asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when the new trunk road scheme at Cumbernauld is expected to be finished and in use;(2) when the trunk road schemes involving the by-passing of Denny and Bonnybridge are expected to be completed.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers given on 15th June to the hon. Members for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Bence) and West Stirlingshire (Mr. W. Baxter).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of accidents which have taken place on three-lane, class one roads, over the past three years in comparison with the accidents which have taken place on two-lane, class one roads, over the same period.

The number of fatal and serious accidents reported over the past three years as having taken place on trunk or Class I roads identified as having three-lane and two-lane markings is 298 and 4,051, respectively. A further 6,306 accidents occurred on roads without lane markings. Separate information for Class I roads is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will widen the terms of reference of the committee of inquiry into the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak to include an examination of the dispersal and disposal of foodstuffs in dock and warehouse, and their possible association with the outbreak;(2) if he will add to the committee of inquiry into the Aberdeen typhoid outbreak a person or persons experienced in food manufacturing and processing, the shipping and storage of foodstuffs, and its dispersal and disposal in docks and warehouses.

I do not think either of these proposals is necessary. The commitee's remit already enables them to inquire into the dispersal and disposal of foodstuffs to the extent that they are relevant to the cause of the Aberdeen outbreak, and I am satisfied that the members have the knowledge and experience required for their task.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will have discussions with the broadcasting authorities with a view to having special programmes broadcast on both available television channels and radio in the Aberdeen area to help the children whose schools have been closed due to the present emergency.

The Broadcasting Authorities have already been very helpful in putting on additional educational programmes and issuing daily bulletins which draw attention to all educational programmes available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give particulars of the representations he has received from business firms and their workers and from shipowners and ship-workers of the loss and damage inflicted on them by the typhoid epidemic in Aberdeen; and what steps, as a result, he has taken, and plans to take, to provide them with compensation.

I have received a number of letters expressing concern about losses suffered by the hotel and tourist industry. I am considering these representations, but I have no statutory power to provide compensation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many typhoid epidemics there have been in Aberdeen; when they occurred; and how many persons were affected compared with the number affected in the present outbreak.

In the last 30 years there has been only one other major outbreak of typhoid in Aberdeen. This was in 1935; there were 35 confirmed cases and four deaths. In the present epidemic there were up to yesterday 398 confirmed cases; so far there has been only one death, and that was not solely attributable to typhoid.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of paying compensation to the businesses, shops, hotels, boarding houses, shipowners, crews and other workers who have suffered loss by the typhoid epidemic in Aberdeen.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my Reply to his Question on Monday last.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is now proposed to hold the opening of the Forth Road Bridge.

The bridge will be open to traffic this autumn, but I regret that I cannot be more precise than this at the moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers have enrolled in the Russian course at the Scottish College of Commerce for 1964–65.

Nine.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority houses he now expects to be completed in Scotland and Kinghorn, respectively, in 1964.

Between 21,000 and 22,000 in Scotland, but none in Kinghorn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the figures of illegitimate births in Argyllshire for each year since 1960.

These figures are published in the Quarterly and Annual Reports of the Registrar General.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in the provision of suitable small houses for elderly people in Scotland from 1959 to 1963; and how many tenders have been approved in this period.

Local authorities are providing larger numbers of small houses suitable for elderly people, and plans have recently been approved for experimental schemes that include accommodation for wardens. Tenders for a total of 23,739 small houses were approved in the years 1959 to 1963, the great majority of which are suitable for elderly people.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the average annual figure for new houses built in Scotland between 1951 and 1963.

The average number of houses completed annually by all agencies in Scotland between 1951 and 1963 was 30,842.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to publicise the changes recently made in the Scottish law of succession.

A booklet summarising the main provisions of the Succession (Scotland) Act is being prepared for publication and an article on the Act will appear in Scottish Agriculture, a journal published by my Department. The hon. Member will no doubt be aware of the wide publicity given to these changes in the law when the Bill received the Royal Assent last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that there will remain a considerable bed shortage when the new extension to Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, comes into service in 1966; and whether he has considered the provision of a further extension at Victoria Hospital.

The second extension of the Victoria Hospital will not meet all the hospital needs of the area it serves, but the scope of the further development of this hospital has still to be determined and the regional board has other schemes in Fife of higher priority which have still to find a place in its programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farms, by counties, in Scotland which had been getting marginal agricultural production grants have been excluded from the Winter Keep Scheme.

