asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the working of the system of cautioning under the Street Offences Act; and if he will make a statement.

While few of the women and girls cautioned have been willing to be put in touch with a welfare organisation or probation officer, there is reason to think that the progressive drop in the number of offences of soliciting in the London area has in part been due to the system. It is clearly right to continue every possible effort to divert prostitutes from this way of life.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) in which calendar year he expects to authorise a start on the rebuilding of Mile Oak Approved School;(2) why, when he asked for the plans to be prepared with special speed, he is now raising minor objections to the plans, thus delaying the rebuilding of Mile Oak Approved School.

As I told the hon. Member in answer to a Question on 26th March, discussions have been taking place between the Home Office and the London County Council with a view to reducing the estimated cost, which appears to me very high indeed, of the new buildings at this school. I hope that these will be brought to a satisfactory conclusion quickly so that I can authorise the Council to proceed. I trust work will be able to start in 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the cost of his scheme for the compensation for victims of crimes of violence; and whether it is his intention to introduce a Supplementary Estimate in this Session of Parliament.

Until there has been some experience of its working I cannot give a reliable estimate of what the scheme will cost. We will therefore start by drawing on the Civil Contingencies Fund; a Supplementary Estimate will be needed before the end of the financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his scheme for the compensation for victims of crimes of violence will include compensation for those who are injured in going to the aid of the police in support of law and order.

Under paragraph 14 of the White Paper compensation will be payable both for injury directly attributable to a criminal offence involving the use of force and for injury to a member of the public attributable to an attempt by him to apprehend a criminal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress hay been made by the Committee of Inquiry into Sunday Observance; and when he expects to receive their report.

I understand that the Committee having completed the taking of evidence is now considering what recommendations it should make. I cannot yet say, however, when its report is likely to be presented.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have been admitted to date to the United Kingdom under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act as dependent relatives of immigrants already in Great Britain.

From 1st July, 1962, to 29th February, 1964, 38,345 persons were admitted as dependants of immigrants entering or already resident in, the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now hopes to introduce legislation to give local authorities control over fire precautions in respect of unlicensed clubs.

Good progress is being made with the preliminary work described in the reply given to the hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice) on 18th March. Until this has been completed, however, I cannot say when the proposed legislation will be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the bell used for awakening prisoners at 6.30 a.m. at Pentonville Prison has been replaced by a radio programme; by what authority these changes took place and what was the cost.

My hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. A bell is still used for awakening prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to limit the length of a Parliament to four years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide for quadrennial elections.

The answer is. No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the effectiveness of the model byelaw recommended by his predecessor in 1949 to control the sale of contraceptives through vending machines is being challenged by a firm formed to install these machines in the toilets of cafés and licensed premises: that such installations are operating in a public house in the Fulham Road and a café in Islington and that 100 of the first batch of machines are to be placed in areas, including seaside resorts, frequented by teenagers; and whether he will take immediate steps to advise new byelaws to enable police and local authorities to deal with this traffic.

The model byelaw is designed to prohibit the sale of contra- ceptives from slot machines placed in streets or in forecourts or entrances to buildings. I am advised that the Act under which it is made would not permit its extension to prohibit sales from slot machines in cafés and similar places.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the new prison to be opened at Stoke Heath is inaccessible by public transport; and to what extent, in choosing this site, he had regard to difficulties for the staff and their families and for visitors to prisoners.

Accessibility is one of the most important factors in locating a prison, but ideal sites for prisons are hard to find. I know there is some difficulty at present, but better transport will be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Eire Government regarding the passage of illegal immigants through Southern Ireland into the United Kingdom without the possession of proper permits; what is the estimated number from what countries they have mainly come; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement

I have received no such representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in respect of a Saturday being more suitable than a Thursday for polling, in view of the large number of electors who do not return from their employment in London or at a considerable distance from their homes until an inconveniently late hour for polling; and what consultations he has had with the Essex County Council on this matter.

