asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the first annual report of the Race Relations Board;

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now introduce legislation to amend the Race Relations Act, in the light of the recent survey on racial discrimination carried out by Political and Economic Planning, a copy of which is in his possession.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of recent reports and surveys, he will now seek to amend the Race Relations Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation designed to deal with colour discrimination in employment and housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the position described in the recent Political and Economic Planning Report, a copy of which is in his possession, he will introduce legislation to combat racial discrimination in employment, housing and motor insurance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to receive the annual report of the Race Relations Board; and if he will make a statement;

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the recent findings of the Political and Economic Planning Report, a copy of which has been sent to him, he will now take steps to amend the Race Relations Act, 1965, to cover the fields of housing, employment and insurance.

The Report of the Race Relations Board was laid before the House today. The Government are now studying this Report and the P.E.P. Report on Racial Discrimination published earlier this month; and, in the light of these two valuable and comprehensive Reports and other available evidence, will consider the need for and practicability of strengthening the existing Race Relations Act and administrative machinery.

I welcome that statement and join in the appreciation of the Report of the Race Relations Board. When does the right hon. Gentleman hope to have the report of the Street Committee, and does he hope to bring legislation to extend the scope of the Race Relations Act before the House during the life of this Parliament?

I cannot offhand tell the hon. Gentleman when I shall have the report of the Street Committee, but I shall discover this and write to him about it, If I may. If the view were taken that it was right and practicable to have strengthening legislation, I would certainly hope that it would be done well within the lifetime of this Parliament.

I accept that my right hon Friend cannot at this stage say whether legislation will be introduced, but will he at least concede that the evidence in the P.E.P. survey shows a serious state of racial discrimination in this country, worse than any of us have realised? It is difficult to see how it can be dealt with without strengthening the Act.

I regard this as a formidable body of evidence, which I have studied with close attention and interest, and I am sure that the Government as a whole are doing the same.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the P.E.P. Report shows that discrimination will become more significant and serious as the children of immigrants acquire higher qualifications? Will he, therefore, resist all pressures, from whatever source, against such legislation and introduce into the House at the beginning of the next Session amendments which would cover housing, employment and financial discrimination?

I have expressed the view on previous occasions that, while there is a great problem as regards first generation immigrants, the problem, particularly in so far as it affects employment, will become still more acute and challenging when we have large numbers of second generation immigrants in this country.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is wrong to allow a state of affairs to continue in which people are penalised in our country because of the colour of their skin? Has my right hon. Friend seen the Motion signed by 142 Labour and Liberal Members calling for extension of the Act?

I have seen the Motion in the names of my hon. Friend and many other hon. Members, and I agree with him, as, I am sure, does every—or nearly every Member of the House that discrimination based upon the colour of skin is entirely intolerable and unacceptable.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that, whatever may be people's views on immigration, which, of course, vary, all migrants who are already here should be treated with complete equality and that, as this does not happen or does not seem to happen at the moment without legal sanctions, there is a powerful argument for legislation?

I agree that, if we were to allow a situation to build up in which we had first- and second-class citizens in this country, we should be storing up more trouble for ourselves and for future generations.

As we have now shown ourselves to be as prone to colour prejudice as the United States, will my right hon. Friend say what official action is being taken by his Department to study the lessons of experience in the United States and the desirable effects of legislation in that country?

I have myself endeavoured to keep in fairly close touch with what has been done there. The chairman of the Race Relations Board paid a fairly extended visit during the autumn of last year and produced a report. I shall consider whether it might be useful to put that report in the Library.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of us, including a number of hon. Members on this side, feel that only the extension of legislation can now set a national example and give the moral lead which is so urgently required? In the meantime, what is the Home Secretary doing to overcome the alarming complacency of both the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. in matters of racial discrimination?

Consultation with the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. is in the first place necessarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, who is in touch with them, and I shall probably have some meetings myself in which we can discuss this whole issue. I take note of the hon. Gentleman's statement of view at the beginning of his supplementary question, which, I know, represents the broad view of right hon. and hon. Members.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept that, while I think that the whole House deplores any form of racial discrimination, many of the defects in the Race Relations Act were pointed out by Members on both sides during its passage? Will he also accept that while we shall wish to examine constructively any proposals he puts before us the real solution to the problem must eventually lie in the realms of education and understanding?

