asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation in what ways his Department is aiding the medical, educational, agricultural advisory and other public services in the Falkland Islands.

Since the beginning of 1963 we have filled four appointments in the medical services, nine in education and one in the administration. There are thirteen others that we are trying to fill including one agricultural post. We also pay for the mapping done by the Directorate of Overseas Surveys.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation to what extent regular reviews are made of the salaries and conditions of service offered under the Overseas Service Aid scheme to ensure that they are at appropriate levels to induce sufficient people to meet the needs of the countries covered by the scheme.

The Scheme is under constant review and where necessary improvements are made on the basis of regular price returns, advice from participating Governments, and the recruitment experience of my Department. Education allowances and overseas passages are kept in line with those provided for British Government officers seconded overseas.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the average length of contract for service overseas by experts sponsored by his Department.

Contracts for service overseas are for periods ranging from a few weeks or months to several years, but in most cases are for between two and three years.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation how many teachers have been recruited for East Africa in each of the last three years.

The numbers of British teachers recruited for East Africa by the British Government in 1961, 1962 and 1963 were 107, 205 and 379 respectively.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation how many young volunteers from this country are working in Nigeria; how many of these are teachers; and how many will be going there under the programme for 1964– 65 and 1965– 66.

Sixty-six, of whom 53 have been teaching.Under the 1964– 65 programme 107 volunteers have been recruited for Nigeria.The numbers for 1965– 66 have not yet been settled, but I hope they will show a further increase.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance his Department has provided for the island of St. Helena in recent years; and if he will arrange for one of his officials to visit that island.

In the last three years my Department has spent about £ 29,000 on technical assistance to St. Helena in the form of research projects, training under Commonwealth Education Cooperation, and through the Overseas Service Aid Scheme. Under the latter we have recruited 13 men and women for the St. Helena Government.I will bear in mind the possibility of St. Helena being included in tours made by my officials.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what part his Department plays in the work of the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control; and if he is satisfied with the results obtained.

My Department represents the interests of the Dependent Territory on the Executive Council of the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, which guides the affairs of the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control.I am satisfied that the Institute is responding efficiently to the demands made upon it.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what proposals he has under consideration to enable professional teachers and civil servants from the United Kingdom to undertake career service in the developing territories of the Commonwealth without loss of pension rights and other benefits.

The opportunities for a career service in the developing countries for teachers and civil servants from Britain are fast disappearing. The need is for teachers and civil servants with home-based careers to give a limited period of their career to work overseas and satisfactory arrangements already exist for preserving pension rights and other benefits to enable them to do this.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he will make a statement on the progress of British participation in the Commonwealth Educational Co-operation Scheme.

The extent of our progress is indicated by the fact that expenditure on the scheme, which was only £ 335,000 in its first year (1960) is expected to be almost £ 2 million this year. In addition, we shall be putting forward at the Ottawa Conference next month proposals for further improvements and expansions.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what steps he is taking to ensure that all British retired Malayan civil servants are given the benefit of increased pensions under recent Pensions (Increase) Acts.

I am currently considering the position of the small group of overseas pensioners from Malaya who at the moment are not eligible for benefit under the Pensions (Increase) Acts. I have asked our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur for further information and I will write to my hon. Friend again when the result of these inquiries is complete.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance his Department is at present providing for the High Commission Territories in Africa; and what discussions he is having with the Territories regarding changes in the pattern of assistance in the light of the increased pace of constitutional advance.

Assistance by my Department to Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland is provided under three main heads. First, under the Overseas Service Aid Scheme we are meeting the extra costs of employing some 390 British members of their civil services, which are roughly £ 170,000 a year. Secondly, under Colonial Development and Walfare arrangements and the Commonwealth Education Scheme we are giving £ 325,000 towards the capital development programme of the new University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland and are helping with the emoluments of certain British members of the staff. Thirdly, under the Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan we are providing the services of advisory experts, bringing trainees from the Territories to Britain, and conducting geodetic and geophysical surveys. We also provide subtantial help for their research programmes and are partly financing the services of 14 volunteers from this country.In the context of constitutional progress, I am now receiving requests from these territories for help in adapting the machinery of government for new responsibilities and for the training of Africans to fill posts in the public service. Earlier this year two experts were sent by my Department to study training needs in two of the territories and a senior member of my Department has just returned from the territories where he has been discussing their public service problems and technical assistance needs. Further action will be considered in the light of his report.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what steps he is taking to compensate those officers on Special List "A" who, relying on the agreement which Her Majesty's Government negotiated with the Nigerian Government, now find themselves financially embarrassed due to the Nigerian Government's failure to implement that agreement and Her Majesty's Government's failure to persuade the Nigerian Government to implement this understanding.

I realise that the salaries of these officers have not been kept in line with rising costs and the Nigerian Governments have therefore been informed that the British Government will, on request, terminate the secondment to Nigeria of any Special List "A" officer dissatisfied with his conditions of employment. The officer will then revert to British Government service and become entitled to the other substantial benefits of Special List "A".