1.		2.	3.				4.
County		Number of farms receiving M.A.P. in 1963	Number of farms in Column 2 ineligible for Winter keep				Total number of farms eligible for Winter keep
			On account of land classification	On account of material dairying, fattening or cash cropping	Other reasons*	Total
Aberdeen	…	805	47	3	1	51	1,754
Angus	…	98	1	—	—	1	197
Argyll	…	393	—	51	7	58	1,244
Ayr	…	171	1	85	—	86	439
Banff	…	486	7	5	5	17	796
Berwick	…	60	6	1	—	7	100
Bute	…	44	—	21	—	21	197
Caithness	…	417	2	14	67	83	712
Clackmannan	…	4	1	—	—	1	9
Dumfries	…	259	5	82	1	88	640
Dunbarton	…	16	—	6	—	6	82
East Lothian	…	14	1	—	—	1	28
Fife	…	32	2	1	—	3	99
Inverness	…	384	8	16	60	84	933
Kincardine	…	73	2	—	—	2	286
Kinross	…	30	8	8	—	16	69
Kirkcudbright	…	246	—	74	—	74	411
Lanark	…	195	—	134	—	134	399
Midlothian	…	78	10	17	—	27	113
Moray	…	353	28	3	1	32	401
Nairn	…	101	2	—	1	3	125
Orkney	…	883	—	29	220	249	1,428
Peebles	…	118	20	13	—	33	204
Perth	…	407	8	14	1	23	949
Renfrew	…	35	1	22	—	23	108
Ross and Cromarty	…	226	29	7	37	73	801
Roxburgh	…	188	13	2	2	17	396
Selkirk	…	88	8	3	1	12	158
Stirling	…	107	10	27	—	37	297
Sutherland	…	64	1	10	6	17	279
West Lothian	…	78	14	38	—	52	56
Wigtown	…	100	6	33	1	40	175
Zetland	…	41	—	2	14	16	595
SCOTLAND	…	6,594	241	721	425	1,387	14,480
* 402 of these are farms which are eligible for crofting grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the Scottish school teaching force is represented by married women.

About 24 per cent. of the whole-time teachers in service at 7th October, 1963, were married women.

The information is given in the following table. The figures relating to eligibility for winter keep grants show the position as at 31st May and are subject to amendment as a result of decisions on appeals which are presently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent in 1963 under the legal aid scheme in bringing cases for appeal from the Scottish courts to the House of Lords.

£700 was spent in the financial year 1962–63.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has had to his reminder to medical officers of health to keep a careful watch on the dangers of a typhoid outbreak in their respective areas.

All medical officers of health are aware of the need for vigilance, and those who have confirmed or suspected cases of typhoid in their areas are in daily contact with my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made in the formation of consortia to cooperate in the use of industrialised methods of building in Scotland.

A large consortium—the Scottish Local Authorities Special Housing Group (S.L.A.S.H.)—is already in being; this covers authorities responsible for about 70 per cent. of the whole public sector housing programme. Other local authorities are considering the advantages of co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on capital building works in Scottish hospitals since 1959.

In the period 1st April, 1959–31st March, 1964, over £22 million was spent on capital building schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the recommendations of the Wright Report, regarding the staffing of East Fife hospitals, are adequate to deal with the present work load of the hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that the recommendations of the Wright Report relating to the East Fife hospitals have been criticised as inadequate. I have not yet reached a decision on the Committee's recommendations, but my approval of them would not preclude consideration of any proposals put to me by the Regional Hospital Board for an adjustment of the staffing complements recommended by the Committee.

asked the Minister of Transport how many qualified and unqualified staff, respectively, are employed in the legal section of Inland Waterways.

The British Waterways Board tells me it has four qualified legal staff and four unqualified, supported by five secretarial staff.

asked the Minister of Transport where rail services have been closed under the British Railways Board's proposals, what instructions have been given to bus companies providing alternative services regarding the provision of passenger shelters at bus stops.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to a similar Question she asked on 13th May about the issue of season tickets.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent he advocates, in the interests of road safety, the use by motorists of yellow headlamp bulbs in fog.

Experiments have not shown that yellow headlamp bulbs are better than white in fog. Their use is a matter for individual choice.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the desirability of pressing ahead with the maximum number of schemes for the provision of adequate car parks over and around railway stations within commuting range of London, he will call a conference of all local authorities concerned with a view to discussing how such facilities can best be financed in conjunction with British Railways.