I am not sure that it is very constructive or helpful to go into what happened on the various stages of the Race Relations Act. I shall bear in mind a at whatever proposals we may feel able to make will be examined constructively by the hon. Gentleman, and I take note of his point that education and what happens in the minds of people are important, but we must have regard to the framework as well as what happens in the minds of individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation, while always preserving the right of appeal, to authorise the police to fine an offender who pleads guilty to minor motoring offences by ticket on the spot.

My right hon. Friend is considering with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport the possibility of extending the offences to which the fixed penalty or "ticket" procedure is applicable.

I thank the Minister for that reply, but would not an extension such as is suggested, always assuming that the offenders agreed, save both them and the police many hours of hanging about courts?

I think that I agree with the hon. Gentleman, and certainly it was one of the recommendations of the Police Advisory Board recently that the extension of the use of traffic wardens should be matched by the extension of the fixed-penalty procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the consultations about entrusting the duty of removing illegally parked cars to a separate corps, which he informed the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire en 3rd August, 1964, and 16th December, 1965, he was holding with the police, have been concluded; and, if so, with what results.

Since the Questions asked by the hon. Gentleman in 1965, it is now accepted policy that civilians should be employed on duties for which the special training and attributes of police officers are not required, and my right hon. Friend has commended this course to chief officers of police and to police authorities in England and Wales.

I welcome that reply and thank the Minister for it, but surely it would be better to form a separate corps of traffic police from older, though still sprightly, men, who could relieve the regular police from their greater task of fighting crime?

I do not think that the hon. Member and the Home Office are at one on this point, because the question of a separate police traffic corps was considered by the Police Advisory Board and was turned down. Questions of the use of facilities, competition for resources and overlapping of different functions all come into this problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the introduction of legislation to allow local authorities to run casinos subject to local option as a means of providing local finance and a means of giving effective control of casinos.

This matter is included in my review of the gaming laws, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

Could the right hon. Gentleman keep this constantly under review? Would he agree that this suggestion has the support of the vast majority of the people of this country today?

I am not sure that I could agree with the latter part of the question, because I am not sure on what the hon. Gentleman bases it, but I shall keep it in mind.

Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that it is not now his intention to introduce legislation on gambling in the present Session of Parliament?

It looks as though it will be more practicable to introduce it early in the next Session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, as the present position of Shrewsbury Prison is offensive to the eye, obstructs the proper development of the central part of the town which it now occupies and contravenes every principle in the siting of prisons, why he has at present no plans to move the prison.

I regret that prisons are so seriously overcrowded that, for the present, priority must be given to increasing rather than replacing accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures for police recruitment for the Metropolitan area over the past two years.

The figures are 1,214 men and 100 women in 1965, and 1,374 men and 96 women in 1966.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on being able to announce those figures. In so far as many of our British Commonwealth citizens resident in this country have made massive contributions to our State services, particularly in the hospital services, might they not now be encouraged to assist in the services of the police, enhance their own dignity and earn the community's appreciation?

I assure my hon. Friend that it is certainly the Government's policy to encourage coloured recruits for the police to come forward, provided they are up to the required standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce the necessary legislation to retain British Summer Time, Mid-European Time, all the year round.

My review of this matter is progressing well, and I hope to be able to make a statement to the House before the Summer Recess.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his Answer will have raised the hopes of people engaged in business and commerce with Europe, farmers who resent a bi-annual disruption of their routine and sundry other citizens? Will he keep us in suspense for as short a period as possible?

For as short a period as possible, but it is necessary to take fairly detailed soundings on the matter, We have issued questionnaires to a great number of institutions concerned and wish to study the results. The indications are that there has been a substantial swing of opinion since 1960.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that American businessmen seem to prosper very well with three time belts and that there would be much more opposition than is perhaps realised to any proposal to introduce Mid-European Time into Britain?

I am aware that there would be some opposition and that is why I am trying to sound opinion. But I very much doubt whether one should deduce from the fact that a continent 3,000 miles wide must have three time belts that that should apply to this island.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to prevent gallery owners and painters from being prosecuted concerning their pictures except where they can call expert witnesses and claim a jury trial.

There is already a right to call expert witnesses in all proceedings under the Obscene Publications Act, and to jury trial in all proceedings under Section 2 of the Act. My hon. Friend may have in mind prosecutions under the Vagrancy Acts in respect of indecent exhibitions; I am keeping closely in mind the need for review of these Vagrancy Acts.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that we must be continually vigilant to protect artistic freedom from interference? Have there not been several recent very disturbing instances of prosecutions of painters under the Vagrancy Acts? Does not the present anomalous law lay, for example, the National Gallery open to prosecution on the grounds of exhibiting nudes by Renoir, Rubens and Cranach?

I hope that that is not likely to arise. There are certain archaic sms and anomalies relating to the Vagrancy Acts, and I shall keep the matter under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the members of the London Fire Service is coloured; and by how many members the service is below strength.

Recruitment is a matter for the individual fire authorities who have been asked that every suitable coloured applicant should be given the opportunity of joining the fire service, but so far there have been very few applications from coloured people. I understand that there are three coloured members of the London Fire Brigade, which is less than 0·1 per cent. of the strength. On 31st December, 1966, the brigade strength was 1,619 below the establishment of 6,487.

Are not these figures very disturbing? Would not my hon. Friend agree that even the most racially-prejudiced person cannot object to having his life saved by a coloured person, particularly in a cloud of smoke?

I assure my hon. Friend that racial prejudice does not come into this. Fire brigades are very anxious to have coloured applicants. I have spoken to the Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade, and he would welcome more applicants. At present very few men are coming forward.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware—

Order. The hon. Gentleman must be called before he speaks. Mr. Goodhew.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that inverted racialism is just as obnoxious as racialism, even in Hampstead?

I shall not comment on Hampstead. In choosing, we must main- tain a standard, whether a man is white or brown, or whatever his colour is.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many otherwise suitable recruits were rejected from joining the police force because of colour blindness in the latest year for which figures are available; and what study he has made of this problem in relation to police recruitment.

Annual statistics for England and Wales of applicants rejected for this reason are not available but the figure for the Metropolitan Police for the first three months of this year was less than 1 per cent. The Police Advisory Board Working Party on Manpower last year considered the minimum medical standards for recruits to the police service but made no recommendation about colour blindness.

Is my hon. and learned Friend aware that some of the applicants who have been rejected because of colour blindness are beginning to have doubts about it? I have experienced some of that, and I am beginning to have doubts as well.

I understand that my hon. Friend was concerned with two Scottish cases, which are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. But one of those cases, I think, concerned the question of whether someone could distinguish red and green in all lights, and it is rather important for a traffic policeman to know the difference between red and green.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call a conference of Football League clubs to discuss ways of combating violence and hooliganism on football grounds.

I doubt whether a conference would serve any useful purpose. It is well understood that responsibility for public order and safety at a football ground rests with the management of the football club concerned and that it is open to the management to seek the services of the police.

Is my hon. and learned Friend aware that this is becoming a major social problem which needs urgent Government action? Will he do all he can to deter this small minority of thugs and hooligans who are bringing this game into disrepute and at the same time ruining the enjoyment of hundreds of thousands of people?

It may be a serious problem, but it remains a fact that the responsibility for public order is that of the management of the football club, which has the opportunity to hire as many policemen as it thinks necessary. I do not think that this matter calls for direct action by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now introduce legislation to reform the law governing London petrol taxi cabs.

I propose as soon as practicable to introduce legislation to extend the six mile limit. Other proposals are being discussed with the trade.

I thank the Home Secretary for that concession. However, in view of the state of near-anarchy in the taxi trade, including near-rebellion on the part of taxi drivers, and the grave discontent among the taxi-using classes, will he give this mater a much greater degree of urgency and priority than he has done hitherto?

I am not exactly sure what the hon. Gentleman's definition of the taxi-using class is, or, for that matter, his definition of a state of anarchy. I had a useful meeting with representatives of the trade on Monday. I agree that there are fairly urgent problems and I hope that we shall be able to solve them in the not-too-distant future.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many taxi drivers are deeply concerned about the plying for hire of minicab drivers? Does he feel that after their months and months of training, taxi drivers should be penalised in this way?

There is certainly a case for the private car hire business in London and one certainly has to have in mind the interests of the consumer as well as those of the operator. Equally, there is a legitimate grievance about misrepresentation in the sense that it is felt that the use of the word "cab" or of "taxi", either on a car or in an advertisement, is unreasonable, and I am looking closely into this aspect of the matter.