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether he has yet decided to recommend a suitable location for the proposed Commonwealth Administrative College.

I have nothing yet to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 21st July.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he is satisfied that there is adequate liaison between research units backed by his Department which deal with pest control and other research laboratories concerned with the same subject, whether under governmental or private control; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Maintaining liaison between all those institutions governmental and private, which undertake research in this and similar fields is the primary purpose of the Tropical Pesticides Headquarters and Information Unit. Liaison is also assisted by the membership of advisory committees.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation, in view of the need for agricultural officers in developing Commonwealth countries, why the number of British graduate officers employed in these countries has been decreasing.

The number of British graduate officers ready to serve in developing Commonwealth countries is decreasing because there is no longer the prospect of permanent service with these Governments. This enhances the importance of the measures which I announced in Cmnd. 2287 to encourage service overseas by agricultural officers whose main career is in Britain.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what plans he has for securing adequate recruitment of economists for service in developing countries.

The demands from developing countries for economists, particularly those with experience of development planning, at present greatly exceed the number of people qualified and available to meet them. To stimulate recruitment we are developing our contacts with the universities, particularly those with Institutes of Economic Research. As a first step, to enable suitable people to be released, my Department has recently agreed with Oxford and Cambridge Universities to finance three extra research posts at each university.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what improvements have been made in the transmitting facilities of the British Broadcasting Corporation Overseas Services since Her Majesty's Government's announcement of a £ 4½ million programme of development in 1962.

A short wave relay transmitter is now under construction on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. The existing relay station at Cyprus has been greatly strengthened by the addition of four new transmitters. The External Services of the B.B.C. have been strengthened at home by the addition of six new transmitters in the last two years. In addition to the programme announced in 1962, a medium wave relay station is being installed in the Aden area.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation if he will extend the low-priced university text books scheme to the High Commission Territories as a means of assisting the new University of Basutoland, Swaziland, and Bechuanaland.

It is too early to say whether there is a real need for such an arrangement; but I will keep the suggestion in mind, and will arrange for it to be discussed with the British publishers if it seems to be desirable later on.In the meantime it should be remembered that the British Council has already supplied some books to the university and that it is open to the university to apply for library books under the Commonwealth Development and Welfare funds made available to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he now has about the publication date of the Plowden Report on Primary Education; and what measures are being taken to improve and expand primary education pending publication of that report.

The Central Advisory Council are expected to complete their report in the summer of 1966. The major school building programmes for 1965– 66, 1966– 67 and part of 1967– 68, which were announced to local education authorities at Easter, include over 1,000 primary school projects, at a cost of nearly £ 63 million and representing a total of 270,000 places. About a quarter of the £ 63 million is in respect of projects specifically designed to replace unsatisfactory accommodation.Intensive efforts to increase the supply of teachers have been, and are being, made to enable the staffing standards of the primary schools to be maintained in spite of increased numbers of children, particularly in the infants schools. There have been continuous advances in the quality of the general work in primary schools since the war; important pilot schemes in curriculum development are also in progress in French, mathematics, science and reading.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many vacancies for teachers in primary schools in the West Riding of Yorkshire are expected at the end of this term, how many are expected to persist until September, how many part-time teachers are employed, and how many primary schools are experiencing a 50 per cent. turnover of staff in less than five years.

The West Riding Authority informs me that at the end of the summer term there were 344 vacancies on its present staffing establishment for the primary schools, 258 of which are expected to persist in September. It was then employing 514 part-time teachers in its primary schools. Five hundred and eight of these schools have experienced a 50 per cent. turnover of staff in less than five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what improvements in monitoring arrangements and the disposal of radioactive waste have been indicated as necessary by the visit of the United States nuclear ship "Savannah" to ports in this country.

None. The monitoring arrangements worked satisfactorily and no improvements are indicated. No radioactive waste was disposed of by "Savannah" during her visit to the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in view of the expanding need for further education facilities in the area served by the South-East Kent Technical College, what action he is taking to provide further facilities.

asked tht Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the numbers in the Dover and Folkestone constituencies calling for further education, he will represent to the Kent Education Committee the need for improved facilities in the area.

This is a matter for the Kent local education authority in the first instance, but I will certainly see that the needs of the area are kept fully in mind in discussions with the authority about the development of further education in the county.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many vacancies exist for part-time teachers in The Hartlepools; and how many have been taken on in the last six months.

Since the beginning of the year the number of part-time teachers employed in The Hartlepools has increased from 69 to 75. The number of vacancies for part-time teachers is not fixed. If available, part-time teachers are employed where full-time teachers are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that medical schools discriminate against women students in their selection and require information from applicants about their connection with the medical school, university or teaching hospital; and if he will seek power to end these practices.

The selection of students must remain the responsibility of the university institution concerned. But I agree that it is important for universities to bear in mind the need for their selection procedures to be above criticism, and the extended system of the Universities Central Council on Admissions has been of great significance in achieving this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what increase there will be in the number of students in medical schools during the next year.