My right hon. Friend received representations from the hon. Member, and also from five urban district councils, one rural district council and the Federation of Essex Ratepayers, that it would be more suitable to hold the elections of county councillors in Essex in 1965 on a Saturday than on a Thursday. He consulted the Essex County Council on this matter and after the most careful consideration my right hon. Friend decided that the elections should be held on Thursday 25th March, 1965, as recommended by the county council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why John and Michael Penny of Corner-brook, Newfoundland, were not permitted to enter this country on Sunday 5th April, and were sent back before adequate investigation could be made into the case; and, in view of the distress and financial hardship imposed upon the relatives in Birmingham, if he will reconsider his decision in this case.

These young men came to seek permanent employment in Britain without having first obtained the necessary Ministry of Labour vouchers under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962. They were therefore refused admission in accordance with the general rule. If they (or, if they have particular jobs in view, their prospective employers) obtain vouchers from the Ministry of Labour, they should have no difficulty in securing admission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will appoint an inquiry into the law relating to betting on sporting events, with particular reference to the dangers of pressures or influences being brought to bear on those participating or otherwise concerned, with a view to introducing legislation to strengthen the law on this matter.

I have no reason to think that the existing law is inadequate to deal with any abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action has been taken with respect to the police officers at West End Ceneral Police Station found by Mr. Skelhorn's report to have been guilty of various breathes of duty in the Woolf case.

I am informed by the Commissioner that after careful consideration it has been decided that no disciplinary action is called for. Where appropriate suitable advice has been given to the officers concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his consideration of the law relating to the issue of process and warrants for arrest in respect of motoring offences; and what proposals he has for the amendment and clarification of the law.

Consultations are proceeding. I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Power what recent estimates have been made of the annual cost of providing for comprehensive compensation for consequential damage in cases of mining subsidence.

I am not aware of any such estimates or of the necessary data for making them.

asked the Minister of Power what technical advice he has received about the magnetoplasmadynamic process of power generation; and what steps he taking to encourage this development.

asked the Minister of Power what is his assessment of the potential contribution to low-cost electric power generation of the research and development work on the magnetoplasmadynamic process currently in progress at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne laboratories of the International Research and Development Company; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the patent rights in this process are acquired by British Government agencies and not by foreign private or governmental interests.

The Central Electricity Generating Board has been working since 1961 on a substantial experimental scale in this field, concentrating on the open cycle process. The Board has under consideration an expansion of its research programme in co-operation with the electrical plant industry. As regards the closed-cycle project by the International Research and Development Company, I would refer the hon. Members to the Answers which my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science gave to the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. W. Hamilton) and my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) and the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, West (Dr. Bray) on 9th April.

asked the Minister of Power what steps he is taking to encourage the production of cheaper electricity by means of the closed cycle magnetoplasmadynamic generator successfully developed recently at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne laboratories of the International Research and Development Company.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer to similar questions on this subject which I gave today to the hon. Member for East Ham, South (Mr. Oram) and the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey).

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a direction to area electricity boards to fix maximum prices for the resale of electricity in improvement areas as projected in the Housing Bill 1964.

No.

asked the Minister of Power if he will see that a member of the Brigg Rural District Council is appointed a member of the Divisional Committee of the East Midlands Gas Consultative Council.

No. Appointments to these committees are made by the Con- sultative Council and it is for the Council to decide how best to provide for local representation on them.

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board for a table showing the main ore-loading ports from which British imports of iron ore are brought, showing restrictions on the dimensions of ships which can be fully loaded at each port in 1964, on the lines of Table 36 in the 1961 Development Report of the Iron and Steel Board; and if he will publish such information in the OFFICIAL REPORT;(2) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board to bring up to date Table XII of their 1956 annual report; and if he will publish it in the OFFICIAL REPORT;(3) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board to bring up to date Table 34 of their 1961 Development Report; and if he will publish this in the OFFICIAL REPORT;(4) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board for information on any subsequent modifications to Table 37 of the 1961 Development Report of the Iron and Steel Board, and on what changes in detail had taken place between 1954 and 1960 in that respect; and if he will publish such information in the OFFICIAL REPORT;(5) what capital investment has been made by the steel industry in the development of port and dock facilities since 1954; and at which ports that investment has been made;(6) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the main ore-loading ports from which imports of iron ore were brought to the United Kingdom, showing the annual tonnage of ore removed from those ports to the United Kingdom for each year since 1954.

I am asking the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board to let the hon. Member have such information as is available.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of imports of iron ore, by countries of origin, for each year from 1955 to 1963, inclusive.

As the answer consists of a large table of figures, I am writing to the hon. Member about it.

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will state in the OFFICIAL REPORT the average cost of iron ore per ton imported from overseas ore-fields in 1962 and 1963; and what percentage of that cost represents the costs of shipping and handling charges;(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the average cost of shipping iron ore from overseas to British ports per ton mile for each year since 1955;(3) what proportions of total iron ore imports were carried in 8,000–10,000 deadweight ton vessels, 14,000–18,000 ton vessels and vessels of 20,000 tons and over for each year since 1959; what are the estimated average costs per ton mile in vessels of each of these tonnages; and what would be the estimated reduction in costs of transporting iron ore in vessels of 25,000 tons and 50,000–60,000 tons, respectively.

The average c.i.f. value of iron ore (including pyrites) imported into the United Kingdom was approximately 97s. per ton in 1962 and 91s. in 1963. I regret that further details are not available but I hope to write to the hon. Member fairly soon about the estimated savings which would accrue from the operation of larger ore carriers.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what discussions he has had with the Iron and Steel Board and the British Iron and Steel Federation regarding the development of ore-terminals; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether the Steel Board has yet reported to him whether it can secure the provision of the improved port facilities required for the import of iron ore; and what action he proposes to take in the matter;(3) what discussions have taken place between the iron and steel industry, the National Ports Council, the Iron and Steel Board and the port authorities concerned regarding the technical and financial details of a programme for developing ore-terminals; and what agreements have been reached.

I am in close touch with the Iron and Steel Board and the other authorities concerned. In regard to South Wales ports I would refer the hon. Member to tie reply I gave to the Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) on 9th April.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the observations submitted to him by the Iron and Steel Board and the British Iron and Steel Federation on the recommendations in Command Paper No. 1824.

No. They are summarised on pages 29 and 30 of the Iron and Steel Board's Annual Report for 1962.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what discussions have taken place between the Iron and Steel Board and the steel industry regarding the construction of large ore carriers; what proposals there are for the construction of large ore carriers for the use of B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd.; and if he will make a statement;(2) what financial investments are held by the British steel industry in ore-fields overseas; and in which ore-fields they are held.

I am asking the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board to let the hon. Member have such information as is available.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of British ports at which iron-ore is unloaded, showing the amount of iron-ore imported into each port for each year since 1955 and expressing those amounts for each port each year in terms of a percentage of the total annual imports of iron-ore.

As the answer contains a large number of figures I am writing to the hon. Member about it.

asked the Minister of Power if ht will state the average rate of discharge of iron-ore per ship per day in United Kingdom ports in 1951, 1956 and 1963.

I regret the information is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Power (1) under what arrangements iron ore from Venezuela is shipped to this country; which ore carriers are being used; what is their size; and at which ports this ore is landed in the United Kingdom;(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of ore carriers under the direct control of the steel industry, stating their deadweight, draught, dimensions, cost and year of building and the estimated written-down value of these carriers in 1964;(3) in which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. the steel industry has a financial interest; and what are the details of that interest;(4) which ore carriers under the direct control of the steel industry have been converted for the carriage of other cargoes since 1959; and what has been the total cost of such conversions;(5) how many and which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for (Ore) Ltd. are wholly owned subsidiaries of the steel industry;(6) which shipping companies have been provided with capital by the steel industry for the building of ore carriers since 1953; and how much capital each of these companies has received;(7) how much capital the steel industry, through B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd., has provided for each year since 1953 towards the building of ore carriers;(8) in which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. there is no financial participation by the steel industry;(9) what was the c.i.f. price paid by B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. in 1963 for iron ore from the Cerro Bolivar ore-fields; and what was the cost of shipping that ore;(10) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the Cargo Differential Scheme operated by B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. as it operates at the major iron-ore importing ports.

