asked the Minister of Labour what is the total allowance given to an unemployed man with a wife and four infant children when he attends a re-training centre away from home.

£8 15s. weekly plus the cost of lodgings which may be between £4 and £5.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish quarterly the detailed statistics of earnings and hours worked, that are now recorded only twice a year in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

This would mean a great deal of extra work. I do not think we can undertake it now. We will, however, keep the suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour what additional Government training facilities will be made available for young people wishing to serve a skilled apprenticeship.

It will be the task of the Industrial Training Boards set up under the Industrial Training Act to secure the necessary increase in traininig facilities at all levels and my right hon. Friend will shortly be consulting the Engineering and Construction Training Boards as to the contribution which the Government Training Centres can make towards this increase.

asked the Minister of Labour what increase there has been since 1951 in employment opportunities for women in Wales; and how this figure compares with the national trend.

Between mid-1951 and mid-1963 the estimated number of women in employment increased by 45,400 (21·7 per cent.) in Wales and by 891,800 (14 per cent.) in Great Britain as a whole. The figures for mid-1964 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the average earnings in Wales, if steel earnings are excluded; and how these earnings compare with similar earnings in England.

Average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in all industries, excluding steel, covered by the Ministry's inquiries in April, 1964—the latest date for which figures are available—were 339s. 7d. in Wales and 355s. 8d. in England.

asked the Minister of Labour by what percentage the number of jobs has increased in Wales since 1951; and how this percentage compares with the national increase.

Between mid-1951 and mid-1963 the estimated number of employees in employment increased by 5·3 per cent. in Wales compared with 9·6 per cent. in Great Britain as a whole. The figures for mid-1964 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking towards progress in disarmament.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth, West (Brigadier Clarke) on 19th November. My noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs with special responsibilities for disarmament matters has recently visited the United States to make his first contact with the Director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and to join in talks with representatives of the United States, Italian and Canadian Governments.My noble Friend hopes shortly to give a full statement in another place on the progress that we hope to make towards disarmament and arms control.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking, in concert with other Governments, to assist in protecting the lives of British and other non-Congolese nationals in the Congo and, through the United Nations, in bringing peace to the Congo.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the part played by Her Majesty's Government in the recent rescue operation of British citizens and other foreign nationals in the Congo.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement about the plight of British nationals and Commonwealth citizens in rebel-held parts of the Congo.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if he will invite Mr. Kenyatta and other African leaders to use their good offices in an endeavour to secure the safety of British subjects and other Europeans, at present in danger in the Congo, by means of an exchange of prisoners.

With regard to the recent rescue operation in the Congo, I have nothing to add to the information given to the House on 30th November by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.Apart from those British subjects rescued, there remain approximately 40 scattered in outlying areas. It is not practicable to arrange an exchange of prisoners. There appear at this stage to he no rebel leaders with whom it would be possible to negotiate, but the Congolese Army, in a further advance from Stanleyville, have already freed 400 further non-Congolese civilians.A Royal Air Force Beverley is still standing by at short notice in order to evacuate or to fly relief to any British subjects. It will be used in consultation with, and on the advice of, Her Majesty's Ambassador.Her Majesty's Government are discussing urgently with other concerned Governments what can be done to save further lives in the Congo, whether European, Asian or Congolese.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the services rendered by Belgian soldiers in rescuing British nationals whose lives were in peril in the Congo, he will invite to this country a representative detachment of the troops engaged so that they may be publicly thanked.

While I sympathise with the hon. Member's sentiments, I do not think his suggestion would be practicable. I would like, however, to re-affirm what I told the House on 25th November: that Her Majesty's Government are immensely grateful to these Belgian soldiers and to all other who assisted in this courageous rescue of British subjects in rebel-held areas of the Congo.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what was the nature of the communication he has received from the Sudanese Government about overflying rights; and what has been his reply.

The Government of the Sudan informed Her Majesty's Government, in a Note dated 24th November, that in future no blanket diplomatic clearance would be granted to foreign military aircraft and that specific requests would have to be submitted to overfly or stage. No formal reply was required, but Her Majesty's Ambassador is in touch with the Government of the Sudan on the subject.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if he will instruct the United Kingdom delegate at the United Nations to raise the necessity for the establishment of a system of international law, to be enforced by a United Nations police force, which will be enforceable on individuals;(2) to what extent it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to reach the objective of world government through the United Nations; and what steps are being taken by the Government in the United Nations towards this end.