Precise figures will not be available until November, but the increase will be substantial.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and. Science if he will now name the new medical school and state what further consideration Her Majesty's Government has given to providing more schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he has now given to the question of sites for new medical schools; and what decision he has come to.

I would refer the hon. Members to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health during the debate on 27th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in the Faversham constituency and the county of Kent, respectively, who qualified at this year's 11-plus examination for a grammar school place and whose parents have expressed a preference for a grammar school place, have not been granted a place in a grammar school.

In the North-East Kent Division which includes the Faversham constituency 246 pupils who qualified this year for selective education have taken up places offered by the local education authority. 136 have been offered places in grammar schools and 110 in technical schools. Of the 110, 78 had expressed a preference for a grammar school. In Kent as a whole, of 5,678 pupils who qualified and have taken up places, 3,611 have been offered places in grammar schools and 2,067 in technical schools. Of the 2,067, 1,237 had expressed a preference for a grammar school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware that a local education authority with insufficient grammar school places in its own area has, when applying a means test to parents who wish to send their eleven-plus qualified child to an independent denominational school, fixed the figure of £ 9 per week as against present national average manual earnings of £ 17 10s. 0d., for parental income above which parents have to pay a contribution, even in a case where the fees of the independent school concerned are substantially lower than those of the undenominational school to which the local education authority is prepared to send the child without a parental contribution; and if he will make inquiries with a view to establishing a more realistic income figure for those cases where a means test has to be applied for avoiding excessive extra expense to the local education authority.

Arrangements of this kind are for the local education authority. But if my hon. and gallant Friend sends me particulars of the case he has in mind I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware of the moves by many local authorities to absorb grammar schools into a comprehensive system of education, often against the wishes of a majority of parents; and if he will take steps to prevent such action.

My powers to intervene in these cases are governed by the terms of Section 13 and Section 68 of the Education Act, 1944. The principles upon which I exercise these powers I stated in answer to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) on 1st July during the Second Reading of the Education Bill [Lords]. I would certainly look carefully at any proposal to destroy an existing school with a successful record which was valued by parents. I encourage authorities to discuss schemes of all kinds with my Department and H.M. Inspectors as well as with the staffs of the schools concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will announce his decision on the Kent County Council's proposed major building programme for 1967– 68 which has been submitted to him.

I hope to be able to announce a proportion of Kent's 1967– 68 programme in the early autumn. All local education authorities have been informed that their programmes for that year will not be finalised until they have been given the opportunity of making supplementary proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government, following the meeting of representatives from his Department with those from the United States of America, France, West Germany and Italy on the French proposals for international co-operation in cancer research; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Beaney) on 23rd April.Discussion is proceeding on the basis of the draft Convention embodying a modified version of the original French proposals, which is, in general, acceptable to Her Majesty's Government. A further international meeting is expected to take place in the early autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement on the proposal to build a nuclear-powered merchant ship.

A statement is being made today by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he withheld approval for the Evesham College of Further Education to be included in the Worcestershire County Council's major building programme for 1965– 66.

This proposal was carefully considered along with the many others submitted for the 1965– 66 Further Education building programme, but within the resources available priority had to be given to more urgent projects, including two submitted by this education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to receive a report from the Medical Research Council on the effects on health of motor vehicles' exhausts; and if this report will be published.

The Medical Research Council have, for a number of years, been undertaking research into the possible effects on health of the various sources of air pollution including exhaust fumes. Results of work in this as in other fields have been published in the scientific Press as they became available, and future results will be published similarly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals have been made to him by Euratom for joint United Kingdom-Euratom symposia on the physics, coolants and fuels of fast breeder reactors; and what reply he has given.

No proposals for joint symposia have been made to me by Euratom. However, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Euratom Commission have had a number of discussions as a result of which the Authority has proposed general exchange of information over the whole fast reactor field and more detailed exchange in the area of fast reactor physics. A reply from Euratom is awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects a decision to be made concerning the siting of the proposed prototype fast breeder reactor power station.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey) on 16th April, 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the future of Dounreay.

The facilities of the Dounreay Experimental Research Establishment will be fully occupied on the Fast Breeder Reactor Development programme for a number of years to come.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the progress being made by the Curriculum Study Group; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Group has promoted development in many fields. Its services have been found useful by the Secondary School Examinations Council, the Central Advisory Councils for Education, the Nuffield Foundation, the Lockwood Working Party on the schools' curricula and examinations and by many other bodies concerned with the curriculum and examinations. When the Schools Council is established in the autumn the Group will cease to exist but the Council's staff will be largely drawn from existing members of the Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the capital expenditure on schools has been in the County of Surrey in each of the last five financial years.

The approximate value of work done on major projects in each of the five financial years up to 1st April, 1964, was— £ 1· 1 million, £ 0· 9 million. £ 1· 3 million, £ 1· 9 million, £ 2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of schools in each of the Parliamentary constituencies in the counties of Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire, respectively; and in which year they were built.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of schools that are not linked to main sewerage in the counties of Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire, respectively; and if he will relate the figures to the respective Parliamentary constituencies.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he made substantial cuts in the Kent County Council's major building programmes for 1964– 65, 1965– 66 and 1966– 67 respectively.

