asked the Minister of Education what number of prepared parking spaces, expressed as a proportion of the total number of staff and students, are to be provided for in colleges of advanced technology and regional colleges out of funds provided by his Department.

Where parking is possible entirely on the surface of the site, car spaces are normally allowed for 6 per cent. of the maximum seating capacity of all the teaching rooms; this capacity is usually at least 50 per cent. higher than actual attendance figures. On a very restricted site, my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider proposals to provide car spaces for high priority users within or under a building on a scale not exceeding 2 per cent. of that capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to Recommendation 385, on the International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 17th January, 1964; and whether Her Majesty's Government will now ratify the Convention.

The International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations was ratified by the United Kingdom on 30th October, 1963, by the depositing of our instrument of ratification on that date with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with Article 24, paragraph 3 of the Convention.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to Resolution 270 on Food Aid, which was adopted by the Con- sultative Assembly on 16th January. 1964; and what action Her Majesty's Government has taken, or contemplates taking in regard to it, particularly in respect of paragraph 9 of the resolution.

Her Majesty's Government agree broadly with the terms of this Resolution, and in particular with paragraphs 3 and 6 which deal with Food Aid. We attach great importance to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation World Food Programme and to the Freedom from Hunger Campaign of the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The Food and Agriculture Organisation is engaged already on surveys of the potential agricultural resources of the developing countries. The orderly expansion of world trade in agricultural commodities, for which paragraph 9 of this Resolution calls, is one of the main aims which Her Majesty's Government already adopt in formulating their domestic and external agricultural policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to Resolution 265 on the general policy of the Council of Europe, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 15th January, 1964; and what action Her Majesty's Government has taken, or contemplates taking, in regard to it.

Her Majesty's Government are in general sympathy with the underlying purpose of this Recommendation. As regards paragraph 9, in which an appeal is made to the Governments directly concerned to re-open negotiations for the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community before 1966, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to a supplementary question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 3rd February. Paragraph 10 is an internal question for the European Economic Community. The objectives set out in paragraphs 11–14 are in line with the general policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) how many British nationals now living are involved in the present negotiations between his Department and the Federal German Government for compensation for their ill-treatment in concentration camps during the Second World War;(2) when his Department expect to resume its negotiations with the Federal German Government for compensation for all British nationals who were illegally imprisoned in concentration camps during the Second World War.

Negotiations concerning the payment of compensation for British victims of Nazi persecution were resumed on 3rd October and are still in progress. The next meeting is expected to take place on 18th February.The present negotiations are concerned with defining the categories of British victims and the types of suffering to be included in an eventual Anglo-German Agreement on compensation. When these points have been determined, it will be possible to register British claims and thereby to establish the number of British subjects entitled to compensation under the Agreement. In this connection, would refer my hon. Friend to what my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs told the House on 15th July, 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the adequacy of the number of counting agents permitted by regulations made by him pursuant to the London Government Act, 1963; what replies he has sent; and what action he proposes to take.

I would refer my Friend to the reply given on 12th February to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Clapham (Dr. Alan Glyn).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further proposals, following his authorisation of an increase in fares, he has for improving London's taxi service.

My right hon. Friend's responsibility for London's taxi service is confined to the administration of the statutory controls imposed in the public interest relating to fares, the construction of vehicles and the character and competence of drivers. Following his authorisation of an increase it fares, he is taking up with the trade the question of revising the law relating to the six mile limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the Police Research and Planning Branch of his Department in its inquiry into the policing of motorways; and whether he will make a statement.

On behalf of a Working Party representative of police authorities, chief constables, the Ministry of Transport and the Home Office, the Police Research and Planning Branch has been examining as one of its first tasks the basic standards of policing for motorways and major through routes, in the light of the experience already gained by the police forces concerned.A considerable amount of work has been done within the Branch, and seven forces with responsibility for policing motorways have been visited. It has been agreed that a field experiment lasting about three months is needed, to provide practical experience in the working of a unified policing system for a complete motorway. This will be achieved by setting up a motorway traffic command which (subject to the continuing operational responsibility of the chief constables concerned) will direct all the police motorway units.In agreement with the police authorities and chief constables concerned, for whose generous offers of full co-operation I am most grateful, it has been agreed that the experiment should be conducted on the M.6 motorway. Officers of the Lancashire, Cheshire and Staffordshire County Constabularies will work in close conjunction with members of the Home Office Research and Planning Branch in carrying out all stages of the experiment, including different systems of patrol organisation with and without the use of a helicopter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what information he has obtained, when deciding on approval for smokeless zones, on the sulphur content of oil, expressed as a percentage, and on the extent to which percentages differ between the different kinds of oil used.

None. This information would be irrelevant to my consideration of smoke control orders, which under the provisions of the Clean Air Act 1956 are directed only towards smoke prevention.

asked the Minister of Labour what change he contemplates in the arrangements, announced on 2nd August, 1962, for the adjustment of the hours of opening of his smaller local offices.

These arrangements have been kept under review since their introduction and I consider that they have resulted in a better service for the public. I now intend to make one minor change by providing for the extension of Saturday morning closing, with compensatory late opening on an evening during the week, to the four small offices which I previously excluded because a Youth Employment Officer was in post.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science what official research is being carried out into the use of fluorinated aliphatic insecticides on tobacco plants as a cause of lung cancer; and what has been the result.

