asked the Postmaster-General if he will allow old-age pensioners free licences for radio and television, to assist them to overcome loneliness.

Although I have some sympathy with this idea, I am afraid that, apart from other considerations, it would be unfair to other licence-holders. If only half the pensioners live in households with television, free licences for them would mean about an extra pound on the general licence.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent his Department is responsible for the accuracy of the classified telephone directories.

These directories are compiled by a contractor from information received from the Post Office and direct from subscribers concerned. The Post Office is responsible for the accuracy of the information it supplies to the contractor. The contractor, in turn, is responsible for arranging the entries under classifications and for the correction of printer's proofs.

asked the Postmaster-General what facilities are provided to help the handicapped and disabled to use the telephone.

Special attention is paid to these needs. A number of devices are available to assist the handicapped, of which I am circulating details in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Telephone managers will gladly advise about these facilities and, where necessary, see what special arrangements can be devised in cases of exceptional difficulty.The details are:

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made in the extension of international subscriber dialling, foreshadowed in the Post Office Report and Accounts for 1962–63.

Since March of last year London subscribers on STD exchanges have been able to dial calls to Paris. As from April they will be able to dial direct to all large towns and cities in France and most exchanges in Belgium. the Netherlands, Switzerland and Western Germany. In the autumn of this year the facility will be extended to subscribers in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester. Glasgow and Edinburgh. International subscriber dialling to other European countries such as Italy and Scandinavia will follow as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General how many mobile telephone units for use by patients in hospitals are currently in use; and if he is satisfied that the service is adequate for those who require it.

More than 1,300 telephone trolley units are now in use in hospitals throughout the country. These units provide the full range of telephone services available in the area concerned. I am sure they meet a real need and are welcomed by hospital patients.

asked the Postmaster-General why he is undertaking to post letters with Shakespeare commemoration stamps and a Stratford-on-Avon cancellation to subscribers to a post office philatelic bureau; and where such letters will in fact be cancelled.

Because there is a public demand for such a facility. The covers will be posted and postmarked at Stratford-upon-Avon.

asked the Postmaster-General on what grounds he bases his estimate that there will not be a widespread practice by which persons, who object to receiving unstamped addressed envelopes containing circulars, return them unstamped to the senders, thus causing difficulties for the postal services.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind unaddressed envelopes containing circulars. Experience with the Household Delivery Service so far supports our view that the practice described by the hon. Member is unlikely to become widespread.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that letters from Barking, Essex, to central London, and vice versa, frequently take two days to arrive, and that the new London borough of Barking will have two Essex Roads, two Norfolk Roads, and two Suffolk Roads; whether he intends to retain the name of Dagenham for postal purposes; and what steps he is taking to clear up the confusion of postal districts that already exists in this area and is likely to be aggravated when the Greater London scheme is in operation.

I am looking into the instances of delay about which the hon. Member has written to us and will write to him as soon as I can. As we intend to keep each of the names Dagenham an I Barking for postal purposes, there should be no confusion about the roads the hon. Member mentions.In planning our services, we have to take account of different factors—for example the transport facilities available—from those determining Local Government boundaries; I am not aware that this in itself is causing difficulty in Barking and Dagenham; but, if the hon. Member has in mind any special boundary problem, we will look into the matter if he will let me have details.

asked the Postmaster-General why he will not introduce self-adhesive postage stamps to replace the present gummed stamps.

It would cost us a great deal more, and in any case the stamps, with their paper backing, would be unsuitable for sale through our existing patterns of stamp selling machines.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on the effect on postmen's pension rights if they engage in strike action.

No.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will be able to state the result of his inquiries into the delay in delivery of letters in Peterlee and district.

I have been looking into this matter and I am about to write to the right hot. Gentleman in some detail.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the policy of his Department regarding the employment of disabled persons.

The Post Office aims to employ registered disabled persons to the extent of not less than 3 per cent. of its total staff.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what steps are being taken to ensure that one aircraft of each type used during the war by the Fleet Air Arm is preserved.

Eleven aircraft representative of nine of the twenty types of Fleet Air Arm front line aircraft used during World War II are preserved at Royal Naval Air Stations within the Naval Air Command.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many Royal Marines are now engaged in active operational duties; and in what countries they are operating.

Altogether 155 Royal Marine officers and 2,953 Royal Marine other ranks are engaged in active operational duties ashore in Malaysia, Aden, the Persian Gulf and East Africa.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many of the Tribal and Leander class frigates are now equipped with Wasp helicopters.

