asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for strengthening the Hydrographer's Department of the Royal Navy, in view of the increased importance of oceanography.

During the last two years the staff of the Hydrographic Department engaged on oceanography has been steadily strengthened. A further expansion is now taking place as a result of Polaris. These measures when completed will increase the staff devoted to oceanography to a total of 30.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action has been taken under the Pesticides Safety Precaution Scheme to ensure that the active constituents of the agricultural chemicals covered by this scheme are stated on the labels of containers.

The Association of British Manufacturers of Agricultural Chemicals has agreed to recommend that by 1st January, 1965, at the latest prints of labels put on the containers of all agricultural chemicals to which the Scheme applies will state the active ingredient.

asked the Minister of Health when the Report of his Department for the year 1963 will be published.

On 3rd July.

asked the Minister of Health during which fortnight of 1963 121 tons of corned beef were withdrawn from the market following a typhoid outbreak.

7th to 21st November, 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of man hours of police officers' time spent in escorting abnormal loads by road in the Metropolitan Police area in the month of May, 1964.

1,733½.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the estimated total amount of grant payable in 1964–65 under Section 1 of the Rating (Interim Relief) Act, 1964, to rating authorities in whose areas more than one-tenth of the population is over the age of 65 years; and when he proposes to make the first payments on account.

The estimated total amount of grant payable in 1964–65 is £5,161,500, and Parliament will be asked to sanction the expenditure by means of a Supplementary Estimate to be presented in due course. I propose to make advance payments, amounting to about £2,581,000 before the end of the month. Pending the voting of Supply, these payments will be made from money advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will abolish the monthly rule in regard to herring sent for meal and oil manufacture and substitute a flat-rate subsidy on every cran consigned.

No. The present arrangements under which the fishermen may, in addition to the operational subsidy, obtain a subsidy of 25s. per cran on herring sold for reduction to oil and meal within a limit of 20 per cent. of the total landings of herring in any month at particular ports, were arrived at after discussion with the herring catchers' representatives and were subsequently prescribed in the Herring Subsidy (United Kingdom) Scheme, 1963, approved by Parliament last July and which terminates on 31st August. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I will shortly be laying before Parliament our proposals in regard to herring subsidy—including oil and meal subsidy—as from 1st September next.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in considering applications for the movement of very heavy loads on the roads, he will ensure that they are moved through congested built-up areas at night.

Once I have authorised the movement of an abnormal indivisible load control of the journey rests with the police who have the power to vary the time and date of the journey to suit local traffic conditions.I understand that the police move these loads through congested built-up areas at night whenever they judge this to be the best solution in the local circumstances. I would be most reluctant to interfere with this arrangement.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of applications made to him for the transport of abnormal loads by road during the month of May, 1964, giving in each case the starting point and destination, the nature of the load, and the date of the journey.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport what is his policy with regard to motor manufacturers making speed tests on the M.1.

I welcome the assurances, given to me earlier this week by the President of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, that the manufacturers will not in future use public roads for high-speed competition tests of racing cars and that the high-speed testing of production cars should continue to be carried out at the specially-designed track of the Motor Industry Research Association.

asked the Minister of Transport if, for the avoidance of doubt, he will introduce legislation to clarify the status of school crossing patrol wardens on clearway sections of trunk roads and to enable the authorities to take action against those who ignore signals to stop made by such wardens.

No. Existing legislation makes it quite clear that vehicles should stop when required to do so by a prescribed sign exhibited by a school crossing patrol. The Clearways Orders do not alter this requirement in any way.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the Docks Board not to close docks until they have received his official approval of the closure.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement of the charges of speculation laid by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics authorities against Dr. Mervyn Matthews, a research fellow at Moscow University; and if he will request the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics authorities to remove any further official obstacle to Dr. Matthews' marriage to his Russian fiancée, Miss Ludmila Bibikova.

On 17th June, the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Her Majesty's Embassy in Moscow that Dr. Matthews had engaged in activities inconsistent with his status as a research student, and in particular in anti-Soviet propaganda and speculation, and that as a result Dr. Matthews was required to leave the Soviet Union within 48 hours. The Embassy sought further information about the complaints made against Dr. Matthews and asked for an extension of the time limit. Both requests were refused.Her Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow has, on instructions, expressed concern at this expulsion. If the Soviet authorities think that a student is engaging in impermissible activities, the right course is for them to inform us of the facts without delay, in order that the student may be warned, or other suitable action taken by mutual agreement. The Soviet authorities have also been informed that this second expulsion of a British exchange student from the Soviet Union without previous discussion between the Soviet and British authorities must have an adverse effect on the development of student exchanges between the Soviet Union and this country.As regards Dr. Matthews' proposed marriage to Miss Bibikova, it is clear that, even if grounds could be found for intervention by Her Majesty's Government, such intervention would now be unavailing.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the European Convention for the Establishment of Companies, the text of which has been approved by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

It was decided on 1st June, at the 132nd Meeting of the Committee of Ministers' Deputies, that the draft of this Convention should be opened to the signature of member Governments. Her Majesty's Government are now considering whether to sign.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Her Majesty's Government propose to replace the two Dove aircraft given to the Emperor of Ethiopia in 1945.

Yes. Her Majesty's Ambassador, Addis Ababa, has been instructed to tell the Ethiopian Government that, in response to a recent request from them, Her Majesty's Government are prepared to give them one Dove Mark II aircraft for His Imperial Majesty's personal use, in part replacement of the two old aircraft. Parliament will, in due course, be asked to vote the appropriate sum, which on present estimates is expected to be about £65,000, including delivery charges, by means of a Supplementary Estimate. In the meantime an advance will be obtained from the Civil Contingencies Fund as required.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware that the Middlesex County Council has expressed its concern at his rejection of many urgent proposals in its educational programme and that 19 education authorities have made representations to the Middlesex County Council; whether he will restore the 75 per cent. cut; and whether he will agree to meet a deputation from the Middlesex County Council on the matter.

I have received representations from the Middlesex education authority and my noble Friend the Minister of State will receive a deputation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the importance of coordinating all marine research under one body; to what extent he will take this into account in considering the recommendations of the Trend Report; and whether he will make a statement.

This point is well in mind in our consideration of the recommendations of the Trend Committee, particularly for a Natural Resources Research Council. But I cannot make a detailed statement at the moment.