I have no power to require the disclosure of this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether the special contracts preference schemes apply to contracts other than those for the supply of material and stores.

The special contracts preference scheme applies whenever it is practicable to divide an order between two or more suppliers. No product is specifically excluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what action has been taken to implement the contracts preference schemes in relation to contracts for capital goods within the North-East Development District; and how many contracts have been awarded for the supply of materials and stores.

Board of Trade officers, both in the region and at headquarters, continually bring the contracts preference schemes to the notice of firms in development districts in the North East, as elsewhere in Britain, and urge them to put their names on the trades lists of the appropriate purchasing departments. The purchasing departments operate these schemes whenever it is practicable, but I cannot say how many contracts are awarded under them in total or in particular areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether the special preference scheme for the allocation of Government contracts applies to nationalised undertakings in the same way as the general preference scheme.

I understand that the nationalised industries are not operating this special contracts scheme though it is open to them to do so, and they do operate the general scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development when he expects to make either an interim or full statement on his inquiries into the several plans put forward to improve both the communications to Barrow and West Cumberland, and to increase the available water supplies for South Lancashire through constructing one or more barrages.

My right hon. Friend has asked the North West Study Group to examine these plans in the context of the future development of the region as a whole. This examination will necessarily take some time to complete and I cannot yet say when he will be able to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what part his Department has played at the All British industrial Fair, staged in Barcelona during April 1964, to further English trade and what increase there has been in demand by Spain of capital goods from the United Kingdom since this fair was opened.

The British Industrial Fair at Barcelona, which was opened by my right hon. Friend on 1st April, was organised by British Overseas Fairs Ltd., on behalf of the Federation of British Industries. The Board of Trade made a financial contribution to the cost of renting the premises. Substantial orders for goods shown at the fair have already been reported, but it is too early to assess what lasting effect the lair will have on the export of capital goods to Spain.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation, in view of recent developments, what adaptations he is making in the conditions under which British officers in Zanzibar receive retirement benefits.

The Zanzibar Government have decided to dispense with the services of the majority of British officers serving there by the end of April. The British High Commissioner in Zanzibar has been authorised to inform the officers that the British Government will make appropriate payments to them in the form of advances so far as these payments are not made by the Zanzibar Government.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he has completed his consideration of the claim by expatriate officers in Mauritius for the revision of the rate of inducement allowance; and what reply he has made to this request.

A fully documented case has been made to me and I hope in the near future to reach a decision which I shall convey to the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications for admission to universities were made by mature students in 1961, 1962, and 1963; how many of these applications were successful; and what were the qualifications required for admission of such students to universities.

Information about the total number of applications for admission to universities by mature students is not available centrally. Figures are, however, available in respect of applications for admission from Mature State Scholars. During 1961, 1962 and 1963 the numbers were 25, 25 and 30, respectively. All but one of these applicants have been awarded a place at a university or will be taking up a place this year. The admission of students is, of course, entirely a matter for the universities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give the values of the projects submitted for the school building programmes for 1966–67 by each local education authority; and what are the corresponding values of the projects he has approved.

I am arranging for this information to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The programme for 1966–67 which so far totals £64,628,000, for England and Wales, is one part of a programme covering 2½ years, 1965–68. Information regarding the year 1965–66 was given in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 13th April, 1964, and the information now given should be looked at in conjunction with this earlier information.Following is the information:

1966–67 MAJOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMMES
	Value of work proposed	Value of approved programme
	(£000)	(£000)
Northern Region
Cumberland	965	286
Carlisle	438	274
Durham	3,632	1,832
Darlington	183	—*
Gateshead	471	—*
South Shields	727	105
Sunderland	384	399
West Hartlepool	289	132
Northumberland	1,791	1,033
Newcastle upon Tyne	375	—*
Tynemouth	115	68
Westmorland	73	65
Yorkshire: North Riding	553	537
Middlesbrough	876	323
Yorkshire East and West Ridings
Yorkshire: East Riding	673	279
Kingston upon Hull	1,137	333
York	302	123
Yorkshire: West Riding	5,618	—*
Barnsley	66	—*
Bradford	639	424
Dewsbury	95	39
Doncaster	120	—*
Halifax	287	167
Huddersfield	513	130
Leeds	957	585
Rotherham	307	—*
Sheffield	1,112	563
Wakefield	—	—*
North Western Region
Cheshire	5,199	—*
Birkenhead	754	235
Chester	61	127
Stockport	140	198
Wallasey	376	208
Lancashire	4,943	4,062
Barrow-in-Furness	75	89
Blackburn	217	36
Blackpool	816	—*
Bolton	245	239
Bootle	53	114
Burnley	60	323
Bury	186	153
Liverpool	2,575	1,064
Manchester	2,844	1,211
Oldham	487	68
Preston	219	65

	Value of work proposed	Value of approved programme
	(£000)	(£000)
Rochdale	252	98
St. Helens	353	238
Salford	293	183
Southport	68	62
Warrington	135	117
Wigan	216	72
North Midland Region
Derbyshire	527	1,269
Derby	401	—
Leicestershire	1,503	509
Leicester	464	396
Lincolnshire: Holland	211	97
Lincolnshire: Kesteven	593	108
Lincolnshire: Lindsey	739	352
Grimsby	205	62
Lincoln	315	75
Northamptonshire	1,211	595
Northampton	315	316
Nottinghamshire	1,475	837
Nottingham	622	448
Rutland	76	102
Midland Region
Herefordshire	458	172
Shropshire	976	484
Staffordshire	3,707	1,796
Burton-upon-Trent	58	60
Smethwick	85	—
Stoke-on-Trent	915	222
Walsall	516	66
West Bromwich	413	58
Wolverhampton	584	—
Warwickshire	2,060	1,180
Birmingham	3,264	1,632
Coventry	1,209	712
Solihull	—	307
Worcestershire	1,465	707
Dudley	282	121
Worcester	296	61
Eastern Region
Bedfordshire	1,002	791
Luton	702	490
Cambridgeshire	257	374
Essex	5,293	4,060
East Ham	115	78
Southend-on-Sea	515	88
West Ham	615	64
Hertfordshire	3,719	2,725
Huntingdonshire	763	512
Isle of Ely	245	98
Norfolk	1,192	395
Norwich	175	162
Great Yarmouth	163	55
Peterborough Joint Board	454	196
Suffolk East	499	404
Ipswich	332	121
Suffolk West	380	334
Metropolitan Region
London	4,375	3,130
Middlesex	4,618	1,097
South Eastern Region
Kent	4,450	2,995
Canterbury	198	—

	Value of work proposed	Value of approved programme
	(£000)	(£000)
Sussex East	598	327
Brighton	193	65
Eastbourne	70	—
Hastings	131	—
Sussex West	772	428
Surrey	3,765	1,423
Croydon	598	181
Southern Region
Berkshire	1,288	1,058
Reading	331	402
Buckinghamshire	2,579	1,137
Dorset	468	581
Hampshire	3,762	2,015
Bournemouth	696	98
Portsmouth	416	198
Southampton	544	187
Isle of Wight	196	—
Oxfordshire	1,070	494
Oxford	370	67
South Western Region
Cornwall	870	352
Devon	1,298	325
Exeter	36	39
Plymouth	505	142
Gloucestershire	1,187	1,071
Bristol	1,564	320
Gloucester	232	—
Isles of Scilly	—	—
Somerset	1,120	378
Bath	288	67
Wiltshire	1,417	499
Wales
Anglesey	132	96
Breconshire	376	32
Caernarvonshire	457	150
Cardiganshire	64	65
Carmarthenshire	558	284
Denbighshire	860	235
Flintshire	38	235
Glamorgan	1,780	1,387
Cardiff	1,018	720
Merthyr Tydfil	350	117
Swansea	485	346
Merionethshire	74	174
Monmouthshire	334	926
Newport	267	262
Montgomeryshire	30	68
Pembrokeshire	112	105
Radnorshire	uncosted	—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals were put forward by Staffordshire County Council for Newcastleunder-Lyme for the school building year 1965–66; whether they included the replacement of Friarswood School; and what proportion in value of these proposals he approved.