I cannot accept the hon. Member's description of the non-selection of projects as cuts. The system under which local education authorities are invited to submit proposals for my consideration is designed to secure the best use of the available resources in the country as a whole within the period covered by the particular building programme. With the increase of the annual programme for England and Wales to £ 80 million for the years 1965– 66 and 1966– 67, we were able to allocate over £ 3 million to Kent for each of these years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider an allocation under the major school building programme for improvement of existing schools in Hampshire so that such improvements may be commenced in advance of planned increases in the populations of towns and villages.

First priority in the school building programmes for 1965– 68 has been given to providing new schools to match new housing and increases in the school population. The balance of the available resources has been devoted to secondary and primary replacements and improvements. The Hampshire programme was drawn up in the light of these national priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applicants for training colleges classified by the clearing house as acceptable or borderline have not yet been able to find places.

There are at the moment in the training college Clearing House pool 277 unplaced candidates graded acceptable and 2,341 borderline, and the papers of a further 1,185 candidates whose acceptability is not yet known, are with colleges. The recruitment process is, of course, by no means yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of teachers in the divisional education area of Shipley, Bingley, Baildon, and Denholme now as compared with 1951.

I understand from the local education authority that there were 303 teachers in maintained schools in the area in 1951 and 414 teachers— (including the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers)— in January, 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the level of expenditure on education in the divisional education area of Shipley, Bingley, Baildon, and Denholme in 1951– 52 and 1963– 64, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available.For the area of the Yorkshire (West Riding) local education authority, expenditure was £ 9· 56 million in 1951– 52 and is estimated at £ 32· 2 million for 1963– 64— neither figure including expenditure on school meals and milk.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what experiments are being carried out to provide farmers with an adequate substitute for dieldrin; and what results have been obtained.

Active research is in progress to find alternatives to dieldrin from insecticides already on the market. For some pests, satisfactory alternative compounds are available, for example BHC, which may be used as a spray, as a sheep dip and as a seed dressing.The development of new pesticides must remain largely in the hands of the industrial laboratories which are able to devote much greater resources to such work, although scientists at official research institutes do assist industry in the laboratory and field assessment of the usefulness of new chemicals.My right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is confident that the chemical manufacturers will continue their efforts to produce suitable alternative pesticides. The search for alternatives is being intensified, but it would be unreasonable to expect industry to disclose the results of its efforts prematurely.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for the establishment of a national magnets research laboratory in the north of England, to be run in connection with the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is considering the possibility of establishing a national high magnetic field laboratory which would probably work in close association with a university. A number of possible locations are being considered, including Newcastle-upon-Tyne. No final decisions have yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to enable the staff of the Road Research Laboratory at Slough to carry out a control experiment to test alcoholism among car drivers without becoming involved in legal proceedings.

I am advised that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research hopes to conduct an experiment in such a way that research staff will not be involved in legal proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent the Worcestershire County Council is unable, in the case of boys and girls, respectively, who have qualified for entry to grammar schools, to offer places in schools in the county; and when he expects the deficiency will be made good by the provision of sufficient grammar school accommodation in Worcestershire.

The Worcestershire local education authority take annually some 150 grammar school places at schools outside the county area, in approximately equal number for boys and girls. The schools are mainly in Worcester. The Worcestershire authority has not proposed to build any additional grammar schools in the county area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will further review the case of Mr. H. Quinn, former employee of the Carlisle State Management Scheme and manager of the Cumberland Inn, Botchergate, Carlisle, who on 17th August, 1958, following 37 years' service and one month before his retiring age of 60 years, was dismissed with total loss of pension rights on the allegation of inefficiency for failing to return to the Exchequer the trading surplus demanded by the authorities of the scheme; and, in particular, whether, since no imputation was made against Mr. Quinn's integrity, he will modify the ruling that has involved Mr. Quinn's loss of pension.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from members of the British Olympic team and accompanying officials about facilities for them to vote in the event of the election being held before 28th October, the date of their return from Tokyo; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend has received no formal representations. But in reply to an informal inquiry a letter was sent explaining the law relating to absent voting, and saying that in any individual case it is for the electoral registration officer to decide, subject to a right of appeal to the county court, whether absent voting facilities should be granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police officers spent part or all of Thursday 16th July in accompanying pickets of Post Office workers; how much police overtime was necessitated by this additional duty; and what additional expenditure of public money was involved.

All told, the strike of Post Office workers on Thursday, 16th July, 1964, necessitated the employment of 1,186 police officers on a variety of duties connected with the strike.No overtime was incurred as a result of these duties and therefore no additional expenditure of public money.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he first received an application from the National Union of Vehicle Builders for the Engineering Trades Joint Council Agreement to be applied to its members employed in his Department's work shops at Greenford, Swindon, and Wake field; if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of the employees at the delay in reaching a decision on the application; and if he will make a statement.

