asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies whether, for the guidance of the electors in the forthcoming referendum in Malta, he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the interpretation to be placed on a "Yes" vote, a "No" vote, a spoilt or blank vote, and an abstention; and what is now his policy regarding the grant of independence when the result of the referendum is known.

I shall naturally regard a "Yes" vote as implying that the elector approves the constitution for independence proposed by the Government of Malta. I shall regard a "No" vote as implying that the elector either wants independence under another type of constitution, or that he is opposed to independence at present. If there should he an abnormal number of spoilt or blank votes, or abstentions, I shall endeavour to determine what significance should be attached to them. If the referendum produces a decisive affirmative vote, we shall proceed at once with the grant of independence under a constitution on the lines framed by the Malta Government, with such amendments as the British Government

asked the Minister of Health what authority is responsible for the provision of car parks for the use of visitors to patients in hospitals administered under the National Health Service.

Car parks may be provided either by local authorities or by the hospital authorities.

asked the Minister of Health, whether he will publish in Hansard a table of figures giving the total annual receipts for prescription and other health charges in each of the years from 1951.to date.

The following are the figures for England and Wales:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lists the Poisons Board have submitted to him in the past four years under Section 17(4) of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933; how many lists he has confirmed; how many he has confirmed with, and how many without, modifications; and how often he has consulted the Board as prescribed under Section 17(5).

Section 17(4) of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1933 related only to the first list of substances submitted to the Poisons Board after the Act was passed. The list has been amended from time to time as provided for in Section 17(5) of the Act. The Poisons Board has had eight meetings since January, 1960, and on each occasion has submitted recommendations, all of which, with the exception of some recent recommendations still under consideration, have been confirmed without modification.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he is able to give for some borough councils the amounts of moneys borrowed and the interest rates paid on those moneys for each of the years from 1951 to date, whereas he is unable to give these details for others; and whether he will publish in HANSARD these details so far as the 28 Metropolitan borough councils are concerned.

The information about borrowing and interest for which I have most often been asked, and which I have supplied, has related to outstanding loan debt and total interest paid. If the hon. Member is concerned with certain housing expenditure, I would refer him to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 21st April. A disproportionate amount of work would be involved in providing the figures of new borrowings relating to 28 authorities over 12 years.

asked the hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he will publish in HANSARD details of the types and amounts of food purchased by the restaurant department since January, 1963, which originated from South Africa.

100 cases of peach slices, 50 cases of pineapple slices and 25 cases of peach caps were purchased in October, 1963. Oranges are the only other commodity which could be of South African origin, but no specific information is available. Supplies of oranges have to be bought throughout the year, and to be of a certain quality, and the country of origin will therefore vary from time to time.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will propose an amendment to the Contracts of Employment Act so as to apply the terms of the Act to Government employees, in view of the decisions of the High Court in the cases of Dudfield v. Ministry of Works and Faithful v. Admiralty.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Doig) on 20th April.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether a branch of the National Assistance Board will be opened in the Borough of Willesden; where it will be sited; and what area will be covered by the office.

It is the intention of the National Assistance Board to open an office in Willesden, but in spite of long and intensive search my Ministry has so far not succeeded in finding suitable accommodation. I regret therefore that I cannot say where the office will be sited. In the circumstances the Board have not yet defined precisely the area to be covered by the proposed office.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what will be the completed cost of the new Gartree Prison, Lubenham, Leicestershire.

The cost, including staff quarters, is expected to be £1,080,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing as a percentage of all the secondary schools of each education authority those secondary schools that provide three-year courses only.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Postmaster-General when subscriber trunk dialling services will be available for use by subscribers on the Crumlin telephone exchange in County Antrim.

I intend to introduce subscriber trunk dialling at Crumlin exchange during 1967.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of new public telephones installed in the Antrim area during each of the past five years, respectively, and his plans for future expansion of this service in this area.

The numbers of new public telephones installed in the County of Antrim, excluding Belfast, during each of the past five years were:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Army libraries he proposes to close; and, in each case, what is the proposed date of closure and the number of users the library is now catering for.

In the interests of economy, consideration is being given to the greater use of public libraries in England and Wales by military personnel where this is convenient. Consultations with local authorities have not progressed sufficiently far for me to state the effect of this on the Army Library Service.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will impose a speed limit at Golden Cross on the A.22 London to Eastbourne road.

No. The initiative rests with the local authority, which may seek my consent to its making an order.