asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British police officers have resigned from the Bermuda Police Force since the conviction of Police Constable Allan Childs.

Six have resigned before completion of their contract.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will pay the expenses of Police Constable Childs to appear at his appeal in Bermuda.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress he has made in helping the Colony of Dominica to replace school books and medical and other equipment destroyed in the recent extensive fire in Government buildings in this territory; and what special funds he is making available for this emergency aid.

Her Majesty's Government have approved a special grant of B.W.I. $100,000 (£20,834) towards the cost of short-term rehabilitation of government departments affected by the fire. It is estimated that this will leave a balance of about $71,000 (£14,791) to be met from the territory's budget this year.Provision for the replacement of school text books and medical and other equipment lost in the fire was included in the territory's estimates for short-term rehabilitation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on his recent discus- sions with the French Government about the Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides.

The New Hebrides is jointly administered by Britain and France under a Protocol of 1914. Although relations between the British and French administrators in the territory are very friendly, it has become increasingly clear that, if the progress of the territory is not to be impeded, several aspects of the arrangements for its internal administration need revision and bringing up to date. On 2nd July I went to Paris to discuss with M. Louis Jacquinot, the Minister responsible for New Hebrides affairs, how our two Governments could best tackle these problems.The talks took place in a friendly and co-operative spirit and we have drawn up a list of specific subjects for further detailed joint examination, both locally and at the metropolitan level. They include such important subjects as labour legislation, land tenure, and the co-ordination of French and British development plans in the Condominium. It was also agreed that regular meetings at official level should be held.I hope that these studies will result in practical measures of reform which will further the progress of the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make easy road access to Gibraltar for Spanish citizens contingent upon similar rights being available for British citizens leaving by road to enter Spain.

The only Spanish citizens now entering Gibraltar are daily workers and vendors of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. Since 1954 the Spanish Government has forbidden Spanish citizens to visit Gibraltar without special permission, though until March, 1965 certain vehicles carrying goods other than those mentioned above were licensed by the Spanish Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now invite the Chief Minister of Gibraltar to come to London for talks on the colony's increasing difficulties vis-à-vis Spanish frontier restrictions.

As I indicated to the hon. Member for Goole (Mr. George Jeger) on 8th July, I shall be seeing the Chief Minister of Gibraltar next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the constitutional future of the British Virgin Islands.

I recently appointed Mrs. Mary Proudfoot, Fellow of Somerville, College, Oxford, to examine the present constitution and make recommendations. Mrs. Proudfoot has submitted her report which will shortly be published; but it will be necessary to study her recommendations and to consult with the Administrator and local opinion before I can make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is his policy for the future of Fanning, Washington and Christmas Islands.

I consider that these Islands should continue to be administered as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, to which, in spite of their remoteness, they represent a potentially important long term economic asset.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will undertake to safeguard the rights and interests of the indigenous Fijian race in whatever constitution is proposed at the forthcoming conference.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member in answer to his Question on 8th July, the object of the Conference will be to work out a constitutional framework which will preserve a coninuing link with Britain and within which further progress can be made in the direction of internal self-government. It would certainly be my intention that any such framework should safeguard the rights and interests of both the Fijians and also of all the other races in Fiji.I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of a despatch concerning the Conference which I have addressed to the Governor of Fiji and which is being published in Fiji today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions about banana production with representatives of the Leeward and Windward Island Governments.

These discussions were concerned with the possibility of providing Colonial Development and Welfare support for the Price Adjustment Funds operated in each of the Windwards Islands in respect of exports of bananas to this country. A previous scheme for such support expired at the end of last April. Growers make payments to these funds when banana prices in the U.K. are high and receive payments when prices fall below a certain level. It was not possible to reach agreement on the scale of C.D. and W. assistance which would be made available. Her Majesty's Government's offer of assistance is still open.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by whose authority special punishment is to be imposed in Aden State prisons on prisoners refusing food or medical attention or making noises; and whether he will countermand these instructions.

Special punishment is not imposed in Aden State Prisons for the offences named. They are all categorised as minor offences when committed by convicted prisoners and the punishments are laid down in the Aden Prison Rules, 1962.The Aden Emergency (Places of Detention) Order, 1965, lays down similar punishments for a restricted list of offences by detainees (far fewer in number than those punishable under the Prison Rules). These, however, include the offences mentioned. These regulations are considered necessary for minimum standards of discipline.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to speed up the granting of political independence to the population of Aden.