I am informed by the Tobacco Research Council that these particular substances are not recommended for the treatment of tobacco plants and have not to their knowledge been so used. Accordingly no research is in progress. The use of other insecticides on tobacco plants has been taken into account by those concerned with research on the relationship between smoking and lung cancer but no evidence has been found to suggest that they are a causative factor in lung cancer.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how many science and engineering graduates are now employed in the Research Group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell. Wantage, and Culham.

Seven hundred and seventy-four at the establishments named. A further seventy-six are employed at three other establishments in the Authority's Research Group.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how many science or engineering graduates resigned from their employment in the Research Group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell, Wantage, or Culham and took permanent posts in the United States of America or Canada in each year between 1958 and 1963.

So far as the Atomic Energy Authority are aware, the numbers are:

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how many science or engineering graduates employed in the Research Group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell, Wantage, and Culham left their employment on attachment to posts in the United States of America or Canada, and subsequently returned to the Authority, in each year between 1958 and 1963.

The following numbers returned in the years shown:

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science how many science or engineering graduates of United States or Canadian origin are at present on attachment to the Research Group of the United Kingdom Atomic. Energy Authority at Harwell, Wantage, and Culham.

Twenty-three.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why a war disability pension for a private or equivalent rank who has had a leg amputation with a stump measuring more than five inches below the knee is at the 50 per cent. rate for men disabled in the first world war but at the 40 per cent. rate for those injured in the second world war.

The assessments introduced after the recommendations of the Hancock Committee in 1947, a copy of whose report I recently sent to my hon. Friend, apply generally to pensioners of both wars, but pensioners of the first war keep the right to assessments in the 1914 War schedule where these are higher.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why a private or equivalent rank who lost a leg just below mid-thigh receives the same rate of pension as a private in the Second World War whose amputation is three-and-a-half inches below the knee, in view of the fact that different types of artificial limbs are worn for amputations above and below the knee and of the importance of the retention of the knee joint in regard to walking ability.

The reason why the same assessment of 60 per cent. is scheduled for amputations just below mil-thigh and up to 3½ inches below the knee is that such a short stump below the knee limits the ability to use the natural knee joint and take the weight on the stump. This is explained in paragraph 19 of the Hancock Committee Report of 1947.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the inadequacy of the present Notting Hill Gate Post Office for the growing needs of the area, what plans he has for rebuilding.

We are anxious to get a better public office in this area as soon as we can find a suitable alternative site. Negotiations are at present going on for accommodation nearby, but I cannot yet say whether these will be successful.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent the Road Research Laboratory has considered the hazard to motor traffic caused during the hours of darkness by motor vehicles showing no lights sideways, when they cross at right angles to oncoming traffic; and if he will consult the manufacturers of motor vehicles with a view to ensuring that front and rear lights give an indication sideways of the vehicle's presence.

I understand that the Road Research Laboratory had this hazard in mind when considering specifications for the lamps the Road Transport Lighting Act, 1957, and regulations made under it require motor vehicles to be fitted with. At my request the British Standards Institution has recently prepared detailed specifications and the first part of a new British Standard (BS AU 40) issued in December last includes requirements for the light intensities which side and rear lamps must emit through certain angles. Vehicle manufacturers normally fit lamps conforming with British Standards and I am sure they appreciate the importance of the point raised by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will request the Road Research Laboratory to make a special study, during wet weather, of the water-holding propensity of the road surface of the M.1 motorway; and if he will make their report available to Parliament.

The Road Research Laboratory are still continuing their investigations into the water-holding propensities of various types of road-surfacings under varying intensities of rainfall and at different crossfalls. The research will include studies of the main types of surfacings used on M.1 and other motorways. It would not be practicable to carry out this work on the motorway itself. It is too early yet for any definitive findings to be published.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations he has received from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee on the proposed closure of the Southampton-Le Havre boat service; and what decision he has made on the vessels which will be available for this service this summer.

I have received a recommendation from the Central Transport Consultative Committee that the British Railways Board's proposal to withdraw this service should be accepted. I cannot make any comment until I have considered the recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what arrangements regarding the cost of warrants for travel on leave by officers and other ranks of the Royal Air Force he has made with British Railways; and whether there are similar arrangements with British European Airways and other air companies operating in the United Kingdom.

I have nothing to add to the information which I and other Ministers have already given my hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking to ensure that applications for civilian employment by his Department are fully examined before being rejected on nationality grounds, as in the recent case of Miss Patricia Miller.

I am satisfied that under existing procedures any special circumstances affecting a candidate who does not fulfil the nationality rules, which are brought to our notice at the time, are given careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will approach the Government of the State of Malta and ask whether they wish the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction conferred upon the High Court of the United Kingdom by the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, to be extended to the State of Malta by an Order in Council.

I am consulting the Government of the State of Malta on the subject and will write to the hon. and learned Member as soon as I receive their reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how frequently the Hong Kong Government's Advisory Committee on Corruption met during 1961, 1962, and 1963, respectively.

Sixteen times in 1961; 6 in 1962; and 4 in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Hong Kong Government officials have been convicted and dismissed on charges of corruption in 1961, 1962, and 1963, respectively, and if he will give their status and salaries.

Seven, nine and sixteen, respectively. The grades and salary scales of the 32 employees concerned were as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if he will publish details of each commission or committee appointed by the Government since January, 1962, which has not yet reported, showing its name, terms of reference, date of inaugural meeting and estimated date of report.

I have been asked to reply.The particulars asked for are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set up an investigatory committee on the use of pesticides and if he will consult the Secretary of State for the Home De-

The following is the information:partment, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Housing and Local Government to obtain their joint representation on such a committee.

I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestions.