asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the provision of psychiatric treatment for sexual offenders.

In addition to the special psychiatric prison at Grendon in Buckinghamshire there are psychiatric units at Wormwood Scrubs, Wakefield and Holloway prisons and at Feltham borstal to which offenders can be transferred if they are suitable and willing to receive treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of crimes with violence occurred in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1960 and 1964, respectively; how many of these activities were undertaken by organised gangs; and what study he has made of the techniques employed, with special reference to the influences which prompted the criminals in the first instance.

The numbers of indictable offences known to the police in the groups of offences classified in the Criminal Statistics as violence against the person and robbery were 7,288 in 1951, 8,103 in 1953, 8,707 in 1955, 17,773 in 1960 and 26,536 in 1964. The statistics are not compiled in such way as to show the number of offences committed by organised gangs. Studies of techniques employed by organised gangs are, in certain instances, carried out by the Home Office Police Research and Planning Branch.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the assistance given by members of the police service to persons who are the subject of obscene telephone calls; and if he will consult chief constables to establish further means of eliminating the fear and anxiety caused, especially to women subscribers to the General Post Office telephone services.

Chief officers of police take what action they can, in cooperation with the Post Office, when offences of this kind come to their notice; and if my hon. Friend will send me particulars of any cases that have come to his attention, I shall be glad to bring them to the notice of the chief officer concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to improve the sanitary arrangements at Her Majesty's Prison, Hornby Road, Walton, Liverpool.

An extensive modernisation programme is expected to be completed within a few months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of police patrol cars to other road vehicle now; and what it was in 1955.

The ratio is about 1 to 4,800. Comparable figures for 1955 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that there are adequate police forces to enforce the new speed limits on motorways and classified roads; and if he will make a statement.

The previously unrestricted roads to which the experimental 70 m.p.h. speed limit applies are regularly patrolled by the police, and the degree to which adequate enforcement is achieved will be one of the factors to be taken into account in assessing the results of the experiment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what communications he has received from chief constables on the enforcement of the new speed limits.

My Department has been in close and continuing touch with representative chief officers of police about this matter; but it is in accordance with practice that the communications should be confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Metropolitan Police are normally involved in doing duty on crowd control at football grounds in the Metropolitan area on Saturdays; and whether the numbers called for have increased in recent years.

On an average Saturday about 120 members of the Metropolitan Police are on crowd control duties inside football grounds and a further 40 on similar duties in surrounding streets. In recent years the numbers have been fairly constant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the requirements that marriages are normally only to be solemnised in a building within the registry office district in which one of the parties has resided or, in the case of marriage by banns, in a church in the parish of which one of the parties resides, causes public inconvenience; whether he is aware that there is widespread evasion of these requirements; and whether, to avoid many marriages being celebrated consequent upon deceptions relating to residence, he will introduce legislation to enable people to marry where they wish.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the residence requirements for marriage have been criticised on these grounds. The introduction of the Place of Marriage Bill by the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Sir S. Summers) may give the House an opportunity to debate the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his discussions with the National Marriage Guidance Council, the Catholic Advisory Council and the Family Discussion Bureaux concerning the grants received by them; and whether to assist these marriage-mending agencies in their work, he will now increase the amounts given to them.

My right hon. Friend has considered the plans of these organisations for the period beginning 1966–67 and he proposes to increase the grants to them so that the National Marriage Guidance Council will receive £42,000 a year, the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council £10,000 and the Family Discussion Bureau £10,625.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many restaurant licences have been converted to full licences since the coming into force of the Licensing Act, 1961.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to end the shortage of school crossing patrol officers in Greater London.

Following a recent pay increase, advertisements for school crossing patrols were inserted in local newspapers throughout the Greater London area. A poster campaign will begin shortly, and handbills will be available at local employment exchanges, offices of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and public libraries. Local police have been instructed to seek the help of parent/teacher associations and other local organisations in recruiting patrols.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the number of immigration officers.

I hope to increase the number of officers in time for this year's summer traffic. The size of the increase is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposals submitted by the Prison Officers' Association for a review of the existing arrangements for compensation for the dependants of prison officers killed in the course of their duty and for officers disabled as a result of assaults.

These proposals raise a number of difficult issues which are receiving urgent and careful consideration. A reply will be sent to the Prison Officers' Association as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of compensation available to the widows of prison officers killed in the performance of their duty, and to prison officers disabled during the performance of their duty; and what improvements and increases in benefits he intends introducing.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Evelyn King) on 17th November 1965 and to the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth, West (Brigadier Clarke) and the right hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Deedes) on 16th December 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of assault have taken place in Her Majesty's prisons in each of the eight quarters in the two years ended 31st December 1965; and how many prison officers joined and left the service, respectively, during the year ended 31st December 1965.

The latest available figures for offences involving violence against the person under the Prison Rules are those for 1964 and are published in Appendix 8 to the Report on the Work of the Prison Department for that year (Cmnd. 2708). Figures on a quarterly basis are not available.438 established men and 40 established women officers were appointed to the prison service during the year ended 31st December, 1965. 295 men and 35 women officers retired or resigned during the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the deficiency in the authorised com- plement of staff of prison officers at Her Majesty's Prison Wormwood Scrubs on 1st December, 1965.

On 1st December, 1965, there was a deficiency of two in the authorised complement of 139 basic grade discipline officers, and of seven in the authorised complement of night patrols. As a result, it has been necessary for seven discipline officers to undertake night patrol duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he estimates that prison officers' conditions of work will be improved so as to allow a 5-day, 40-hour week.

Discussions with the Prison Officers' Association about the recent experiment with a five-day, forty-hour week at five prison service establishments will take place as soon as both sides have had time to evaluate its results.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional officers he estimates will be required to allow a system of attendance to operate effectively, so that prison officers might have reasonable rest periods; and what action he proposes to take to secure the additional staff required.

A review of the authorised strength of all prison service establishments which work on a single shift basis would be required if agreement were reached on the introduction of a five-day, forty-hour week. In the meantime all existing methods of recruiting additional staff, including display advertising, will continue to be used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the matters referred to in recent correspondence with the hon. Member for Croydon, South, he will refer the case of Earl Eden Hanslow to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

My right hon. Friend has considered the correspondence carefully but he can find no sufficient grounds for intervening in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why the public or Press are not allowed to attend the hearing of appeals to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board;(2) why applicants' legal costs in appeals to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board are not met by the Board in successful cases.

The scheme under which the Board operates was designed to provide an informal and confidential procedure for dealing with compensation claims. It provides that appeal hearings shall be held in private and that the Board will not pay any costs incurred by the applicant in legal representation. In due course the working of the scheme will be reviewed but my right hon. Friend considers that the present time is too early for such a review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of offences against boys attending the Schoolboys' Exhibition this year were brought to the notice of the police; and what arrangements the police made to have extra men on duty to counter the attempts of pæderasts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received as to the number of cases of indecent assault on children at the Schoolboys' and Schoolgirls' Exhibition; how the figures compare with previous years; and what steps are being taken in this matter.

Thirty-one persons were arrested for indecent assault on young people at this Exhibition, of which six were offences against boys. C.I.D. officers were on duty at the Exhibition.The numbers of arrests in previous years were:

1960	…	…	…	nil
1961	…	…	…	4
1962	…	…	…	14
1963	…	…	…	16
1964	…	…	…	16

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conditions will be imposed upon overseas students from the Commonwealth studying in this country as a result of the White Paper on Commonwealth immigration; and whether he will make a statement.

Section 2(1,b) of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, empowers an immigration officer to admit a student subject to restrictions on the period of stay and on employment. Since last April all Commonwealth students have been admitted subject to a time limit. The White Paper contemplated legislation enabling other conditions to be imposed, if necessary, in an individual case; but it is not proposed to impose any further conditions on students as a class.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of immigrants who have indicated under paragraph 19 of Her Majesty's Government's White Paper on Immigration, Command Paper No. 2739, that they wish to bring dependants to this country, and the number of dependants they have applied for.

By 14th January last, 1,181 forms (naming 2,041 dependants) had been received from Commonwealth citizens resident in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth immigrants are estimated to have evaded immigration control during 1965; what steps he is now taking to prevent evasions; and whether he will make a statement.

No reliable estimate of the extent of evasion last year is possible. The measures for checking evasion, were described in paragraphs 11 and 19 to 25 of the White Paper "Immigration from the Commonwealth".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total figure for net inflow of Commonwealth immigrants for the years 1963, 1964, and 1965.

The net inward balance of migration of persons subject to control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, was: in 1963, 66,000; in 1964, 75,499; and in 1965, 63,819.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people detained in Borstals died from natural causes, how many from accidents, and how many as a result of taking their own lives in 1964 and the first half of 1965.

The figures for 1964 were 3, 1 and 2, and for the first half of 1965 2, none and none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the net increase during 1965 in the number of immigrants from Asia, Africa and the West Indies; how this compares with the corresponding figures for 1963 and 1964; and whether he will make a statement.

The net immigration figures from Commonwealth territories other than Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those in the Mediterranean were: 54,241 in 1963; 56,401 in 1964; and 50,502 in 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many motor cars were reported to the police as having been stolen in the last available year; and how many were known to the police not to have been subsequently recovered;(2) what advice has been given by the Metropolitan Police to the public with regard to fitting anti-thief or locking devices to prevent motor cars being stolen when parked.

13,679 motor vehicles, including motor cycles, were recorded by the police as having been stolen in 1964. 6,915 were not recovered during the year.The Metropolitan police issue large numbers of crime prevention leaflets advising motorists to fit anti-theft devices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now undertake a survey into the working of the Government of Ireland Acts, so far as it affects his own responsibilities.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the conditions in which those prisoners convicted for their part in the great train robbery are now being detained in Durham Gaol.

As the House will know, the imprisonment of the train robbers presents special security problems. This means that those at Durham prison are located in a special wing there where they can be more closely supervised and their movements are restricted to the wing and the exercise yard adjoining it. The wing itself although small compares favourably with prison conditions generally. The prisoners are not confined to their cells; they work in association for about 51 hours daily from Monday to Friday; on two evenings a week they can watch television together, or play cards or other games including table tennis; and on Saturdays and Sundays they can watch television in the afternoon and attend a chapel service on Sundays if they want to. Recently, there have been one or two minor changes with the intention of further improving the conditions under which these prisoners are confined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new criminal offences which were not criminal offences on 15th October, 1964, have between that date and the latest convenient date after 1st January, 1966, been created, specifying each such new criminal offence and the means by which it was created; and if he will give the like information as to any new criminal offences proposed in Government Bills or published draft instruments.

All new offences of national application are created by Acts of Parliament or Statutory Instruments which are readily available. In addition there are offences created by local Acts and bye-laws. I do not think that the work involved in the collation of information in the form suggested by the right hon. and learned Gentleman would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the introduction of severer penalties for vandalism against public property.

The maximum penalties for causing malicious damage were substantially increased in 1964, and my right hon. Friend has no reason to think that the penalties available to the courts for dealing with this type of offence are inadequate. Within the statutory limits the penalties to be imposed in particular cases are for the courts to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the reform of the law relating to Sunday observance.

While the Government have at present no proposals for legislation on Sunday entertainment and sport, they will be very ready to offer facilities for drafting to any hon. Member who wishes to introduce a Bill in Private Members' time to give effect to the recommendations made by the Crathorne Committee on these matters. They would hope that all decisions on such a Bill would left to a free vote. As regards Sunday trading, account has been taken of the Committee's recommendations in the suggested provisions for amending the Shops Act, 1950, which have been published and sent to all interested organisations for comment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to protect consumer interests following the evidence which has been sent to him regarding the amount of lead used in the plating of frying pans.

It has for some time been made clear to the trade that tinned cooking utensils should comply with the appropriate British Standard. My right hon. Friend has now asked for a detailed investigation to be made to enable him to decide what further steps are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the reform of the Betting and Gaming Act.

I have under review the law on gaming now contained in the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1963, but have not yet reached any final conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that a small minority of spectators cause disturbances at football matches open to the public; and if he will introduce legislation to increase the current penalties imposed on those found guilty of such disorderly conduct.

My right hon. Friend realises that such disturbances can be very unpleasant but the maximum penalties for this type of offence are already substantial. Within the statutory limits the penalties to be imposed in individual cases are for the courts to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to set up an independent committee similar to the Press Council to consider any complaints against the Police Force.

The operation of the recently revised arrangements for dealing with complaints against police officers is being kept under close review; I do not at present contemplate a further change.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study has been carried out by his legal department into the inquisitorial system of magistrates, in view of the advantages of this system over the present one; and what conclusions have been reached.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals under consideration for a change of the kind suggested. The Criminal Law Revision Committee are however considering the whole law of criminal evidence; and the admissibility of confessions and the questioning of suspects are within their terms of reference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will take to encourage the public to co-operate fully with the police to maintain law and to combat and prevent criminal activities.

One of the aims of the national crime prevention campaign now in progress is to encourage such co-operation. I intend to continue publicity in this direction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables on the steps which have been taken to check the number of unlicensed vehicles on the roads in Kent, and on the number of successful prosecutions instigated for this offence.

I am informed by the Chief Constable of Kent that during 1965 the police reported 4,351 cases of apparently unlicensed vehicles on public roads to the Kent County Council. Proceedings were instituted in 2,447 cases, but I regret that I have no information as to the number which resulted in a conviction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to provide police constables and other personnel with pocket radio equipment; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is most anxious that police forces should have these valuable aids as quickly as is practicable. My Department bought 1,000 pocket sets in 1965 and are buying a further 2,000 sets in the next financial year. In the meantime an urgent study is being made of the possibility of a still more suitable type of equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the police forces throughout the country are now using two-way personal radio sets for the officer on individual patrol duty.