Would the proposed extension of the London taxi cab area extend to London Airport? We have been promised that for some time and it is very important that these taxi cabs be brought under control.

Yes. The extension of the six-mile limit would cover journeys to and from London Airport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now seek the abolition of the dock in criminal proceedings.

My right hon. Friend has still not received replies from all the organisations who have been consulted; but he is considering whether, with due regard to security, it might be possible to dispense with the dock in certain types of case.

Has my hon. and learned Friend made any estimate of the amount of money which could be saved in new court houses if docks were abolished in criminal proceedings?

I am not aware of particular figures, although I have heard it suggested that some money would be saved. At the moment, the general view among the organisations which we have consulted seems to be that the dock cannot be entirely dispensed with.

Does not my hon. and learned Friend agree that to place a supposedly innocent man in a special dock guarded by warders seems to point to his guilt rather than his innocence, and is not that the interpretation which many jurors place upon it? Can he not look at this again and try to do something to make our system a little more enlightened?

Certainly no final decision has been taken and this is one of the matters which will be borne in mind. We also have to have regard to security and the strain placed upon prison officers. All of those things have to be balanced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his been the result of his consultations with local authority associations about strengthening the Children Act, 1958.

This is a complicated matter, and the possibilities are still being discussed with the local authority associations.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of recent serious allegations against foster parents, including suggestions of baby farming? Would she not agree that these allegations ought not to go unanswered, particularly as many thousands of foster parents do a first-class job?

The 1958 Act deals not with foster parents who are employed by local authorities, but with private fostering. The document to which my hon. Friend refers and which was mentioned in the Press recently has not yet been sent to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, who is responsible for child minding, or to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, who is responsible for the 1958 Act. When it is, we shall consider it carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he has received to admit to the United Kingdom a spokesman for the Vietnamese National Liberation Front; and what reply he has sent to the one made on 8th March.

Four, during the past six months.

Is this fair? Whatever the Foreign Secretary may feel, does the Home Secretary realise that he is undermining his good and liberal reputation by refusing free speech and free entry in this way?

As a member of the Government, my duty is to endeavour in every possible way to help the efforts of the Government to bring this war to an end at the earliest possible time.

How can it possibly injure the Government's case in this matter if spokesmen for the National Liberation Front are able to put their case here, as they can elsewhere? If it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government, as it is, that representatives of the National Liberation Front should come to a conference, why should they not come to England?

Because coming to a conference would be to endeavour to get peace, and coming to England would be for a different purpose.

Will the right hon. Gentleman agree to this request on a reciprocal basis so that the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Private Secretary, who has been refused a hearing in Hanoi, may have one and have the same opportunity to express our opinion there as they want to have to express theirs here?

That might be rather complicated to arrange.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to deal with long-standing charitable funds which are lying dormant; and if he will give an estimate of their total amount.

The powers conferred on the Charity Commissioners by the Charities Act, 1960, enable them to make a useful scheme for any dormant charitable fund brought to their attention. The Commissioners are not aware of any large amounts of charitable funds now lying dormant.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these powers have not been implemented in many cases and that throughout the country there are considerable funds, dating back even to the Boer War, which are still lying dormant, but from which good causes could benefit?

It is the duty of trustees who find themselves unable to use charitable moneys for the prescribed purpose to apply to the Charity Commissioners for a scheme. Anyone who has knowledge of a dormant fund should inform the Charity Commissioners, who can then use their powers and ensure that the funds are put to good use.

While the right hon. Lady's Answer will help, is there not sufficient point in this Question for some advertisement to be given to the right hon. Lady's reply?

I hope that my reply will get the publicity needed, but if anything else is required, we will certainly consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to obtain residual powers for the maintenance of law and order in Northern Ireland.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to similar Questions on 4th April.—[Vol 744, col. 20–21.]

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is unsatisfactory that a province of this sovereign United Kingdom should apparently have powers to ban legitimate forms of political activity, on the pretext of a threat to law and order, without consulting Her Majesty's Government?

As the land stands, the maintenance of law and order in Northern Ireland is in the hands of the Northern Ireland authorities, who are answerable to their electorate.

You must be joking!

As my hon. Friend will know, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I discussed several matters with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs. Further talks are to take place and I can assure my hon. Friend that we are discussing all those things about which hon. Members have expressed anxiety.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that she personally has considerable good will in Northern Ireland and that her Answer will be approved? Is she aware that she and the Government should resist pressure from her hon. Friends to interfere with the Parliament of Northern Ireland and its rights, and that any attempt to interfere with those rights would be met with resolute and steadfast resistance?