Three Leanders are now equipped with Wasp helicopters. No Tribals yet have them.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many of Her Majesty's ships in commission are without their full complement of electrician officers and ratings; and in how many ships junior electrician ratings are carried in lieu of senior ratings.

No ships in commission are without their full complement of electrical officers. All ships, other than submarines and ships below frigates, are to some degree short of senior skilled electrical ratings. More junior electrical ratings than has been customary are now borne, not only to mitigate the shortages of skilled seniors but because, owing to our success in recruiting artificer apprentices, greater numbers are coming from the training schools and should get sea experience.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty which Royal Navy air stations it is proposed to improve and retain; and whether further closures are contemplated.

The Royal Naval air stations which it is proposed to retain and, where necessary, improve are those at Lossiemouth, Yeovilton, Brawdy, Culdrose, Portland, Lee-on-Solent, Arbroath and Sembawang. With the exception of Royal Naval Air Station, Hal Far, which will transfer to the Royal Air Force in March, 1965, there are no plans to close any other naval air station at present: but Fleet Air Arm requirements are constantly under review.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many Admiralty fire-fighting schools are now in use, and where they are.

Four, at Horsea Island, Tamerton Foliot, Culdrose and Singapore.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what naval establishments, publications, buildings, etc., will include the word Admiralty in their title after 1st April, 1964.

This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what steps he is taking to apply the principle of nuclear propulsion to future types of surface warships and fleet auxiliaries; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Portsmouth, West (Brigadier Clarke) on 14th January last, to which I have nothing to add at present.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what action is being taken to provide a balanced programme of work for Her Majesty's Dockyard, Devonport, in order to insure against further craftsmen being declared redundant.

The amount of work undertaken at Devonport and the other Royal Dockyards depends essentially upon the needs of the Fleet: we are doing all we can to provide a balanced task for them. In particular, the shortage of work for certain trades at Devonport should largely disappear when work on the "Ark Royal" gets into its stride.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how much it is proposed to spend on modernising Her Majesty's Dockyard, Devonport, in the next three years.

About £3 million is planned to be spent on plant and machinery, buildings and civil engineering at Devonport Dockyard in the next three years.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many anti-submarine Wasp helicopters are required by the Royal Navy; and when he expects them to be delivered.

I cannot, for security reasons, specify the numbers of anti- submarine helicopters required by the Royal Navy But following successful flying and service trials, the Wasp helicopter is now in quantity production. Originally development problems set back our programme a few months, but this trouble is now behind us and as aircraft become available for service afloat they are being allocated to ships. All available ships will have a Wasp allocated to them within the next twelve months.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what progress has been made in revising the Irish Coast Pilot; and when a new edition may be expected.

A new (eleventh) edition of the Irish Coast Pilot is due to be published in 1966. Meanwhile, the current (tenth) edition of 1954 has been kept corrected by Supplements, the latest of which, No. 4 of 1963 was issued on 26th February, 1964.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the present establishment of the Royal Naval Reserve and the percentage of establishment at present under training.

As stated in Appendix III of the Defence (Navy) Estimates, 1964–65, the average bearing of the Royal Naval Reserve during 1964–65 is expected to be 4,000 officers and 4,300 ratings. Details are also given in the Appendix of the differing training obligations undertaken by Royal Naval Reservists. As much of the training for Royal Naval Reserve officers and ratings is arranged locally I regret that the information ask ed for in the second part of the question is not readily available.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the present dispositions of the Reserve Fleet at home and abroad, and the numbers of service and civilian manpower employed.

It would not be in the public interest to reveal the dispositions of the ships in reserve. The manpower employed on ships in reserve comprises 153 officers, 1,867 ratings and 38 civilians.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, whether he will make available a copy of the Pink List, giving the current dispositions of the ships of the Royal Navy, in the Library of the House of Commons.

No. The Pink List is a confidential document, the property of Her Majesty's Government, the contents of which must not be communicated either directly or indirectly to the Press or to any person not holding an official position in Her Majesty's Service.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many are now attending the dockyard technical colleges at Singapore and Gibraltar, respectively.

The number of apprentices attending the Dockyard Technical College at Singapore is 215 of whom 45 are artificer apprentices of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Attending the Technical and Dockyard School at Gibraltar are 91 dockyard apprentices and 117 Gibraltarian boys and sons of Service personnel resident in Gibraltar.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many naval officers, Admiralty civilians and civilians from industry, respectively, have taken the Greenwich course on atomic physics and nuclear propulsion.