Though I fully endorse the need for such car parks, I doubt whether a general conference is the best way to help at this stage. Circumstances vary so widely from case to case that individual handling is called for. This, I know, is already happening in many cases. The London traffic survey will, however, provide a sound factual basis from which to consider both the general position and individual cases.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the growing practice of holders of provisional driving licences driving unaccompanied and without L plates, he will amend the application form so as to contain a warning to applicants for these types of licences that they are committing an offence; and whether he will increase the penalties for these types of offences.

No. I do not know on what evidence the hon. Member bases his initial premise, but I am satisfied that the requirements are generally known and that the licence is the right place for them to be formally recorded. Penalties were increased by the Road Traffic Act, 1962, which also enabled courts to disqualify offenders.

asked the Minister of Transport what limit is placed on the number of times a person can be issued with a provisional driving licence after failing a driving test.

None. There is no evidence that learner drivers are a special source of danger on the roads, provided they obey the law. An arbitrary limit could operate unfairly on those who are slow to learn; but those who show, by not even taking a driving test, that they have no real interest in reaching a reasonable standard of competence are limited to seven provisional licences.

asked the Minister of Transport when the geological survey, jointly sponsored by France and the United Kingdom as a prerequisite for the starting of the construction of the Channel Tunnel, will be completed.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire (Mr. Woodburn) on 10th June.

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for increasing the number of loading bays in the meter zone of the Metropolitan area.

I have no such general proposals in mind. My information is that on the whole there are enough loading bays in London's meter zones. Indeed, many are seldom more than half occupied, and I have asked local authorities to consider where they can reduce loading bays without causing undue difficulty to frontagers, so as to make room for more meters.

asked the Minister of Transport what reply has been made to the letter from the Clerk of the Penarth Urban District Council to the Divisional Road Engineer for Wales and Monmouth about the improvement and realignment of the road from Merry Harrier junction to Cogan Pill Roundabout, Penarth.

The Divisional Road Engineer replied on 10th June that the county surveyor of the Glamorgan County Council had been asked to consider further with the Penarth Urban District Council any alternative layout for the improvement of Merry Harrier junction which would meet with the approval of both councils and also be of adequate capacity.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his latest estimate of the completion date of the Severn Bridge.

The contract completion date is December, 1966. Work is well up to schedule and, if the present rate of progress is maintained, it may be completed some months earlier.

asked the Minister of Transport on what date the line of the Burton-on-Trent bypass from Branston to Clay Hills was approved; on what dates work will commence; when it will be completed; and how these timings compare with the average for such projects.

The line of this bypass was established by Order made in January, 1962. I have advertised for tenders and work should start this summer. It will take twenty-four months to complete. Preparation of this scheme up to the invitation of tenders has taken longer than was expected because of land acquisition difficulties.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for the improvement of the A.5 trunk road between London and Fazeley; and if he will make a statement.

The construction of the M.1 has relieved the parallel section of the A.5 of much of its through traffic. The linking of the M.6 to the M.1 in the early 1970's will relieve the remaining section. Future improvement of the A.5 will be related to the residual traffic. I will write to my hon. Friend giving details of proposed improvements.

asked the Minister of Transport why the East Ilsley Parish Council have received no acknowledgement or reply from his Department to their telegram and registered letter concerning an accident on 9th May which rendered a family homeless; and whether he will make a statement.

An acknowledgement was sent to the Parish Council's letter but not, I regret, to the telegram. A reply has not yet been sent because the matter has been the subject of correspondence and discussion with my hon. Friend. On the problem generally, I have nothing to add to my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary's statement on the Adjournment. An official reply is now being sent to the Parish Council.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give details of the mail train which was burnt out at Macclesfield on Monday, 8th June; and what compensation will be paid to the people whose letters have been destroyed.

A fire occurred on Monday, 8th June, in a van on the 10.27 p.m. parcels train from Manchester (Mayfield) to London (Euston). Smoke was observed by a signalman, who took immediate steps to have the train stopped at Macclesfield, where the fire was quickly extinguished by the fire brigade. I understand that, although the damage to the van was confined to the charring of its interior woodwork, considerable damage was done to its contents, a consignment of mail which had been loaded at Stockport. The actual cause of the fire is not yet known and investigations are proceeding. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General that claims for compensation in respect of postal packets which have been destroyed will be dealt with in accordance with the Inland Post Regulations, 1963.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now state the result of his investigation into the contents of a number of metal containers pulled up in the nets of Breton fishing trawlers off Penmarch Point, which were claimed by the French authorities to be stamped "Made in England".