On 18th January, 23 out of a total of 120 forces in England and Wales were using personal radio sets. In addition, patrols in a number of forces were using slightly larger portable pack sets. Some 60 more forces are being provided with personal sets bought in this financial year and further purchases of sets will be made. The aim is to provide personal sets for every force which needs them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people detained in prisons died from natural causes and how many from accidents in 1964, and in the first half of 1965.

Figures for 1964 are published on pages 50 and 54 of the Report on the Work of the Prison Department for that year, Cmnd. 2708. These show that there were 48 deaths in prison, of which 23 were from natural causes and two were accidental. The corresponding figures for the first half of 1965 were 21, 15 and none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state the number of cases committed for trial at quarter sessions, Crown courts and assize courts in England and Wales during the latest year for which such figures are available;(2) if he will state the number of people discharged at committal proceedings during the year for which the latest figures are available; and what proportion these cases form of the total number coming before the examining magistrates.

During 1964, 27,888 cases came before examining magistrates. In 1,029 or 3.7 per cent. of the cases the accused was discharged and in 26,859 committed for trial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now bring up to date to 31st December, 1965, or to the latest available date, the tables published on 17th June, 1965, of the number of murders known to the police, distinguishing between those

TABLE 1
Finaly adjusted numbers of murders known to the police, and number of offences reduced to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility under s. 2 of the Homicide Act 1957.
		Number of Victims			Number per million of home population (a) of England and Wales
		Murder	s. 2 Manslaughter	Total	Murder	Murder and s. 2 Manslaughter
1931–40	annual average	l30	—	130	3·2	3·2
1941–50		152	—	152	(a)	(a)
1951–55		137	—	137	3·1	3·1
1956		150	—	150	3·4	3·4
1957		151	23	174	3·3	3·9
1958		125	28	153	2·8	3·4
1959		141	20	161	3·1	3·5
1960		135	31	166	3·0	3·7
1961		130	29	159	2·8	3·4
1962		142	37	179	3·0	3·8
1963		133	56	189	2·8	4·0
1964		155	35	190	3·3	4·0
1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional)		87(b)	30	117	1·8	2·4
(a) No figure for home population is available for the war years, since this represents persons actually living in the country at the time.
(b) Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.

TABLE 6
Finally adjusted numbers of murders known to the police together with offences reduced to man slaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF "CAPITAL" AND "NON-CAPITAL" OFFENCES
	"Capital"		"Non-Capital"		Total
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
1952	17	12·1	124	87·9	141	100·0
1953	17	12·1	123	87·9	140	100·0
1954	22	15·2	123	84·8	145	100·0
1955	15	11·3	118	88·7	133	100·0
1956	30	19·9	120	80·0	150	100·0
1957	23	13·2	151	86·8	174	100·0
1958	19	12·4	134	87·6	153	100·0
1959	23	14·3	138	85·7	161	100·0
1960	31	18·7	135	81·3	166	100·0
1961	20	12·6	139	87·4	159	100·0
1962	21	11·7	158	88·3	179	100·0
1963	22	11·6	167	88·4	189	100·0
1964	26	13·7	164	86·3	190	100·0
1st January to 31st August, 1965 (provisional)	16	13·7	101*	86·3	117	100·0
Before Homicide Act (1.1.52 to 20.3.57):
Annual Average	20	14·4	121	85·6	141	100·0
After Homicide Act (21.3.57 to 31.8.65):
Annual Average	24	13·6	149	86·4	173	100·0
* Including 2 offences, initially recorded as murders known to the police, which have not yet been disposed of by the courts.

The following tables have been revised to 31st August, 1965, the latest date for which the information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the increase in violent crime and murder since the abolition of the death penalty and the urgent need to recruit people for the police and prison services, he will introduce legislation to restore the death penalty for those found guilty of murdering policemen and prison officers.

No. It is much too early to discern any trend in the murder statistics since the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act, 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the number of murders and other crimes of violence increased during 1965; and by what date he expects to have the detailed figures available.

As I indicated to my hon. Friend the Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. Sydney Silverman) on 25th January the final figure for the number of murders known to the police in 1965 is not yet available, but there is no reason to expect any large increase over 1964.Provisional figures for other offences of violence against the person known to the police in the first eleven months of 1965 show an increase of about 7 per cent. over the corresponding figures for the previous year.I hope to be able to provide about the end of March statistics for indictable offences known to the police for the whole of 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in revising the model conditions for petroleum spirit licences so as to allow automatic cut-off pump nozzles to be used without an attendant, for the convenience of the motorist and the better use of manpower, with consequent increase in productivity.