There are several nuclear courses held at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The total numbers attending so far have been 181 naval officers, 42 Admiralty civilians and 36 civilians from industry.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what is the present strength of the new Royal Naval Engineering Service.

The present strength of the Royal Naval Engineering Service is 169 civilian electrical engineering officers and 26 civilian mechanical engineering officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will take into consideration, when posting men for service in Aden, that there is no accommodation for wives and families other than allotted official accommodation, and that drafts should be so made up to reduce to a minimum the period of separation of married men from their families.

Our present policy is intended to share service overseas fairly between single and married men. While sympathising with the object the hon. Gentleman has in mind, I do not think it would be right to upset this policy by adopting his suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of men who have now been recruited into the section of the Territorial Army known as the Ever-Readies; what is the target of recruitment; and what training the men receive.

The present strength of the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve is about 4,600. The authorised ceiling of this category of the Army Reserves is 15,000, but we are at present recruiting against a quota of around 9,000, which is the assessed requirement.Members of the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve carry out the same training as members of the Territorial Army, but from time to time special arrangements are made for them to do their fortnight's annual training with a Regular Army unit overseas. These attachments have been highly successful.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the continued erosion of his Department's land at Browndown Point, at a rate of some 8 to 10 feet per annum is causing undermining by tidal scour of the new coast defences at Lee-on-Solent and will shortly endanger the coast road; and if he will take urgent steps to arrest this process.

Yes; although, under the Coast Protection Act, 1949, responsibility for preventing this erosion does not rest solely or even primarily on my Department, the War Department Land Agent was instructed to open discussions with the coast protection authority in January and he has since done so. I think that the best course is that these discussions should be pursued urgently.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many betting shops there are in Scotland; how many there were in 1960, 1961 and 1962; and what is the estimated total number employed in the betting industry.

There are no official figures for 1960, but the number of betting office licences in force in Scotland was 1,506 at 1st June, 1961, rose to 1,782 in 1962 and fell to 1,667 last year. At the last date there were 4,840 insured employees in the betting industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to reply to the proposals of the Scottish Council relating to Chapter V qualifications of school teachers, and the recognition of such qualifications in relation to double honours degrees.

As the Council knows through my assessors, it is intended to give effect to its proposal in the consolidating Regulations for the Education, Training and Certification of Teachers which will be published in draft later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve laboratories and ancillary services in the laboratories at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Proposals for the improvement of this hospital including its clinical chemistry laboratory services by new building have been rejected by the planning authority. The regional hospital board is now considering alternative means of providing these laboratories.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average price per gallon of milk paid to producers in each year from 1959 to 1963; and what were the agreed distributor's margins for the same years.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the shortage of milk for manufacturing purposes, which is causing redundancy and other difficulties in milk processing factories; how long he expects this situation to continue; and what steps he proposes to take in this matter.

Supplies of milk for manufacturing purposes have been somewhat shorter in recent months due to the generally lower level of milk production. This has resulted in some interference with the normal operation of the manufacturing creameries, but the supply position now appears to be easing and this easing is likely to continue. The level of milk production is a matter for consideration at the annual review and I cannot anticipate the outcome of these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many householders in Caithness are without a piped water supply; where the communities without piped water are located; and when a supply will be laid on.

Caithness County Council estimates that some 600 houses, or about 7 per cent. of all the inhabited properties in its area, are without a supply from public sources. About 40 of these, including all the sizeable communities in the county, will have a supply when the Council's present scheme of distribution piping is completed.Some of the remaining properties are known to have adequate private supplies, while others are so situated that it is unlikely to be practicable to supply them at reasonable cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what study the Highland Transport Board have made of the amount of goods which have been transferred from British Railways to MacBrayne's Freight Services, with particular reference to the line between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh; what information they have given him on this matter; and if he will direct them to consider the extent to which a monopoly would be created should the rail services be withdrawn.

The Highland Transport Board are considering, inter alia, all questions relevant to the possible closure of the Dingwall-Kyle line but have not yet tendered advice to me on the subject. I do not, however, follow the hon. Member's suggestions about the creation of a monopoly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to ensure the widest possible publicity for the proposed Commonwealth Youth Corps in schools and higher educational institutions in Scotland.

I shall be very ready to give my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Technical Co-operation and the organisations concerned any help I can in bringing the possibilities of service overseas by volunteers to the attention of Scottish schools and institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will catalogue the exports over last year, with particular reference to the period between November and the end of January 1964, in relation to which the Herring Industry Board assisted the fishermen.