I am aware of the concern which has been expressed and so are my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary. As I have said, we are having talks with the Government of Northern Ireland about many of the things which have been causing anxiety.

In order that the Government of Northern Ireland shall be accountable to their electorate, as the Minister said, does she intend to talk about he phenomenon known as "Derrymandering"?

As I have said, we are discussing all aspects with the Government of Northern Ireland. [An HON. MEMBER: "Gerrymandering?"] We hope to continue these talks shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has yet received the report of the Poisons Board on the sale of quinine;

The Board has recommended that quinine and preparations containing 10 per cent. or more of quinine should be sold against prescription only by authorised sellers of poisons from registered premises. I propose to consider this recommendation in the light of any representations that may be made by interested bodies.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this Answer will be widely welcomed, and that the matters announced in it may help to prevent the repetition of such a tragic incident as occurred recently in Oxford when a young girl lost her life through taking an overdose of quinine, in the belief that it would terminate her pregnancy?

I am aware of that, and I should like to thank my hon. Friend for what he has done in bringing this to our notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will now make the statutory instrument necessary to apply the enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction contained in the Administration of Justice Act, 1956, to the courts of the Isle of Man;

As my right hon. Friend has stared in reply to previous Questions by the hon. and learned Member, he considers, as his predecessors have done, that it is for the island authorities, if they so wish, to take the initiative in this matter.

Would the right hon. Lady draw the attention of the authorities in the Isle of Man and Jersey to the fact that, unless courts are given this enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction, if there is a disaster such as the "Torrey Canyon", there can be no arrest of a sister ship in these courts and no recovery of damages? Would she also point out that Guernsey has adopted this enlarged Admiralty jurisdiction?

The two islands are well aware of the position, and I do not think that they need this pointing out. As the hon. and learned Gentleman says, the step has already been taken by Guernsey, but it is up to the two islands to decide on this matter for themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has received recommendations for deportation of immigrants for offences against the Rent Acts;

My right hon. Friend considers every recommendation for deportation on its merits, taking into account the circumstances of the offence and the offender. I have not been able to trace any recommendation in respect of an offence under the Rent Acts.

Is this not rather surprising, when it is proved that there is "Rachmanism" practised against English people—who have occupied a house for 12 years—by Pakistanis in order to obtain the house for their own countrymen?

The hon. Gentleman cannot expect me to comment on any particular case, or a hypothetical case, but the matter reaches my right hon. Friend only if a court has pronounced a sentence and made a recommendation for deportation.

In view of the misery caused by the original 1957 Rent Act, would my right hon. Friend perhaps consider deporting those responsible for it?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to immigration officers to prevent the repetition of recent incidents, details of which have been sent to him, involving visitors to this country who have been subjected to the arbitrary and immediate decisions of immigration officers.

I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to the cases of Mr. Jorgen Hansen and Miss Barbro Eriksson. For the reasons given in the letters sent to my hon. Friend on 25th January and 16th March, the action taken by the immigration officer in Mr. Hansen's case was entirely justified, and no fresh instructions are called for in that connection. In the case of Miss Eriksson, the immigration officer acted within the terms of the instructions in force at the time, but I have since adjusted the instructions so that a similar difficulty is less likely to occur in the future.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware of the damage done to the image of Britain abroad when visitors are humiliated in this way? Would he look into the detention and deportation procedures, and the wide powers that some immigration officers employ? Perhaps they could be subject to some form of supervision or appeal?

As my hon. Friend will be aware, the Committee under Sir Roy Wilson is actively considering this matter, and I hope to have its report within a matter of a few months. On the other point raised by my hon. Friend, I am constantly aware of the importance of preserving a welcoming image for this country, but I ask the House also to bear in mind that immigration officers have a very difficult task to perform.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that among the recent incidents, details of which have been sent to him, is that of the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister of British Honduras, who was subjected to a medical examination at London Airport in the most dubious circumstances? Has not the time come for an independent inquiry into the methods and facilities used for the medical examination of foreign visitors to this country?