A revised version of the Model Code of Principles of Construction and Licensing Conditions for Petrol Filling Stations, which takes account of these devices, will shortly be submitted to the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances for its consideration. The revised Code, if approved, will then be circulated for the general guidance of the licensing authorities as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the number of accidents involving animals on the highway, he will introduce legislation to safeguard both animals and human beings.

If the hon. Member will be good enough to let me know more fully what he has in mind, I will be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of fires caused by electric blankets and on the increase in the number of these fires compared with the number of blankets in use; and whether he will make a regulation under the Consumer Protection Act 1961 providing for all electric blankets to be made of non-inflammable material, for a safety device to be incorporated to operate in the event of over-heating or of an electrical failure, and for servicing and repairs, in view of the success of a similar regulation in force in New Zealand.

The numbers of such fires in recent years attended by fire brigades in England and Wales were as follows:—

1960	…	…	…	708
1961	…	…	…	908
1962	…	…	…	1,268
1963	…	…	…	1,506
1964	…	…	…	1,422

The numbers of electric blankets in use during this period are not known, although it has been estimated that in 1960 the number was about 3½ million. The great majority of manufacturers already comply with the requirements of the current British Standard, which include the the safeguards mentioned, but my right hon. Friend will keep the possible need for Regulations under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the present pay scales for the police are sufficient to attract the recruits needed; and what is the present gap between recruitment and existing establishments.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I have given today to a Question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the disturbance on the pirate radio ship "Galaxy" in the North Sea on Christmas day during which British police were called to the ship; and if he will call for a report on the incident, indicating the place of registration of the ship, whether the incident occurred in British Territorial waters, and how it was dealt with.

The chief constable of Essex has sent my right hon. Friend a report on this incident, which occurred on a foreign ship anchored outside British territorial waters. No police powers were exercised in connection with it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable local authorities to control the number of betting shops in their areas; and if he will make a statement.

The purpose of the existing law, which follows recommendations of the 1951 Royal Commission, is to provide lawful outlets for cash betting sufficient to match requirements in each licensing area. To empower local authorities to restrict the number of betting offices on considerations other than demand might cause a resurgence of illegal betting. While my right hon. Friend will keep the matter under review he is not at present persuaded that the advantages would be sufficient to outweigh that risk.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he is initiating into the social and economic background to immigration.

The Government are aware of the need for continuing studies into the social and economic background to immigration. A number of studies have already been published and others are in hand or contemplated. The need for further studies both within Government Departments and elsewhere is being reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to publish his proposals for the reorganisation of civil defence.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I have given today to his earlier Question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made concerning the development of copra planting on Christmas Island; and what estimate she has made of the possibility of resettling the islands of the Phoenix Group.

A recent survey of Christmas Island indicates that about 6,000 acres may be suitable for development, but no firm conclusion can be reached until the results of analysis of soil, water and coconut leaf samples are available.The survey team also visited Hull, Gardner and Sydney Islands in the Phoenix Group and recommended that a group of copra cutters could profitably be sent to Hull Island. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony Administration does not however consider that the resettlement of these islands, two of which were evacuated as recently as 1964 because of drought, is a reasonable possibility.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if she will make a statement on the constitutional and economic position in Gibraltar.

On the constitution I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on the 18th November, 1965.Some sectors of the economy which are dependent on normal communications with Spain continue to be seriously affected. Alternative sources of supply have been found for goods whose export from Spain is banned by the Spanish authorities. The Gibraltar Government is at present studying recommendations made by the Study Group appointed to prepare a comprehensive Development Plan.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether she will make a statement on the development plan for Gibraltar.

The Gibraltar Study Group has recently submitted a summary of its recommendations to the Gibraltar Government, which is studying them. The complete report is expected next month.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any new restrictions have been imposed by Spain against Gibraltar since the position was last reported to the House of Commons.

On the 4th November, 1965, the Spanish authorities forbade Spanish workmen working in Gibraltar to bring into Spain, through the Spanish customs posts at La Linea and Algeciras, merchandise of any kind, including tobacco, cigarettes or groceries. As from the 10th January the same workers were prohibited from crossing the frontier on motor cycles or bicycles.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether she will state the number of Colonies administered by the Colonial Office at the end of 1955, 1960 and 1965, and the number of staff employed by the department on those dates.

At the end of 1955 the Colonial Office administered 49 territories and employed 1,683 staff. The figures were 44 and 1,727 respectively at the end of 1960 and 33 and 600 respectively at the end of 1965. When the Department of Technical Co-operation was established in 1961 a number of members of the Colonial Office staff were transferred with their work to that Department.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if she will make a statement on the advice given regarding the Royal visit to the island of Nevis.

