asked the Minister of Aviation how much in grants has been paid in the last two years towards the development of local airports; and whether he will give the names of those that have received such assistance.

£2,600,000 has been paid towards the cost of development of Birmingham and Manchester Airports and further support has been promised for these two airports. My right hon. Friend has agreed to pay £250,000 towards improvements of Newcastle and has offered £150,000 towards the development of Middleton St. George. Grants will also, I hope, soon be made in respect of technical improvements at local airports up to a maximum of £200,000.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many firings of British research rockets have taken place during the past five years; and what was their purpose.

There have been 14 launchings of Black Knight, 78 of Skylark, 17 of Jaguar and 14 of Skua. These rockets, all of which were developed by the Ministry of Aviation and industry, have been used respectively for research into the re-entry phenomena associated with ballistic missiles, for the investigation of the upper atmosphere, for the study of hypersonic aerodynamics and for meteorological research.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress has been made with the first programme of the European Launcher Development Organisation; and when the firing of the complete rocket is due to take place.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Question by the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) today.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will give performance details of the amended specification of the Concord and its expected date of entry into service.

The Concord, as now being designed, will have a range of about 4,000 statute miles, a cruising speed of Mach 2·2 and will carry up to 118 passengers. It is expected to enter airline service in 1971.

asked the Minister of Aviation if, following the announcement by the British Aircraft Corporation and Sud Aviation of the increased weight, larger wing area and greater engine power of the Concord, he will make a statement on the Government's contribution to the development cost.

Revised estimates of the cost of this project are at present under consideration by both the Governments concerned.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the annual level of employment in the main aircraft firms during the past five years.

Employment in the aircraft industry at March each year was as follows: 1960, 285,000; 1961, 295,000; 1962, 292,000; 1963, 270,000; and 1964, 263,000.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress has been made towards the setting up of the integrated military and civil air traffic control system announced on 10th December, 1962; and if he will make a statement.

The formation in December, 1962, of the National Air Traffic Control Service introduced the complete integration of air traffic control planning. Civil and military planners are now working side by side to meet both civil and military requirements jointly. Equipment to provide a system of joint control centres by the end of this decade is already under production. This makes use of the latest data-processing methods and will be fed by a shared network of A.T.C. and Air Defence radars covering the whole country.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will state the number of orders outstanding, both at home and abroad, for British transport aircraft currently in production.

The industry has orders outstanding for 183 transport aircraft for the home market and 134 for the export market.

asked the Minister of Aviation to what extent he has approved a reduction of the present order by British Overseas Airways Corporation of 42 VC10s.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the present cancellation fee being requested by the British Aircraft Corporation for each VC10 not delivered to British Overseas Airways Corporation.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave today to similar Questions.

asked the Minister of Aviation what reasons led him to alter the disembarkation point of the Russian aviation group, on a recent officially arranged visit to Strachur in Scotland, from Dunoon to Tighnabruaich.

Tighnabruaich was found to be more convenient.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many combat suits were issued to members of the Territorial forces during 1963.

Other than issues to the Regular permanent staff there were no permanent personal issues of combat dress to the T.A. in 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many combat suits were sold, either new or secondhand, during 1963.

A total of 3,093 combat garments have been sold in batches of mixed jackets and trousers, not as matched suits. All of these had been condemned as unserviceable, but a few garments should not have been condemned and had in fact some useful life left. I have taken steps to see that this does not happen in future.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for supplying United Kingdom Armed Forces in Germany with eggs produced in the United Kingdom; whether tenders were invited; and which firm has secured the contract.

Eggs for the British Forces in Germany are bought by international competitive tendering among suppliers who have shown an interest in meeting the requirement. The successful tenderer for the 12 months beginning 1st May, 1964, was Alexander Mitchell Ltd. of London, who is supplying eggs produced in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what troops have been sent to British Guiana.

Since March, 1964, the 1st Battalion Queen's Own Buffs has been in British Guiana as the normal garrison. It was joined by the 1st Battalion Devon and Dorset Regiment in the last week of May.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why no action has been taken by his Department to remove the occupants of an old fort situated in the Thames estuary; if he has granted them licence to reside and operate a radio station on it; and if he will make a statement.

