asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the frequency of issue of roll-ons to women and girls detained in Her Majesty's prisons and Borstals.

It is estimated that the average life is about nine months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the frequency of issue of stockings to women and girls detained in Her Majesty' prisons and Borstals.

Since 1st January the scale of issue is four pairs per inmate annually.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average annual expenditure on the provision of new clothing for each women prisoner in Her Majesty's prisons during the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

In the financial year 1962–63 new clothing supplied to women's prisons cost £7 5s. 2d. per head of the daily average population. Three-quarters of this expenditure is on prison-made clothing, which is reckoned at cost of materials plus 5 per cent. for overheads.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish Her Majesty's Government's promised White Paper on compensation for the victims of crimes of violence.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 16th January to the hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to the Metro- politan Police concerning the priority in heavy traffic to be given to ambulances on their way to hospital.

:The Commissioner of Police informs me that there is a standing instruction to the Metropolitan Police that officers must do all they can to aid the progress of ambulances when engaged on urgent operations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to make coin-operated launderettes subject to the Shops Act.

:My right hon. Friend has no proposals at present for amending the law in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that on main roads in London, and particularly on the A.1 road at Holloway, heavy goods vehicles are allowed to park for long periods and all night; and what progress he has made in his consultations with local authorities about an improved system of traffic signs.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that there is now no regular parking of heavy goods vehicles on the A.1road at Holloway, although a limited number of lorries are parked for short periods near a coffee stall. The police give attention to the parking of lorries in the nearby side streets and take action when offences are seen to occur.Consultations about improved traffic signs are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present strength of the Metropolitan Police Force; and how it com pares with the strength of the Force in 1938.

The male strength of the Metropolitan police was 18,511 in December, 1938, and 18,022 on 31st December, 1963. After the war, at the end of 1946, it was very little above 14,000. It has increased by 1,200 in the last three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of women sent to prison for offences committed under the Street Offences Act, since its inception.

:The number of women sent to prison for offences under the Street Offences Act from 16th August, 1959, the date on which the Act came into operation, to 30th September, 1963, was 2,856, of whom 1,349 were committed in default of payment of fines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received in respect of each of the counties of Wales, including Monmouthshire, for inclusion in the Central Register of Charities under Section 4 of the Charities Act, 1960.

The information requested, up to 17th January, 1964, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly expenditure, excluding staff salaries, on the provision of medicines, drugs, bandages and other material for medical care and treatment for adult male prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons at the last available date for computation.

In 1962–63, the cost of supplying drugs and druggists' sundries to all prison service establishments was £42,583, or 6.2 pence per wek per head of a daily average population of 31,480.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the removal of Pentonville Prison; and when this will be done.

None. There are advantages in having prisons for the London area fairly centrally situated.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will now make a statement about the future of the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland at Salisbury.

The British Government is in touch with the Governments of Northern and Southern Rhodesia with a view to early discussions on the future of the college.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what progress he is making in his consideration of the problems of staggered holidays; and when he hopes to publish his conclusions.

:With my colleagues who also have an interest in this matter, my right hon. Friend has been consulting the parties concerned and has been considering the views which he has had from the public on the proposals set out in the recent White Paper on Staggered Holidays. I hope that it will be possible for a statement to be made before long on those aspects of the matter which might involve Government action.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry. Trade and Regional Development if he will pay an early visit to Scotland, and in particular to Fife, to make a study on the spot of the advantages, financial and otherwise, accruing to localities within the designated growth areas compared with localities scheduled as development districts within the meaning of the Local Employment Act, 1960.

My right hon. Friend hopes to visit Scotland again towards the end of February or early in March. As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend is seeing a deputation from the Fife County Council on 4th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he is aware that, of the male members of the Consumer Council, half are directors or actively connected with departmental stores, multiple supermarkets and co operative stores and that there are no members on the Council connected with the interests of small independent shop keepers; and whether he will review the present membership of this Council with a view to providing a wider field of experience in the Council in its consideration of reports on subjects such as resale price maintenance and stamp trading.