As far as my noble Friend and his predecessor were concerned, none.Her Majesty's wish throughout has been to visit as many Caribbean territories as she could in the time available. At first it appeared doubtful whether a visit to Nevis and St. Kitts could be fitted in on the same day. Re-examination of the plans showed that it would be possible to make a short visit, and we are all happy to see that this has been included in the programme.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision she is making during the forthcoming visit of Her Majesty The Queen to Colonial territories in the Caribbean to lighten the burden of expense on each Colony, especially as regards equipping each Government House with suitable furniture and other facilities for entertaining, and increasing the allowances of the temporary administrators who are taking the places of former Governors before the Federation was formed and then broken up, but without the same pay.

Expenditure of this kind is chargeable to local budgets. Where a territory is grant-aided, it is being taken into account when fixing grant-in-aid. In all territories with Administrators it is planned to hold the reception for Her Majesty outdoors, while Her Majesty for her part will entertain guests in the Royal Yacht. Accordingly, no additional equipment for Government House should be necessary. The emoluments of the Administrators in each island were fixed in 1960 after the Governorships of the Leeward and Windward Islands were abolished, and are at present being revised. Emoluments are the same whether Administrators are substantive or temporary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what reactions she has received from the Governments of the Eastern Caribbean Islands to the proposals for association with Great Britain which have been put to them by Her Majesty's Government.

I understand that the proposals are generally acceptable as a basis for discussion.So far an official reply has been received only from the Government of Antigua. A conference with Antigua will begin on 28th February.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies by what date tenders have to be in for the Lenakel Hospital; when it is intended that construction shall commence; and when it is planned that the hospital be occupied.

It is hoped to call for tenders early in February and the closing date will be about eight weeks later. Construction is expected to begin in May and the hospital should be ready for occupation at the end of this year or the beginning of next.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in whom the freehold of the agricultural station at Santo in the Condominium of the New Hebrides is vested.

In the French State. Consideration is being given to the transfer of title, or alternatively the grant of a long lease, to the Condominium.

asked the First Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether the National Board for Prices and Incomes has completed its review of the pay of the Armed Forces; if he will publish its report; and if he will give an assurance that the Government do not intend to depart from the formula proposed in paragraph 251 of the Grigg Report, Command Paper No. 570.

I would ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman to await the statement which I hope to make shortly.

asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will refer the fare increases of 7½ per cent. on internal services of British European Airways to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has decided not to include provision for additional disclosure of directors' share dealings in the forthcoming Company Law Reform Bill.

There is time this Session only for a Companies Bill of limited scope. It will deal mainly with disclosure in company accounts. I regard this as the essential first step in the amendment of the existing Companies Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grants and loans were made by the Board of Trade to Pitch Fibre Pipes Ltd., West Hartlepool; and what losses have been incurred by the Board on these grants and loans from the time the firm became a public company to the date it was taken over by the Reed Paper Group.

Details of loans and grants under the Local Employment Acts to particular firms are normally confidential but I can confirm the company's public statement that the Board of Trade made a loan to it of £235,000. No losses have been incurred by the Board of Trade in respect of assistance to this firm.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial development certificates have been issued in 1964 and 1965 in the Merseyside Development District; and how many new jobs have been created as the result of the new factories established.

Eighty-two in 1964 and 87 in 1965. The projects are expected to provide employment for 6,000 and 9,000 respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received his inspector's report in the case of his department's investigation into the affairs of the St. Martin Preserving Company Limited, for which the inspector was appointed in May, 1964.

No, but the inspector hopes to complete his report within the next two months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much it will cost in hard currency to purchase tobacco to replace the tobacco previously bought from Rhodesia by the United Kingdom.

If it becomes necessary to replace our Rhodesian tobacco imports from other sources, the additional cost would be relatively small. From the point of view of our balance of payments a mere change of source makes no difference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase he estimates there will be in the cost of cigarettes and pipe tobacco as a result of sanctions on Rhodesian tobacco.

I would hope that the additional cost of replacing Rhodesian tobacco would not be large enough to affect the price of cigarettes or pipe tobacco.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated number of new staff required to administer the new investment proposals; and what will be the cost in a full year.

On present estimates about 1,100 staff at a total annual cost of approximately £2 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the nature of the industry which will be conducted from the new advance factory shortly to be occupied on the Houghton-le-Spring industrial estate.