Although the fort is no longer required for defence purposes and has remained unmanned for some years it still belongs to the Crown and the persons who took up residence in it last week were, and so far as I know, still are, trespassing. I understand that they have caused no damage to the fort and I concluded last week that immediate action to remove them from what must be a rather uncomfortable spot would not be worth the time, and effort, involved.No permission has been given for these people to enter the fort or to use it for any purpose. The grant of a licence to operate a radio station from a place lying within territorial jurisdiction, as this fort does, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General, with whom I am in touch.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent, in his recent recruiting campaigns, he has given publicity to the excitement and adventure of Army life; and if he will make a statement.

The basic theme of our recruiting efforts is to show the Army as it is, giving a true and balanced picture of all aspects of Army life. Youth teams tell their civilian contemporaries about life in the Army, and our advertising lays stress on the personal experiences of serving soldiers. Excitement and adventure are frequently mentioned, both by the Youth teams and in the interviews with serving soldiers which feature in recent advertisements. But the main point is that as well as adventure the Army offers a worthwhile career to a young man.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for directing the Royal Engineers as part of their practical training, to build bridges across rivers in Scotland, indicating which rivers, and how many men are to be employed in each case.

There are no current plans for the Royal Engineers to build a bridge across any river in Scotland, though we are considering a proposal that Territorial Army Engineers should build a footbridge over a small burn near Aberdeen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will develop a Royal Air Force aircraft suitable for interception or ground attack which will have as an essential operational characteristic that it will be capable of operation under world-wide conditions from the decks of Her Majesty's aircraft carriers.

If I knew of one I would develop it. No one has however yet managed to put forward a design for an identical aircraft capable of meeting the requirements of both Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the long-term plans for ensuring the strategic importance of Aden.

For the foreseeable future Aden will be necessary to our strategy, and our absence from it would both render us unable to discharge our direct obligations to our friends, and would set in train events harmful to the cause of peace. It is therefore our purpose and intention to stay there, and our military plans, dispositions and actions will be shaped to this end

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are being made to second an officer to command the Federal professional army of the Federation of Southern Arabia.

Brigadier Viner assumed command of the Federal Regular Army on 20th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has now taken to ensure that serving officers do not release to the Press unconfirmed rumours of atrocities and, in particular, that they conform with the practice that the names of Service men killed, missing, or wounded are not published until after their relatives have been informed.

I have sent a personal message on this matter to all oversea commanders concerned. It is a normal and well understood practice in the Services that the names of Service men killed, missing or wounded are not published until after their relatives have been informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of British military bases overseas; where those bases are situated; and what is the total number of ground, air and naval forces involved.

Three. Cyprus, Aden and Singapore. About 14,000, 12,000 and 32,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the success or otherwise of the Service Departments' practice during the last 10 years of selling second-hand equipment; and whether he intends to continue the same plans and practice in future.

The Service Departments dispose of surplus stores both new and second hand in accordance with the general principles and procedures set out in the Government White Paper on the Export of Surplus War Material dated January, 1956, (Cmd. 9676). Over the last 10 years the disposal of surplus stores has been carried out with considerable success and large sums have accrued to the Exchequer both in United Kingdom and foreign currency. It is intended to continue to dispose of surplus stores to the maximum benefit of public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what licences Her Majesty's Government have issued for Egyptian forces to be refitted in this country with modern equipment, in view of the present contract placed in the Isle of Wight for the overhaul and modernisation of the former British warships H.M.S. "Mings" and "Zenith".

None. The refitting of ships in this country is not controlled by licensing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the size of the staff in the naval recruiting office at State House, Holborn; what is the duration of the lease; and if he is satisfied that his Department is getting an adequate return for the cost of maintaining this office.

Thirty-seven naval and civilian staff are employed at the Naval Careers Office, State House, Holborn. I am convinced that recruiting needs to be conducted from modern properly-staffed offices like this one. The results so far achieved by this new office have been encouraging. The accommodation is held by the Ministry of Public Building and Works on a lease of 28 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement as to which of the Service Departments intend to make use of the land, houses and other installations of the air base at Sculthorpe, Norfolk.

A possible Service requirement is now under examination and I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the Council of Europe Recommendation No. 389 on East-West relations including suggestions for joint scientific research with the Soviet bloc, including meteorological problems, if he will investigate the possibility of the construction of a freely-floating balloon for circulation in the upper atmosphere capable of transmitting to earth information about the weather above all parts of the globe.

A plan for the widespread use of freely floating balloons for meteorological purposes was recently put forward by United States scientists.This is currently being studied by the international agencies concerned and is expected to receive attention at the meeting of the World Meteorological Organisation which the Director-General of the Meteorological Office is now attending. The question of collaboration by the United Kingdom will receive careful attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the interdepartmental inquiry referred to in paragraph 25 of the First Report from the Estimates Committee, Session 1961–62, has been followed by an increase in the contribution made by Transport Command to trooping and freighting.

Yes. Transport Command has for a long time carried a proportion of air trooping passengers on its flights along the main routes to the Middle and Far East. Since October, 1962, it has, within its normal training programme, done most of the trooping for the Western Mediterranean. From October next it will similarly undertake all trooping to Cyprus. At that point it will be carrying about 15 per cent. of trooping passengers. It at present carries about four fifths of R.A.F. air freight, and will shortly be carrying rather more including virtually all air freight for the Middle East and Far East.The possibility of an additional contribution will be reviewed as further increases are made in the strength of Transport Command.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total expenditure in each year since 1945 on roads in Scotland.

Expenditure on trunk roads before 1951 was not recorded separately for different parts of Great Britain, so total expenditure on roads and bridges in that period cannot readily be ascertained. From 1951–52 onwards the figures are as follows:

Year				Total Expenditure £'000
1951–52	…	…	…	8,851
1952–53	…	…	…	8,963
1953–54	…	…	…	9,624
1954–55	…	…	…	10,829
1955–56	…	…	…	12,525
1956–57	…	…	…	12,857
1957–58	…	…	…	15,070
1958–59	…	…	…	17,429
1959–60	…	…	…	21,905
1960–61	…	…	…	25,500
1961–62	…	…	…	29,342
1962–63	…	…	…	31,021

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the extent of the Scottish road programme embarked upon this year.

The five-year programme for 1964–69 provides for Exchequer expenditure of £105 million: about £62 million is for trunk roads and about £43 million for classified road grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of improved or new classified, trunk and dual carriageway roads in Scotland were completed between 1951 and 1961; how many miles have been completed since 1961; and how many miles of such roads were completed between 1945 and 1951.

Details of mileages of new and improved roads in Scotland on which work has been completed are available only from 1956. The figures are:

TRUNK ROADS—MILES COMPLETED
—		Dual carriageway	Other	Total
1956–61	…	23	58¼	81¼
Since 1961	…	40¼	37½	77¾

CLASSIFIED ROADS—MILES COMPLETED
—		Dual carriageway	Other	Total
1956–61	…	12	143	155
Since 1961	…	12½	70½	83

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action Sutherland County Council is now taking to provide two-roomed houses suitable for occupation by widows; and, in view of the fact that some people have been waiting for such houses for a number of years and that the provision of such houses would release accommodation elsewhere suitable for use by families, if he will assist the council to build more such houses.

Sutherland County Council has 40 two-apartment houses under construction, and is converting Clyne Old School to provide a further 10 small houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide an up-to-date list showing the mileage in respect of each of those motorways or lengths of motorway for which either no line has yet been proposed, or for which a draft scheme has been published or a scheme has been made, or for which tenders have been invited or for which a contract has been placed, or which were under construction, respectively, as at 30th April.

