asked the Minister of Food to what extent, per cent., rations are undrawn in Scotland for sweets, eggs, tea, bacon, butter, fats and meat; and if, in view of the facts disclosed, he will discontinue ration documents for these items.

Separate figures for Scotland are not available for most of these items. For Great Britain as a whole, however, the information available for the last eight weeks of 1951 indicates that rations of these foods generally were fully taken up.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the concern about sugar bonuses for jam making in 1952: and if he is now in a position to make a detailed statement comparing the prospects for this year with the allocations for 1950 and 1951.

I regret that 1 cannot as yet add anything to the statement I made in my reply to the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann) on 14th November, but I hope to do so within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Food the total amount of food subsidies paid in the first six months of the current financial year.

My Department does not prepare half-yearly trading accounts since experience has shown that such accounts for less than a period of a year are liable to be seriously misleading. On the basis of monthly estimates it is calculated that the total subsidy for the year 1951–52 will be about £410 million.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will grant a definite allocation of meat to diabetic persons which will not fluctuate with the ordinary weekly meat ration.

No. This decision is based on the advice of the Food Rationing (Special Diets) Advisory Committee of the Medical Research Council who are satisfied that the foods available for diabetic patients, which include not only extra meat but also 12 oz. of cheese, provide adequate protein for the constitution of any form of diabetic diet. When the meat ration is altered the Committee always considers the effect on priority groups.

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the shortage of dried fruit, what steps are being taken to obtain supplies from Yugoslavia where their crop was much above the average last year.

We have just bought 3,500 tons of Yugoslav prunes.

asked the Minister of Food the amount of tinplate that will be made available for fruit and vegetable canning in 1952; and how that amount compares with the allocation for 1951.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to give this information for the whole year but the allocation for the food industries as a whole for the first six months will be the same as last year.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what was the capital allocated for the provision of telephones in Wales and the Border Counties Region for the years 1945 to 1951; and what is the estimate for 1952.

The figures are:

1945–46	…	…	…	£569,000
1946–47	…	…	…	£979,000
1947–48	…	…	…	£1,753,000
1948–49	…	…	…	£1,310,000
1949–50	…	…	…	£1,894,000
1950–51	…	…	…	£1,730.000

The forecast figure for 1951–52 is £1,756,000 and the estimate for 1952–53 is £1,679,000.The figures represent expenditure on local and junction cables, exchange equipment and buildings, and on connecting up subscribers and telephone kiosks. They exclude expenditure on the trunk service since this represents not only development in Wales but also development of the national system.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the results of his inquiries into the loss of the telephone accounts sent out by the Enfield and Archway telephone exchanges; and whether the amount of £13,620 involved has now been paid.

The mail bag with the missing accounts was recovered intact. The label was torn, but it has not been possible to establish definitely how the bag went astray. All but £62 has now been paid, and the outstanding accounts are being followed up.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how much money has so far been expended in developing equipment to provide telephone subscribers with up to date weather forecasts by dialling WEA; when will development be completed; and what is the estimated annual revenue from this service.

No expenditure has been required or incurred for developing new equipment for this service. As regards estimated revenue, it is very difficult to make any reliable assessment for a specialised service like this.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General, if he will make it a practice that wherever priority is granted for the installation of telephones for business purposes, agriculture and market gardening will be regarded as a business.

Yes, this is the present practice.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General by what authority he informed telephone subscribers that in future telephone charges and conditions are subject to statutory Regulations.

My noble Friend's authority derives from the Telephone Act, 1951, under which he has made Regulations and laid them before Parliament.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many telephones have been installed in the borough of Tunbridge Wells during the last 12 months; and how many applicants are on the waiting list.

Four hundred and eighty-six telephones were connected during 1951. On 31st December, a further 109 were being installed, 12 applications were being examined and only 21 were on the waiting list.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he can now make a statement about the claim to recognition of the Engineering Officers' (Telecommunications) Association.

This is one of a number of claims covered by the terms of reference of the Terrington Committee. My noble Friend has now received the Committee's Report, and he is arranging for it to be published as soon as possible. He will need time to study it before reaching conclusions on individual claims.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that many thousands of letters are posted each week from Great Britain to foreign countries insufficiently stamped, causing inconvenience and unfavourable comment in the countries concerned; and if he will make the correct postage rates more widely and more continuously known to the public.

Yes. We are doing and shall continue to do all we can to give this matter continuous publicity, and there has been, I am glad to say, a considerable drop during the last year in the numbers of underpaid letters.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will open a Post Office at Bramble Road, Swindon.