This factory has not yet been allocated to a tenant. It is suitable for a wide range of industries but preference will be given to one mainly employing men.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the necessity to provide more employment opportunities in the Houghton-le-Spring constituency, especially for male workers; what new proposals he has to meet this requirement; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. We are making every effort to steer suitable industrial projects to the area. I hope that the proposals announced last week in the White Paper on Investment Incentives will be of considerable assistance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions on the subject of investment incentives for the hotel and catering industry were held with bodies representing that industry before the publication of Command Paper No. 2874.

As stated in paragraph 12 of the White Paper there were discussions with the Confederation of British Industry about the results of the Confederation's inquiry into investment incentives: but it was not possible to discuss with individual industries proposals for changes which amounted to budgetary measures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what will be the extra cost per cent. of hotel and catering equipment as the result of its exclusion from investment incentives proposed in Command Paper No. 2874.

The cost of the withdrawal of the investment allowances in such cases cannot usefully be estimated, since it depends on the rates of tax over the life of the equipment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the reasons for the Government's decision to exclude the hotel and catering industry from the proposals for investment incentives set out in Command Paper No. 2874, in view of the fact that tourism is the United Kingdom's biggest dollar earner.

As the White Paper explains, the Government feel it necessary to concentrate assistance by way of the new investment grants where the need to increase investment is considered greatest. The Government fully recognise the value to the economy of the hotel, tourist and catering industries and will continue to assist them in whatever ways seem most appropriate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that experience during 1965 has shown that the public are still not aware of the changed date of the August Bank Holiday, he will take special steps during 1966 to publicise in advance the dates of bank holidays so as to facilitate arrangements in the tourist trade and other trades concerned.

I am confident that the bank holiday dates for this year and subsequent years will be sufficiently well-known to the public from Press reports of announcements in the House, from calendars and diaries and from announcements by the B.B.C.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now publish his proposals for dealing with the solus system in the petrol trade.

I shall do so shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the cause of delay in reaching a decision on the application of Captain John Hay of Hayfield for a grant to assist him in opening two new restaurants in Aberdeen.

The Advisory Committee, which considered the application at its meeting earlier this month, has invited Captain Hay to clarify certain aspects of the scheme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state his plans for setting up either a car-ferry service or a hovercraft service between Aberdeen and Norway and Belgium.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans there are for the construction of a primary school for children living on the new Coal Industry Housing Association Estate and adjacent housing estates at Handsacre, near Rugeley, Staffordshire; and what is the proposed provision of secondary education for Armitage and Handsacre combined.

The first instalment of a new primary school at Handsacre is included in the Staffordshire 1965–66 school building programme. I understand that the authority has not yet acquired a site and that meantime children are being accommodated in the Croft Primary School at Armitage. Children from Armitage and Handsacre attend secondary schools in Rugeley. A new school at Upfields was included in the authority's 1964–65 programme and additional secondary places are included in the 1967–68 programme. The precise form these places will take depends on the outcome of proposals submitted to my right hon. Friend under Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will ask local education authorities to put forward their proposals for the school building programme for the second part of the year 1967–68.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that the Sarisbury County Secondary Modern School, now designed to accommodate 450 children, has been refused further extension works and yet is to accommodate over 800 children by 1970; and whether he proposes to meet this situation by refusing admissions, by cutting the syllabus of instruction, or by the provision of a new school.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 4th August, 1965. The numbers of children in the school are 582 and by next summer there will be accommodation sufficient for about 700 children. My right hon. Friend will be prepared to consider any proposal for additional building for the Sarisbury School which the Hampshire Authority put to him when he comes to settle the next round of school building programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for how long the arrangements under which an agricultural college for Wales might be established have been under consideration by the Welsh Joint Education Committee; and whether he will now call upon the Committee to report and put detailed proposals to him for setting up such an agricultural college.

I saw representatives of the Welsh Joint Education Committee in March, 1965, to explore new arrangements for financing a College, and my Department wrote confirming our views in April. We have now heard from the Committee that it has found sufficient support amongst its member authorities to justify its going ahead with the project, but it has not yet put detailed proposals to me. We have urged it to do this as soon as it can; but I would expect the planning of this project to take time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the survey by the Council of British Ceramic Sanitary-ware Manufacturers, a copy of which has been sent to him, he will undertake a crash programme to make out-of-date school lavatories hygienic.

I shall shortly be announcing a minor works programme for 1966–67 and I am sure that local education authorities will take full account of the needs under this head in determining how best to use their allocations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to encourage local authorities to take over disused Territorial Army drill halls as sports centres.

I am glad to draw attention to the suitability of some Territorial Army drill halls for sports centres, and I am discussing with my colleagues the possibility that some of them might be put to this use.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what grounds he has decided to discontinue making financial grants towards the administrative costs of area associations of the Amateur Athletic Association.