The following is the information requested:

	Miles
Miles Motorways under Construction
M.8—Edinburgh Glasgow Harthill Bypass	5·15
Contracts Placed
Nil
Tenders Invited*
M.74—Draffen-Stonehouse (A.74)-Glasgow Hamilton Bypass Stage I	9
Schemes Made
M.74—Draffen-Stonehouse (A.74)-Glasgow Hamilton Bypass Stage II	4·16
M.8—Edinburgh-Glasgow Newhouse-West of Harthill	5·15
	9·31
Draft Scheme Published
A.8—Glasgow-Greenock (M) Renfrew Bypass (Part)	3·8
M.9—Edinburgh-Stirling Polmont and Falkirk Bypass	5·8
	9·6
Line not yet Published
M.74—Draffen-Stonehouse (A.74)-Glasgow Maryville-Carmyle	3
M.73—Maryville (M.74) to Mollinsburn (A.80) Link	6·3
M.8—Edinburgh-Glasgow East of Harthill-Newbridge	12·5
M.9—Edinburgh-Stirling Newbridge-Polmont and Falkirk Bypass	11·25
Stirling Bypass (Northern section)	3·5
Stirling Bypass (Southern section)	3·5
Polmont and Falkirk Bypass-Stirling Bypass (Southern section)	6·2
	46·25
* Contract placed on 8th May, 1964

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that supplies of chloromycetin are immediately available for emergencies in all areas of Scotland, particularly on the islands; and whether he will make a statement.

Adequate supplies of chloramphenicol are available for emergencies in Scotland, including the islands. Hospital authorities obtain their supplies under central contracts negotiated by the Ministry of Health. Delivery is normally within 24 hours; if supplies were required more urgently, air transport would be arranged. The most usual prescriptions of this drug are for patients in hospital, but chemists should have no difficulty in filling prescriptions issued for individual patients by general practitioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for consultation and co-operation with Press, radio and television for alerting the public in the event of any serious epidemic, and for providing detailed advice as to the necessary precautions to take.

The arrangements required must vary according to the circumstances, but I fully recognise—as I am sure do local authorities—the importance of enlisting the co-operation of the Press, radio and television in informing and advising the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what Scottish counties have recently shown an increase in the illegitimate birth rate; and if he will hold an inquiry into the reasons.

The illegitimate birth rate showed a rise between 1962 and 1963 in the following Scottish counties:—Aberdeen, Angus, Argyll, Ayr, Banff, Dumfries, Dunbarton, East Lothian, Fife, Kincardine, Kirkcudbright, Lanark, Midlothian, Orkney, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Stirling, West Lothian and Zetland. The rates for individual counties appear to rise and fall from year to year and I do not think that an inquiry is called for.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the death by drowning of a four-year-old boy in the canal at Cardiff Docks, and that there have been six previous deaths in similar circumstances; and if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Docks Board to take protective measures to prevent a recurrence of these tragedies.

I was very sorry to learn of this accident, as was the Docks Board. But I am not aware of any practical measures that could have been taken to prevent it, nor do I think that occurrences of this kind, tragic as they are, could properly form the subject of a general direction.The Board tells me that it has no record of the other accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport to which countries recognition of current driving licences is accorded by his Department in the United Kingdom without the necessity for further testing.

For temporary visitors recognition is accorded to foreign driving licences or international driving permits issued by any other country. Persons who enter this country to become residents must, however, hold British driving licences. In these cases the statutory need for a driving test is not removed by the holding of a foreign licence.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to raise the age limit for young people to hold driving licences for motor cycles and scooters, in view of recent disturbances caused by young people riding such machines.

No. The age limit for riding motor cycles and scooters is fixed on road safety grounds.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to discourage lorry traffic on the main roads out of large towns during the night hours.

No, because there would then be more congestion by day. But it is my right hon. Friend's intention to make new regulations which should be effective in reducing excessive noise from motor vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of the motorists killed during the Whitsun weekend were wearing safety belts.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the amount of the increase in cost of the scheme for constructing dual carriageway on the central area by-pass section of the A.34 in Newcastle-under-Lyme; what are the reasons for this increase; and if he will now reconsider the decision to delay the scheme.

When it was included in the programme, this scheme was estimated to cost £235,000. It is now estimated to cost about £800,000 for just over three-quarters of a mile of roadworks. The increase is thus over 200 per cent. Initial estimates for road schemes are necessarily made at a time when the precise nature of difficulties which may arise is hidden. In this case these arose from unexpectedly costly movements of mains and sewers and the provision of pedestrian subways at four points.After a careful examination it has been decided that, despite its considerable rise in price, the scheme should be carried out.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects work will be completed on the north-south relief road through Newbury; and what are the reasons for the delay in constructing the replacement railway bridge which is aggravating the normal traffic congestion in the town.

Work on the replacement bridge is behind schedule because of delay in the supply of pre-cast beams for the super-structure. But I expect the scheme to be finished well before the contract expires in September, 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the continuing lengthy delays and traffic congestion caused by the one-way swing bridge at Thorne, near Doncaster, whether he will take immediate action for the provision of a temporary double bridge and traffic signals to improve the flow of vehicles.

We hope to have the by-pass of Thorne in use within the next four or five years. A temporary new bridge in the meantime would be costly and would not be justified. But to ease the congestion we are considering installing power-operated gates and traffic signals at the present bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport why it is not compulsory for ships in the Tees pilotage district to employ pilots.

Pilotage is not compulsory in the Tees pilotage district because we do not consider it to be necessary at present for safe navigation in that district. If at some future date we were satisfied of the necessity for compulsory pilotage, my right hon. Friend would be prepared to make an appropriate Order under the Pilotage Act.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in the Washington discussions on the United States Federal Maritime Commission's attempt to impose contract terms on those effected between foreign shippers and their customers; and if he will make a statement.

The talks took place on 14th and 15th May. There was an exchange of views on the jurisdictional aspects of the contracts. The United States Federal Maritime Commission said it would give favourable consideration to the deletion of certain so-called jurisdictional provisions from the draft contracts, on application by a conference provided that there were no objections by any interested party. The Commission did not however accept our understanding that these talks would be followed by others with the ship-owners on points of commercial substance. The outcome is now being considered by the 10 European Governments and Japan who took part in or were represented at the talks. We are also consulting with the ship-owners and shippers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pupils were registered, at the latest convenient date, under the Agricultural Apprenticeship Scheme in the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Worcestershire, Derbyshire and Warwickshire; and what support has been given to the scheme by the principals of county council agricultural educational institutions in each of these counties.

Registrations under the industry's Agricultural Apprenticeship Scheme at 30th April, 1964, were for Staffordshire 6, Cheshire 102, Worcestershire 19, Derbyshire 13 and Warwickshire 102. In each county the principal of the county farm institute or school of agriculture serves as a member of the local Apprenticeship Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of his Department on the release of old stocks of canned beef, and on the release of such stocks at regular intervals; what were the reasons for releasing such stocks in Aberdeen recently; how old they were; and what action his Department takes in ensuring that the beef is fit for consumption before sanctioning its sale.

Corned beef forms part of the Government's stocks of food stored for defence purposes. There is of course a turnover system, with stocks disposed of regularly and new stocks bought. Disposals run at a rate of about 1,000 tons a month. A continuous inspection system ensures that the stocks are always in sound condition for further long-term storage.Before any stocks are released on the market for human consumption, tests are made by a firm of public surveyors to ensure they are in good condition.The meat is sold to the trade and dispatched according to the buyers' requirements. Some recently went to Aberdeen, but none was sold in the shop to which the present outbreak of typhoid has been traced. It would have been between 9 and 13 years old.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state the outcome of the consultations between the Lord Chancellor and those concerned about the hardship caused to tenants when proceedings to obtain possession are started in the High Court.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he will make a statement about Government aid to Kenya.

As a result of discussions which concluded in Nairobi today, the British Government have agreed to provide the Kenya Government with substantial aid for civil and defence purposes. This will take the form partly of gifts of money, equipment and buildings and partly of long-term loans.On the civil side we are providing about £7 million for capital development; this includes £4·3 million of the balance of loans and grants outstanding at independence and £3 million in Kenya's financial year 1964–65. We are also giving just over £1 million for budgetary assistance.The Kenya Government are in the course of carrying out an extensive land settlement programme which is largely financed by Britain. We shall be providing over £11 million in the period up to June, 1968, to complete the existing schemes. In addition, we shall make a loan of £1 million for the Kenya Land Bank and Agricultural Finance Corporation to finance further land transactions in 1964–65. We are also considering further proposals by the Kenya Government for financial assistance in dealing with the problem of mixed farming areas.We shall continue to provide part of the emoluments of British officials serving the Government of Kenya. This and other related obligations are now costing about £3 million a year.We are also providing loans of £13½ million to help Kenya meet its obligations for compensation and pensions of retired expatriate officials.We have already undertaken to contribute towards the capital cost of the University of East Africa and we shall be providing other forms of educational and technical assistance.As part of the settlement we have cancelled certain loans totalling about £6 million which were made to the Kenya Government in the years before independence.We are giving to the Kenya Government about £3·5 million worth of arms, equipment, vehicles and aircraft to help in the expansion and modernisation of their forces. We are also providing British Army and R.A.F. personnel to assist in military training and we shall make available to the Kenya Services facilities at training courses in Britain.British military property and fixed assets in Kenya and the British interest in assets owned jointly by Britain, Tanganyika, Uganda and Kenya will be transferred without cost to the Kenya Government as and when they are no longer needed by us. These assets, which include the modern barracks at Kahawa, are valued at over £6 million.In accordance with arrangements agreed with the Kenya Government in June, 1963, British forces are being progressively withdrawn from Kenya. With the exception of a few administrative and technical elements, all our troops will have left before the end of the year. Meanwhile, they will continue to provide without charge a measure of support to the Kenya Army, including air transport.Thereafter the Kenya Government have agreed that units of the British forces may return to Kenya from time to time for training and to carry out joint exercises with the Kenya forces. The Kenya Government have also agreed that the Royal Air Force may continue to overfly Kenya and stage at airports. The R.A.F. will also be permitted to continue to use certain signals facilities in Kenya until the end of 1966, by which time alternative arrangements will have been made elsewhere. It has been arranged that ships of the Royal Navy shall continue to visit Mombasa for self-maintenance and a small British naval establishment will for the time being be maintained ashore. A British naval officer has been made available to the Kenya Government to advise on the formation of a Kenya Navy.The House will be asked in due course to vote the necessary Supplementary Estimates. In the meantime advances will be sought from the Civil Contingencies Fund.I am sure the House will welcome these arrangements for mutual assistance between Britain and Kenya and the spirit of practical co-operation between Commonwealth partners which has inspired them.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total residential accommodation within the area of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board for mental defectives and spastics; how many of each are awaiting accommodation; and what steps are being taken to provide it.

At 31st December, 1963, there were 5,024 hospital beds for the mentally subnormal in the region and there were 541 on local authority waiting lists for hospital admission. 84 additional beds will be completed this year and more are planned for the future.Spastics are not separately distinguished in hospital statistics.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, following the judgment in the House of Lords in the case of Chertsey Urban District Council v. Mixnams Properties Ltd., he will move to amend the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960, so as to empower local authorities to impose conditions on caravan site operators for ensuring that rents charged to tenants are properly related to facilities provided and for protecting tenants against orders to quit a site without reasonable notice and without just cause.

No. My right hon. Friend does not think legislation on the lines suggested would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will re-publish the figures for reading

PUPILS AGED FIFTEEN
Category			Description			Score Range	Percentage
							1948	1952	1956	1961
A	…	…	Superior	…	…	35–31	9	9	9	14
B	…	…	Average +	…	…	30–23	34	39	43	53
C	…	…	Average -	…	…	22–18	27	22	23	17
D	…	…	Backward	…	…	17–9	24	25	21	14
E	…	…	Semi-literate	…	…	8–3	5	4	4	2
F	…	…	Illiterate	…	…	2–0	1	1	0	0
			Total	…	…	35–0	100	100	100	100

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the particular English sentences or words in the tests given to 15-year-old children in each of the tests in 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1961 which could not be read by the backward readers, and were thus the dividing line between the classifications of Average Minus and Backward.