My hon. Friend is presumably asking a supplementary question on Question No. 44, which has not yet been reached. As it appears that it may not be reached, perhaps I may be permitted to answer, and say that my hon. Friend is to some extent misinformed. This lady applied for an entry permit for permanent settlement with her daughter. This entry permit was readily granted, but it is normal to include a medical examination of those arriving for settlement in this country.

Will the Home Secretary publish the new instructions which he has now given to immigration officers, so that we may know what criteria they are working on relative to the medical examination of people? Perhaps he can also tell me when he will reply to the searching letter on the merits of the case which I wrote to him about 10 days ago?

I think that the hon. Gentleman will probably have a reply to- morrow, but I thought it more important to answer the Question and inform the House, rather than to inform the hon. Member first, great importance though I attach to doing that. On the hon. Gentleman's other point, it has not been the practice to publish these instructions, but I will consider the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that he will not issue Regulations to legalise work in entertainment by children at present being performed illegally.

The extent to which work which is now illegal will be legalised when regulations are made under Part II of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, depends on the provisions of that Act. The purpose which I believe my hon. Friend has in mind could not be achieved without new legislation.

Is my right hon. Friend not aware that new legislation is very desirable, and that the 1963 Act is a thoroughly bad Act and that any Regulations stemming from it must be equally bad?

My hon. Friend has now recognised what I said, that to achieve his object he would need new legislation. I understand that what he objects to is the performance of children in television commercials. While I appreciate the views of those who believe that performances by children on the stage and films produce precocious children, I find it difficult to appreciate the view of my hon. Friend, who seems to think that there is less harm in a child playing the rôle of the child of a divorced parent in a film than advertising Smarties or Jelly Tops.

Has the right hon. Lady got any views about the use of children on posters to advertise local government elections?

On a point of order. For the clarification of the House, I will seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce proposals to implement the proposals of the Littlewood Committee, giving special consideration to limiting experiments on dogs and cats.

I cannot yet say when it may be practicable to introduce legislation on this subject.

Can the Minister say whether she has had conversations with all interested bodies, and whether she will make a special consideration of dogs and cats, in view of the special place that they occupy in human affections?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, it has taken us a long time to get the views of all the interested bodies. It was in August, 1965, that we asked for these views. The most important of these bodies have now forwarded their views to us, and we shall take everything into consideration, including the dogs and cats.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that the recent elections in Greater London show that the composition and membership of many councils of London boroughs no longer reflect the wishes of their electors, he will introduce immediate legislation to repeal the London Government Act, 1967.

No, Sir.

Is it not clear beyond all doubt that a large number of London boroughs are now saddled with Labour-controlled councils which the majority of their electors have rejected? In view of the expressed desire of hon. Members oposite to protect democracy in Athens, would it not be as well to begin in London?

I am not sure that the repeal of the Act might not conceivably have had the effect of invalidating the G.L.C. elections owing to the fact that the date, for the avoidance of doubt, was fixed in it. Secondly, I do not think that a swing of opinion necessarily involves imediate elections. It was fairly obvious to everybody in 1963 and in the early part of 1964 that an election would rapidly have got rid of the Government of the day which, none the less, clung on to power until the last moment.

Would my right hon. Friend acknowledge the warning which many of us on this side gave that the Act which established the G.L.C. was so full of cheating and chicanery that this result was inevitable?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that recent events have shown the London Government Act to be a piece of bare-faced political gerrymandering? When and how does he intend to restore political rights to the people of London?

The people of London have voted and will have the opportunity of voting next year. I am sorry that the Opposition are so nervous about their chances in a year's time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has issued to chief constables about obtaining records of meetings held in their areas.

None, Sir.

Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that, according to the evidence which I have received from the National Council for Civil Liberties, it is the practice of some police authorities to obtain records of harmless meetings of political organisations and bodies? Will he take steps to discourage this in the areas in which it applies?

I am aware of a recent case in which concern was expressed. The normal police practice, of attending a public meeting to ensure that there is no disturbance through hecklers, was adopted. The police officer on that occasion was concerned to check that his report was accurate. There was nothing sinister in this. But I am aware of the concern about records being made of what is said, and I shall certainly look into that.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about police prejudice and brutality against coloured immigrants and what reply he has sent.

I have not for some time received any such representations, in terms specific enough to enable in vestigations to be made.