Her Majesty's Government are in sympathy with the aims of the World Association of World Federalists and the Parliamentary Group for World Government, in which my hon. and learned Friend holds distinguished positions. We believe that the establishment of a world government must be the ultimate aim. I am afraid, however, that the time is not yet ripe for us to propose a system of international law which would be enforceable upon private individuals by a United Nations police force. We must first work to strengthen the United Nations and thus to develop the means which are currently at our disposal to deal with present dangers.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the Oder-Neisse line as the permanent frontier between Poland and Germany.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government is that the final determination of the frontier between Germany and Poland cannot be formalised until there is a peace settlement.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the settlement of the problem of German unification; and what action it is proposed to take to this end.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. John Hynd) on 9th November.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs which member States of the United Nations are over two years in arrears with their financial contributions to the Organisation.

As far as I am aware, the countries at present over two years in arrears are the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Roumania and the Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic.

asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he is taking to deter the Government of the Republic of Indonesia from further acts of aggression against British forces and interests in South-East Asia.

The acts of aggression to which the hon. Member refers are directed against the territory of Malaysia. British forces are stationed in Malaysia, at the request of the Malaysian Government and in accordance with the terms of the Anglo-Malaysian Defence Agreement. These forces continue to give to the Malaysian security forces all the assistance necessary to ensure that Indonesian incursions are effectively repulsed.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the annual cost, over the next three years, of extending the payment of retirement pensions to old people who were not allowed, under the 1948 Act, to qualify for such pensions; and whether she will include a provision for this in the forthcoming legislation.

Over a three-year period from next April, it would cost about £130 million to pay retirement pensions to those who were too old to become insured when the present National Insurance Scheme was introduced in 1948; and there might be a consequent saving of the order of £50 million on payments from the National Assistance Board. These figures are based on the new pension rates and national assistance scales now before Parliament. The answer to the last part of the Question is: No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will amend the basis on which increments are paid to retirement pensioners so that any contribution exceeding a figure divisible by 12 either entitles the pensioner to a further increment or is refunded.

No. I do not think it would be justifiable under the present arrangements either to provide extra benefit in this way at the expense of other contributors or to refund contributions which are properly payable.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in the area covered by the Bournemouth National Assistance Board were in receipt of National Assistance at the latest available date; and how many of them were retirement pensioners, widows, sick and unemployed, respectively.

On 22nd September, 1964, 6,143 including 3,591 retirement pensioners, 222 with widow's benefit, 833 sick, and 231 unemployed.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will introduce legislation to provide pension eligibility for non-contributory widows.

As I have already made clear, the Government will be examining the conditions for widows' benefits as part of the major review of the social security schemes.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the interests of improving child nutrition, he will reduce in the near future the charges for welfare foods which were increased by the late Government.

I am advised that there is no cause for concern about the nutrition of children generally but I propose to keep all aspects of child nutrition, including the welfare foods scheme, under review.

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated cost of the imposition of the 15 per cent. surcharge on imports on imported medical equipment, medical aids and pharmaceutical products required and ordered for the National Health Service.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has sent to the Trades Union Congress to their demand for a public inquiry into the drug and pharmaceutical industry.

None so far; I am considering the matter.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the value of the work done by the Pony Riding for the Disabled Trust to make riding available therapeutically to disabled children; and if he will make Government support available to help this organisation in its health work.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the work of this organisation, but he regrets that he cannot offer financial support to it.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now completed his consideration of the need to increase the allowances given to drivers of invalid vehicles provided by his Department, to compensate for the additional duty on petrol; and if he will make a statement.

War pensioners and National Health Service patients with invalid tricycles will be given an allowance of £5 a year in respect of petrol duty in place of the present allowances. This will take effect from 1st December last. The car maintenance allowances paid to war pensioners present a more complex problem and I am still considering the matter.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of hospitals allow visits to sick children by their parents at any reasonable hour of the day; and what is the proportion in the South-West Metropolitan Hospital Region in particular.

Up to date information from all regions is still coming in; about a half for this particular region on the latest returns and assessed in the light of the recent advice given.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will set up a special technological organisation within his Department to ensure that, in connection with the new hospital building programme, the most up-to-date and scientific building techniques are applied with regard to the structure and detailed equipment of the hospitals.