I regard the appointment of the Constitutional Commission for South Arabia as the surest way of bringing Aden and the rest of the area to early independence. It is essential for the leaders and peoples of the territory itself now to face up to the numerous and difficult practical questions posed by the quest for unity in South Arabia. The Commission will therefore need the fullest co-operation from all concerned with the future of the area in framing a constitution which satisfies the peoples' wishes, reconciles divergent interests, and so lays the foundations for a stable democratic state.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to receive the report of the commission appointed to investigate racial imbalance in British Guiana.

I expect that the report will be available early in October.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will now refer the recent wage award to plumbers working in Scotland to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No, although my hon. Friend does not rule out the possibility of a reference in the future.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will treat agricultural workers' wages as an exception to the norm within his incomes policy.

The determination of agricultural workers' wages is a matter for the Agricultural Wages Board. I have no doubt that the Wages Board will bear in mind all the considerations which have been agreed by both sides of industry and which are set out in the White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will make a statement on the organisation of East Anglia as a separate region.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he intends to establish an East Anglian economic region.

I can assure my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Eldon Griffiths) that in considering economic planning machinery the needs of East Anglia will not be overlooked.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs which profits and which dividends of which companies or industries he has referred or intends to refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

It will be relevant for the National Board for Prices and Incomes, in considering any case which may be referred to it, to examine and report on the level of profits in the industry or service concerned, whether they are distributed or not. Moreover the recent White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy (Cmnd. 2639) states that

"Where the growth of profits or dividends is based on excessive market power this could indicate scope for price reductions and such cases would be referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for examination".

My right hon. Friend will consider whether any case of this sort which is brought to his attention should be referred to the Board.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will now make a statement on the progress of his review of the South-East Study.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he is aware of concern at the delay in announcing Her Majesty's Government's intention as regards the South-East plan; when he expects to be able to publish the results of the review of the South-East Study which was prepared by the previous Administration; and whether he will make a statement.

The review requires a complex analysis of statistical information which has only become available since the South-East Study was published. My right hon. Friend will make a statement when this work has been completed.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what special measures he proposes to initiate to implement the Report of the National Economic Development Council which drew attention to industry's need for more women in top managerial posts.

Industry alone can increase the number of women in its top managerial posts. The Government and the National Economic Development Committee have brought the Report to the attention of the Economic Development Committees, the Central Training Council and the British Institute of Management.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer the salary of £270,000 plus expenses, claimed by the chairman of the British Printing Corporation, to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for investigation.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the salaries and expense allowances payable to the directors of the British Printing Corporation, in view of the fact that the salary of the chairman was at least £270,000 per annum.

We consider that levels of remuneration of this order are quite unjustified. We do not need any special enquiry to reach this conclusion, and we are glad to see that the shareholders in the company are to have an opportunity of considering the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the value of British leather footwear exports last year was approximately £12·3 million; and what is the estimated corresponding figure for the current year.

Yes, though the figure quoted includes slippers made from any material. Exports for the first five months of this year showed an increase of 18·6 per cent. over those for the corresponding period of last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now provide grants under the Local Employment Acts for developers erecting or converting buildings in development districts for renting to small industrialists so as to stimulate ancillary industries.

The Board of Trade has no powers under the Local Employment Acts to make grants to developers in respect of buildings to be occupied by other firms; but grants can be made to the occupiers in certain circumstances if they apply at an early stage of the construction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken since 1st January last to increase the collection and repulping of waste paper in England and Wales.

The Board of Trade has discussed this problem with firms in the paper and board making industry and with other departments concerned. Following these discussions the Economic Development Committee for the Paper and Board industry has set up a working party comprising representatives of the industry, the waste paper merchants, local authorities, and Government Departments to investigate the amount of waste paper available and the best means of increasing supplies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the United States authorities' new policy of enabling American businessmen to exhibit industrial goods at Leipzig and for trade between the United States of America and the German Democratic Republic; and whether, in view of these changed circumstances, he will review Great Britain's trading position with the German Democratic Republic.

The United States Administration has, I understand, decided to permit American firms to resume exhibiting at the Leipzig Fair, thus bringing its practice into line with that of other Western Governments. It remains the policy of the Governments of all the N.A.T.O. countries to refrain from giving official or semi-official support to the Leipzig Fair.My right hon. Friend is keeping our trading position with East Germany under constant review so long as East German purchases from Britain remain substantially less than ours from them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the recently initialled agreement granting mutual preferences between the European Economic Community and Nigeria; what effect this is likely to have on British exports; and whether he will make a statement.

I am aware that agreement has been reached in principle between the Common Market Commission and the Nigerian Government. Any agreement would have to be ratified by the member Governments of E.E.C. I am unable to estimate the effects of the proposed agreement on British exports. Her Majesty's Government have made their views clear to the Nigerian Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many jobs are expected to arise from industrial development certificates approved in the standard regions during the following periods, namely, January to June, 1964, July to December, 1964, and January to June, 1965.

The additional employment estimated by firms at the time of application for an industrial development certificate is as follows:

PROJECTS FOR WHICH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES WERE ISSUED
		Estimated Additional Employment
				(thousands)
Standard Regions*		Jan. to June, 1964	July to Dec., 1964	Jan. to June, 1965(†)
Northern	…	14·0	13·5	12·7
E. & W. Ridings	…	3·3	3·3	3·2
North Midland	…	2·2	4·0	2·2
Eastern	…	5·6	4·8	3·7
London & S.E.	…	3·5	2·7	2·8
Southern	…	4·7	2·7	4·4
South Western	…	3·7	4·4	2·5
Wales	…	2·7	3·3	4·0
Midland	…	3·4	2·4	2·0
North Western	…	6·8	12·3	12·2
Scotland	…	6·5	5·9	10·9
Great Britain	…	56·4	59·4	60·6
(*) Standard Regions as at January, 1965.
(†) Provisional figures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now received the report of the inquiry into the Cadco affair; and what action he proposes to take.

I regret that I cannot add anything to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 24th June.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents concerning the future of the Patent Office; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

At a meeting on 17th June the President of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents gave his views on the future location of the Patent Office. I took these fully into account before reaching the conclusion announced in the reply I gave on 13th July to a Question by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Crewe (Mr. Scholefield Allen).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action is to be taken to establish a film training school; and if he will make a statement.

I have this matter under active consideration and hope to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has refused to restore grant-aided status to Colston's Girls' School, Bristol.

The list of Direct Grant Schools has been closed for a number of years: I have no plans for adding to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards granting the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield university status and enabling it to award its own degrees to students; what departments, facilities and activities will become part of the university; what activities on the Cranfield site will be excluded from it; and if he will make a statement.

It has been decided that this college should be brought within the ambit of a university grants system. The recommendations of the Governing Body on the future of this college were received last week and I am requesting the University Grants Committee to advise me upon them in the light of the overall pattern of higher education development. The links of the college with industry and the rate of potential increase in its student intake are relevant to the decision which I shall have to take in due course, but I am not yet ready to make a comprehensive statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards setting up a chair of Industrial Management at the Cranfield College of Aeronautics; and to what extent the Work Study School will be associated with this Chair.

This development has been approved and I understand that the College hopes to interview applicants towards the end of this month. The duties of the post will include special responsibility for the supervision and direction of the activities of the Work Study School.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students and post graduate students are at present at the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield; how many students will be there next year: how many experienced managers and supervisors with or without university degrees will attend short courses at the Work Study and other schools; and what is the duration of these courses.

In the last week of the session which has just ended there were 380 students, of whom 344 were post-graduate or post-experience students. 268 were following one or two year diploma courses; 4 were on the Guided Missile Course; 72 were at the Work Study School; and 36 undergraduates from Oxford University were attending special courses in industrial engineering and aerodynamics. It is estimated that during next academic year there will be the equivalent of 400 full-time students at the College. These will comprise 275 to 300 diploma students; the equivalent of 80 full-time students at the Work Study School (representing a total attendance of 630 in the course of the year); and the equivalent of 30 full-time students on other short courses (a total attendance of 900 to 950). It is not possible to give a precise estimate of the number of experienced managers and supervisors who will attend next year, but the majority of those following work study courses and many of those attending other short courses will be in that category. The duration of the 34 short courses at the college varies from two days to ten weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how long is the waiting list for new students for the Work Study School at Cranfield; and if it is proposed to expand the activities of the Work Study School.

This School will be offering some 14 different types of course during the 1965–66 session, and the demand for places varies from course to course. I understand that pressure is greatest at present on the ten-week course for senior work study officers, the five-week organisation and methods course, and the four-week method study course, places for which are not available until May, February and January, 1966, respectively.On the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have today given to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he is satisfied with the present rate of increase in the student intake at the Royal College of Aeronautics; and to what extent the college is being used to its maximum potential;(2) when a definitive decision will be taken on the future of the Royal College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, in the light of the recommendation of the Robbins Report;(3) whether he is satisfied that the work at Cranfield is properly co-ordinated between the needs of industry and natural technological objectives; and if he will make a statement.