The National Union of Vehicle Builders submitted this claim on 2nd April. I appreciate that the staff concerned are anxious for a decision on it but it has raised a number of issues requiring careful consideration. I hope that it will be possible to send the Union a reply soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his inquiries into the circumstances under which property intended for use as a probation hostel in Cathedral Road, Cardiff, was obtained from its previous owner; and whether he still proposes to accept this property for use as a probation hostel.

The circumstances of the sale of this property by its former owner to its present owner are not a matter for me or in any way within my responsi- bilities. I have written to the hon. Member explaining why I am prepared to authorise the National Police Court Mission to buy the property from the present owner at a reasonable price for use as a probation hostel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Police; and whether he will make a statement on it.

My right hon. Friend has received the Commissioner's Annual Report for 1963, which was presented to Parliament on 15th July. As regards the second part of the Question. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 23rd July to a Question by the hon. Member for Leeds, South-East (Miss Bacon).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report on the Committee of Inquiry into Sunday Observance; and when it is to be published.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14th May to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for The Hartlepools (Commander Kerans).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. K. E. Holmes, who was released from prison on licence on 13th February, 1964, after serving 10 years of a sentence of life imprisonment, was rearrested on 10th July and is detained at Pentonville, though he had been in steady employment since his release, had committed no offence, and was not in breach of the terms of his licence; why the police and prison authorities have refused to inform him of the reason for this action or to supply him with a copy of the order under which it was taken; if he has considered the letters from Mr. Holmes and his solicitors forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Barking; and if he will make a statement.

The reason why I ordered Holmes' recall to prison under Section 27(2) of the Prison Act, 1952, was because he was in breach of conditions of his licence requiring him to place himself under the supervision of the Central After-Care Association and to notify the Association of his address and subsequent changes of address, and because I did not consider that he could safely be left at liberty while he was in breach of those conditions. At my request the police had previously given Holmes a severe warning that he stood at risk of recall, and he can be in no doubt why recall was necessary. A copy of the order of recall is being supplied to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries he has made as to why the tribunal appointed by him to hear the appeals of Police Constables Bourner and MacLennan under the Police (Appeals) Acts, 1927 and 1943 did not require the attendance as a witness of Mr. Stratta, who is referred to in its report as one of the only two persons who could speak from personal knowledge as to the truth or falsehood of the charge; and what steps he takes to ensure that persons appointed to hear such appeals are aware of their powers under Section 3 of the Police (Appeals) Act, 1927.

The answer to both parts of the Question is, "None". Persons appointed to hear appeals under the Police (Appeals) Act, 1927, are well aware of the power conferred by Section 3 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the sharp increase in the number of dependants accompanying or joining Commonwealth citizens subject to immigration control, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is no abuse of the interpretation of dependants.

The Commonwealth Immigrants Act gives a right of admission to the wife or the child under 16 years of age of a Commonwealth citizen who is resident in the United Kingdom or with whom she or he enters the United Kingdom. This provision accounts for the majority of the Commonwealth citizens admitted as dependants. The other categories of dependants who are eligible for admission are defined in the Instructions to Immigration Officers (Command 1716). They include children under 16 coming to join relatives other than parents (paragraph 26 of Command 1716).I have no evidence that in general these provisions are being abused. In recent months, however, numbers of boys, described on passports as aged 14 or 15, have arrived in this country with the intention of going straight into employment and have sought admission on the basis that they were coming to join distant relatives. I have therefore instructed immigration officers that the reference in paragraph 26 of Command 1716 to "relatives other than parents" should not be deemed to embrace cousins or more distant relatives. I shall keep the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no action was taken in relation to a letter addressed to him on 16th August, 1963, by the Prison Reform Council asking for an independent inquiry into the handling of cases by Detective-Sergeant Challenor.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to a letter dated 16th August, 1963, from Mr. Trevor Hatton, who did not mention the Prison Reform Council but asked for an inquiry into cases with which Detective Sergeant Challenor was concerned. Action on this request was overtaken by the decision, which was publicly announced, to refer a number of these cases to a senior police officer for investigation. My Department has expressed to Mr. Hatton its regret that he was not personally informed of that decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amendments he proposes to make to the prison standing orders governing correspondence between prisoners and Members of Parliament; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. A new Standing Order has been issued in the following terms:

(1) Any prisoner may communicate with a Member of Parliament by using one of his ordinary letters. In addition, at any time after completing his first two months in custody he may be allowed a special letter for the purpose.

(2) Contents of letters to Members of Parliament:

(a) The following matter may be included subject to the conditions set out below:

(i) All ordinary matter, including news of and comments on public affairs except where objectionable reference is made to persons in public life. Such a case should be referred to Head Office for instructions.

(ii) Complaints of prison treatment, where the prisoner has either petitioned the Secretary of State, or seen the Visiting Committee or Board of Visitors, or a visiting officer of the Secretary of State hearing applications, as the case may be, on the complaint and has had his petition or request refused.

(iii) Allegations against the staff of the prison, if these have previously been made separately and investigated or if, upon request for investigation, investigation has been refused.