The Herring Industry Board is regularly engaged in dealing with export problems, including the negotiation of quotas for the importation of British herring into foreign countries, bringing together potential buyers and sellers, making special arrangements by contract prices and providing facilities, for example, for the freezing of herring by export merchants. These activities are reflected in the Board's Annual Reports. The Board have negotiated arrangements between catchers and exporters in regard to exports since the end of November of frozen, marinated, and klondyked herring. It is not, however, possible to specify the extent to which particular sales abroad—which totalled 365,326 cwts. in 1963—may be attributable to the part played by the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government if the catching of herring for conversion to fish meal and oil over the next two months were subsidised.

I assume the hon. Member wishes to know the additional cost to the Government if the present subsidy of 25s. per cran were paid on all herring sold for conversion to fish meal and oil over the next two months instead of only on the quantity so sold up to a limit of 20 per cent. of the total landings. No change is proposed in the present arrangements and no estimate of such additional cost has accordingly been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how, and to what extent, sprats caught for conversion to fish meal and oil are subsidised.

Under the current white fish subsidy scheme the subsidy for boats of 60 feet in length or over is related to the length of the trip irrespective of the catch or the use to which it is put. Most sprats, however, are landed from boats of less than 60 feet and are eligible for a subsidy of 1s. per stone if sold for human consumption or 6d. per stone if sold for other purposes including conversion to oil and meal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of children under two years of age in the care of local authorities who were adopted in 1963, and the number of such children with three, six, 12 and 18 months of being received into the care of the authorities, respectively.

I have asked the local authorities for this information and shall send to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of officials in his Department who undertake inspection of local authorities' children's departments; which authorities were the subject of routine inspection in 1962 and 1963, respectively; and what steps he took to advise the appropriate children's committees of improvements desired in the administration of their departments.

Inspection of local authority children's departments is undertaken by my Child Care and Probation Inspectorate. There are in post one chief inspector and seven subordinate staff; one subordinate post is vacant. In 1962 detailed inspections were carried out of the children's departments of Arbroath, Clydebank Edinburgh and Falkirk; and in 1963 of Perth Burgh, Stirling Burgh. Stirling County and the combined area of Midlothian, East Lothian and Peebles-shire. In addition the Inspectorate made over 100 ad hoc visits in each year to local authorities and local authorities' children's homes for specific purposes connected with child care. After each inspection particular points were taken up with the children's committee, the clerk or the children's officer as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAI, REPORT the number of children in care, the expenditure per child-week, and the number of children's officers and welfare officers, respectively, in the children's departments of the following local authorities, as at 31st December, 1963, namely, Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Fife, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Moray, and Nairn.

The information requested is not readily available as at 31st December, 1963. The most recent particulars however are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many colleges of education have plans for television studio accommodation with a view to pursuing research and teaching in closed-circut educational television.

There are already specific plans for Aberdeen and Dundee Colleges of Education; other colleges are considering the possibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now take steps to increase the use of educational television in schools.

Schools are already being actively encouraged to make the fullest use of television. The closed circuit system which Glasgow Education Authority plans to introduce should make for rapid advance and I shall be most interested in its progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work is likely to start on Stage III of the Storr Loch water scheme on the Isle of Skye.

I am considering with the county council whether the circumstances are such as to justify going ahead with this scheme, which involves the expenditure of about £1,000 per house to be supplied.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the undertaking given to him by Associated Electrical Industries with regard to the employment of men at the West Chirton factory after the transfer of aircraft work will fully cover the men at present employed on aircraft starters.

We have received no undertaking, but I understand that the company hopes to retain, for the new work at West Chirton, most of those at present employed there on aircraft starters.

asked the Minister of Transport what reply he has made to the application by the Corporation of Liverpool for grant towards building a new road bridge at Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, where it crosses the Liverpool-Preston railway line.

The British Railways Board gave notice of their proposal to withdraw passenger services on the Wigan Wallgate-Liverpool Exchange line on 15th November last. If the section passing under Longmoor Lane is closed altogether, the cutting could be filled in, saving up to £60,000 in bridgeworks. But decisions on the future of the line have yet to be taken and in the meantime I have told the Liverpool Corporation that I am not prepared to make a grant towards the cost of reconstructing the present bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has now received the Report of the Committee which is advising him on the regulation of motoring events on public highways under the powers of Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act, 1962; and what further action he proposes to take.

I hope to receive the Committee's report soon. Their recommendations will be studied and draft regulations prepared as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has received from the British Railways Board under Section 13(4) of the Transport Act, 1962, as to the manner in which their powers of construction, manufacture and production are to be exercised.

