian nor professionally qualified librarian in full time, or nearly full time, charge of the library.

The latest information in respect of voluntary colleges was given in my reply to the hon. Member on 29th May, 1963. The information is not available for local education authority training colleges.

asked the Minister of Education how many training college lecturers in charge of training college libraries have taken one year courses in librarianship or passed the associate-ship of the Library Association.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education, following his answer to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on 4th July, 1963, how many training colleges have applied for additional funds for clerical staff in their libraries since that date.

I know of none, but colleges could make provision for more clerical staff without putting specific proposals to me.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that there is a shortage of bricks in the North-East; and what steps are being taken to increase production in order to avoid unemployment in the building industry.

There have been delays in the delivery of some types of bricks in the North-East. The brickworks in the North-East could deal with more orders, however, and I am confident that they will do all they can to meet the increasing demand.

asked the Minister of Health how many ambulances are held by his Department for Civil Defence purposes; and what proportion these vehicles form of the total number of ambulances available to the hospital service in the event of war.

831 are held, primarily for training purposes.

asked the Minister ofHealth if he will arrange to obtain supplies of the anti-leukaemia serum developed by the French biologist, M. Naessens, so that it can be tested by the medical research authorities in this country and, if safe and effective, made available as early as possible for the treatment of patients in this country.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the widespread publicity given to the claims of Gaston Naessens that he has successfully developed an anti-leukaemia serum, resulting in several British children being now in Ajaccio hoping to receive treatment and the offer of private individuals in this country to provide finance and facilities for the testing of the serum, if he will forthwith seek to obtain supplies of the serum for the purpose of having the fullest clinical tests carried out under the aegis of his department.

I have asked the French Ministry of Public Health to keep me informed of the outcome of tests on the serum. The tests are being carried out at the Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, the largest in France for the treatment of cancer.There is no serum in this country at the present time, but even if there were, I am advised that any tests carried out here would be unlikely to be concluded more quickly or more thoroughly than at Villejuif.The choice of treatment for leukaemia is a matter for the clinical judgment of each doctor concerned in the knowledge that the serum in question has yet to be tested.

asked the Prime Minister what reply was sent to the message received from Pope Paul regarding the peace of the world.

The reply was: "I thank you cordially for your message from Jerusalem. I join with you in praying for welfare, peace and justice for all the nations and peoples of the world."

asked the Prime Minister what arrangements are being made to co-ordinate the action of the various Departments concerned on the advice to be given to parents on the Naessens treatment for leukaemia.

:No special arrangements for co-ordination are necessary. The Minister of Health cannot give professional advice about the clinical treatment of a disease. This must be a matter for the doctor in charge of a particular case.I think it is widely known that this treatment for leukaemia has not yet been tested, but it is being investigated at a famous institutein Paris. New patients are not at present being accepted for treatment in Corsica. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health has asked to be kept informed of the results of the tests which are, I am afraid, likely to take some time.

Cooke asked the Secretary of State for Air what degree of accuracy was obtained by the thirty-day forecast for December; whether he is satisfied that such forecasts, if reasonably accurate, can be of value to the community; and if he will make a statement.

The forecast for December, 1963, was substantially correct. I think that these forecasts serve a useful purpose; but, until we have had more experience of long range forecasting, I do not think I can usefully add anything further to the reply I gave to myhon. Friend on 13th November, 1963.

asked the Minister of Aviation what provision has been made to ensure that the Blue Steel missile, now in service, is backed by adequate industrial potential to see it through its service life.

:Blue Steel and its main components are the products of major firms in the aircraft industry. The resources of these firms will be available to support the missile throughout its service life and contracts for this purpose have been placed.

asked the Minister of Aviation what price was paid by the buyer for the three Princess flying boats, built at a cost of over £9 million to the taxpayer; to whom they have been sold; and whether they were sold for operational use or for scrap.

:In view of negotiations in which he is engaged regarding the possible future use of the boats, the purchaser has asked that for the present his name and plans should remain confidential. It is not normal practice to disclose contract prices. I can, however, say that the aircraft were sold to the highest bidder and that he is hoping to arrange for them to be used for an aeronautical purpose.

asked the Minister of Aviation if the date on which the TSR2 will fly for the first time has been decided.

