asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation when the Report of the Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Frederick Brundrett to consider technical assistance for overseas geology and mining will be published; and what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take on its recommendations.

The Report is being published today as a White Paper, together with a statement of the Government's proposals. I would like to express my gratitude to Sir Frederick Brundrett and the members of his committee for their most valuable work.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what arrangements he is making for an exhibition in the Palace of Westminster illustrating the operation of the low-priced book scheme.

I am glad to say that a small exhibition for this purpose will be on display in the Upper Waiting Hall of the Palace of Westminster from Monday, 11th May, to Wednesday, 13th May, inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what report he has received from the Padmore Committee or working group on the most promising type of marine reactor for a merchant ship.

The Working Group has recently reported to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and myself and arrangements are being made to publish their report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has decided to build a prototype fast reactor; where it will be sited; and what will be its capacity.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Skeet) on 28th April, in which I said that the Atomic Energy Authority has not yet made any proposals to the Government for a prototype fast reactor.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will ask the Medical Research Council to examine the extent and significance of residues of pesticides in the human body and to report at an early date.

Investigations of the extent to which residues of pesticides may be found in the human body are being undertaken by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Laboratory of the Government Chemist to provide information for the Government's Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances used in Agriculture and Food Storage. The Medical Research Council are represented on this Committee and its Scientific Sub-Committee, and will be in a position to evaluate the significance of the findings.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what expansion he now expects in medical schools during the next five years; and where such expansion will take place.

The further expansion of existing Medical Schools during the next five years is being examined. So is the location of the new Medical School already announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take in connection with the Report of the. Committee on the Problem of Noise presented in July 1963.

Government Departments concerned are pursuing the lines of action indicted in the statement I made in another place on 2nd July last. Responsibility for appropriate Government action lies with individual Ministers who are consulting where necessary with one another, with local authorities and with industry.My Department, for example, has discussed the problem of noise with the Middlesex Local Education Authority and has approved the construction of an experimental school near London Airport, with special protection against noise. The research on the effects of industrial noise on the hearing of workers, jointly undertaken by the Medical Research Council and the National Physical Laboratory, is well under way. Additional research, as well as advisory work, has been undertaken by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement as to the present policy of Her Majesty's Government in relation to the future of grammar schools and the development of comprehensive schools.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 11th July last year to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler). That answer set out in some detail the Government's attitude.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will undertake a survey of the role of art in the community, with a view to applying its findings to remedying deficiencies in the present system of art education.

No, I do not consider a survey of this sort to be necessary. The National Advisory Council on Art Education, the Central Advisory Councils for Education and the Secondary School Examinations Council are all studying aspects of art education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he is making for a review of courses of art education, with a view to increasing the number of Diploma of Art and Design places and distributing them evenly throughout the country.

The National Council for Diplomas in Art and Design has been visiting during the past two terms those schools and colleges of art seeking approval to offer Diploma courses in the autumn of this year. As a result it has been possible to approve so far this year six new centres, fifteen new courses and two additions of chief studies to existing courses. In consequence, more places will be available and the pattern of distribution improved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the Robbins Report concerning new universities and the proposed publication in the autumn of the master plan for Dawley New Town, when he will make an announcement about a university for science and technology in Dawley New Town, about which the honourable Member for The Wrekin has communicated with him.

Proposals for establishing a new university at Dawley New Town will be considered, together with other proposals, during the formulation of the ten year programme by the University Grants Committee and the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of student places in agricultural colleges in Yorkshire for the years 1963 and 1964, respectively, and the estimated number for 1965.

The West Riding Institute of Agriculture had 80 residential places in the academic years 1962/3 and 1963/4, and is expected to have 104 places in 1964/5. The East Riding Institute of Agriculture has 40 places at present, and there are plans for the provision of 30 additional places in 1965/6.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to extend the services of adult education, excluding residential colleges, to meet the leisure time opportunities of citizens.