The investigations of the French authorities and of the United Kingdom Government chemist are still proceeding. It has, however, been positively confirmed that the drums so far examined do not contain radio-active material or fluoracetamide or any other toxic substance.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give an estimate of the amount spent on the shipping responsibilities of his Department for the year 1963–64, including pay, superannuation and accommodation of personnel engaged on shipping matters.

Yes. The estimated total expenditure for the year 1963–64 is £4,785,000. This is a gross figure, making no allowance for receipts from fees, etc.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total numbers of non-industrial and industrial personnel employed by each of the shipping divisions of his Department.

Yes. The following is the information:

STAFF EMPLOYED IN THE SHIPPING DIVISIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
—	Non-Industrial	Industrial
Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries and Personnel Staff	10	—
Marine Crews Division	41	—
Registry of Shipping and Seamen, Cardiff	178	2
Marine Navigational Aids Division	39	—
Marine Safety Division	105	—
Ports Division	38	—
Sea Transport Division	69	—
Shipping Planning Division	15	—
Foreign Shipping Relations A Division	11	—
Foreign Shipping Relations B Division	16	—
General Shipping Policy Division	12	—
Shipbuilding and Ship Repairs Division	16	—
Mercantile Marine Offices	305	2
Marine Survey Offices	447	—
Sea Transport Offices; Sea Transport and Ports Stores	23	96
Inspectorate of Ships Provisions	23	—
H. M. Coastguards	535	—
Overseas (home based)	20	—
Overseas (locally recruited)	26	32
These figures do not include the staff employed on Common Services work in connection with the shipping divisions.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he has taken, since a deputation from the city met him on 13th May, to improve air traffic facilities at Dundee in order to enable a regular air service to be operated to the city.

This has been further considered by the Departments concerned, along with the other proposals of the Scottish Council for improvement of Scottish air services. I hope shortly to be able to convey the views of the Government to the Scottish Council and the Dundee Corporation.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make arrangements for reduced landing fees to be offered to the Air Corporations at Prestwick Airport for training purposes.

At Prestwick, as at Ministry aerodromes generally, all operators are entitled on prior application to the benefit of the special rate of landing fee applicable to training flights. This rate is 25 per cent. of the standard fee.

asked the Minister of Aviation what approach has been made to him by the Fokker Aircraft Co. of Holland for collaboration with a British aircraft manufacturer in the production of the new Fokker jet 28.

None. I would expect any approach of this kind to be made directly to the manufacturers. My hon. Friend will, however, be aware that it is planned to power the aircraft with a Rolls-Royce engine, the Spey Junior.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order a full inquiry into the conditions of British Service men serving sentences in Hanzin Prison, Swaziland, Africa, full details of which have been sent to him.

The four British soldiers who were serving sentences in Manzini Prison for civil offences were properly tried by the civil courts in Swaziland. They were treated as special class prisoners with a European diet and shared a cell in a separate part of the prison. After the escape and recapture of two of them on 25th May, these conditions deteriorated mainly because the cell was damaged when they escaped, and while repairs were being carried out they were detained in the main part of the prison. As a result of representations made by their regiment, they were put over a week ago in one cell with three other Europeans. This meant that the cell contained slightly more than the authorised maximum numbers. It was described by the regimental medical officer as tolerable but spartan.I was aware of the conditions of these Service men in this prison a short time before the hon. Member wrote to me about the matter and, as I have explained, after representations made by their regiment action was taken to improve them.I have been in close touch with my noble Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies, and arrangements have been made for the prisoners to serve the last part of their sentence in this country. Removal Orders have been made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies, under the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act, 1884, and the prisoners were flown out of Swaziland on an R.A.F. aircraft this morning. They will be flown to this country by R.A.F. aircraft

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications were received by the Army Careers Office in Northern Ireland in 1962 and 1963, respectively; and how many of the applicants joined the Army.

In 1962 Army information offices in Northern Ireland received 3,324 applications, from which 1,660 recruits were enlisted. In 1963 the corresponding figures were 2,532 and 1,165.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to ensure that the proposed increased labour force at Rosyth Dockyard receive suitable housing.

The Dunfermline Town Council has so far undertaken to make 110 houses available for our employees at Rosyth. This number is insufficient to meet our total needs, but we are consulting a number of local authorities in the area to see how these can best be met. I am also in touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications were received by the Royal Navy Careers Office in Northern Ireland in 1962 and 1963, respectively; and how many of the applicants joined the Royal Navy.