It is never possible to give precise dates, but the first flight of the TSR2 is planned to take place within the next few months.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the trials at the Woomera rocket range in Australia of a low-level version of Blue Steel.

It would not be in the public interest for me to make a comprehensive statement on the trials being conducted at the Woomera range. However, I can confirm that Blue Steel has been successfully launched at low level from V-bombers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he will publish the financial report on British Guiana prepared by Mr. K. C. Jacobs.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is planned to hold the general elections in British Guiana; and by what constitutional means the proposed system of proportional representation will be introduced.

As soon as practicable after the necessary preparatory work is completed: I am not yet able to say precisely when this will be. The introduction of proportional representation involves a constitutional change which will require an Order in Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies under what circumstances the Governor of Malta has banned all outdoor activities of the Malta Labour Party Brigade and imposed heavy penalties on the wearing of the Brigade uniform.

The Governor was acting on the advice of the Government of Malta, with whom lies responsibility for the internal affairs of the Island. I am informed that the law in Malta relating to quasi-military bodies and the wearing of uniforms signifying association with a political organisation are modelled on similar provisions in British legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the extension of internal self-government to the Bahamas on 7th January and on the plans for future constitutional development.

:At the general election in the Bahamas in 1962 both the major parties announced that they would seek an amendment of the Constitution to put more responsibility in the hands of the elected representatives of the people. When I visited the Bahamas in December of that year I met representatives of the Legislature and of the main political parties, who explained their desire for a wider measure of internal self-government. As a result a conference was convened in London in May 1963 at which the basis of the new constitution was worked out. The Conference Report was laid before Parliament in Command Paper 2048.The new Constitution provides for a continuance of the bicameral legislature. The House of Assembly, which is the Lower House and is wholly elected, will be slightly enlarged to provide a greater number of representatives of New Providence Island. The Senate will have only delaying powers and will not, in general, be able to delay Money Bills for more than two months.The Governor's Executive Council has been replaced by a Cabinet of Ministers who will be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. The Premier himself will be appointed by the Governor as the person whom he thinks best able to command the confidence of the majority of the House of Assembly.This Cabinet will be responsible for the administration of the Colony and Ministers will be assisted by Boards, similar to the old Public Boards but reconstituted to exercise only consultative and administrative functions. Each Minister will carry full responsibility for the matters dealt with by the Boards under his control and will be answerable for these matters to the Legislature.The Governor will retain special responsibility for defence, external affairs, internal security and the control of the police.The Public Service, including the Magistracy and staff of the Courts and the police (except the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner) will be under the control of Commissions, whose advice will be binding upon the Governor.As this Constitution has only just been brought into force it is too early to forecast future developments.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will arrange for the amalgamation of the Armed Forces three medical services.

The question will be re-examined in due course in the context of defence reorganisation, but there are a number of other problems to which we must, at present, give priority.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will instruct the British delegate to the United Nations to propose that a Committee of Good Offices be set up to negotiate a settlement of the dispute on the use of the Jordan waters.

None of the States immediately concerned has requested United Nations assistance or intervention in this matter and it would be inappropriate for Her Majesty's Government to take an initiative of this kind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will include the installation of a central heating system as a work ranking for a grant under the discretionary or standard grant provisions of the Housing Acts.

No—with so much needing even more to be done I do not think this would be a reasonable use of public funds.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will name the members of the local valuation court which heard an application on property assessment No. 90/21 at Shoreham Town Hall on 31st December, 1963.

The court was composed of Messrs. E. M. West (Chairman), F. B. Vigor and A. N. Cooke.

asked the Postmaster-General by what date the subscriber trunk dialling service will be available at Tamworth; and what delays or other inconveniences are likely to be experienced by the public in the meantime in this overspill receiving area.

I plan to provide a new automatic exchange at Tamworth, with subscriber trunk dialling, next October. This is the earliest date by which the new exchange can be ready.The present manual exchange is overloaded, but I am doing everything possible to improve the service. I regret that because of the overloading it will be necessary for some new applicants to wait for telephones until the new automatic exchange is opened.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are still outstanding in the Alexandria area.

