asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet received the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Meat Marketing.

Yes, on 16th January. It will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the arrangements for seeing that ploughing grants are not given for ploughing up grassland on sites of special scientific interest.

Ploughing grant schemes make no provision for disqualifying grassland on sites of special scientific interest.When the Ministry receives prior notice of ploughing affecting one of these sites, the Nature Conservancy is informed. This enables the Conservancy to approach the occupier. However, this prior notification of ploughing is required only in cases where the farmer is seeking the higher rate of grant under Part II of these schemes.

asked the Minister of Aviation what it would cost to extend to 8,500 feet in length both, or alternatively one, of the runways at the civil airport at Aldergrove in County Antrim; and how long such work would take.

It is not possible to give more than a preliminary estimate without carrying out detailed surveys and design studies. Excluding the cost of acquiring land and property, the diversion of highways, drainage and other public services which would be heavy, the cost for the main east west runway would be at least £1 million and for the subsidiary north south runway at least £½ million. In either case the time taken would be more than three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what reply has been given to the request of the Government of the Maldives for the revision of the 1960 agreement so that their independence and sovereignty shall be fully recognised.

During my visit to Male in September, I undertook to give sympathetic consideration to this request. Subsequently I invited the Maldivian Prime Minister to pay me a return visit to London to discuss the matter further. But for the moment he does not feel that he can conveniently absent himself from Male.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what contribution is being made by Her Majesty's Government to send Great Britain's official team of athletes to the Olympic Games in Japan in 1964.

The question of a contribution by Her Majesty's Government to the cost of sending a British team to the Olympic Games in Japan in 1964 is currently under discussion with the British Olympic Association.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now announce in detail his plans for improving the accommodation and staffing arrangements for dealing with casualties at the Croydon General Hospital.

The regional board has not finally settled the plans for an extension to the casualty department, but it is likely to comprise additional treatment cubicles and more waiting space. The board has appointed a new consultant in charge of the casualty department and two additional radiographers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that the sprayed saturation area of the lethal nerve gases tabun, soman and sarin, is as destructive to life as a 20 megaton hydrogen bomb, what steps he is taking to build up protective clothing stocks against these odourless gases in Civil Defence regions generally, and in Regional Seats of Government in particular.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government is to deter war in all its possible forms and this is the purpose of our retaliating forces. If deterrents should fail the main threat to the population of this country would be nuclear attack, and the first aim of our home defence preparations is to mitigate the effects of that. The question of protection against other possible forms of attack is kept under close and constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons obtain employment within one month of release from prison.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish a list of the members of the West Sussex Local Valuation Panel, with their professional qualifications and occupations; how often local valuation courts have sat in the county in the last year; on how many occasions they have upheld appeals by local ratepayers against their new assessments by valuation officers; and on how many occasions they have upheld the new assessments.

I supplied my hon. and gallant Friend on 27th May, 1963, with the names of the chairman and members of the West Sussex Local Valuation Panel. Apart from one death, the list is unchanged. I have no information about the professional qualifications and occupations of the members, they are appointed by the county council.The panel held 51 courts in the year ended 31st December, 1963. By that date they had heard 317 appeals against new assessments; had confirmed 274 assessments; had reduced the gross value in 43 cases; and had approved 11 agreements between the appellant and the valuation officer for a reduction in gross value.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many dependants of prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons draw National Assistance; and what is the estimated national cost of the assistance.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons and commercial organisations are on the waiting lists of Tamworth, Lichfield city, Lichfield rural district, and Rugeley telephone exchanges.

At 31st December the figures were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children attaining the age of 5 years before 31st March, 1964, cannot be accepted in primary school before August, 1964, in the new town of Cumbernauld.

The education authority has fulfilled its statutory obligation by admitting at the beginning of the term all children attaining age 5 by 1st January. Some children becoming 5 between then and 31st March were also accepted by headmasters where accommodation allowed. The remaining children will be admitted by the next statutory commencing date, 1st September, 1964.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he is proposing to ease the pressure on public transport from Woolwich to Central London at peak hours; and what assessment has been made of the number of people who will, in future, need to travel to work from Woolwich to Central London.

