asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make arrangements for a Lightning aircraft to break the sound barrier over the Palace of Westminster at a height of 30,000 feet so that hon. Members may have an opportunity of judging for themselves what effect the frequent breaking of the sound barrier will have on the public, on livestock, and on the fabric of buildings.

There are difficulties in arranging this over the Palace of Westminster, but I shall be glad to arrange an exercise, at a suitable locality, after the Recess, to demonstrate sonic booms under controlled conditions; Members of the House could be invited to this.

asked the Minister of Aviation to which Department claims for compensation for damage caused by aircraft breaking the sound barrier should be submitted; and what is its address.

Claims should be submitted to the Ministry of Defence.The address is:Defence Department Claims Commission,Claims 3,York House,Kingsway,London, W.C.2.

asked the Minister of Aviation what information he has about the effect of supersonic explosions on fanning livestock, milk yields, egg production and aborted cows, and on the seriously sick and aged persons.

From time to time claims are received from farmers for compensation for damage to livestock, but only in a small number of cases has a definite connection been established between sonic booms and the damage claimed. I am hoping to conduct experimental work, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to gain further knowledge about effects on animals. Sick and aged persons may be more susceptible than the rest of the community to disturbance from any source, but we have no evidence that they are more affected by sonic booms than other disturbances.

asked the Minister of Aviation if, in view of the representations made to him by the National Farmers' Union on behalf of Welsh farmers, he will now abandon his intention of carrying out supersonic flights over Wales and its border counties.

No. Although I very much regret any disturbance caused to Welsh farmers, these flights are essential to our defence research and development programme and must be continued.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what Press facilities exist in the operational areas of Malaysia for giving publicity in the United Kingdom to the activities of all three Services; and whether he will give consideration to the production of short films to be made available for use on television.

It must be borne in mind that British forces are assisting Malaysian forces in the defence of Malaysian territory and that operations cannot be regarded as a purely British responsibility.Subject to this important consideration, the British Defence public relations organisation in Malaysia provides a normal news service about the British effort and also gives facilities and assistance for parties of visiting journalists and cameramen.In recent months a number of correspondents from the United Kingdom have visited the theatre. These visits are continuing.Every encouragement and help is given to television and film companies to send teams out to the theatre and film taken on the spot by Service photographers is made available both to the B.B.C. and Independent Television News. I welcome the use made of these facilities and the Defence public relations organisation, both at headquarters and in the field, stand ready to give any further help that they can. In the circumstances I do not think that there is any need to consider the production of official films.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has sent to the letter from the Chairman of the Patients' Association asking that no clinical trial should be conducted by a doctor who

I have not yet replied, and I will send the hon. Member a copy when I have done so.

asked the Minister of Health if he will list the chairmen of regional hospital boards and boards of governors indicating the year in which each was first appointed.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons for the convenience of hon. Members copies of the bilateral agreements at present in force with four countries, which extend the range of diplomatic privileges and immunities accorded to the representatives of these countries in London beyond those customarily accorded to others with which the United Kingdom has diplomatic relations.

The arrangements to which I take it that my hon. and gallant Friend refers do not in fact confer any immunity beyond that available under present United Kingdom law. They merely ensure that that degree of immunity is accorded on a reciprocal basis.These arrangements are contained not in formal agreements but in correspondence between representatives of Governments. Before the texts of such arrangements could be made public, the consent of the foreign Governments concerned would have to be obtained.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will publish in HANSARD details of the numbers of houses built to let since October 1951, other than by local authorities; by whom they were built; and what information he has as to how many were built by private enterprise during the same period.

Between 1st November, 1951, and 31st May, 1964, 93,000 dwellings were built by new town development corporations, 43,500 by housing associations and 66,000 by Government Departments, Most of these dwellings will have been provided for letting. My right hon. Friend has no information on the number of dwellings built by private enterprise for letting during the same period.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish in HANSARD a table giving the annual number of houses built by the Ilford, Hornchurch, Wanstead and Woodford, and Chigwell local authorities for each of the calendar years from 1945 to date.

The figures are:

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed were registered at Wembley at the latest available date; and what was the number of vacancies at that date.

On 15th June there were 291 unemployed people registered at the Wembley Employment Exchange and on 10th June there were 1,490 vacancies notified to that office but unfilled.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Ministry of Labour training centres there are in the country; where they are situated; and how many people are undergoing training at the present time.

There are 19 Government Training Centres at present in operation, situated at:

asked the Postmaster-General for what reasons a telephone connection for Mr. G. I. A. Taylor of Kings Bromley, Staffordshire, has so far not been provided, bearing in mind that extra lines at the Yoxall Telephone Exchange should have been provided since this exchange is situated in an overspill receiving area; and whether he is aware that Mr. Taylor holds an executive position in a company where there is an accepted industrial fire risk involving his attendance in emergencies.