My hon. Friend's objective, with which I agree, is already being met by means of integrated teams of professional and administrative staff operating in the Ministry and in hospital boards. The teams responsible for individual projects are closely linked with those responsible for research, guidance and evaluation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement regarding the siting and the starting date for the construction of the new hospital in Salford.

A site on the north west boundary of the county borough is contemplated but I cannot yet give a starting date for the building.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the importance of the Holbeach Hospital to the local community, he will now give an assurance that it will continue to provide the services now available.

The future of this hospital will be considered when the new hospital at Boston now being planned has reached a more advanced stage.

asked the Minister of Health how many time-expired senior registrars are now employed in the National Health Service; and if the fact that they may now be appointed to the new grade of medical assistant without competition will mean that this will now take place automatically.

The latest available figures are for 30th September, 1963, when there were 116 senior registrars with five years or more service in the grade. For some automatic regrading as medical assistant would not be the appropriate course.

asked the Minister of Health what is the establishment of midwives at Crumpsall Hospital, Manchester; and how many midwives are employed there.

The number of midwives—including pupils—in post is 64 of whom 5 are part-time. The hospital management committee aims to recruit a total of 98.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the concern caused to residents in the Manchester area by the closure of part of St. Mary's Hospital due to shortage of midwives; and whether he will take steps to remedy this shortage.

No part of St. Mary's Hospital is at present closed but the board of governors has had to restrict bookings to ensure that excessive pressure on the staff does not lead to the care of patients falling below an acceptable standard. The remedy is to provide more maternity beds to serve the Manchester area and it is expected that a new maternity unit of 80 beds at Wythenshawe will be opened about the middle of next year.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will review the situation whereby qualified nurses who voluntarily undertake midwifery training suffer a cut in their salary during such training.

Remuneration is a matter in the first instance for the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. Under an agreement of the Council hospital authorities may second qualified nurses who are willing to train and subsequently to work as midwives, and in these circumstances their remuneration is not reduced.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of private fee-paying patients awaiting gynaecological operations and other surgical operations, respectively, at the Oldham hospitals, at the latest convenient date.

Thirteen and fifteen respectively on 1st December, 1964.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider making alternative provision in neighbouring hospitals for Oldham patients awaiting urgent gynaecological operations and other surgical operations, respectively.

The regional board is considering the suggestion but I understand that the facilities at neighbouring hospitals in the region are being used to full capacity. All emergency cases are dealt with immediately.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many nurses in the National Health Service are employed through agencies;(2) if he will show in table form the salaries paid to nurses employed through agencies in the National Health Service;(3) if he will state the conditions of employment in respect of nurses employed in the National Health Service from agencies, in regard to annual leave, sickness payments, and superannuation.

At 30th September, 1964, hospitals were authorised to employ up to a total of 731 agency nurses—and 226 midwives. Hospitals employing these nurses pay fees to the agency not to the nurse. Available information suggests that fees average about £15 per week per nurse and charges may be paid in addition when the nurse is not resident in the hospital and for laundry and travelling. I understand that no fee is payable by a hospital for any period when an agency nurse is absent on holiday or is sick. Superannuation is not my responsibility.

asked the Minister of Health when alternative hospital accommodation will be provided to that at present in use at the Howdale Old People's Home, Downham Market.

As part of the scheme for the West Norfolk and King's Lynn General Hospital; I am unable to say when this scheme will be able to start.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of bringing the retired pay and pensions of former naval, military and air personnel retired under earlier scales up to the scales applicable if their retirement were taking place now.

The cost for the Armed Forces in a full year would be about £25 million out of a total cost for all public service pensioners of over £100 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the free travel arrangements for members of Her Majesty's forces, in order to make sure that free travel is still available for those parts of the journey between a man's unit and his home. where railway closures have taken place.

Service regulations already provide for free rail travel between the stations nearest to a Service man's unit and to the leave destination. Free travel to and from these stations is also granted where the distance, in either case, is five miles or more.I do not consider, therefore, that a general review of free travel arrangements for members of Her Majesty's Forces is called for, but I would be willing to consider on its merits the exceptional case in which railway closures give rise to undue hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the use by the Royal Navy of the port of Londonderry and the Anti-Submarine Training School there.

There are no plans for such an increase.No decision has yet been reached following the review of anti-submarine training arrangements, about which the hon. Member was informed last July.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's intention in regard to the future of the TSR2.

I shall be making a full statement when the Government's review of defence policy has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much will have to be added to the Navy Estimates to pay the employers' contribution of National Insurance and the additional duty on hydrocarbon oils.