The Board have submitted proposals for their main activities in this regard, namely the manufacture of locomotives, passenger and freight rolling stock, containers, materials for way and works, and signal and telecom- munications equipment. The proposals are:

asked the Minister of Transport why he has approved the British Railways Board's proposal to withdraw passenger services from Hurstbourne Station, Hampshire.

The Transport Users Consultative Committee reported that no appreciable hardship would result from closure. I found no grounds for refusing my consent.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a further statement on plans for the control of diesel fumes.

Standards for the control of diesel fumes cannot be prescribed until exhaust measurement techniques have been investigated further. A British Standards Committee is considering a standard for engine performance which will include a limit for smoke emission for new diesel-engined vehicles. Meanwhile the present roadside checks will continue.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Jack Committee Report on Rural Bus Services; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot at present add to my reply of 27th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will approach the Government of Dominica 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, and the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act, 1958, to be extended, respectively, to Dominica by Orders in Council.

I am consulting the Administrator of Dominica and will write to the hon. and learned Member as soon as I receive his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the document containing the British proposals for a link between the proposed international force in Cyprus and the United Nations Organisation.

Various methods for providing a suitable link between the proposed international force and the United Nations have been and are still being discussed between the parties concerned. I do not think that while these negotiations are continuing it would be helpful for me to publish details.

asked the Minister of Education how many teacher training colleges have plans for television studio accommodation with a view to pursuing research and teaching in closed-circuit educational television.

I have recently invited eleven colleges to co-operate in an experimental project in the use of closed-circuit television in the training of teachers. The Institutes of Education of the Universities of Leeds and London have agreed to help in the collation of information.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now take steps to increase the use of educational television in schools.

It is for local education authorities and schools and not for me to decide precisely what use they will make of educational programmes on television, but I welcome the rapidly growing interest which is being shown. The number of schools equipped to receive the programmes is steadily increasing, and the use of closed circuit television is also being developed in the schools and in the teacher training colleges. I hope that this strong upward trend will continue.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors were employed whole time in the junior medical grades of registrar and below in the hospital service on 30th September, 1963; how many of these were born outside Great Britain; if he will classify his information by grade, speciality and region to enable direct comparison to be made with the figures for 31st March, 1960, and 30th September, 1961, published by him on 25th January, 1963; if he is aware that regular collection and publication of this information was recommended by the Joint Working Party on Medical Staffing in the Hospital Service; and whether he will ensure that this be done.

I will send the figures for 1963 to my hon. Friend as soon as they are available. Information about the numbers of doctors employed in the hospital junior medical grades, enabling comparison to be made with previous years, is contained in the Annual Reports of my Department.

asked the Minister of Health what assistance by way of paid leave is given to employees of the National Health Service who are elected mayors or chairmen of local authorities to assist them during their year of office.

No paid leave is given but a General Whitley Council agreement provides for up to nine days unpaid leave a year and additional days, without limit, at the discretion of the employing authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation authorising the compulsory inspection of those halls used for bingo and other similar activities which are not covered by existing legislation, in order to ensure that adequate fire precautions are taken.

The Government intend to introduce legislation to strengthen fire precautions in residential establishments and places of resort, including bingo halls. As my right hon. Friend informed my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Knutsford (Sir W. Bromley-Davenport) on 20th February, an outline of their proposals has been sent to the local authority associations and other interested organisations for comment. The proposals cover such matters as inspection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the membership and terms of reference of the proposed Committee on the Court of Criminal Appeal.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and I have now appointed the Committee. The membership and terms of reference are as follows:

Members

• The Rt. Hon. Lord Donovan (Chairman).
• The Hon. Mr. Justice Lawton.
• Mr. E. L. Gardner, Q.C., M.P.
• Mr. F. Elwyn Jones, Q.C., M.P.
• Mr. V. J. Lissack.
• Mr. F. J. Odgers.
• Mr. Sebag Shaw, Q.C.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make, a statement on the progress of the work of the Advisory Council on the Employment of Prisoners.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have recently received an important and valuable report from the Advisory Council, entitled The Organisation of Work for Prisoners. While welcoming the steps already taken towards increasing prisoners' working hours, it outlines plans for a thorough reorganisation of prison industries on modern lines. The nature and scale of the proposed developments require, in the view of the Council, the appointment of a man with wide experience of management in really progressive industry to take charge of them. My right hon. Friend and I welcome the report and accept its recommendations. It is published today, and copies are available to hon. Members in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for living on immoral earnings there were in the Metropolitan Police district during 1963; what were the countries of origin of those convicted; and how these figures compare with 1962.