(iv) A request to the Member of Parliament to visit the prisoner, if the object of the visit is stated and, where the object is a complaint against prison treatment or allegations against the staff, the conditions set out in (ii) and (iii) above have been satisfied.

(b) The following matter may not be included:

(i) Complaints about the courts, the police and the prison authorities, including the Secretary of State in his responsibility for prison administration, if these complaints are deliberate and calculated attempts to hold these authorities up to contempt.

(ii) Statements about private individuals which are patently scandalous or libellous or otherwise deliberately calculated to do them harm.

(iii) Threats of violence.

(iv) Grossly improper language.

(v) Matter intended for insertion in the press.

(vi) Begging requests for money or valuable property.

(vii) Requests to Members of Parliament to approach persons whom the prisoner is forbidden by rule or standing order to approach direct.

(c) No letter to a Member of Parliament should be stopped unless it clearly offends against the provisions of the statutory rules or this standing order, and any doubtful case should be referred to Head Office for instructions.

asked the Minister of Power what are the actual, or anticipated, increases in megawatt capacity from generating stations in Wales in each year from 1960 to 1970.

The following is the Answer:

asked the Minister of Power if he will give an assurance that he will not agree to further rises in the price of electricity this year.

No. Tariffs are the responsibility of area boards which do not need to obtain my right hon. Friend's consent before making any change.

asked the Minister of Power whether there are adequate stocks of coal to meet demands for coal at summer prices; and if he will make a statement.

Though total stocks are good heavy demand has caused some local shortages of the best quality house coals. People who cannot obtain these might well consider accepting the cheaper coals which are plentiful and good value.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board to ensure that coal is available for sale to householders at summer prices and that these prices will remain in force until outstanding orders have been filled.

No. There are local shortages of the higher qualities of house coal but the National Coal Board has good supplies of other qualities. Although the Board's lowest summer prices end on 31st July, there will still be a reduction in the Board's prices of 12s. 6d. per ton, compared with last winter, until the end of November.

asked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied that his Department's research work on mine safety is supported by adequate and up-to-date experimental facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. New laboratories equipped with specialised apparatus were opened for the Safety in Mines Research Establishment in Sheffield in 1962. Several large-scale facilities are being installed at the field laboratories at Buxton for research on mining problems. The most important of these facilities is a fully-instrumented, 400-yard-long, explosion gallery on which proving trials are now in progress. It is the largest gallery of its kind in the world and will be used to improve our knowledge of coal mine explosions and especially to develop methods for suppressing and preventing them.

asked the Minister of Power what are the average prices of one cwt. of household coal and of one cwt. of solid smokeless fuel; and what are the relative thermal values if household coal is taken as 100.

My right hon. Friend is not responsible for retail prices, but some estimates of the kind requested were given in Appendix III of the White Paper "Domestic Fuel Supplies and the Clean Air Policy" published in December, 1963.

asked the Minister of Power whether, in view of the high and increasing cost of smokeless fuels and the inability of the suppliers of the more suitable varieties to keep pace with the growth of smokeless areas, he will institute an inquiry with a view to alleviating the position.

Total supplies of solid smokeless fuels are adequate to meet the needs of existing smoke control areas and production of premium smokeless fuels is being expanded. A recent inquiry, reported in White Paper (Cmnd. 2231), has shown that new smoke control areas will, however, have to be more broadly based to make use of all types of fuel. There have been increases in cost of manufacture and some rise in prices has been unavoidable.I doubt whether any further inquiry would be helpful.

asked the Minister of Power what measures are now being taken to ensure that the rising demands for gas for home heating will be fully and economically supplied.

The first supplies of Saharan methane are expected to arrive in this country within a few weeks. Large additional supplies of non-toxic gas are also becoming available from oil reforming plants, the capital cost of which is about one-sixth of that needed for traditional processes. The production of gas at high pressure in these plants is associated with major developments in the Board's distribution systems which will enable gas to be moved in bulk across considerable distances. There should be enough gas for all users and a reasonable prospect of stability in gas prices generally.

asked the Minister of Power what new steel production facilities have been brought into operation since 1953; what is the total addition to crude steel production capacity since 1953; and if he will make a statement.

Since 1953, seven completely new works have been brought into operation. Total capacity for the production of crude steel has increased from 18½ million tons in 1953 to 30 million tons today and some 4 million tons of old capacity have been withdrawn. The industry's success in expanding capacity has enabled it to meet the record demand for steel in 1964.

asked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the increase in United Kingdom oil refining capacity by the end of 1967.

Refinery capacity amounted to 57· 8 million tons a year at the end of 1963 and, on present plans, should reach 88 million tons by the end of 1967— an increase of over 50 per cent.

asked the Minister of Power what information he has regarding

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many applications have been received for industrial development certificates from firms now resident and from firms wishing to establish factories in the Wycombe constituency; and how many have been granted in each case.

Since April, 1960, 67 applications have been made by resident the comparative cost, insurance, freight prices per ton of iron ore imported into the United Kingdom and each of the European Economic Community countries from Canada, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Brazil, Guinea, Liberia, Peru, Spain, Sweden and Venezuela, respectively, in 1960, 1962 and 1963.