The following proposals were submitted by the Staffordshire Local Education Authority for Newcastle under Lyme for the school building year 1965–66:—Wolstanton, St. Margaret's Church of England Junior School: replacement.Cross Heath Secondary School: replacement.Westland Girls' Secondary School: replacement.Newcastle Blessed Thomas and Maxfield Roman Catholic Secondary School: extensions.Friarswood Primary School will be re-housed in the. Westlands buildings when the new school is completed.The Answer to the last part of the Question is nearly 40 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the value of the schoolbuilding programme for Newcastle-under-Lyme in each of the years 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, and 1965–66.

The information is set out in the table below.

Year	Value of major school building programme
	£
1962–63	359,493
1963–64	259,791
1964–65	54,506
1965–66	212,380

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the fact that his grant-aid to the Workers Education Association for the year 1964–65 will enforce a reduction of their current programme due to increased costs, if he will now reconsider the size of the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the fact that his grant-aid to the Workers Education Association for the year 1964–65 will enforce a reduction of their current programme due to increased costs, and of the importance of cultural education in an age of mass communication and the need for education for leisure, if he will now reconsider the size of the grant.

I propose to increase the headquarters grant to the Workers Education Association in 1964–65 from £2,000 to £2,300. On grants to the districts I would refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Islington, East (Mr. Fletcher) on 9th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the publication of information resulting from the survey of old schools.

The assessment of the survey material has proved to be more complicated than had been foreseen, but I am considering what form the publication should take.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to authorise the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to commission a prototype successor to the Dounreay fast breeder reactor.

If current development work is successful, the Atomic Energy Authority may submit a proposal to the Government to begin construction in 1965 of a prototype fast reactor.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount of Government expenditure devoted in each of the latest convenient five years to research into the causes and treatment of mental deficiency and mental illness, respectively; and whether this amount includes expenditure by the National Health Service.

Expenditure by the Medical Research Council over the last five years on research on mental illness, and related work in the field of applied psychology, has been as follows:

—	Mental Illness	Applied Psychology	Total
	£	£	£
1959–60	170,000	90,000	260,000
1960–61	228,000	93,000	321,000
1961–62	247,000	120,000	367,000
1962–63	260,000	148,000	408,000
1963–64	360,000	150,000	510,000

In addition, much work is carried out under the Council's auspices in the basic sciences, such as biochemistry, which may prove relevant to the causes and treatment of mental deficiency and mental illness.It is not practicable to break down these figures further or to provide a figure for total government expenditure on research in this field, since information regarding the amount spent in the National Health Service and from University Grants Committee funds in University departments and teaching hospitals is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to implement paragraph 108 of the Trend Report on Civil Service in so far as it relates to United Kingdom representation on international conferences, international organisations and international scientific projects.

This is one of the matters which will be dealt with in the course of implementing the Trend Committee's main proposals, in accordance with the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 6th February, 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the Report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Working Party on Research Films.

The report has not yet been submitted to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and cannot be published until this has been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in order to assist in the development of nuclear marine propulsion, he will consider installing a British reactor in a naval tanker.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on this subject on 9th and 14th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of a British nuclear reactor for operational use in British submarines.

British made nuclear reactors, of which the prototype is well advanced at the Admiralty Test Establishment, Dounreay, will be fitted in "Valiant", "Warspite" and our Polaris submarines.The progress made at Dounreay has not been as fast as we would have wished, hut the project has involved much work of a novel nature to standards not hitherto attempted in British industry. There have been delays owing to technical problems to which I referred during the recent debate on the Navy Estimates. Steps have been taken to overcome these problems and the project is now going ahead satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents have occurred in Cyprus of British troops being disarmed by Cypriot irregulars; and what orders have been issued to troops concerning the action they are to take when confronted with such incidents.