The test is at present being used for a further survey commissioned by the Central Advisory Council under the Chairmanship of Lady Plowden. To publish it or extracts from it would impair its validity for

COMPARISON OF REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT—MAY, 1951 AND MAY, 1964
Region				Number unemployed May, 1951	Number unemployed May, 1964	Increase (+) or decrease (-)	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (-)
Northern	…	…	…	24,287	43,072	+18,785	+77
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire	…	…	…	14,626	27,332	+12,706	+87
Eastern and Southern	…	…	…	17,989	26,733	+8,744	+49
London and South Eastern	…	…	…	36,255	55,406	+19,151	+53
South Western	…	…	…	11,324	18,504	+7,180	+63
Wales	…	…	…	22,739	22,666	-73	—
Midlands	…	…	…	10,624	33,454	+22,830	+215
North Western	…	…	…	31,478	62,796	+31,318	+100
Scotland	…	…	…	46,360	79,140	+32,780	+71

The figures requested are given in the following table:this purpose and others to which it might be put in the future. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the figures of unemployment in each region at May, 1964, compared with 1951; and what percentage increase or decrease they represent of the 1951 figures.

The following table gives the information for the areas covered by the existing regions:

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, and persons under 18 years of age, male and female, respectively, were registered as unemployed at the May, 1964, count in Gateshead employment area, and the northern region, respect-

—		Numbers unemployed in the Gateshead and Felling Employment Exchange Areas				Numbers unemployed in the Northern Region
		Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Men	Boys	Women	Girls
May, 1964	…	1,549	133	254	10	30,663	2,303	8,777	1,329
May, 1963	…	2,089	219	376	56	44,324	4,771	10,817	3,014
May, 1962	…	1,468	116	329	42	31,922	2,984	8,549	1,580
May, 1961	…	1,091	28	251	11	20,656	891	7,453	647
May, 1960	…	1,374	58	358	7	26,160	1,610	8,649	663
May, 1959	…	1,412	50	476	13	29,953	1,604	9,842	764
Percentage change:
between 1959 and 1960	…	-3	+16	-25	-46	-13	—	-12	-13
between 1960 and 1961	…	-21	-52	-30	+57	-21	-45	-14	-2
between 1961 and 1962	…	+35	+314	+31	+282	+55	+235	+15	+144
between 1962 and 1963	…	+42	+89	+14	+33	+39	+60	+27	+91
between 1963 and 1964	…	-26	-39	-32	-82	-31	-52	-19	-56

There were on 6th May 450 unfilled vacancies notified to the Gateshead and Felling Employment Exchanges and 8,515 to Employment Exchanges in the Northern Region.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the unemployment figures for Gateshead and the northern region at the latest available date, and the corresponding figures on the same date in each year from 1951 to 1963.

The following table gives the information:

UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES FOR MAY
Year		Gateshead Employment Exchange and Gateshead Youth Employment Office	Northern Region
1951	…	1,440	24,287
1952	…	1,830	32,694
1953	…	1,495	28,334
1954	…	1,394	29,240
1955	…	956	21,921
1956	…	869	17,618
1957	…	1,063	22,076
1958	…	1,285	27,654
1959	…	1,623	42,163
1960	…	1,461	37,082
1961	…	1,087	29,647
1962	…	1,557	45,035
1963	…	2,149	62,926
1964	…	1,531	43,072

The following table gives the information:

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what plans he has for the renovation of the walls of St. Stephen's Chapel, and for cleaning the stained glass windows in the chapel.

The walls are to be renovated and the stained glass windows cleaned during the coming Summer Recess.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will now seek assurances from individual advertising companies that they will not patronise Radio Caroline and Radio Atlanta.

I should prefer not to add to the statement I made in the House on 2nd June.

asked the Postmaster-General when it is intended to convert the Grimsdyke manual telephone exchange to automatic working.

I expect to convert the Grimsdyke exchange to automatic working, with S.T.D., in the summer of 1966.