It has been decided that this college should be brought within the ambit of a University grants system. The recommendations of the Governing Body on the future of this college were received last week and I am requesting the University Grants Committee to advise me upon them in the light of the overall pattern of higher education development. The links of the college with industry and the rate of potential increase in its student intake are relevant to the decision which I shall have to take in due course, but I am not yet ready to make a comprehensive statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the graduates in aeronautics at Cranfield College have gone straight to the United States of America on gaining their diploma.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which of the recommendations of the Robbins Committee in connection with Cranfield College of Aeronautics have been accepted; and what action has now been taken to implement them.

I cannot add to the Answer which I have today given to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what objections he has received against the proposed closure of the Crickhowell Secondary Modern School by the Breconshire Education Committee; what action is now contemplated; and whether, in view of the objections received, he will set up a local public inquiry to hear the objectors in person.

Objections to the proposals for the closure of the Crickhowell Secondary Modern School by the Local Education Authority have been received from the following:

• Crickhowell Rural District Council.
• Llangenny Parish Council.
• The School Managers, Llangattock Voluntary Primary School.
• Officer Commanding Welsh Brigade Depot, Cwrt-y-Gollen, Crickhowell.
• Llangattock Horticultural Society.
• Llangattock Parish Council.
• The School Managers, Llanbedr Voluntary Primary School.
• Llangynidr Parish Council.
• The School Managers, Crickhowell Voluntary Primary School.

A petition signed by 711 residents of the Crickhowell area has also been received, as well as protests from a number of individuals resident in the area.These have been referred to the local education authority and I am awaiting their comments before making a decision on the authority's proposals under Section 13(4) of the Education Act, 1944.It is not proposed to set up a local public inquiry. The statutory procedure under Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944, provides ample opportunity for interested parties to submit objections to the Department and these are taken fully into account before a decision is made under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to obtain sufficient reproductions of the portraits of great parliamentarians, which were distributed overseas through official channels to mark the 700th Anniversary of Parliament, to enable sets of these to be supplied to schools in this country.

I have already drawn the attention of local authorities and schools to display and other material, which seemed to me specially suitable for schools, prepared by the Central Office of Information to mark the 700th Anniversary of Simon de Montfort's Parliament and the 750th Anniversary of Magna Carta.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that there is dissatisfaction on the part of the people of Beckford at the proposal of the Worcestershire County Council to close the primary school there; and if he will inquire into the proposal before deciding whether to sanction the closure.

Yes. My right hon. Friend always examines proposals for the closure of schools with care, especially when, as in the present case, objections have been made to him under the statutory procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local education authorities on the information which should be given to those in senior classes on the danger of improper use of drugs.

Advice on this matter is given in Chapter 13, "Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco", in my Department's handbook, "Health Education".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the net increase of Commonwealth immigrants from Asia, Africa and the West Indies in the first five months of this year compared with the same period of last year.

In the first five months of this year the total net inward balance of immigration from Commonwealth territories other than Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those in the Mediterranean was 25,888. The corresponding figure for 1964 was 24,345.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are Her Majesty's Government's proposals with regard to future immigration of aliens and Commonwealth citizens; and whether he will make a statement of Her Majesty's Government's decisions, following the Report of Lord Mountbatten's mission.

I would refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 8th July in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in his inquiry into the security vetting methods used for staff at maximum security prisons, in view of the escape of two of the convicted train robbers from separate prisons and consequent public disquiet over the comparative ease with which they absconded.

I am satisfied that adequate arrangements exist for checking the antecedents and personal suitability of members of the staff employed at maximum security prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of the top security prisons have broken glass embedded on the tops of the outside walls; how many have overhanging or protruding barbed wire on the inside near the top; and if he will take steps to consult those who have had experience of escapes in war time.

No security prison has glass embedded in the top of the outside walls, nor are outside walls normally provided with overhanging or protruding barbed wire near the top, since either might aid the use of escape apparatus. Two of the newer prisons, in which the main security barrier is incorporated in the buildings, are surrounded by steel mesh fences with internal overhang and barbed wire at the top; these are necessary reinforcements of the security of a fence as distinct from a wall. My right hon. and learned Friend is at present considering the need for further advice on prison security.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra security precautions were ordered at Wandsworth Prison, following rumours and reports that a jail break might take place there, and which, in fact, did occur on 8th July.