One. As regards orders issued for dealing with this sort of contingency, paragraph 18 of the aide memoire from the United Nations which has been placed in the library of the House quotes "attempts by force to disarm them" as an example of circumstances in which troops might be authorised to use force. The soldier concerned in this incident therefore showed commendable self-restraint in not reacting with force to this provocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many commodores, brigadiers and air commodores, respectively, are at present on the active list of the three Services; and how these numbers compare with the total numbers of officers and ratings or other ranks in the individual Services concerned.

The numbers asked for are as follows:

—	R.N. and R.M.	Army	Royal Air Force
Captain R.N. with more than 6 yews seniority	139	268	141
Colonel R.M., Brigadier, Air Commodore
Total Numbers	89,635	17,152	125,881
	(0·16%)	(0·16%)	(0·11%)

In the case of the Royal Navy where "Commodore" and "Brigadier R.M." are appointments and not separate ranks, the figures are, those for Captains R.N. with more than 6 years seniority and Colonels in the Royal Marines.All figures exclude women and boys.

asked the Attorney General, in view of the further bribing of professional footballers that has taken place, if he will have inquiries made of the Football Association and the Football League with a view to instituting criminal proceedings against those responsible; if he will request the press investigation team of the Sunday newspaper responsible for these recent revelations to hand over their evidence in order to facilitate inquiries; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the police to investigate allegations that offences have been committed. I understand that inquiries are already in progress and I will make a statement when they are completed. I assume that the reporters concerned will make available to the police any evidence in their possession which suggests that an offence has been committed.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many elderly chronic sick have been refused admission to Bristol hospitals during the past year;(2) how many elderly chronic sick are waiting for admission to Bristol hospitals.

No urgent case has been refused a hospital bed. The waiting list at 31st March was 299, 43 less than last year.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to increase the number of beds available to elderly chronic sick in hospitals in the Bristol area.

Geriatric services in the area are to be reorganised to improve assessment and treatment and to make better use of the available beds.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now make a statement on the outcome of his discussions with other Commonwealth Governments on the need for establishing a World Health Organisation Research Centre.

All members of the World Health Organisation have been invited to let the Director-General have their comments on his preliminary study of this proposal. We shall be informing Commonwealth Governments of our own comments when they have been formulated.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the threat posed to the security of the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus by the invitation of the Cyprus Government to General Grivas to return, he will raise the matter in the Security Council under Article 34 of the Charter of the United Nations.

As I understand it the Cyprus Government has not invited General Grivas to return to Cyprus. This question does not therefore arise. I am glad to say that the presence of our Sovereign Base Areas is no part of the present difficulties in Cyprus.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is now intended to strike a medal for those British troops who have been serving in Cyprus.

The services rendered by British troops since 21st December in Cyprus have been most praiseworthy, but I do not consider that it would be appropriate to recommend at present the striking of a medal. The matter is one which could be considered when the disturbances are over.

asked the Prime Minister on what date approval was given to the bombing attack by British aircraft on the fort at Harib.

On the preceding day, 27th March. The action was in fact carried out with rocket and cannon fire only.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the reorganisation of local government in the Greater London area, what advice he is tendering to the new local authorities over the composition of joint committees, now administering parks, etc., where formerly they were composed of representatives of local authorities which no longer have a common link.

I will consider whether any advice is needed, but it will be primarily for the new authorities to discuss between themselves what joint committees need to be established or continued and what the composition of such committees should be.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing, for each of the years 1950 to 1964, the amounts spent by the Nottinghamshire County Council in interest charges, the amounts received in interest payments, the net interest burden remaining after deducting the second item, the total expenditure of the county council, and the relationship of the last two items expressed as a percentage.

The interest charges and total expenditure are shown in the table below. Interest received by the County Council cannot be identified in the returns and I cannot therefore give the net interest burden or the percentage.

Year	Interest charges	Expenditure
	£	£
1950–51	70,447	5,779,426
1951–52	82,735	6,716,910
1952–53	111,314	7,385,845
1953–54	139,336	7,700,279
1954–55	157,352	8,500,540
1955–56	190,578	9,391,345
1956–57	289,155	11,652,054
1957–58	438,139	12,586,658
1958–59	496,109	14,369,485
1959–60	531,901	14,278,242
1960–61	632,572	15,477,874
1961–62	728,984	17,505,796
1962–63	722,783	19,300,478
Source: Epitomes of accounts.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he now intends to take to discourage the permanent establishment of pirate radio stations around the coastline.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7th April. I do not think there is any more than I can add at the present. I am determined to take whatever action I can against the permanent establishment of pirate radio stations.

asked the Postmaster-General what discussions he has had with other countries regarding the dangers and undesirability of pirate radio stations operating on the high seas; and to what extent co-operation is assured in efforts to stop their activities.