The three members to whom my hon. and gallant Friend refers constitute one quarter of the total membership of the Council, all of whose members were appointed in a personal capacity, and not as representatives of particular interests. I see no reason to review the membership since I am satisfied that the Council, as at present constituted, fully represents the interests of consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development when he expects the British Standards Institution to provide a comprehensive range of standards for general purpose blazer cloth.

:I understand that the British Standards Institution has started work on this with the other interests concerned. The Institution cannot at present say how long it will take.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he is aware that in the first 11 months of 1963 America imported 216,784 Volkswagen motor cars as compared to 19,247 M.G.s, by the biggest British exporter; what steps he is taking to encourage or compel British manufacturers to compete better in export markets; and if he will make a statement.

These figures do not represent the total effort of the British motor industry. The industry's export effort and the problems arising in overseas markets are under continuous study by the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry and the Board of Trade's export services are available to help British manufacturers expand their exports. Compulsion however would be neither appropriate nor practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will, in the forthcoming legislation he has announced, seek powers to inquire into conference shipping rates.

I have nothing to add to the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 15th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will now give a decision on the application for the removal of the £4 per ton import duty on sulphate of ammonia, which was made by users several years ago.

This duty was reduced by 20 per cent, in October, 1962, as a result of international tariff negotiations and domestic prices have been substantially reduced since the application was made. The facts on which the application was based have, therefore, changed and a fresh investigation would be needed if the applicants wished to pursue the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will now publish the Departmental Report on Resale Price Maintenance.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1) whether, in a White Paper, he will publish a study of the social consequences to the small trader of an immediate abolition of resale price maintenance without regard to the desirable long-term structure of retail trade;(2) whether he will publish a White Paper on resale price maintenance, and include in it a consideration of the effects of wholesale price maintenance on consumer prices;(3) whether he will publish a White Paper on resale price maintenance, and include in it a consideration of the effect of manufacturers' profit margins on consumer prices.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what weekly periodicals were purchased by his Department for the discharge of his official duties in the week ending 18th January, 1964.

There were 192 such periodicals.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will reduce the tariff on imported oxygen in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission on industrial and medical gases of 21st June, 1956;(2) whether he will reduce the tariff on imported electrical transformers in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission on electrical machinery and plant of 12th July, 1956;(3) whether he will reduce the tariff on imported insulated electric wire and cable in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 25th April, 1952;(4) whether he will reduce the tariff on imported copper tubes in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as rioted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission on semi-manufacture of copper and copper-based alloys of 21st January, 1955;(5) whether he will reduce the tariff on metal windows and doors in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 27th September, 1956;(6) whether he will reduce the tariff on superphosphates, nitrogen and compound fertilisers in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect com petition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 23rd September, 1959;(7) whether he will reduce the tariff on electrical equipment for mechanically propelled land vehicles in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 18th December, 1963;(8) whether he will reduce the tariff on electric lamps in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 31st August, 1951;(9) whether he will reduce the tariff on pneumatic tyres in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 24th June, 1955;(10) whether he will reduce the tariff on linoleum in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 13th January, 1956;(11) whether he will reduce the tariff on electronic valves and cathode ray tubes in view of both the need to reduce prices and the imperfect competition in this country's industry as noted in the Report of the Monopolies Commission of 7th September, 1956.

The conclusions and recommendations of the Monopolies Commission on matters affecting the public interest cover a variety of situations and each case must be considered on its merits so that appropriate action can be taken. My right hon. Friend would not be prepared to reopen cases in which the Government's decisions have already been announced. In cases which are still under consideration and in any future cases the possibility of action through the tariff would not be excluded should this appear to be appropriate in the particular circumstances.

asked the Minister of Power on what date the Central Electricity Generating Board first proposed to him the construction of a generating station on the site of Woolwich Arsenal; what consultations he has had with the London County Council in consequence; and when he expects to reach his decision.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Turner) on 16th January. My right hon. Friend has had no consultations with the London County Council.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the increasing number of fatal accidents in the Yorkshire coalfield; how this compares with the national average; and what steps he will take, in conjunction with the National Coal Board, to ascertain the cause and effect a reduction.