In 1963, 187 persons were convicted in the Metropolitan Police District of living on immoral earnings. The corresponding figure for 1962 was 194. The following table shows the countries of origin of the offenders:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what restrictions have been placed on Government grants made under the Town Development Act.

The restrictions imposed by the Act are that the development concerned must be substantial and that the provision of the accommodation will relieve congestion or overpopulation in certain areas. Applications for grant within these restrictions are considered on their merits.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many grants have been applied for under the Town Development Act; how many have been made; and for what projects.

The information is not available in exactly the form requested. Claims for grant from 14 local authorities are at present under consideration. Twenty-eight authorities have received offers of grant totalling £4,210,665, of which £2,084,441 has so far been paid. The projects concerned are main water supplies, main sewerage and sewage disposal works. If a scheme depends on a transfer of industry, a grant of £12 per annum for 15 years is also payable under the Town Development Act in respect of local authority houses built for overspill purposes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of all local authorities which it is expected will qualify for a grant under Clause 1 of the Rating (Interim Relief) Bill, 1964, estimated to amount to £6,500,000; and what amount each will receive.

As I informed the House on 16th December last, in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Reynolds), over 1,200 authorities are expected to qualify and I do not think it would be justifiable to include a list of that length in the OFFICIAL REPORT. But I shall be glad to give my hon. Friend information about any particular area in which he is interested.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development which component items of the cost-of-living index are commonly subject to resale price maintenance; and what was the index value of each such item at the latest computation.

Precise information is not available about the extent of resale price maintenance within the various components of the index of retail prices. Groups or sub-groups of the index within which prices are substantially subject to resale price maintenance and the appropriate index figures for December, 1963, are:

asked the hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he is aware that for four months the refuse from the kitchens of the House of Commons has been put into a refuse trailer with open sides in a courtyard outside the kitchens, and that this practice has caused a stench and danger of food poisoning; and if he will arrange for this practice to cease and for the refuse to be disposed of in some way that is not obnoxious to health and comfort.

The disposal of refuse is the responsibility of the Minister of Public Building and Works, in consultation with the authorities of the House. I understand that the question of improving the arrangements is at present under discussion between them.

asked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science if he will appoint a small committee to study the possibilities of the use of closed-circuit television in higher education.

In February, 1963, the University Grants Committee, the Ministry of Education, and the Scottish Education Department set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Brynmor Jones, Vice-Chancellor of Hull University, with the following terms of reference:

"To survey the current use of audiovisual aids in teaching and research in the pure and applied sciences in institutions of higher education in Great Brtiain, and taking into account their use in smiliar fields in comparable institutions in selected countries overseas, to assess their potential usefulness and possible lines of development in Great Britain; and to report".

asked the Minister of Power (I) whether he will use his powers under Section 10 of the Iron and Steel Act, 1963, to terminate price-fixing;(2) whether he is satisfied with the fixing of maximum steel prices in present market conditions, having regard to the Iron and Steel Board's obligations to supervise the industry under competitive conditions and the present restrictive arrangements among steel producers to treat these prices as actual prices; and if he will make a statement;(3) whether he is aware that the maintenance of high and rigid home prices has led to the import of various steel products, often over the tariff barrier, which could easily be produced in this country; and what action he is taking to remedy this situation;(4) to what extent he has used his powers of determining maximum prices, under Section 10(1) of the Iron and Steel Act, 1953, in order to protect the consumer.

I have not used powers under Section 10 of the Act and do not propose to do so in present circumstances. The restrictive agreements are subject to review by the Restrictive Practices Court; a test case will come before the Court in April.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the position with regard to the payment of increased income tax imposed by the Ghana Government with regard to British pensioners resident in South Africa, the Rhodesias and the Channel Islands.

Ghana Government pensioners resident in South Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia and the Channel Islands are not covered by Double Taxation Agreements with Ghana, but the Ghana resident rate of tax will be applied to their pensions if these are taxed in the country of residence and this is proved by a certificate from the tax authorities in that country.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will make a statement about the progress of discussions with the Ghana Government on the increased taxation levied on overseas pensioners.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 18th February, Vol. 689, c. 1013] supplied the following information:Ghana has double taxation agreements with Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Canada, Sweden and Denmark. The double taxation agreement between Ghana and New Zealand will cease to operate after the 30th June, 1964.