The provision of public transport services is a matter for the operators. There is no action which it would be appropriate for me to take that would specifically reduce the demand for public transport at peak hours from Woolwich to Central London. I have not made any assessment of this demand, but I expect that the results of the London Traffic Survey, commissioned jointly by the L.C.C. and my Department, will contain relevant information.

asked the Minister of Transport for how long parts of Victoria Street and Broadway, Westminster, S.W.I, will be closed to traffic because of danger from the building being demolished on the corner of these two streets; why this closure has been necessary in view of the fact that many buildings have been demolished in London in recent years without traffic being diverted; and what steps are being taken to ensure that future demolitions will not necessitate the closure of streets and an increase of traffic congestion.

:Victoria Street reopened for eastbound traffic today and it is hoped that normal two-way traffic working will be restored early next week on completion of road works. Broadway will reopen as soon as progress of demolition work will safely permit but I cannot at present say how soon this will be.The police had to close these streets to protect the public when collapse of part of the building in course of demolition obstructed Victoria Street on the night of 11th December and a survey disclosed risk of further collapse in the affected building and those adjoining it.Whether there should be additional measures of control over demolition work is a matter which will need consideration but it is impossible to guarantee that future demolitions will never necessitate the closure of streets.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the expenditure on roads in Great Britain during the year 1962–63 on a comparable basis to the details of expenditure he gave in his Answer on 1st August, 1963.

The provisional figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the overhead signs in Hollis Street, W.1, erected temporarily to direct north bound traffic round Oxford Circus, are seen by drivers far more easily than those painted on the carriageway at many other junctions in London, which can easily be missed in congested traffic; and if he will have overhead signs erected at all appropriate places to direct traffic into its proper lanes.

I am fully aware of the advantages of these overhead signs but in deciding their suitability for other sites I and the other authorities concerned must give careful attention to considerations of cost, amenity, security of adjacent buildings and difficulties arising from site layout. A small number of overhead signs will be provided shortly in connection with other traffic control schemes in London.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that there are no signs to direct drivers of eastbound vehicles in Brompton Road, S.W.I, who want to turn right into Sloane Street, first to turn left at the junction of Brompton Road with Knightsbridge and then to drive round the island, and that if they fail to do this they cannot turn right before reaching Hyde Park Corner; and if he will have an overhead sign erected to direct this eastbound traffic into its proper lanes.

There are 3 signs in Brompton Road advising Sloane Street traffic to keep to the nearside. The first is about 300 yards and the last 150 yards from Knightsbridge. About 50 yards from Knightsbridge is another sign saying "No Right Turn Ahead" and bearing a diagram showing how Sloane Street traffic should go round the island. I think these signs give adequate direction. Overhead signs here would be costly and unsightly and would not improve matters much.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that many drivers do not appreciate the significance of some of the signs used by the police to give warning of accidents; and if he will arrange for these signs to be explained on television and displayed in coloured advertisements at suitable places.

I hope that Regulations prescribing the new traffic signs recommended by the Worboys Committee will come into operation in July. Widespread publicity to these signs will be given shortly before the new Regulations are made and police signs will be included, In the meantime I am ready to do what I can to see that publicity is given to the present accident warning signs, but it would help me if my hon. Friend would let me know more precisely which signs are causing him concern.

asked the Minister of Transport how long it will take to draft the Bill necessary to consolidate the 64 Acts of Parliament which have affected, modified or extended the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.

I am unable to estimate how long it would take to consolidate the Merchant Shipping Acts. Before consolidation a certain amount of revision of these Acts would be desirable and having regard to their length and complexity and the necessity for wide consultation it would take a considerable time to prepare the material for a Bill.The fact that the Merchant Shipping Acts have not been consolidated does not necessarily preclude bringing them up to date where necessary. As indicated in my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. J. Howard) on 15th November, 1963, I have initiated consultations about the provisions relating to seafarers.

asked the Minister of Transport how many certificates of officers of the Merchant Service and fishing fleet, respectively, have been cancelled or suspended by courts of formal investigation held under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, during the year 1962; and in cases of suspension, what was the period of suspension in each case.

During 1962, five officers of the Merchant Service had their certificates suspended, one for eighteen months, two for one year, one for nine months and one for six months; one officer of the fishing fleet had his certificate suspended for three years. No certificates were cancelled.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what professional or technical qualifications are required to be held by valuation officers; and if he will list the valuation officers for the County of West Sussex, showing their professional qualifications.

Valuation officers are normally members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or the Chartered Auctioneers' and Estate Agents' Institute. The four valuation officers dealing with West Sussex are:R. W. H. Gray, D.F.C., A.R.I.C.S.A. G. B. Bennett, A.R.I.C.S.A. J. Elsey, T.D., F.A.I.A. W. Baird, A.R.I.C.S.