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the increase in reportable accidents, necessitating more than three days off work in the Yorkshire coalfield; how this compares with the national average; and what steps he will take, in conjunction with the National Coal Board, to ascertain the cause and effect a reduction.

asked the Minister of Power if he will carry out an inquiry into the reasons why fatal and non-fatal accidents and industrial diseases are increasing in the Yorkshire coalfield; how this is related to increased mechanisation of the mines; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of men killed and reportably injured last year in Yorkshire, related to the number of manshifts worked, did not differ significantly from the national figures. Though the number of fatalities in Yorkshire increased sharply last year, the previous year was exceptional and there was no increase if the comparison is made with the average of the four preceding years.The chief inspector is already making inquiries about accident causation in Yorkshire, including the effect of mechanisation. I will write to the hon. Members giving fuller details as soon as these inquiries are complete.

asked the Minister of Power to what extent the incidence of pneumoconiosis has been increasing in the Yorkshire coalfield in the last 10 years; and what further action is contemplated to reduce the dangers which cause this disease.

asked the Minister of Power to what extent silicosis is still prevalent in the Yorkshire coalfield; what is the number of reported cases over the past 10 years; and how this compares with the national average.

The number of cases of pneumoconiosis—which includes silicosis—first diagnosed in the Yorkshire coalfield in 1962 was 518, compared with 377 cases in 1953 and an annual average of 581 over the 10 years 1953–62; during the same period the national annual average was 3,670. The National Coal Board and my Department continue to investigate the causes of the disease; the reduction of the dust content of underground atmospheres engages their constant attention and is the subject of continuing research.

asked the Minister of Power what increase has occurred in the number suffering from epidermy- phitosis and other industrial diseases, apart from pneumoconiosis and silicosis, in the Yorkshire coalfield over the past 10 years.

No increase in the incidence of prescribed industrial diseases—other than pneumoconiosis and silicosis—has occurred in the Yorkshire coalfield over the last 10 years. Epidermophytosis is not a prescribed industrial disease under the Industrial Injuries Acts and the number of persons suffering from it is not known.

asked the Minister of Education what progress he is making with the establishment of a new schools council for curriculum and examinations; and what will be its membership.

:I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 12th December last. I understand that recommendations on the membership of the proposed Council are likely to be included in the working party's report.

asked the Minister of Education if he will consider the desirability of each local education authority having an official whose primary duty it is to promote projects and studies designed to give a world perspective.

This is a matter for the local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects to receive the report on the review of university and comparable awards.

Discussions have taken place with the local authority associations on the first year's working of the University and Other Awards Regulations, 1962, and my right hon. Friend is considering a number of possible amendments to the Regulations. Any amendments will be laid before Parliament in good time for the academic year beginning September, 1964.This review did not consider the general levels of grant, which is a matter for the Standing Advisory Committee on Grants to Students. They will soon be setting in train the preliminary inquiries for their next review and my right hon. Friend, and other Ministers concerned, expect to have their report early in 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the light of the small number of Europeans in Nyasaland who have registered for the European roll, he will take steps to amend the Nyasaland Constitution to provide only for a common roll on which all can vote.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will alter the Constitution of Nyasaland to abolish the European voters roll.

:Registration has only recently been completed, and I am in consultation with the Governor on this matter.

asked the Prime Minister what weekly periodicals were purchased by his Department for the discharge of his official duties in the week ending 18th January, 1964.

:All the publications necessary for the discharge of the official duties of my office are taken regularly. I think it would be invidious for me to name them.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to provide that the office of Prime Minister shall in future only be held by a person who has secured a majority of votes in the House of Commons voting for that purpose.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if he will represent to Mr. Robert Kennedy on his official visit to this country the concern felt in the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth about the continued supply to Indonesia of arms from the United States, in view of the fact that they are being used against British troops.

I am looking forward to talks with Mr. Kennedy this weekend and I am sure my hon. Friend will understand that I would prefer not to comment on them today.

asked the Prime Minister what reply he has given to the representations that have been made to Her Majesty's Government by Dr. Erhard against the sale of British buses to Cuba as contrary to understandings entered into between members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

No such representations have been made: nor is the sale contrary to any understanding reached between the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why it is necessary to continue issuing licences for non-pedigree beef bulls.