As I told the hon. Member for Islington, East (Mr. Fletcher) on 9th April, the best encouragement to adult education at this stage is the development of the long term residential colleges. The Government do not feel justified this year in supporting further expansion in other forms of adult education beyond the increases sanctioned in 1963–64.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many grammar schools, senior secondary schools, secondary modern schools, and comprehensive schools for boys and girls, respectively, had specialist science teachers; how many had none; and how many schools in each category had teachers specialising in subjects other than botany or biology, at the latest convenient date:(2) how many specialist science teachers in grammar schools and other secondary schools, respectively, were science graduates, at the latest convenient date.

Information in the form requested is not available, but some relevant data are to be found in Tables 7 and 33 of Statistics of Education 1962, Part One. They show that in March, 1962 there were about 6.000 science graduates in the 1,300 maintained grammar schools in England and Wales, and a further 2,800 in the 4,600 other maintained secondary schools, where much science teaching is also undertaken by those who have specialised in the subject during their training college courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the borough of Leyton and within the new borough of Waltham Forest have no indoor toilets or inadequate ones; and to what extent this deficiency has been decreased in the last 10 years.

I understand that 43 schools in the area have most of their lavatories out of doors. The lavatories at 34 schools have been modernised within the last ten years and those at 7 more schools will be dealt with in 1964–65.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of local concern following his decisions on the curtailment or rejection of education estimates and plans affecting schoolchildren in the present borough of Leyton; what representations he received; and what reply he has sent.

I am aware that there is local concern, but I have not as yet received any representations. If representations are made I will send the hon. Member a copy of my reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on a Council for National Academic Awards.

As already announced, the Chairman of the Council will be Sir Harold Roxbee Cox, and the other names will be announced shortly. The preparation of the Charter is nearing completion and I hope that the Council will be established within a few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the future status of colleges for the education and training of teachers.

No. It will be some little time yet before the Government are in a position to obtain and assess the views of all those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will hold discussions with the appropriate bodies about the steps to be taken to provide home help for married women teachers in order to make it possible for more of them to return to teaching.

The difficulty in obtaining help in the home is a general problem which also concerns my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, with whom I am in touch. I shall be glad to consider, in consultation with him, any proposals as to how the position might be improved so far as married women teachers are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will introduce legislation to abolish all students' fees at universities and central institutions of higher education, in view of the fact that the bulk of such fees are paid by the State by way of students' grants.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for amending the College Charter Act, 1871.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has now received the views of the Scottish universities in respect of the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889.

The four Scottish Universities concerned are discussing the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889, but the Government has not yet received an expression of their conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a detailed statement on the grants and allowances available to child-care officers under training; to what extent they are subject to a means test; and why there are frequently delays of several months in making payments to students.

The details are given below. In the past there were delays in the payment of the travelling expenses of child care officer students, but payments now are up to date, and will so continue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of child-care officers under training is composed of post-graduate students; and if he will give consideration to putting their grants and allowances on the same basis as other post-graduate students.

Approximately 38 per cent. of the students at present on child care officer courses began training shortly after taking a degree or other university qualification. Their grants and allowances are subject to the same conditions as those of other students taking professional training following a degree course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions were given to the authorities at Wormwood Scrubs Prison about the association of the two prisoners George Blake and Gordon Lonsdale.

Lonsdale and Blake were in the same prison, Wormwood Scrubs, only from 3rd May, 1961, to 15th June, 1961. Throughout that period special precautions were taken in accordance with instructions given to the Governor to prevent communication between them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to implement the Report of the Working Party on the Organisation of the Prison Medical Service.

As I informed the hon. Member for Barons Court (Mr. Compton Carr) in my Answer on 23rd April, I have accepted all the Working Party's recommendations in principle, subject to consultation with the interests concerned. This consultation is now proceeding, and the review of the needs of prison service establishments recommended in the Report will begin shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the report of the Poisons Board on the use of fluoroacetamide as a rat poison has now been received; and what action he proposes to take.

The Poisons Board has not been asked for further advice about the use of this substance. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture asked his Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances used in Agriculture to review its use as a rodenticide. The Committee recommended that the use of fluoroacetamide for this purpose should be restricted to ships and sewers. This recommendation has been accepted, and my right hon. Friend is making arrangements to put it into effect. No amendment to the Poisons Rules will be necessary.

asked the Minister of Power what information he has on the extent and seriousness of the problem of subsidence caused by ironstone mining; and, in view of the hardship caused to large communities by this form of mining subsidence, what action he will take on this problem.

Damage has occurred to houses in Loftus and North Skelton, both in the North Riding of Yorkshire, in the last two years and may have been due to ironstone workings. I am considering, with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether there is a general risk of subsidence damage sufficient to justify any change in the present law.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will order an investigation into the affairs of the Crown Cork Company Limited, a British subsidiary of an American concern which previously paid a 25 per cent. dividend to its British shareholders from earnings of 45 per cent., and which now proposes to pay no dividend though earnings have been maintained, which has caused share prices to fall from over 50s. to 25s. to the loss of both British shareholders and the Treasury: and if he will make a statement.

No approach has been made to the Board of Trade, and, from the information available, there do not appear to be grounds for initiating an investigation under the Companies Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what is the reason for the delay in paying to the National Film Finance Corporation the proceeds of the sale of British Lion Films; and when he expects the money will be transferred.

As my right hon. Friend told the House on the 4th February the National Film Finance Corporation will be enabled to use for the film industry's benefit such of the receipts from the recent sale of British Lion as may be necessary in the light of the discussions he will be having with it. These discussions are in progress and we are awaiting a full statement of their case from the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why International Research Developments Limited, Tyneside, has had no assistance from the National Research Development Corporation in developing a magneto plasma dynamic generator.

Although International Research Development Ltd. have kept the National Research Development Corporation in touch with this project, I understand that they have not applied to the Corporation for assistance in developing it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will take steps to make it a condition of financial assistance to firms moving from the south to development areas that full compensation for any consequent redundancy is paid, with special consideration for older workers who may have difficulty in finding alternative employment.

No. It would not be appropriate to use powers under the Local Employment Acts to enforce the payment of compensation for redundancy. But I hope that the firms concerned will do all they can to ease the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what were the number of fraudulent hire purchase agreements in respect of cars in 1963 and in each of the preceding five years; and what percentage these represented in relation to the total number of car hire purchase agreements entered into in these years.

There are no official statistics on the fraudulent disposal of cars subject to hire purchase agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will detail the difficulties mentioned in his speech at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concerning schemes for long-term compensatory finance for developing countries.

The various schemes suggested are open to different objections. A major objection is that the schemes seek, to a greater or less degree, to relate the grant of financial assistance to criteria which do not fully take into account the needs of developing countries or the capacity of donor countries to give assistance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he has made of the correspondence sent to him by the hon. Member for Cambridge about the action of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in a case the details of which have been sent him; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to my hon. Friend about this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the prospects for a Government Department being transferred from London to the North-East, in view of the Government decision to transfer the Post Office Savings Bank to Glasgow.

Under the current dispersal programme there are two or three units, admittedly smaller than the Savings Bank, which will be moved right away from South-East England to areas of higher than average unemployment. The Government will pay close regard to the claims of the North East in choosing locations for these units.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will give an estimate of the percentage of the appropriate age groups who were attending primary and secondary schools, respectively, in Basutoland at the most recent convenient date; what is the present amount of financial assistance granted by Her Majesty's Government in the field of education; and what increase this is over the last three years.

It is not possible to define age groups for primary and secondary school attendance in the territory. The ages of pupils in primary schools range from 6–21 years and in secondary schools from 12–26 years. The estimated number of children in the territory between the ages of 6 and 18 years is 244,000. In June, 1963, 155,000 children in this age group were at school, i.e., 64 per cent. Of these 153,000 were at primary school and 2,000 at secondary school.2. The 1964–65 Basutoland Territorial Estimates include £723,000 for the recurrent costs of education services. Similar expenditure for the period 1961–62 to 1963–64 was as follows:

These figures include grants-in-aid to educational bodies in the territory. Basutoland's budget has been grant-aided by Her Majesty's Government since 1959–60.3. In addition, Her Majesty's Government have provided £157,000 of colonial development and welfare assistance to-wards other education activities during the period 1961–62-1963–64.4. The current Basutoland draft development plan provides £1,370,000 for education and training in the period ending March, 1966, and this represents roughly 19 per cent. of all development assistance for this period. Her Majesty's Government's contribution of £1·7 million for the three-year period is to the plan as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will make a further statement about constitutional advance in Fiji.

The Governor has issued the following announcement for publication in Fiji today.

"It is intended that the Membership system of government (which the Legislative Council approved at the beginning of this year) shall be brought into operation on the 1st July. Just before that date, the Executive Council will be reconstituted and the Governor proposes to seek the approval of the Secretary of State for the appointment of 6 unofficial members (2 European, 2 Fijian and 2 Indian), three of whom will be associated with the formation and presentation of policy for subjects coming under the three headings Natural Resources, Social Services and Works and Communications".

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will make a statement on the present situation in Cyprus

I hope to make a further statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies in what form ballot papers will be drawn under the new electoral arrangements in British Guiana.

The ballot paper will list the parties (not the candidates) and on it the voter will be able to indicate his choice of party by a cross. Regulations will provide for lists of candidates of each party to be published and displayed at the polling place.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what grants are available to county councils to cover the cost of clearing ex-War Department sites for return to agricultural use; and to what extent the rate of grant varies between councils.

County councils which take enforcement action requiring the removal of Government war works and the restoration of the land may claim assistance towards the cost under Section 52 of the Requisitioned Land and War Works Act, 1945. My right hon. Friend deals with claims for the cost of removal of buildings on amenity grounds and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with claims for the cost of restoration to agricultural use. Claims are only entertained if removal or restoration is essential in the national interest and account has to be taken of any compensation previously paid for damage to the land. Thus the amount of any assistance depends on the facts of the case.County councils which undertake the clearance of derelict, neglected or unsightly land in a National Park or area of outstanding natural beauty are eligible for a grant of 75 per cent. of the cost of approved schemes.

asked the Postmaster-General when the present type of private Division Bell was designed; what are its measurements; and whether he will take steps to reduce the size and improve the appearance.

The standard telephone bell used has recently been modernized in appearance and its dimensions reduced slightly to eight inches long, six inches wide and one and three quarter inches deep, but the basic design goes back many years. The use of separate telephone bells is declining and I have no present plans for further design modifications. I agree however that we could improve the method of installing the bell and switch when used as a private Division Bell. I am looking into this and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration was given to the construction of a road tunnel through the Pennines, before it was decided to proceed with the Lancashire and Yorkshire motorway, including the use of existing tunnels; and why such a project was not proceeded with.

During the planning of the Lancashire-Yorkshire Motorway, a special study, involving research at home and abroad, was made into the possibility of a road tunnel through the Pennines. Existing tunnels, even if available and capable of conversion for motorway use, are not suitably located for incorporation in a route which will both serve and by-pass the main industrial centres. To be of any value to traffic a new tunnel would have to be at least 2,000 feet long, driven through strata of complex nature; it would add nearly £3 million to the cost of building the motorway and would need to be permanently maintained, lighted and ventilated at great expense. Hazards resulting from accidents, fire or electric power failure would be appreciable. As a suitable open route at an average altitude of 1,030 feet above sea level proved feasible, the enormous cost and practical difficulty of tunnelling were not considered to be justified.