I regret that I should not be justified, either on grounds of distance from an existing Post Office or the amount of business likely to be transacted, in opening a Post Office; but I am finding out whether we can help the people in Bramble Road by erecting a letter box and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give figures showing the number of dog licences issued in Great Britain during the past five years: and the number of dog licences issued in Eastbourne during the same period.

The number of dog licences (including licences for hounds) issued in Great Britain during the five years ended 31st March, 1951, is:

Year ended 31st March,
1947	…	…	…	2,792,863
1948	…	…	…	2,972,609
1949	…	…	…	3,050,060
1950	…	…	…	3,089,583
1951	…	…	…	2,921,534

The number of dog licences (including licences for hounds) issued in the Administrative Area of the County Borough of Eastbourne is:

Year ended 31st March,
1947	…	…	…	…	3,094
1948	…	…	…	…	3,372
1949	…	…	…	…	3,491
1950	…	…	…	…	3,925
1951	…	…	…	…	3,803

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he has now examined the disadvantages suffered by the Northern Region in broadcasting and television, compared with other regions; and what action he is proposing to take to remedy this situation.

So far as sound reception is concerned, the trouble arises from the fact that North-East England and Northern Ireland share the same wavelength and there is, unfortunately, no means of getting round this difficulty with the long and medium wavelengths available. The only solution is the introduction of very high frequency sound broadcasting which cannot take place so long as capital expenditure is severely restricted.As for television, but for cuts in capital investment a station at Pontop Pike to serve North-East England would have been proceeded with. I am assured by the B.B.C. that they regard the provision of better sound broadcasting facilities and the opening of the Pontop Pike station as among the first works to be undertaken as soon as the capital investment situation is easier.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that interference is being caused to television reception by the War Office Signals Station at Droitwich; and what steps he is taking to overcome this.

It has been reported to the Post Office that this station is causing interference and we are collaborating with the War Office in carrying out modifications which, we hope, will overcome the difficulty.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a brief statement of the scientific method employed by the vans used by the Post Office for detecting wireless receiving sets.

I am advised that many sound and all television receivers have circuit elements which radiate electro-magnetic waves when the receivers are in use. These radiations can be detected and located by direction-finding methods.Following is a statement giving details of the working principles of the device which has been developed for detecting television receivers.

asked.the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the poor reception in Lincoln of the broadcasts on the Northern Home Service wavelength; and what he proposes to do to improve this reception.

I understand from the B.B.C. that the Northern Home Service high power transmitter at Moorside Edge (692 kilocycles per second, 434 metres) should normally provide a satisfactory service in Lincoln. Reception has, however, been unsatisfactory during the winter nights mainly as a result of interference from a broadcasting station in the U.S.S.R.The Soviet reply to our first approach was that their station is outside the European Broadcasting Area. In a further telegram we have asked them to reduce the interference. The B.B.C. has been able to make a slight improvement in the situation, and is studying further ways of reducing the difficulties caused by interference from abroad.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will reduce the time spent in the United Kingdom by National Service airmen before posting to the Far East, in order to obtain more productive service from these men.

Yes. National Service airmen will now spend 12 instead if 16 weeks in the United Kingdom before embarking for the Far East. This change brings the policy on postings to the Far East into line with that on postings to the Middle East and eliminates the period of waiting between completion of basic training and embarkation. The policy on postings to Korea announced to the House on 8th December, 1950, remains unchanged.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why there are three rates of payment for articles of uniform and equipment for precisely similar articles supplied to officers, noncommissioned officers and airmen from station stores; and what are the charges made for raincoats, uniform jacket and trousers and overalls, respectively.

There is no difference between the basic prices charged to officers, non-commissioned officers and airmen respectively for similar articles of uniform and equipment which they purchase through station stores, but officers serving in the United Kingdom are required to pay Purchase Tax in addition.The cost of a suit of Royal Air Force battledress is £4 3s. to an airman and £5 10s. 8d. to an officer. Neither raincoats nor overalls can be bought from station store.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Statutory Instruments have been made from 1st November, 1951 until 28th January, 1952; and why the number of Statutory Instruments is increasing.

