asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he can give the prices for the main horticultural products for 1954 as compared with the last available date.

Such comparisons as can be made have been put in hand and I will send the results to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he can state the average increase in the costs of horticulturalists in the last 10 years and the average increase in horticultural wages over the same period.

The statutory minimum wage rate for adult male workers in horticulture has increased by 60 per cent. over the past 10 years. The total weekly earnings of these workers increased on average by 72 per cent. over the same period. Figures of the increases in total costs of horticulturalists over the same period are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement about the proposed agricultural college for Wales at Aberystwyth.

My right hon. Friend does not expect to make a further statement before the Welsh Joint Education Committee has completed its review of all full time agricultural education below degree level in Wales.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many civil servants have left his Department since November, 1962, either voluntarily or upon retirement; and whether any have during that time accepted posts in industry, specifying their rank and the industries in which they are now employed.

1,342 officers left my Department during the period 1st December, 1962, to 28th January, 1964, either on retirement, or on resignation before reaching the minimum retiring age. Nine of the officers included in that total were given approval to take up appointments in industry under the rules set out in the White Paper Command 5517 of 1937. The details are as follows:

asked the Minister of Aviation whether any of the 82 civil servants who left his Department and its predecessor from 1952 to 1962 and who, within their two-years' restraint period, went into industry, have been employed by firms who assisted in the research development and production of the Bloodhound missiles, specifying their previous Civil Service ranks and the firms they joined.

Six of the 82 approvals to take up appointments in industry were in respect of firms who are or have been major contractors to my Department for the Bloodhound missiles.The ranks held by the individuals and the identities; of the firms named in their applications are:

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the percentage of disabled men at present employed by his Department.

2·3.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the benefit to Gambia from the reconstruction of the airport runway in 1963 by means of a special grant made by Her Majesty's Government, what progress has been made with the construction of an east-west trunk road.

Except in so far as the construction of this road involves expenditure from Colonial Development and Welfare funds this is a matter within the exclusive responsibility of the Gambia Government. Sixty-two miles of bitumen road and 30 miles of laterite road have been built to connect Brikama and Mansa Konko. The construction of 52 miles of laterite road between Georgetown and Basse is almost complete. It has recently been decided to construct the intermediate section of the trunk road on the south bank rather than on the north bank. An application for a grant from Colonial Development and Welfare Funds for the survey of this route has now been received and is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the first draft of a development programme for 1964 to 1966 for Gambia was prepared in April, 1963, but that, owing to delay by Her Majesty's Government in deciding on the amount of grant and loan moneys to be paid to Gambia during the period, the programme has not yet been completed; why this delay has taken place; and when the Gambia Government will receive the information on these matters which they require.

A draft development programme was sent to me in April last for guidance on the amount of assistance which could be provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, on the level of recurrent expenditure that Her Majesty's Government could support and on the amount of loan funds likely to be available.The amount to be provided from Colonial Development and Welfare funds could not be indicated until the Commonwealth Development Act, 1963, had received the Royal Assent and this was conveyed to the Gambia Government in September. Since then the Minister of Finance and Financial Secretary have visited London and guidance has been given to them on the second matter. This has enabled the Gambia Government to go ahead with the revision of their programme. I hope to send the Governor a full dispatch covering the whole subject within a few days.

asked the Minister of Health how many Medresco transistor hearing aids were purchased by his Department in each of the last three years; and what was the annual cost.

Following is the information:

Financial Year		Number	Cost
			£
1960–61	…	180,564	862,000
1961–62	…	209,000	1,014,000
1962–63	…	149,532	866,000

The cost of repairs and of components for repair and replacement of aids—including valve aids—is included in these figures: the cost of batteries is not included.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will give details of loans and gifts given by Her Majesty's Government to Zanzibar, Windward Islands, West Pacific High Commission Territories, Uganda, Trinidad, Tanganyika, South African High Commission Territories, Somaliland, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Sarawak, St. Helena, Palestine, Nyasaland, Northern

Territory				Total 1945–46 to 1962–63
			£'000	£'000
Zanzibar	…	Gifts		1,938
Windward Islands—Dominica	…	Gifts	3,938	4,289
		Loans	351
Grenada	…	Gifts	3,710	5,368
		Loans	1,658
St. Lucia	…	Gifts	5,090	5,233
		Loans	143
St. Vincent	…	Gifts	3,009	3,204
		Loans	195
Western Pacific High Commission—British Solomon Islands	…	Gifts		5,438
Gilbert and Ellice Islands	…	Gifts		1,009
New Hebrides	…	Gifts	420	427
		Loans	7
Uganda	…	Gifts	15,586	30,975
		Loans	15,389
Trinidad	…	Gifts	4,467	6,822
		Loans	2,355
Tanganyika	…	Gifts	27,064	38,671
		Loans	11,607
Southern Africa—Basutoland	…	Gifts	6,243	6,613
		Loans	370
Bechuanaland Protectorate	…	Gifts	9,223	12,420
		Loans	3,197
Swaziland	…	Gifts	5,350	18,278
		Loans	12,928
Somaliland	…	Gifts	14,049	14,151
		Loans	102
Singapore	…	Gifts	3,125	3,500
		Loans	375
Sierra Leone	…	Gifts	10,401	14,816
		Loans	4,415
Seychelles	…	Gifts	1,862	2,112
		Loans	250
Sarawak	…	Gifts		6,017
St. Helena	…	Gifts		1,681
Palestine	…	Gifts		59
Nyasaland	…	Gifts	12,741	19,698
		Loans	6,957
Northern Rhodesia	…	Gifts	5,769	7,887
		Loans	2,118
North Borneo	…	Gifts	9,704	14,310
		Loans	4,606
Nigeria	…	Gifts	42,300	63,990
		Loans	21,690
Mauritius	…	Gifts	5,959	8,162
		Loans	2,203
Malta	…	Gifts	52,221	57,136
		Loans	4,915