The telephone ordered by Mr. Taylor is on a developing housing estate where new cables have to be provided as development proceeds. I am sorry that it was not possible to have the telephone ready for Mr. Taylor when he moved in last month, but he will have service by the end of July.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications were outstanding at the latest available date for the telephone service in Wembley; and when these are likely to be met.

Leaving aside orders under inquiry or in course of being met, there were 23 applications for telephone service outstanding in Wembley on 30th June, 1964. All of these will be met within the next two months. 2,520 telephones were provided in the last twelve months.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the continued difficulty of receiving the British Broadcasting Corporation (Wales) television programme in many parts of Wales, and particularly in Caernarvonshire; and what further steps he is taking to remedy the position.

Yes. B.B.C. proposals for new satellite television stations are being examined. The needs of Wales will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of local education authorities conducting trades colleges; and which of these authorities operate combined appointment schemes.

Twenty-three education authorities have colleges of further education conducting trades classes. I understand that 15 of these authorities appoint teachers to further education establishments on a combined appointment basis.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement about the progress being made in improving the A.414 road between Hatfield and Hertford, in particular stating when it is due to be finished.

The Hertfordshire County Council, the highway authority for this part of A.414, have let a contract for the construction of dual carriageways between Mill Green and Holwell Lane (B.1455). The work is expected to be completed in the autumn of next year. A short improvement of A.414 east of Cole Green should be completed early next year. The County Council are preparing other schemes for improving this road.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement about the progress being made in improving the A.1 road between Hatfield and Stanborough, in particular stating whether the work is up to schedule and when it is due to be finished.

Work is in progress on the construction of a second carriageway on the A.1 from the Green Lanes junction to the Hertford Spur of the North Orbital Road (A.405) and on the widening of the carriageway between the "Comet" Hotel and the Stonehouse Hotel to provide a central reservation. Progress is generally satisfactory and the work should be completed by the early summer of next year. The Stanborough diversion, a dual carriageway road on a new alignment, is now being prepared. Subject to satisfactory progress on statutory processes, work should start next year and be completed two years later.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the danger to children caused by traffic on Bishops Rise, Hatfield, near the Hilltop; and what consideration has been given to constructing pedestrian subways in this area.

As my noble Friend knows, the Hatfield Development Corporation are considering plans for pedestrian subways in the New Town generally. I understand that Bishops Rise, near Hilltop, is included in these plans.

asked the Minister of Transport when it is intended to start work on a pedestrian subway under Cavendish Way, Hatfield, so as to provide pedestrian access to the town centre from the Cavendish, Oxlease and South Hatfield areas of the town.

The Hatfield Development Corporation has no proposals for pedestrian subways under Cavendish Way, but proposes to construct them under Queensway at the Woods Avenue and French Horn Lane junctions. I have not yet received an application for grant for these schemes.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has now completed his evaluation of the special safety helmet campaign he conducted last year; if he will publish the results; and if he will now introduce legislation making the wearing of safety helmets by motorcyclists compulsory.

The results of an analysis by the Road Research Laboratory of the counts of motor-cyclists wearing safety helmets made before, during, and after the campaign are now being studied. In the light of this study I hope soon to be in a position to decide whether it is desirable to make regulations requiring motor-cyclists to wear safety helmets.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will return to the practice in force during the last Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference of placing the names of Commonwealth countries on their respective flag poles in Parliament Square, as this is of great interest to foreign visitors.

This was done on 8th July.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what improvements have been made in the drainage system in Kensington Gardens; whether he is satisfied with the present position; and if he will make a statement.

Blockages and damage to drains, which are usually caused by the growth of tree roots, are put right as soon as possible, and work has just been completed on the clearance of a main drain in an area near the Speke Memorial, where the existing system will be improved by the installation of subsidiary drains.The existing drainage system is old and incomplete, and certain areas tend to become waterlogged after heavy rainfall. A survey is being made of these areas, and while I cannot promise that this will result in the early installation of an extensive new drainage system, which would be a major and costly operation, I hope that it will at least be found possible to take remedial action in the more badly affected areas.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state the reason for closing the tea house in Kensington Gardens; and what alternative arrangements he has made for the public to buy refreshments at reasonable prices to consume in the open air.

The tea house in Kensington Gardens was closed when the new Serpentine restaurant and snack bar were opened at Whitsun. Light refreshments are available at the snack bar at the same prices as were charged for similar items at the tea house. On fine days, the doors round the snack bar can be thrown open and refreshments taken in the open air. I understand that the caterers intend to expand the open-air facilities and have additional tables and chairs on order for this purpose.Plans are being prepared for the provision of further points in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens where light refreshments will be served.