The approximate amounts for a full year are £1,660,000 and £75,000 respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will hold discussions with the Minister of Labour on questions of location of new industries and especially on the needs of those areas which are suffering from a a continued diminution of population.

In considering the location of new industries, the Board of Trade keeps in close touch with the Ministry of Labour and other interested Departments. We must however give priority to the needs of the development districts and Northern Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect on employment in the North-East development area of Scotland of recent Government measures.

It would not be practicable to seek to identify any such effect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports over the latest available 12-month period from India; and what proportion of these he estimates would be subject to the 15 per cent. surcharge.

£137·2 million for the period November, 1963, to October, 1964; and 25 per cent. The proportion is based on the exemptions published in Schedule 1 of the Finance Bill as originally published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports over the latest available 12-month period from Pakistan; and what proportion of these he estimates would be subject to the 15 per cent. surcharge.

£28·1 million for the period November, 1963, to October, 1964; and 23 per cent. The proportion is based on the exemptions in Schedule 1 of the Finance Bill as originally published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports over the latest available 12-month period from Malaysia; and what proportion of these he estimates would be subject to the 15 per cent. surcharge.

£50·8 million for the period November, 1963, to October, 1964; and 9 per cent. The proportion is based on the list of exemptions in Schedule 1 of the Finance Bill as originally published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports over the latest available 12-month period from Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean area; and what proportion of these he estimates would be subject to the 15 per cent. surcharge.

£105·9 million for the period November, 1963, to October, 1964; and 8 per cent. The proportion is based on the exemptions in Schedule 1 of the Finance Bill as originally published

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports over the latest available 12-month period from Commonwealth countries in Africa; and what proportion of these imports he estimates would be subject to the 15 per cent. surcharge.

£286·9 million in the period November, 1963, to October, 1964; and 3 per cent. The proportion is based on the exemptions in Schedule 1 of the Finance Bill as originally published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many gambling machines have been imported into the United Kingdom in the last three years; from which countries they have come; and what has been their total value.

I regret that separate figures for gambline machines are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of bringing the pensions of civil servants of the Crown retired under earlier scales up to the scales applicable if their retirement were taking place now.

About £25 million a year. The cost for the public services as a whole would be over £100 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the basis of the estimate of overseas military expenditure in 1963·64 given in the balance of payments statistics published in Economic Trends for September, 1964, and issued by the Central Statistical Office which gives a figure of £264 million which, including other grants of £31 million, produces a total of £295 million.

The figures are those of actual overseas military expenditure and other grants, obtained from quarterly returns submitted to the Treasury by the Departments concerned. The figures for the latest quarters are provisional.In the main, overseas military expenditure consists of local purchases of supplies and services—including expenditure on overseas works—contributions to common defence projects, e.g., N.A.T.O. infrastructure programmes, personal expenditure in overseas currencies by Service personnel, and payments to locally engaged staff.Other grants, which are mainly of a military nature, consist of cash grants and goods and services provided to overseas Governments by the United Kingdom Government without charge.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will, under the Town and Country Planning Acts, call on the local authority concerned to exercise its revocation powers in regard to the routing of the 400 kilowatt power line in West Sussex.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish a leaflet in simple terms advising the public of their rights under the Protection from Eviction Bill, and make these available at Post Offices, Citizens' Advice Bureaux and town halls.

The plans which I am preparing for giving publicity to the Protection from Eviction Bill, on the assumption that Parliament passes it into law, will include the production of a simple leaflet.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will consult the Scottish Trades Union Congress before publishing an incomes policy, in view of the fact that the Scottish national average wage is lower than in England; and whether he will make a statement.

Our present discussions on prices and incomes are concerned with principles of general application. The working out of the Government's economic plans as a whole will, as has already been announced, include consideration of the special problems of various parts of the United Kingdom, and I should certainly expect that when that stage is reached the Scottish Trade Union Congress would have valuable advice to offer us.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants are available to farmers for the installation of electricity to farms.