About 10 percent. of the beef bulls licensed are non-pedigree but, in the judgment of the licensing officers, pure-bred. The significance of the pedigree registration is the authentication it provides of a bull's ancestry. We intend in course of time to establish standards of suitability for breeding based on records of performance as economic beef producers. Until such standards are established and the facilities for testing widely available, I do not consider it would be useful to narrow the present scope of beef bull licensing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for giving scientific advice on alternative forms of husbandry to farmers declared ineligible for continued assistance under hill cow subsidy payment schemes.

:Advice on the merits of alternative farming systems and the returns which can be expected from them is a normal feature of the farm management services offered free to all farmers by the National Agricultural Advisory Service.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for ensuring that those hearing and deciding appeals against notice of discontinuance of hill cow subsidy payments will be persons other than those initially carrying out individual review surveys or participating in decisions based on such surveys; whether he will publish the procedure to be adopted for such appeals; and whether he will consider the appointment of independent assessors to conduct these appeals.

The procedures to be used by Agricultural Executive Committees to hear representations against notice of discontinuance of hill cow subsidy payments will be those which are normally used in such cases, although special arrangements have been made for farmers to be represented, should they so desire, when their representation is being heard. The procedures have proved satisfactory in the past and my right hon. Friend sees no reason for departing from them.Although general guidance is given to the Committees on the way they might conduct these hearings, it is for the Committees themselves to decide on the details. The suggested procedure is that the full Committee should consider representations and make a recommendation. If Ministry officers feel unable to accept this recommendation, the matter is referred to the Minister for a decision. Although A.E.C. panels were concerned in the early surveys of the boundaries which determined the review areas these panels were limited to as few members as possible in order to ensure the continuing impartiality of the majority of the Committee. My right hon. Friend, therefore, sees no cause for appointing independent assessors to conduct these representations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in Devon have been inspected and still remain to be inspected to consider their eligibility for continued Hill Cow Subsidy payments; mow many owners or tenants of farms inspected have received notice of intended discontinuance; and of these how many have entered notice of appeal.

Of the 436 farms under review in Devon, 364 have so far been inspected; the remaining 72 will be inspected shortly. Thirty-one farmers have so far been informed that they will continue to be fully eligible for the subsidy; 254 have been told of the ineligibility of some or all their land; and 79 farmers have yet to be notified of the status of their land.Of the 254 farmers adversely affected, 206 have been notified that all their land is ineligible; 18 that part of their land is ineligible; and 30 that their enclosed land is ineligible but that their common grazings will remain eligible. 168 of these farmers had by 21st January entered notice of appeal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what basic research is being carried out into fowl pest disease, apart from the testing of existing vaccine.

The Ministry's Veterinary Laboratory at Weybridge is carrying out research on factors affecting the protection which is given to poultry by vaccination against fowl pest. Strains of virus recovered from field outbreaks are being examined to determine whether strain differences occur. An investigation is being made into the effects of varying doses of vaccine on the level and duration of the protection afforded: and the optimal interval between vaccination and revaccination in birds of different ages is also being studied. In addition, a comparison is being made of the dgree of protection which vaccination affords against infection by different routes—such as by respiratory and digestive systems.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the regulations governing the use of new insecticides, pesticides and herbicides in agriculture or food storage are adequate to protect the public; and if he will make a statement.

:My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the public is adequately safeguarded by the voluntary Notification of Pesticides Scheme, under which manufacturers of agricultural chemicals have undertaken not to market a new pesticide for use in agriculture or food storage until the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances has examined it and Government Departments have issued official recommendations for its safe use. The recommendations can be changed at any time if experience shows that to be necessary. My right hon. Friend will continue to keep these arrangements under constant review and they will be strengthened if the need arises.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the Verdon Smith report.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Chippingham (Mr. Awdry).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will make a statement about the Annual Price Review.

The Annual Review consultations with the representatives of the Farmers' Unions will start next month and my right hon. Friend hopes to report the Government's conclusions in the light of the Review before the end of March.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will arrange to meet a delegation led by the Member for North Hendon, consisting of representatives of the Hendon Borough Council and the planning authority, to consider the future use of Hendon Aerodrome.

I shall be very pleased to receive a delegation led by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is satisfied that the transport requirements of the Royal Air Force are being formulated sufficiently early for the necessary orders to be placed for their manufacture; and if he will ensure that the specifications of a light freighter, such as the Skyvan, will make provision for its possible additional use as a civil aircraft for export.

My right hon. Friend is at present considering with the Minister of Aviation the Second Report from the Estimates Committee which includes recommendations on both the establishment of future transport aircraft requirements and assistance to light transport aircraft projects.

asked the Minister of Defence when the Defence White Paper for 1964 will be published.

Thursday, 13th February.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the percentage increase in the cost of living of wage earners and of small and medium salary earners between April, 1953, and the latest convenient date; what were the corresponding increases between April, 1953, and April, 1955, April, 1957, April, 1959, April, 1961, and April, 1963;and what was the average industrial wage on each of these dates.

The percentage increase in the retail prices index between April, 1953, and December, 1963, the latest date for which the index has been calculated, and between April, 1953, and April in each of the years, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1963 are given below. Also shown below are figures of average weekly earnings of men, and women, manual workers in April in each of the years 1953, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1963 and in October, 1963, the latest date for which this information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the nature of the report received by the Scottish Health Department on Gaston Naessen's serum; and if he will make a statement.

The report, which was prepared by a senior member of my medical staff, who attended, on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health, and myself, a private meeting in Edinburgh last week-end between M. Naessens and a number of medical experts, indicates that M. Naessens described the preparation and use of his serum, and the biological observations on which it is based; that the clinical data produced by M. Naessens were too incomplete to permit a firm judgment to be reached; and that M. Naessens was advised to publish a full account of his work to enable it to be generally studied. As the hon. Member is aware the serum itself is being tested at the Gustave Roussy Institute in France; I am not aware of any arrangements to test it in this country.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance has been given by the United Kingdom Government since March, 1962, in the development of library services in the developing countries of the Commonwealth and in the training of librarians in the United Kingdom; and which territories have been helped in these respects.

:Since March, 1962, the British Council has made grants totalling £43,000 to assist public library development projects in Northern Nigeria, Uganda and Zanzibar. A further grant to Fiji, in addition to the one made in March, 1962, is under consideration. The Council has also given assistance to a library training scheme at Makerere University College.In addition to operating its own library services in all the developing countries of the Commonwealth, the Council provides other forms of help. Its librarians advise on local library matters, and often undertake the training of local librarians. Book presentations or large block loans of text-books and other books are frequently made to libraries in universities, colleges and schools. The Council has also arranged advisory tours by British experts to India, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanganyika and Uganda. Four scholarships and six bursaries for study in Britain have been awarded to student librarians from the Gambia, Jamaica, India, Malaysia, Nyasaland, Pakistan (3), Sabah and Zanzibar; and eight more student librarians attended a summer school on librarianship arranged by the Council in Britain in September, 1962. The Department of Technical Co-operation has recruited five United Kingdom librarians since March, 1962, for Fiji, Tanganyika (2), Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and are planning to recruit two more for Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what initiative has been taken by his Department to encourage professional bodies in the United Kingdom to expand their advisory services relating to the recognition of equivalent qualifications throughout the Commonwealth, as recommended in paragraph 44 of the report of the Commonwealth Education Conference, 1962.

Paragraph 21 of Annex IV to the Report of the Conference indicates that the Conference was concerned mainly with the provision of guidance to students seeking admission to the courses organised by professional bodies.The Council for Technical Education and Training for Overseas Countries after surveying the field, decided that the main need was for a booklet outlining the requirements of the United Kingdom professional bodies in engineering and building. This booklet has now been produced in consultation with the professional institutions concerned, and has been distributed overseas to college principals and others who may have the task of advising prospective students.