Economic aid in the form of loans is and gifts during the period 1945–46 to 1962–63 inclusive has been as follows:

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations made by the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy to stem the emigration of scientists from this country; and, in view of the time taken by the National Incomes Commission to deal with the question of university teaching salaries, if he will now give particular attention to the problem to prevent more scientists going to the United States of America.

Research experience overseas is intrinsically desirable and should not be discouraged. I take it that the Question refers to more permanent types of emigration.As already announced, I have authorised the Research Councils to pay to university scientific departments an additional £200 per annum in respect of each holder of a post-graduate research studentship or fellowship. With the rising numbers of post-graduate research workers this will provide an increasing measure of support to university research.The procedure for awarding research grants has been re-examined and steps have been taken to reduce delays to a minimum.The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is prepared to consider applications for post-doctoral fellowships from scientists who propose to leave for research experience overseas, and who would wish to take up their fellowships on their return.Improvement in the scale of technical assistance for university research was recommended also by the Robbins Committee, and is being considered in that context.The question of increasing the number of senior posts in universities is closely related to questions of university salaries, and must therefore await the report of the National Incomes Commission, whose work is now well advanced.Steps to facilitate the return of scientists and technologists to this country after research experience overseas, by the work in particular of the Joint Interviewing Board, acting on behalf of the Civil Service Commission, the Atomic Energy Authority, and the Central Electricity Generating Board, are being progressively improved. Successful candidates may now be paid their fares, and those of their families, to the United Kingdom. Starting with interviews now in progress, the Board has arranged to pass on to the appropriate industrial concerns in this country the details of any candidates who wish this to be done, and for whom the Board has no suitable vacancies. In addition, D.S.I.R. is giving the Board authority to appoint a number of suitable candidates interviewed in America to D.S.I.R. fellowships, without reference back.The problem of the emigration of scientists to the United States has been a matter of continuing concern, and the Government are taking all steps open to them, short of some form of legal control of the movement of scientists out of this country, which I am not prepared to entertain. The main answer to this problem, however, so far as it is soluble by action in this country, is the articulation and implementation of a scientific policy best adapted to our national requirement. In this connection the expansion of universities as proposed in the report of the Robbins Committee, the growth of the work of the Research Councils, which is continuing, the continuing increase in demand for scientists and engineers in both privately and publicly owned sectors of industry and Government Departments are themselves probably the most effective means of controlling permanent emigration.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what research has been carried out by the Medical Research Council into the consumption of instant coffee as a cause of cancer; with what result; and whether he will make a statement.

None. A recent Press report asserted that exhaustive research by the Medical Research Council had revealed that some brands of instant coffee contain an additive capable of causing cancer, and that a report on the subject was being prepared by the Council for the Government. I am informed that no such report is being prepared, and that widespread inquiries amongst the Council's scientific staff have failed to reveal any studies indicating the presence of a cancer-inducing additive in instant coffee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect which the international convention following the recent European Fisheries Conference will have on the Scottish fishing industry; and what steps he proposes to take to protect that industry.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Wolrige-Gordon), on 29th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils in Scotland he estimates will reach the age of 15 years in the years 1969, 1970, and 1975, respectively.

The estimates are 81,000, 82,000 and 89,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio in Scotland of expenditure on education by the local authorities to grants by the Exchequer.

A specific grant at the rate of 100 per cent. is paid on the net expenditure on school midday meals, school milk and the removal of war works. Almost all the remaining expenditure by local authorities on education is aided by the general grant, but no part of this grant is earmarked for education. The proportion of general grant to relevant expenditure on all general grant services is a little over 60 per cent. Most local authorities receive further aid towards their expenditure, including that on education, through Exchequer equalisation grant.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in the public interest and that of efficiency and economy, he will issue general directions to the area gas and electricity boards to arrange, where appropriate, for both gas and electricity meters to be checked by the same inspector at the same time.

No. The Weir Committee on co-operation between Electricity and Gas Boards reported in 1959 that joint meter readings would not be justified on grounds of efficiency and economy, and nothing has occurred since then to justify a contrary view.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation how many of the 542 education appointments mentioned in Cmnd. 2147, Aid to Developing Countries, as being made during 1962 were appointments to teacher training posts in developing countries.

Twenty-two were specifically appointed to teacher training posts. About half of the 542 appointments were, however, to the service of an Education Ministry on terms which enabled the teacher to be posted to any school or college. Of these probably twenty or thirty teachers are at present serving in teacher training institutions.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to provide all relevant information about railway station finances which hon. Members may wish to obtain for Parliamentary purposes.

No. When statutory notice is given of a passenger closure proposal, the Board through the Transport Users Consultative Committee supplies to objectors a statement of the direct costs and receipts attributable to the service proposed for closure. The Board has also agreed to supply such information, where available, to hon. Members on request in advance of notice of closure.