Grants towards the cost of providing electricity on farms are available under the Farm Improvement Scheme and, to farmers with approved comprehensive improvement schemes, under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts.Grant is available under the Farm Improvement Scheme towards the cost of providing an electricity supply for agricultural purposes. Subject to satisfactory compliance with the statutory tests of the Agriculture Act, 1957, grants may be paid of one-third of the approved capital cost to the farmer of connecting to the mains supply, and wiring farm buildings. In certain circumstances, for instance, where no mains supply is available and none is likely in the foreseeable future or where the cost of connecting to a mains supply is too high to meet the economic tests of the Scheme, grant may be paid towards the cost of an electricity generator.The closing date for new applications for improvement schemes under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts was 5th November, 1963; but where approved schemes include the provision of an electricity supply, for domestic or agricultural purposes, the grant payable is one-half of the approved capital cost to the farmer.At 30th September, 1964, a total of £2·08 million had been paid in grant in England and Wales on electricity works under the Farm Improvement Scheme and the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has had with the Secondary Schools Examination Council about the adoption of arrangements by which the General Certificate of Education examinations may be completed by the end of June in 1965 and subsequent years; and whether he will make a statement.

I am at present considering what further action should be taken, but am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the implementation of Her Majesty's Government's policy for new universities, he will give consideration to the claims of Carlisle.

This whole matter is under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, as representing the Minister of Technology, if he will make a statement indicating which Department will be responsible for the research associations.

As announced in the Prime Minister's Written Answer of 26th November the Minister of Technology will take over the elements of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research headquarters which have been concerned with research and technical development in industry. This will include the present D.S.I.R. responsibilities in respect of Research Associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a survey into the opinions of chief constables in all police forces as to whether capital punishment for murder by gunshot and murder in the course of theft should be retained; and if he will publish the results.

No; but I shall of course consider any views which chief constable or others may care to express.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now grant naturalisation to Mr. N. Zoledziewski, alias Mr. N. Bush, of Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

If Mr. Zoledziewski makes another application for naturalisation it will be fully considered, but as several years have passed since his previous application, fresh inquiries will be necessary before my right hon. Friend can reach a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the Recorder of Derby on the Challenor Inquiry; and whether the report will be published.

The Inquiry did not end until 26th November, after 38 sittings, and it is too early to say when Mr. James will complete his report. The Inquiry was held in public and it is my intention, subject to any recommendation Mr. James may make, that the report should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in each year from 1958 to 1964 were executed for capital murder; for the same period, how many people were convicted each year of capital murder committed in the course of theft, and capital murder committed by gun shot, respectively; and how many were executed.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide that anyone found in unlawful possession of a firearm will receive a sentence of not less than five years' imprisonment, irrespective of the sentence for any offence he may have committed; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am not convinced that in present circumstances there are sufficient grounds for taking the exceptional step of fixing a minimum penalty for this offence.

asked the Minister without Portfolio when he expects to be able to give his decision on the request of Brighton Corporation for the compulsory registration of title for that area.

My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor hopes that it will be possible to apply the compulsory registration system to Brighton towards the end of next year. He will make his decision known as soon as he can judge how soon it will be practicable for Her Majesty's Land Registry to undertake the additional work involved.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will publish a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT listing the independent Commonwealth countries and British dependencies in receipt of aid from the British Government, the amount of aid disbursed to each of them in 1963–64, and the amount per head of the population of each country represented by these amounts.

The following table shows the estimated amounts of bilateral economic aid disbursed by the British Government to independent and dependent Commonwealth countries during the financial year 1963£64, and the figure per head of the population of each country represented by these amounts.The table covers 85 per cent. of all grants and 95 per cent. of all loans made for the benefit of these countries. The remaining 15 per cent. of grants and 5 per cent. of loans were for services covering a number of countries collectively and cannot therefore be attributed to individual countries.The figures for loans are shown gross of capital repayments, though these are not at present large. The figures for grants take account of certain refunds. The only significant effect is on the figure of grants to Nigeria which amounted to £842,000, the figure being reduced by recoveries of expenditure during 1963–64 in respect of certain expatriate officers, and of grants made earlier under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts. These together amounted to £554,000.The figures shown do not of course give any weighting to such factors as the financial and economic circumstances of the recipient country, the nature of the aid and its role in the economy, and the rate of disbursement in relation to commitments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what technical and economic aid is now being given to the Congo.

The House was informed on 29th November, 1963, that Her Majesty's Government made a grant to the Congolese Government in 1963 of the sterling equivalent of 2 million U.S. dollars for the provision of British goods and services; this is still being spent. In addition, during 1964 Her Majesty's Government have contributed a sum of $500,000 towards the United Nations Congo Fund for civil and technical assistance. The House was informed of this on 19th March, 1964.We are prepared to consider requests from the Congolese Government for bilateral technical assistance but there are no such schemes at present being undertaken.

asked the Postmaster-General when he intends to erect a telephone kiosk at Mullaghadrolly, near Dungannon.

