Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have applied to him for permission to make a grant to Brook Advisory Centres Limited.
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the grant made by his Department to the National Association of Pre-school Play Groups, he will make it a condition that the Association should make its member groups open to inspection by the officers of his Department.
Miss Joan Lestor: Is my hon. Friend aware of the concern of the National Association of Pre-school Play Groups at the lack of guidance from his Department? Will he consider making some greater form of voluntary advice available to individual groups?
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he now has for the expansion of nursery school facilities.
Miss Joan Lestor: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the provision of educational facilities for the under-fives is rapidly becoming the monopoly of the private and often unqualified sector? Does he not consider that this development is likely to be detrimental to the interests of the under-fives?
Miss Joan Lestor: Perhaps the best tribute I can pay to the person who represented Eton and Slough for so long until 1964 is to make a maiden speech on the question of race relations. I am sure that, had Lord Brockway remained a Member of the House of Commons, he would have been doing precisely what I and my colleagues are trying to do now, which is trying to make the Act which he initiated more effective...
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how far she has progressed with investigations into the plight of the generally disabled who do not come under the categories of war pensions, industrial injuries or other pensionable groups.
Miss Joan Lestor: While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask her whether she is in touch with the various disabled persons' organisations and whether she is aware of the pressure that they are putting on some of us? Also, will the general review give priority to these hitherto neglected categories of people?
Miss Joan Lestor: In May, 1965, my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Mrs. Shirley Williams) in an Adjournment debate raised the question of the whole functions of the play group movement and the provision of nursery schools. In the reply to the debate and in subsequent contributions that were made, some confusion was shown as to the registration and the responsibility of both nursery schools and play groups,...
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will send a circular to local authorities to persuade them to provide play space for the pre-school child in high blocks of flats under their control.
Miss Joan Lestor: While thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him to consider the possibility of advising local authorities further upon the possibility of adapting the roofs of high flats as play space for young children? Would he also bear in mind, and urge local authorities to consider, the sad state which we are reaching, when young children living in high blocks of flats are deprived of play...
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further progress has been made towards establishing a University of the Air.
Miss Joan Lestor: While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I say that there are many who hope that this proposition is likely to become a little more concrete in the foreseeable future? Can my right hon. Friend say what degree of co-operation she has received from organisations already concerned with adult education?
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will conduct an inquiry into the present system of obtaining release from the Armed Services; and if he will end the practice of encouraging young men aged 16 years to contract nine-year engagements.
Miss Joan Lestor: I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree with me that there is one case, about which I have made representations to him, concerning a young man who now has permission to enter a university and who will lose his place because of the obstacles being placed in the way of his obtaining his release? Will my hon. Friend look into this?
Miss Joan Lestor: Has the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to Motion No. 208, standing in my name— That, in view of the fresh evidence now available, this House urges the HomeSecretary to hold an immediate inquiry into the Hanratty murder case— signed by more than 40 Members? Can my right hon. Friend say whether he will be giving time to debate this Motion in the near future, or if he has any...
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Minister of Labour if he will give for each of the years 1963 to 1966 the number of school leavers who had not found employment within three months of leaving school.
Miss Joan Lestor: While thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask her whether she is aware that in my constituency the youth employment officer expresses concern whether he will find difficulty in placing school leavers when the next batch leaves? [An HON. MEMBER: "Old Etonians?"] Not only ex-Etonians. Is she aware of this, and could she say whether it is peculiar to Slough or is likely to be repeated...
Miss Joan Lestor: I want to comment on this Clause for two reasons. First, I want to give an example of the sort of case I am talking about—and I have already informed the Minister of a particular case. Secondly, I want to discuss the principle involved in allowing young men below the age of 17½, with the consent of their parents or guardians, and so on, to enter the Armed Forces and to be bound to serve...
Miss Joan Lestor: asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to begin discussions with other Commonwealth countries about the implementation of the Commonwealth communiqué on Rhodesia.