In 1962, the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Careers Office in Belfast received 741 applications to join. As a result, 158 Royal Naval rating and Royal Marine other rank recruits were obtained through this Office. In 1963, the corresponding figures were 818 and 170, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications were received by the Royal Air Force Careers Office in Northern Ireland in 1962 and 1963, respectively; and how many of the applicants joined the Royal Air Force.

In 1962, there were 1,500 applicants for enlistment in ground trades, of whom 803 subsequently joined the Royal Air Force. For 1963—a year in which recruitment into the Royal Air Force was restricted—the comparable figures were 1,067 and 435.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to his Department of sending a helicopter to collect a turntable operator of a radio station, being illegally operated on Crown property in the Thames estuary, in order to fly him to hospital for the treatment of a stomach ailment caused through food poisoning.

The helicopter concerned was on a training mission in the area at the: time and no extra costs were incurred in meeting this request from the local police.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been received about Major Macey and Driver Platt; what steps are being taken to find them; and if he will make a statement.

Major Macey has been serving on the Headquarters staff of the United Nations Force in Cyprus, and has been engaged on liaison work with Dr. Kutchuk on behalf of the U.N. headquarters. This task took him away from the main body of the U.N. Force on frequent occasions. On 8th June it was reported that he had disappeared together with Driver Platt who had been driving him.Widespread searches and inquiries have since been pursued by the United Nations in Cyprus and by the British authorities there, and they are still continuing. I am sorry to say that they have so far produced no trace of either of the missing men.The British High Commissioner has been instructed to represent to the Cyprus authorities the serious view we take of this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements will be made for foreman-ship examinations when the British Institute of Management ceases to conduct its present examination.

After consultation between my Department and representatives of both sides of industry and the professional bodies chiefly concerned, including the British Institute of Management, a new National Examinations Board in Foremanship and Supervision has been formed. The Board's first task will be to consider the early introduction of a qualification to replace the present British Institute of Management Certificate. It may introduce other qualifications in foremanship and supervision if it sees the need.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the amount of money spent by the Government on medical research for each of the past ten years.

The estimated amounts spent by the Government on medical research in each of the financial years in question are as follows:

1954–55	£5½ million;	1955–56	£6½ million;
1956–57	£7 million;	1957–58	£8 million;
1958–59	£9½ million;	1959–60	£10½ million;
1960–61	£12½ million;	1961–62	£14½ million;
1962–63	£16 million;	1963–64	£18½ million.

These figures include the estimated expenditure of the Health Departments, the Medical Research Council, the General Register Office, and the Air Ministry, together with the approximate amount which is estimated to be devoted to medical research out of the general grants made to the universities on the advice of the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many girls in the Orpington area, who are entering secondary education in September 1964, were selected for grammar schools but finally allocated places at technical schools through shortage of places.

In North West Kent, which includes Orpington, 1,172 girls qualified this year for selective education in either a grammar or technical school. 741 girls have been offered places in grammar schools and 431 in technical schools. Of the 431, 284 had expressed a preference for a grammar school.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will destroy all Government-held stocks of corned beef in Scotland, manufactured before the chlorinated water-cooling process had been adopted.

No; the question of destroying Government stocks would arise only if there were evidence either from the inquiry into the cause of the Aberdeen outbreak or from any other source that they constituted a risk to public health.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a table of the annual operating losses and the losses on capital account sustained by the nationalised industries since the date of nationalisation of each; and if he will estimate the cumulative cost to the revenue of these industries since they passed into public ownership.

The following is a table showing the annual financial results before and after paying interest:

NATIONAL COAL BOARD
£ million
Year		(a) Result before Interest	(b) Interest	(c) Result after Interest
1946	…	— 0·2	—	— 0·2
1947	…	— 8·3	15·0	— 23·3
1948	…	16·8	15·1	1·7
1949	…	22·9	13·4	9·5
1950	…	23· 0	14·7	8·3
1951	…	12·9	14·7	— 1·8
1952	…	6·7	14·9	— 8·2
1953	…	17·6	17·1	0·5
1954	…	14·6	18·1	— 3·5
1955	…	1·7	21·3	— 19·6
1956	…	34·7	21·9	12·8
1957	…	19·9	25·2	— 5·3
1958	…	29·1	32·6	— 3·5
1959	…	13·1	37·1	— 24·0
1960	…	20·2	41·5	— 21·3
1961	…	27·4	42·4	— 15·0
1962	…	45·4	44·0	1·4
Total	…	297·5	389·0	— 91·5

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the number of new dwellings awaiting valuation for rating purposes in the Caerphilly urban area; and what is the average period between the occupation of new houses and the fixing of the rateable value.