I have no plans for erecting a telephone kiosk at Mullaghadrolly. The kiosks at Dungannon and Granville are less than a mile away, and one at Mullaghadrolly could only be justified if there were substantial further development in the area.

asked the Postmaster-General what request he has received from the National Guild of Telephonists to recognise their rights of representation for female telephonists; and what reply he has sent.

I have received no such request.

asked the Postmaster-General why the areas taken into Omagh urban area by the boundary extension over a year ago have only one postal delivery per day, while there are two deliveries per day elsewhere in the Omagh urban area.

At present there is insufficient mail available to justify the cost of providing a second delivery in the area in question; but the position will be kept under review in the light of building development.

asked the Prime Minister what Ministers have any responsibility for security.

There has been no change in the existing arrangements. All Ministers are responsible for security matters within their own Departments. The Home Secretary has a general responsibility for security and the Prime Minister retains an overriding responsibility for the security of the State.

asked the Prime Minister what changes there are in respect of the Parliamentary duties and responsibility of the present Law Officers of the Crown compared with those of their predecessors.

There have been no changes in respect of the Parliamentary duties and responsibility of the Law Officers of the Crown as such. My hon. Friend the Minister without Portfolio will, however, answer Questions relating to certain matters falling within the departmental responsibility of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor about which it was previously the practice for the Attorney General to answer in this House. These matters include legal aid, land registration, the Public Trustee, the Public Records Office and the Lands Tribunal.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) what is the estimated cost of the new Government building at Ferndale, Rhondda; and what Government Departments it will accommodate when completed;(2) when the new Government building in course of construction at Ferndale, Rhondda, will be ready for occupation by the Departments concerned;(3) how many complaints he has received from people or organisations of diminution of light caused by the new Government building now in course of erection at Ferndale, Rhondda; and what replies he has given.

The estimated cost of the new Government building at Ferndale, Rhondda, is £41,500. It should be ready for occupation in August, 1965, and will accommodate local offices of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, Ministry of Labour and National Assistance Board.There have been two complaints from neighbouring property owners about diminution of light. One has been settled by providing improved window lighting for the complainant's premises; the other case has not yet been settled but compensation will be offered shortly.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he has now considered the recommendations of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee to the effect that the legislation regulating building should be amended and extended; and if he intends to introduce legislation for that purpose.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9th November to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the disquiet which exists in Upper Banffshire as a result of cattle and sheep stealing in the area; and what action he proposes to take to stop such stealing.

My inquiries show that three cases involving the loss of small numbers of sheep have been reported to the police in this area recently, but it is not certain whether these sheep were stolen or had strayed. All losses should be reported, and the police will do everything they can to detect, and prevent, offences.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to start work on the construction of a dual carriageway on the North Circular Road between Western Avenue and the Chiswick roundabout; and when he expects it to be completed.

The trunk road programme is already announced for the next five years. Thereafter there are so many urgent schemes needing to be done that I cannot say when this particular one might be included.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the experimental box junction regulations suggested by the hon. Member for Ealing, South, in July, 1958, will be extended to all major road junctions.

The experiment is being extended in January to a further 16 junctions in central London, making 23 in all. I shall need to study the results of the extended experiment, covering a wider variety of conditions than the original experiment, before determining the answer to this question.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the pedestrian crossings experiment in Uxbridge Road, West Ealing and elsewhere will be extended to other urban areas.

A decision about the future of this experiment will be announced when we have completed studies now in hand of the results of 12 months' working.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will be able to announce the line of the M.4 motorway to run south of Reading.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will publish the draft proposals for the M.4.

I have nothing to add at present to my reply to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 11th November.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make an immediate grant in order to allow the Reading Borough Council to complete the improvements to the Whitley Wood Road.

My divisional road engineer is in consultation with Reading Borough Council about the provision of grant for the continuation of this road improvement.

asked the Minister of Transport on how many occasions between 20th June and 20th November passengers on British Railways, and in each region of British Railways, respectively, were delayed as a result of points failures, derailments of goods wagons and other mechanical defaults.

The British Railways Board tells me that the information asked for is not readily available. To obtain it would entail a disproportionate amount of work.