All rumours and reports that a jail break might take place at Wandsworth or other prisons were fully and immediately investigated and such precautions as seemed appropriate were taken; it would not be in the public interest to disclose details. Throughout there has been close and immediate co-operation between the police and officers of the prison service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the recent increase of violent attacks on bank officials and other workers lawfully in control of money, and of the great increase in these crimes, if he will now introduce emergency legislation to allow guards to be armed, with orders to shoot to kill, in order to protect the lives of money carriers; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of public concern about robbers who attack their victims with iron bars with the risk of permanent damage to the injured person; and if he will introduce legislation to make compulsory a minimum sentence of ten years in such cases.

My right hon. and learned Friend is very much aware of the public concern about robberies, but in his view it would not be appropriate to interfere with the discretion of the courts to decide in the circumstances of each case what penalty to impose. The maximum sentence for this offence is life imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to minimise the use of sodium chlorate as an explosive compound without impairing its use as a weedkiller.

No practicable way has yet been found of adding a depressant to sodium chlorate which would prevent its being used as an explosive compound without impairing its effectiveness as a weedkiller. The trade generally, however, have been encouraged to adopt safeguards such as the use of warning labels and to exercise care over sales of the substance to young people. Selective publicity is also addressed from time to to time to science teachers in schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what modification is permitted to be made by the police in advising parents of a magistrates' court hearing of a charge of assault and bodily harm in respect of their juvenile and on which the defendant proposes to plead guilty.

I understand that this Question arises out of an individual case, of which my hon. Friend has sent me details. I am making inquiries into this and will write to him about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that coloured pencils imported from Germany and being sold in the Slough area under the trade name EMU contain 3–75 per cent. of lead in their paint, and that this is more than three times the permitted maximum laid down by the British Standards Institute and constitutes a grave danger to children; and, in view of the inability of local medical officers to ensure the elimination of this danger by local action, whether he will take steps to ban the import of pencils and toys whose paintwork contains more lead than that stipulated by the British Standards Institute.

I am aware, from reports received from a number of Medical Officers of Health, of the hazard to children which may be presented by these and other imported coloured pencils. For the action already taken in this matter, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 2nd April in replying to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Ioan L. Evans). I am considering the possibility of taking further action by means of regulations under the Consumer Protection Act. So far as children's toys are concerned, a restriction on the lead content of the paint used will be included in regulations dealing with other safety aspects of toys which are now being prepared under the Consumer Protection Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the practice of certain firms of delivering through letter boxes plastic bags, often containing a toy, which endangers the lives of young children who cannot read the printed warning; and if he will now take steps to make this practice illegal.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 8th July in reply to similar Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Faversham (Mr. Boston) and for Watford (Mr. Raphael Tuck).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the defect in electric wiring which most often causes an outbreak of fire; what research is being carried on into methods of overcoming this defect; and what steps are taken to warn the public of the danger of this source of fire.

An investigation carried out by the Joint Fire Research Organisation in 1957–58 showed that non-mechanical damage to insulation—for example, from moisture, heat, age or chemical action—most commonly accounted for fires in electrical installations. Research into problems of electrical insulation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology. Electrical contractors, in accordance with the recommendations of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, take every opportunity of emphasising to their customers the need for periodic inspections of electrical installations; some area electricity boards undertake to inspect domestic installations for a nominal fee; and publicity on electrical hazards generally is sponsored by central Government Departments, the local authorities, and bodies such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Fire Protection Association and the Consumer Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce legislation to require that before a tattoo is placed on a young person the consent of the parents must be obtained in writing.

My right hon. and learned Friend has not sufficient evidence of harm caused by this practice to justify legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will initiate an inquiry into the question of fund raising for charity purposes, with a view to introducing legislation to remedy the present abuses.

If the hon. Member will be good enough to let me have any evidence of abuses available to him I will be glad to consider it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many salary and wage claims, which originated before the declaration of intent, are still pending; and if he will enumerate them in professional a id manual worker categories.

It is not easy to determine exactly when a pay claim starts and finishes. It may be temporarily shelved, or modified, or represented after rejection. I know of no wage claims and only two salary claims which have been continuously under negotiation since before the 16th December, 1964.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, pending his complete rate reform, he will take steps to rectify the anomaly whereby certain nationalised industries do not at the moment bear their full share of rates, especially in respect of their office buildings.

Opinions differ sharply about how the payments made by nationalised industries should be assessed. In my view it would be quite wrong to try to deal with this particular issue in isolation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that Northolt aerodome is now seldom used and that its proximity to London Airport creates a potential danger to civil aircraft using London Airport; and whether he will take steps to use this area for social purposes including housing.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to release Northolt aerodrome for social development purposes; and when this area is likely to be available for such use.