No such decision has been taken. Grants under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937, are made by the Department towards the costs of administration of the Amateur Athletic Association and of its national coaching scheme. Grant for the current financial year amounts to £21,500 an increase of £4,500 over that for last year. The grant includes assistance towards the salaries of two area administrators appointed by the Amateur Athletic Association. The Sports Council is currently discussing with the Association its plans for development over a period of years. One meeting has already taken place and another is arranged for a few weeks time. The Department will then consider the question of grant to the Association for the year 1966–67.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he is aware of the shortage of accommodation at the Bournemouth College of Technology and Commerce and of the need for additional temporary premises whilst negotiations to acquire a new permanent site proceed; what action he is taking to help ease the position; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether, in spite of the Government's ban an capital projects for further education, he will sanction the purchase of the temporary accommodation urgently needed by the Bournemouth College of Technology and Commerce, in view of the fact that negotiations to acquire this properly were begun before the ban was imposed.

Subject to compliance with the normal administrative provisions, I am prepared to recommend the issue of loan sanction in respect of the purchase of temporary accommodation for the Bournemouth Municipal College of Technology, about which my Department has been in correspondence with the Local Education Authority. I am well aware of the College's urgent need for additional accommodation, particularly as planning considerations have precluded the erection of the extensions formerly programmed. Any future major building will depend upon the availability of a suitable site: the authority has had this difficult problem under consideration since July, 1963.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what study he has made of the applications of the Hallé and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras and the Liverpool Art Gallery for the grant to them of national status and financial assistance from the Government; and what reply he has sent.

I have been invited to meet the local authorities which support the orchestras, and I hope to arrange this soon. But the level of grant for the orchestras is a matter for the Arts Council. I have also received a letter from the Economic Planning Council for the North-West Region about the status of the two orchestras and of the Liverpool Art Gallery and the prospects of financial assistance from the Government. The Walker Gallery, like all other regional and municipal galleries, does not qualify for an Arts Council grant and is not in receipt of direct Exchequer assistance. I am concerned however that there shall be fair distribution of public funds between London and regional activities, and have the whole field under review.

asked the Postmaster General if he is aware of the misusages made by criminals of the Post Office telephone information and directory services; and if he will consult the Secretary of State for the Home Department to establish means by which such misuse can be wholly or partially obviated.

I cannot add substantially to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 22nd December, 1965. The publication of information about telephone numbers is essential to the working of the telephone service and it is hard to prevent its misuse. When offensive calls are reported, my staff give every possible assistance to the police in tracing offenders.

asked the Postmaster-General, under which Order in Council made in pursuance of the Southern Rhodesia Act he is now surcharging letters received in this country bearing the two shillings and sixpenny stamp issued since the coming into force of the Act.

None. This stamp was issued without legal authority and so is not valid. We therefore disregard it when assessing the amount of postage paid. If in consequence there is a deficiency we surcharge in accordance with Section 17(4)(a) of the British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Regulations, 1965.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that in Switzerland, headquarters of the International Postal Union, letters bearing the Rhodesia two shillings and sixpenny stamp, issued since the unilateral declaration of independence, are being admitted without surcharge; and whether he will now discontinue the surcharge on letters thus stamped in the case of recipients in Great Britain.

I am aware that the Swiss Post Office is not surcharging items bearing these 2s. 6d. stamps. However, as we have informed all member countries of the Universal Postal Union through the International Bureau of the Union in Berne, these stamps are not legally valid for prepayment of postage in Rhodesia and we in this country shall continue to raise the appropriate surcharge on items on which they appear.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will appoint a committee to investigate the effect on private industry of financial help through Government contracts and loans.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for postal surcharges, payable by United Kingdom residents receiving letters stamped in Rhodesia with invalid stamps, to be paid in future from Rhodesian currency reserves held by the United Kingdom Government.

No. The United Kingdom Government do not hold any Rhodesian currency reserves.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the sum he arranged with the West German Government to be specially allocated for the purchase of British goods has now been spent.

£69,044 4s. 5d. has been paid from German funds in London under the arrangements to which my hon. Friend refers. Substantial further payments are expected shortly in respect of contracts already approved in principle by the British and German Governments.

asked the Minister of Technology if he will list the Government establishments over which his Department has administrative control.

The following is the list:

• Building Research Station.
• Fire Research Station.
• Forest Products Research Laboratory.
• Hydraulics Research Station.
• Laboratory of the Government Chemist.
• National Engineering Laboratory.
• National Physical Laboratory.
• Torry Research Station.
• Warren Spring Laboratory.
• Water Pollution Research Laboratory.