While I have no personal knowledge about whether the allegations made by the organisation known as C.A.R.D. are justified—they have received some publicity in the Press—may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he would agree that at least they should be fully investigated and, if found to be justified, that the police officers concerned should be treated with some severity?

The C.A.R.D. Report mentioned 43 cases, of which five referred to the police. But they were anonymous cases, and it would not be possible or desirable to proceed without information from and the permission of C.A.R.D. But I am sure that chief police officers throughout the country are in no doubt at all of my view that it is most important that good relations should be preserved between the police and the coloured community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the difficulty caused by the absence of any provision for financial loss allowance by justices of the peace and by the provisions disabling justices of the peace who perform their duties not more than three miles from their normal place of residence from entitlement to subsistence allowances; and what action he proposes to take to remove this restriction.

I am glad to inform my hon. Friend, to whose active interest in this matter I pay tribute, that the Government agree in principle to the payment of financial loss allowances and the removal of the three-mile restriction on substistence allowance, and legislation will be introduced when circumstances permit.

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Is he aware that it will give considerable satisfaction to those concerned in this matter and that in the circumstances I propose to withdraw the Bill which stands in my name?

I am most grateful to my hon. Friend. He has played a great part in bringing about this acceptance in principle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to establish a national traffic inspectorate to take over all the duties of controlling and supervising road traffic movement and parking, and enforcing traffic laws and regulations so as to free the civil police from responsibility for these duties.

I am not convinced that this course would be either practicable or desirable. But I am concerned that here as elsewhere police officers should not ordinarily be employed on duties which can be properly and effectively undertaken by other persons, and I am giving close attention to the division of responsibility between the uniformed police and civilian auxiliaries.

Would not my hon. and learned Friend agree that the laws and regulations relating to traffic are now becoming as complex as laws and regulations in other important fields such as Income Tax and public health, and that it is just as absurd to expect civil police to cope with all of them as it would be to expect them to cope with enforcement in those other fields? Do not we need a special enforcement body for this job?

I dealt with this matter in reply to an earlier Question. But there is a different consideration here, because cars are used so often in other offences. This has been the experience in other countries. It is very difficult to separate traffic matters from crime matters. There would be competition about accommodation and overlapping in the ordinary regulation of traffic when questions of public order are involved. In the circumstances, I do not think that my hon. Friend's idea is a good one.

asked the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to restrict or control the use of flags of convenience by ships trading with the United Kingdom; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his public statement made on 29th March on this subject.

We have no immediate proposals on this issue, Sir. But Her Majesty's Government have consistently maintained that there should be a genuine link between a ship and her country of registry. As to the second part of the right hen. Gentleman's Question, I was answering questions at a Press Conference without a prepared text and the right hon. Gentleman must therefore rely on newspaper accounts of my remarks.

Has the Prime Minister any evidence that the accident to the "Torrey Canyon" was due to the fact that it was sailing under a flag of convenience, or was alleged to have been? Will this matter be investigated in whatever inquiries are made into this unfortunate wreck?

We must await the report of the inquiry which has been conducted by the Liberian Government while still reserving our position as to whether a further inquiry is necessary under our own auspices. That will be the time to consider those questions.

As to compensation, does my right hon. Friend realise—

Order. It is the next Question which deals with compensation.

Has the Prime Minister's attention been drawn to the allegation that the British flag has been used as a flag of convenience by foreigners trading with North Vietnam?

I think that that point arose in Questions yesterday.

If, as appears from newspaper reports, the right hon. Gentleman thinks that there is some connection between flags of convenience and the "Torrey Canyon" affair, will he make sure that this evidence is made available to any inquiries which take place?

This was in the course of a long Press conference, and I was very much pressed on this question. I said what I felt. Many people in the past, not least our own seamen's union, have often made the point about flags of convenience to us. I thought it right to say this. I have no evidence—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I have no evidence as yet as to the exact mistake made in navigation, or whether that was related to its being a flag of convenience ship.

Whatever the flag, is not the bombing of ships in Haiphong harbour a most dangerous escalation of the war and—

Order. This is ingenious, but the Question is about flags of convenience.

On a point of order. The ship which was bombed in Haiphong harbour was carrying the British flag. The hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Geoffrey Wilson) suggested that that was an abuse of the British flag. I was asking whether, whatever the flag, the bombing of ships in Haiphong Harbour was a dangerous escalation of the war in Vietnam.

Order. I fully understood the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question and made the comment which I thought right.