As the Answer consists of a large table of figures I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the average cost, insurance, freight cost per ton of iron ore imported from Canada, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Brazil, Guinea, Liberia, Peru, Spain, Sweden and Venezuela, respectively, for 1955, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963.

The information is as follows:firms and 9 by non-resident firms; 63 and 4 respectively have been approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will establish an advance factory in the Pontardawe district to encourage new industries and assist the efforts of the local authority as referred to in paragraph 83 of the Command Paper on Developments in Wales, 1963.

My right hon. Friend is 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 whether he will grant the request of the Cornwall County Council to provide two or three more additional advance factories in strategic parts of the county, additional to that of 25,000 square feet to be built at Falmouth, on which work has not yet started.

My right hon. Friend is 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 what assurances he sought in nominating the Chairman of the Export Council for the United States, as to the amount of time that he would be able to devote to his new duties.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that Lord Watkinson will devote all the time necessary to this task to make a success of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what steps he is taking to encourage new industries to go to St. Helens, in view of the recently reported high number of unemployed women now signing the register.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to grant industrial development certificates in St. Helens for suitable projects which cannot go to the development districts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why he has not yet referred the grouping of Plessey, Automatic Tele phone and Electric Co. and Ericssons to the Monopolies Commission, in view of their supplying 40 per cent. of the General Post Office orders for telephone exchange equipment and telephone apparatus under the new five-year bulk supply agreements.

The number of investigations that the Monopolies Commission can make at any one time is limited, and in selecting matters for investigation many factors must be taken into account, not confined to the question of whether the legal conditions for a reference are satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will now make a statement about the Report of the Jenkins Committee on Company Law.

The Government have now completed their study of the chief issues of policy raised by the Report of the Company Law Committee. Though some of the implications of the Committee's recommendations will need to be considered further before the legislation is drawn up, the Government fully support the general approach to company law on which the Report is based.Proposals for legislation will be introduced at an early stage in the life of the new Parliament. These will include provisions designed to promote the Government's objective of greater economic efficiency, notably by ensuring that investors, creditors and the general public are given fuller information about the activities of companies. There will also be provisions for the fuller disclosure both of beneficial share ownership and of the shareholdings of companies in other companies; for the amendment of the law relating to unit trusts; for checking the undue proliferation of companies; for permitting equity shares of no par value; and for improving the procedure relating to circulars containing takeover offers.The Government have decided that there are not sufficient grounds at this stage for them to seek powers to restrict the use of non-voting shares.Before the legislation is drafted, the Government intend to hold discussions with banks, discount houses and shipping companies about the exemptions from certain of the accounting provisions of the Companies Act which these institutions now enjoy.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will introduce legislation to abolish non-voting shares.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. W. Clark).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what representations he has received asking for an inquiry under the Companies Act into the affairs of Fiesta Tours Ltd.; if he will institute investigations; and if he will make a statement.

The only representations I have received are from the hon. Member for Paddington, North (Mr. Parkin). I am seeking further information in addition to that so far available to me before deciding whether a Board of Trade investigation into this matter would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, in view of the uncertainty of large numbers of prospective holiday-makers regarding the financial stability of firms associated with Rolls Razor Limited, especially those who were responsible for arranging holidays for those who bought Rolls washing machines, if he will widen the inquiry he has ordered under the Companies Act, 1948, to include the affairs of such companies; and if he will make a statement.

If it emerges in the case of other companies that there are circumstances of the kind specified under Section 165(b) of the Companies Act, I will consider whether further investigations should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what recent representations have been made to him in regard to the building of a factory by the Tube Steel Investment Company at Washington, County Durham; what consultations he has had during 1964 with the firm concerned; and when work will commence on the building of the factory.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations. Board of Trade officials were in touch with the company a short time ago. The company confirmed that it was still actively interested in development on this site but could not say when building would begin.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what is his estimate, based on the information given to him by the Cotton Board, under use of its statutory powers, of the proportion of spinning spindles, doubling spindles, looms and finishing capacity, which will be controlled by Courtaulds and by Viyella, respectively, if the proposed and publicly-announced take-overs are effected.

There are statutory limitations on the disclosure of this information. In addition it is not the policy of the Board of Trade to make public information which relates to the business of individual firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on the expanding control of Courtaulds and Viyella in the textile industry covered by the Cotton Board; and to what extent recent developments will impede further verticalisation of the structure of the industry.

The activities of the two companies concerned have so far done a great deal to modernise and thereby strengthen the structure of the industry. The latest bids by Courtaulds seem to me to be directed towards furthering and not impeding verticalisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many additional jobs have been created in Rutherglen and Cambuslang as a result of the Local Employment Act.

513 additional jobs in the Employment Exchange Areas of Rutherglen and Cambuslang are estimated to result from the Local Employment Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether, in view of the continued rise in cost of the products and services of the nationalised industries, he will introduce legislation to establish a permanent judicial body to review the operations of these industries.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will increase his grant to the British Travel and Holidays Association and earmark the increase for the Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain to enable it to expand its work.

