asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies if he is now able to make a statement about his talks with the Prime Minister of Malta.

No, but I will do so as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the state of microbiology studies in Scotland; and whether it is intended to create a faculty of microbiology at the new Scottish university.

Courses in microbiology are pursued at each of the five existing universities and at the Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh. In addition, research in this field is carried out at the Rowett Research Institute, the Animal Disease Research Association, the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, the Hannah Dairy Research Institute, and the Scottish Plant Breeding Station.It will be for the new Scottish university itself, with the advice of its Academic Planning Board, to determine what faculties it wishes to create.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving, since the date when the salaries of Members of Parliament were raised to their present level, the rise in the cost of living, the fall in the purchasing value of the £ sterling, the increase in postal and telephone charges, wage and salary levels, salaries of civil servants, the gross national product, and interest rates, profits and dividends; and, taking the date when Members of Parliament's salaries were raised to £1,750 per annum as being equal to 100, what has been the percentage rise or fall for each calendar year in its purchasing value to the latest convenient date.

If the hon. Member will particularise those items of information which are not already public knowledge, I will be glad to consider if they can conveniently and accurately be published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement as to Government assistance to the National Gallery towards its recent purchase of a picture by Courbet.

Yes. In view of the importance to the National Gallery collection of this picture "Les Demoiselles des Bords de la Seine" by Courbet, I have authorised, subject to the approval of Parliament, a special grant of £41,000. A Supplementary Estimate will be presented in due course. Meanwhile, an advance will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will authorise the building of an advance factory as an inducement to industrialists to come to Whitehaven and Cleator Moor.

I am not at present prepared to authorise any advance factories beyond those announced on 30th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will take steps to create new jobs in the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area, in view of the fact that unemployment there is more than twice the average in the country; and how many new jobs he expects there to be.

The Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area is eligible for the full benefits of the Local Employments Acts. The number of new jobs will largely depend on the extent to which firms avail themselves of these benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many applications he is considering from firms who have expressed a desire to come to the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area.

One application by a firm wishing to go to the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area is under consideration. In addition, financial assistance has been offered for six local expansions, and thirteen other applications for assistance from local firms are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1) if he will state the number and value of still miniature cameras imported into the United Kingdom in each of the years 1959 to 1963, together with their countries of origin;(2) if he will state the number and value of still cameras other than miniature imported in to the United Kingdom in each of the years 1959 to 1963, together with their countries of origin;(3) if he will state the number and value of 16-mm. cinematograph cameras imported into the United Kingdom in each of the years 1959 to 1963, together with their countries of origin.

I am sending the details required to my hon. Friend and am also making a copy available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Labour what alternative employment there is for the 160 men made redundant at Windscale works.

Of the 160 men who were working at Windscale for a contractor and who became redundant on 29th May about half have been placed or have found work elsewhere and about half are still unemployed. The opportunities for those who are seeking local work are limited at present but our local officers are doing all they can to assist them to find employment.

asked the Minister of Labour how many jobs are available in the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor area for boys and girls already registered, and for those who will be leaving school this term, respectively.

At the count on 10th June there were 72 unfilled vacancies for boys and girls at the Whitehaven and Cleator Moor Youth Employment Offices. I cannot forecast how many jobs will be available for the summer leavers, but additional vacancies are being notified and I am informed that a number of the leavers already have jobs to go to.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what was the total cost to his Department in salaries, administrative and travelling expenses, printing, public inquiries, planning appeals, and all other services, respectively, for 1962–63.

The total cost of salaries and administrative expenses of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in 1962–63 was £4,569,714. In addition, I estimate that expenditure by other Departments on services for my Department amounted to about £3,412,000. After allowing for receipts the net cost was about £6,954,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the quarterly percentage rise or fall since October, 1951, in the number of council houses completed, the number of private houses completed, the size and costs of council houses, and the repayment costs on borrowed capital by local authorities, taking as the basis October, 1951, equalling 100.

Quarterly figures of the sizes and costs of local authority dwellings since October, 1951, cannot be given without devoting a great deal of work to re-examination of the tenders submitted.As the hon. Member will be aware, the numbers of local authority and private enterprise house completions are published quarterly in the "Housing Return" and monthly in the "Housing Summary".

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will make a decision about the Bethnal Green, Pollard Street, Area 3, Compulsory Purchase Order 1963.

My right hon. Friend hopes to issue a decision within the next three weeks.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce amending legislation to ensure that, where a retirement pensioner has not paid sufficient contributions under the graduated retirement pension scheme to make up a complete unit, he will be able either to make up the deficiency or obtain a refund of the amount paid.

No. The present rule gives a whole unit of graduated pension if contributions equivalent to at least half a unit have been paid, and I think this is fair.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give instructions to ensure that appropriate announcements are made on radio and television about the dangers of careless use of fireworks, particularly before 5th November.

This is not a matter for me, but I understand that, in 1963, warnings about the careless use of fireworks were broadcast by both the broad- casting organisations on and before 5th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give an assurance that, when appointing official committees of inquiry into legal matters he will include one or more non-lawyers in the membership of all such committees.

No. I try to get the best people for each committee but the membership must depend on the nature of the committee's task.

asked the Minister of Transport what improvements have been made to the A.25 trunk road since his Answer on 3rd July, 1963; and what further improvements are planned to be completed during 1964.

The three schemes I mentioned in my Answer on 24th July, 1963, and another scheme, are now well advanced and should be completed in 1964 or early 1965.

asked the Minister of Transport what plans he has for decreasing the volume of traffic which uses Lyon Park Avenue, Wembley, as a means of avoiding Wembley High Road, in view of its narrowness, its entirely residential nature, and the number of cars parked in it.

None, but if the local authority has any proposals for traffic measures to solve this local problem I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction in the public interest to the British Railways Board that, in sections of line which are not proposed for total closure but only for withdrawal of passenger service, he will not consent to withdrawal of passenger service from any station without first requiring the Board to examine and report on the practicability of converting it into an unstaffed halt.

No. I am sure that the Board in the course of its regular review of services considers fully the possibility of converting stations to unstaffed halts. But if I decide that a station proposed for closure should be kept open I would expect the Board to consider further feasible economies in operating it.