Leaving aside orders under inquiry or being met, there were 41 applications outstanding in the Alexandria area on 31st December, 1963.

asked the Postmaster-General how many subscribers in the Alexandria exchange area share a party line; and if it is proving necessary to extend this system.

Of the 1,080 subscribers served by the Alexandria exchange, 292 have shared telephone service. As stated in the recent White Paper on the Inland Telephone Service, it will not be possible to eliminate the waiting list by 1966 unless shared service is continued in the short term. Whether it will be necessary to extend shared service in Alexandria during this period will depend upon the nature of the local demand for telephone service.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of both private and commercial interests at the lateness of a 9.30 a.m. postal delivery; and what steps he is taking to recruit more staff for the overspill area of Lichfield and Tamworth;(2) to what extent the experiment, similar to that being conducted in East Anglia, for finding ways and means of speeding up postal deliveries, is being conducted in the overspill receiving areas of Rugeley, Lichfield city and the rural district of Tamworth.

:The postal services in the areas in question are being kept under review and we shall do our best to keep them up to the standards I mentioned in my letter of 23rd December to the hon. Member, recruiting extra staff where necessary. Since I wrote to the hon. Member, arrangements have been made for letters to be delivered at about 8.45 a.m. to the company about which he wrote to me. They will start in a fortnight's time.The East Anglian experiment, which is designed to try out new arrangements for conveying parcel mails in bulk between main centres, is confined to that area. There are no similar arrangements in the areas which the hon. Member mentions.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether, in view of the recommendation of the Robbins Committee that the next group of new universities should be established in major cities, he will introduce early legislation for the creation of development corporations to develop comprehensively, designated areas of cities for university construction.

No.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation on what date the British High Commissioner in Ghana informed him of the Budget Speech of the Minister of Finance, made on 22nd October, 1963;and from what source he first learnt of the new tax under which Ghana pensioners affected have had 14s. in every £1 of their pension deducted from their December pension.

The British High Commission informed Her Majesty's Government of these events on the same day that the Ghana Minister made his speech.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what further steps he is taking to ensure that those Ghana pensioners, ex-servants of the Crown, who have already had 14s. in the £1 deducted from their December, 1963, pension, are not further taxed by the Government of Ghana.

:I have nothing at present to add to the reply I gave on the 14th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of widespread concern about the increasing number of accidents on British roads, he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to examine all factual investigations completed on the problem and to consult authoritative opinion in the medical, scientific and technological fields.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that blocks of exactly similar self-contained leasehold flats were erected by the same builders, with a leasehold 999 years and ground rent of £10 per annum, at the Boulevard, Durrington, and in Kingston Lane, Southwick, Sussex, that the rateable value of the Durrington flats is £122, and that the South wick flats are rated at £194; and if he will instruct the Lands Tribunal to inquire into this discrepancy.

I am advised that South-wick is in an area where flats command higher rents than are to be expected in Durrington. Most of the occupiers of the flats referred to have appealed against their assessments and each appeal, unless it is previously settled by agreement or is withdrawn, will fall to be determined by the Local Valuation Court, from whose decision either party can appeal to the Lands Tribunal. I have no power to instruct the Lands Tribunal to make an inquiry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the purchase grants of the national museums and galleries for the next quinquennium.

Yes. The House will recall that five years ago, after consultation with the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries, the annual purchase grants of the arts museums and galleries were very greatly increased and were for the first time settled on a quinquennial basis.It is proposed that the annual purchase grants of all the museums, galleries and national libraries should again be determined for a quinquennium beginning in 1964–65. The Standing Commission have again been consulted and proposed revised grants which Parliament will be asked to approve, and which are set out in the table below, have been agreed with them. The total of ordinary annual grants shows an increase over the current year's level of nearly £300,000 or 70 per cent. In addition provision will be made for two special supplements: one, of £45,000 a year to the British Museum for the initial stocking of the National Science Reference Library; the other, of £50,000 a year, to the Tate Gallery for the purchase of foreign pictures painted between 1900 and 1950.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking in the light of the recommendations of the report of the Standing Commission on their survey of provincial museums and galleries.

Her Majesty's Government have now completed their