Broadcasting on the high seas is specifically forbidden by the International Radio Regulations, to which nearly all the countries of the world subscribe. We have co-operated with the International Telecommunications Union in reporting and publicising the measures taken by individual Members of the Union to implement this prohibition. As I informed the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Hocking) on 5th February, an Agreement on this subject is being considered by the Council of Europe. My officials have taken art active part in the framing of this Agreement and I expect that the text will be settled soon.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent he will allow pay television operators during the trial pay television period the use of films after they hate completed a run on the national circuit, specifying the safeguards on behalf of the film exhibitors, independent and otherwise.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 26th February to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler). I hope, however, to be able to make a fairly early announcement on this.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the pay television operators who are operating in trial areas where a university exists will devote viewing time to experiments with educational television in co-operation with the university.

It is too early to say exactly what the programme schedules will contain.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent he is requiring pay television companies to produce a quota of cultural programmes and special programmes designed to satisfy minority audiences during the trial period.

It is my expectation that operators will want to explore the scope and likely demand for such programmes, but no quota is being imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the success of the immunological pregnancy test developed at the Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women, Glasgow, and the speed, accuracy and low cost of this technique, he will take steps to ensure its widest possible use.

No. This is a matter of clinical judgment which it would not be proper for me to try to influence.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the total estimated commitments outstanding on 31st March last and the total estimated new commitments in 1964–65 in respect of new construction and major improvements for trunk roads and for classified roads and loans to highway authorities, respectively.

Outstanding commitments at 31st March, 1964, for new construction and major improvements of motorways, trunk roads and classified roads in England and Wales are provisionally estimated at £258·09 million. The following table shows the breakdown:

	£ million
Motorways and trunk roads	196·74
Classified roads (Grants)	54·23
Classified roads (Loans)	7·12
Total	258·09

In 1964–65 we plan to commit £112·5 million worth of trunk road and motorway schemes and to issue grants worth £51·5 million for classified road schemes. We do not plan to authorise any new loans this year.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the number of vehicles and the number of licence holders operating under A licences, including special A licences, A Contract, B and C licences, respectively, in December 1963.

The latest comprehensive figures available for vehicles authorised under carriers' licences are those as at 30th September, 1963. They are as follows:

"A"	Special "A"	Contract "A"	"B"	"C"
90,852	Nil	30,110	76,846	1,278,270

The latest figures for licences held are as at 31st December 1962. They are as follows:

"A"	Special "A"	Contract "A"	"B"	"C"
15,171	Nil	12,920	35,482	569,022

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the lines north and west of Inverness.

I have now considered the reports of the Scottish Transport Users Consultative Committee in consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland. We have taken account of the advice he has received from the Highland Transport Board and the Advisory Panel on the Highlands and Islands and of all the representations made to us.The ultimate annual savings the Railways Board expected to make from the complete closure of the Kyle line were about £120,000 and from the Wick Line £240,000. On the other hand the transport problem in the Northern Highlands is of a special nature; the T.U.C.C. have reported that the closures would cause extreme and widespread hardship; and there is strong evidence that at present there are no adequate alternatives for long-distance travel on these lines, and there are not likely to be for some years. I have therefore decided that in present circumstances I must refuse my consent to the closures.The Highland Transport Board have started a detailed study of the transport requirements of the area and the future of these rail services as a whole will, no doubt, be reconsidered in the light of their study, of the progress made with road improvements, and of other developments in the economy and transport of the area.I am still considering whether certain of the intermediate stations could be closed to passengers without causing hardship, but in view of the widespread anxiety about the future of these lines as a whole I have thought it right to make this early announcement on the main issues.