My right hon. Friend is consulting with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence about this.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the facts sent to him by the hon. Member for Leeds, South, if he will seek to give further powers to local authorities to discover the owners of derelict houses, in order that such houses can be made habitable or demolished.

Local authorities have power to make demolition or compulsory purchase orders where owners cannot be traced. In the case to which my hon. Friend has drawn attention, the house is already subject to a closing order and I understand that the Leeds Corporation has taken steps to make it secure. The Corporation does not consider that it can be made fit or that demolition at the present time is appropriate. The Council's Housing Committee will, however, decide this week whether there is any further action it can take.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of trains to London have been on time during the past month.

The punctuality of trains is the Railways Board's responsibility, not mine.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that many man hours a day are being lost of work and leisure by commuters to London from the South-East, due to the late trains; and, in view of promises of improved services which have accompanied the increases in fares, if he will give a general direction to the Railways Board to provide the service for which the public is paying.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the Answer I gave on 13th July to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock).

asked the Minister of Transport (1) in view of the assurances he gave last December that the track from Crowhurst to Bexhill West would be retained for the time being, to what extent the work now in hand has his authority;(2) if he will now instruct the Railways Board to retain one track between Crowhurst and Bexhill West.

I satisfied myself that there were no grounds for asking the Board to retain the branch line tracks any longer before I gave my approval to their disposal. I also took account of the local authorities' interest in acquiring the land.

asked the Minister of Transport why he turned down the suggestion for the inner relief road at

		Motorways in Use	Miles	Completion Date	Cost £m. (including land)
M.1	…	London-Yorkshire
		Aldenham-Crick	73	November, 1959	32·3
		Crick-Markfield	26¾	October, 1964 and January, 1965	12·5*
M.2	…	Medway Motor Road	25¼	May, July and September, 1963	16·0
M.4	…	London-South Wales
		Slough By-pass	5½	April, 1963	4·9
		Maidenhead By-pass	6	June, 1961	3·0
		Chiswick-Langley	13	November, 1964 and March, 1965	19·0
M.5	…	Bristol-Birmingham
		Lydiate Ash-Twyning	26	July, 1962	9·4
M.6	…	Birmingham-Preston-Carlisle
		Dunston-Preston	78¼	August, 1962-November, 1963	56·13
		Preston By-pass	8	December, 1958	5·2
		Preston-Lancaster	13¼	January, 1965	11·0
		Lancaster By-pass	11½	April, 1960	4·7
M.50	…	Ross Spur	21½	November, 1960	6·7
A.1 (M)	…	Doncaster By-pass	15½	July, 1961	6·5
		Stevenage By-pass	7	July, 1962	2·2
		Darlington-Barton By-pass	13	May, 1965	6·5
		(including Darlington Spur)
A.20 (M)	…	Maidstone By-pass	6¾	June and December, 1960	2·6
M.62	…	Stretford-Eccles By-pass	6	October, 1960	5·6
		(Classified motorway built by Lancashire County Council)
M.5	…	Filton By-pass	2¼	May, 1963	·74
		(Classified motorway built by Gloucestershire County Council)
			358½
* Main works only.

The proposal put to me was for the construction of a length of road intended ultimately to form part of an inner relief road. This would have little through-traffic value in itself. I have, therefore, asked my divisional road engineer to discuss with the borough and county councils alternative means of relieving congestion in the town at holiday times.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the sections of motorway, showing the mileages in each case, which are in use, under construction, for which tenders have been invited, for which schemes have been made, for which draft schemes have been published, and for which a line has not yet been published, showing the actual or estimated completion date and the actual or estimated cost wherever possible.

The following is the position as at 12th July:

asked the Prime Minister when he proposes to announce Her Majesty's Government's economic plan for the next five years, as discussed at his Chequers meeting on 30th May.

The Government hope to publish their Plan during September.

asked the Prime Minister what proposals he has made to the President of the United States of America and the Head of the Soviet Government for compromise between the Draft Treaties of Disarmament laid before the Committee of 18 in 1962 by the United States and Soviet delegations.

There has been no detailed international negotiation on an agreement for general and complete disarmament since the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee at Geneva went into recess last September. The Geneva Conference is expected to resume very shortly and I hope it will then take a fresh look at the complex problems involved in general and complete disarmament. We shall have constructive contributions to make.