asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Her Majesty's Government has yet reached a decision on the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

Yes. The Government have decided to ratify this Convention and, steps are being taken to convey this decision to the depository power.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give the latest forecast of the number of people who will pass through the civil airport at Aldergrove in County Antrim during the years 1968, 1969 and 1970, respectively.

About 1,050,000; 1,150,000; and 1,250,000

asked the Minister of Aviation why he refused to allow representatives of the Noise Abatement Society to attend the sonic boom tests recently carried out by his Department.

When I was approached by the Society I had to inform them that we could not accommodate any more visitors at Upwood itself, but I told them how they could hear the bangs and I am glad to see they listened from the adjoining village of Ramsey.

asked the Minister of Aviation what progress has been made with the domestic departure embarkation facilities at London Airport; and if he will make a statement.

Extensions to the lounges and catering facilities have recently been completed and the new pier, which will enable passengers to walk to nearby aircraft stands, should be in use by mid-June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the shortage of teachers, he will arrange for a trial period as a teacher in a State school to be given to a Wembley resident, whose name has been given to him, whose Indian university and teacher-training qualifications do not quite fulfil his Department's requirements, in view of the fact that her personality, knowledge, command of the English language and perseverance are such that she would be a competent and valuable teacher.

This lady's qualifications do not entitle her to the status of qualified teacher, though she can seek employment in an unqualified capacity. But I must leave to the employing local education authorities the responsibility for all individual appointments to their schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when his Department will return the Trust Deeds of the North Waltham British Legion Hall, sent to them on 18th February, 1965, in response to his Department's letter, reference 1 Hampshire, 2 Miscellaneous, AW414, A222, dated 26th January, 1965; and when he will reply to the letter of 3rd December, 1964, sent to him on behalf of the North Waltham British Legion by Lieutenant-Colonel J. Mervyn Cox.

The Trust Deeds of the North Waltham British Legion Hall have now been returned to Lieutenant-Colonel Cox with a letter advising him that I am willing to consider an application for grant towards the cost of improvements to the hall.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement about the preparations being made for governmental negotiations with the United Arab Republic on the future of British property re-sequestrated or nationalised between June, 1961, and December, 1964.

My hon. Friend informed the House on 30th March that owners of British property which has been sequestrated or nationalised by the United Arab Republic authorities since 1st March, 1959, would shortly be asked for detailed information about it. Special forms for this purpose will be sent in the very near future to all owners of whose whereabouts the Foreign Office has recent knowledge.Arrangements have also been made to insert a notice in a number of newspapers and journals inviting all owners to communicate with the Foreign Office as soon as possible. A similar notice is to be placed in all Consulates and High Commissions abroad and in the local press in countries where a large number of owners are thought to reside. By this means we hope to reach all British subjects affected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many tankers in excess of 75,000 tons gross have been registered in Great Britain during the past three years; and how many of these ships were built in British shipyards.(2) how many of the tankers in excess of 75,000 tons gross which have been registered in Great Britain during the past three years were built abroad; and in which countries they were built.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the United Kingdom's present adverse balance of trade with Rhodesia, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Ceylon, Libya, Denmark, Chile, Kuwait, Iraq, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, and Finland; and if he will state the value of exports in 1961 and January—September 1964, at an annual rate, to each of those countries, from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, West Germany, Switzerland, and Canada, of non-electric machinery, power generating machinery, except electric, agricultural machinery and implements, metal-working machine-tools, electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, transport equipment, passenger motor-cars, except buses, other road motor vehicles, fabrics, woven, of synthetic fibres, and synthetic organic dystuffs, natural indigo and colour lakes.

Yes. Exports to Rhodesia, Zambia and Malawi separately were not recorded and the figures in the tables below relate to exports to the former Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The figures for Switzerland are for January to June, 1964, the latest available in the detail required.