No. It is not the custom to earmark grants-in-aid to grant-aided bodies for particular purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether the Board of Trade will increase its annual grant to the British Standards Institution so that the Institution can carry out the additional work on building standards and codes of practice recommended by the Building Regulations Advisory Committee in its First Report.

Subject to the approval of Parliament, I propose to increase the grant-in-aid of the British Standards Institution by £ 25,000 in the current year and by £ 50,000 in 1965– 66 on the understanding that the money will be devoted primarily to this and other work in the building field.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what action he proposes to take as a result of the recommendations which the Cinematograph Films Council have made to him on the struc- ture and trading practices of the films industry.

The majority of the Council's recommendations have now been the subject of discussion within the industry. As a result action has been taken on the important matter of time and distance bars. These are being brought within reasonable limits.As to the recommendation that I should examine the feasibility of increasing competition in film exhibition, the main question at issue here is whether the dominance of the two exhibition circuits as outlets for British films is in the public interest.I am now satisfied that the appropriate way to deal with the matter of the dominance of the exhibition circuits is to have the supply of cinematograph films for exhibition investigated by an independent body with full access to all relevant material. I have accordingly decided to refer this matter to the Monopolies Commission for investigation and report.In the course of its investigation the Commission will be able to take into consideration all relevant recommendations of the Cinematograph Films Council.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the present position with regard to the plans for the building of the south orbital road, and in particular the position within the county of Surrey.

The first section of this road, a length of just over a mile westwards from the Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel, is already in my trunk roads programme. I hope that work on this section will start in the autumn of next year.I will shortly be announcing a list of further trunk road schemes to be prepared for inclusion in my programme. Among the schemes I am considering are further sections of this road, including a section in Surrey.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he now proposes to take to improve communications to Swindon, in view of the proposed new expansion of the town arising from the recent South-East study.

Present road plans include provision for substantially improved communications to Swindon, notably by connections to the planned extension of the M.4 motorway. It is too soon to say what might be the effect of detailed consideration of the suggestions made in the South-East Study.The provision of railway services is a matter for the British Railways Board

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the latest scheduled date for the opening of the Chiswick-Langley section of the M.4 motorway; if he is satisfied with the emergency traffic arrangements which it is necessary to enforce for the final stages of completion; and if he will make a statement.

I expect the whole section, including the spur to London Airport, to be opened in January next year.Chiswick Flyover will be closed at 6.0 a.m. on 10th August for about three months for the joining of the flyover to the elevated roadway.I am satisfied that the diversionary traffic arrangements, which will come into force on 9th August, offer the best means of maintaining traffic flow while the flyover is closed. These arrangements have been announced to the press and to the radio and television authorities. I hope they will receive wide publicity.Chiswick Roundabout will have to carry up to 7,500 vehicles an hour at peak times and it is in motorists' own interests to choose routes, whenever practicable, which will avoid this area. Alternative routes will be clearly signposted.My engineers and the Commissioner of Police will keep a close watch on the working of the temporary arrangements. If modifications become necessary they will be introduced as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the extra strengthening required by new roads and motor- ways, including their bridges, to provide for fifty or more heavy commercial vehicles per hour; and what is the extra cost per mile.

All new roads except those designed for purely residential purposes are constructed to standards which provide for daily traffic including at least 1,500 commercial vehicles of over 30 cwt. unladen weight. In these circumstances, no question of extra cost arises.

asked the Minister of Transport what stage has now been reached in the planning for the Leeds-Sheffield spur to the M.1; and when he expects construction to commence.

The scheme fixing the motorway route was made in 1962. The remaining statutory processes and land acquisition are well under way and we hope to commence construction before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now in a position to announce his decision with regard to a pedestrian refuge on the A.650 road opposite or adjacent to the Avon-dale shop parade, Shipley.

Before I can make any decision about this refuge I need to have more information about the numbers of pedestrians crossing the road. I have asked the Shipley Urban District Council to carry out a pedestrian census.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he proposes to take to ensure that planning considerations for the relief of traffic through Shipley are not so protracted as to bring traffic congestion at Fox Corner to a virtual standstill.

As I told my hon. Friend when I wrote to him on 14th July, alternative schemes are being investigated by the Divisional Road Engineer in consultation with the local authorities concerned. This is an important matter and we must be as sure as we can that we get the right solution These investigations are thus bound to take a little time, but conclusions will be reached as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport how many accidents have taken place on the Crickley Hill section of A.417 in the last five years.

On the two miles of Crickley Hill from Twelve Bells, Little Witcombe, 78 accidents were reported during five years ended 30th June, 1964. Two of these were fatal accidents, and 27 involved personal injuries.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of the reconstruction of the Crickley Hill section of A.417 as a three-lane carriageway.

Two hundred and five thousand pounds.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of the reconstruction of the Crickley Hill section of A.417 as a duel carriageway.

No estimate has been made since such a scheme is considered to be impracticable. It is intended to widen the existing road to provide two lanes uphill and one downhill.