The number of instruments made in the period 1st November, 1951–28th January, 1952 (inclusive) is 572. The number of general Orders was 220 as compared with 262 in the corresponding period a year before. Local printed orders were 115 as against 102, and local non-printed orders 237 as against 131.The number of Statutory Instruments of a general character consequently shows a substantial and satisfactory decrease, and the total number of Instruments made is inflated only by local Orders relating to such matters as diseases of animals, traffic movements, etc.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) with regard to claims made under Part VI of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, the aggregate value of applicants' claims as at 1st January, 1952, where the applicants have stated figures in their claim forms; and the value of applicants' claims admitted by the valuation office for inclusion in the Treasury scheme;

Claimants were not required to state the amounts that they claimed. Most of them did not do so and no separate records were kept of those who did.Up to 28th December, 1951, the Central Land Board had issued 464,000 determinations under Section 58 of the Act, of which about 200,000 had no development value. 825 appeals have been received, of which all but 182 have been settled either by the Lands Tribunal or by agreement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give particulars for England and Wales of the total grants paid until 30th October, 1951, under the Hill Farming Act and the Livestock Rearing Act; the number of schemes submitted; and the number of schemes approved.

The figures at 31st October, 1951, were:

—	England	Wales	England and Wales
Grant paid	£205,000	£101,000	£306,000
Schemes submitted*	1,944	3,328	5,272
Schemes approved formally or in principle	1,082	2,103	3,185
* These figures include 1,147 schemes (497 in England and 650 in Wales) voluntarily withdrawn or rejected as ineligible

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the average age of promotion to commissioned officer, Branch List, from the lower deck.

Thirty-two years five months.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion of Branch officers under the age of 35 have been regarded as outstanding and promoted to lieutenant, General List, in each year since 1945; and what is their average length of service as a Branch officer before promotion.

I regret that information is not available to answer fully the first part of the Question. The number of Branch officers under 35 years of age, promoted each year to lieutenant on the General List and their average length of service on the Branch List, is as follows:

Year		Number of Branch Officers under the age of 35 promoted to Lieutenant (General List)	Average length of service as Branch Officer on promotion
			Years	Months
1945	…	46	4	5
1946	…	43	4	9
1947	…	31	4	6
1948	…	32	3	9
1949	…	19	3	10
1950	…	15	6	—
1951	…	Nil*	—	—
* The absence of promotions in 1951 was due to the regulations being altered during that year to provide for Branch Officers selected for promotion to Lieutenant (General List) to be promoted on completion of the courses instead of before commencing them. Seventeen officers under 35 years of age were selected and if they complete the courses satisfactorily will then be promoted.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the difference in duties between a sub-lieutenant on the General List, and a commissioned officer, Branch List.

A General List officer is required to have an all-round professional knowledge of his branch and to be capable of filling advisory, administrative and similar appointments. A Branch List officer is required for professional and technical duties in the limited sphere in which he has had experience and for the supervision of ratings.The sub-lieutenant carries out these General List duties at the level appropriate to his rank and at the same time is required to obtain experience and training to fit him for the higher ranks. The commissioned officer Branch List is employed on duties within his narrower sphere.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the ruling of the International Court at The Hague on the Norwegian fisheries dispute, he will secure for British fishing vessels a larger area of water around the coast of this country by adopting the base-line system on the Norwegian principle.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to my hon. Friend the Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir D. Robertson) and to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has considered the reports of recent inquiries on pit disasters; and what new measures for the promotion of safety in mines he is now considering.

During the last 18 months, there have been four major accidents in mines—an inrush of moss or peat at Knockshinnoch Castle, a fire at Creswell, and explosions at Easington and Eppleton. The only report so far published is that on the Knockshinnoch Castle inrush. I have not yet received reports of the public inquiries into the Creswell fire and Easington explosion, nor the special report on the explosion at Eppleton which is also in preparation.Although the re-opening of workings affected by a major fire, explosion or inrush, and the completion of the subsequent inquiries and reports, necessarily take a long time, there has been no delay in applying the lessons of these accidents. Action which has been taken includes the following:(1) the issue of instructions by the National Coal Board about precautions to be taken by managements when underground workings are near to the surface or to potentially dangerous strata, pending new statutory requirements which are in preparation;(2) the issue of instructions by the National Coal Board about the organisation and responsibilities of their planning and surveying services;(3) the development of light-weight breathing apparatus and self-rescue apparatus;(4) plans for the more extensive duplication of main intake airways;(5) a comprehensive investigation of the fire hazard in mines, including special research into the detection and prevention of conveyor fires, and a general review of the fire-fighting organisation; and(6) measures to ensure that electrical gear of foreign manufacture is not used in places where there is any danger from inflammable gas unless it has been modified so as to meet fully the British flame-proof standards.Apart from specific action on such reports, however, I am constantly at work, in consultation with representative bodies in the industry, on new safety measures; and among others the steps which have recently been, and are still being, taken to improve the requirements about the qualifications and duties of mine officials and technicians should have a fundamental bearing on mine safety in general.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many fatal accidents in British mines occurred in each month of 1951.

Following is the information:

NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED AT MINES IN GREAT BRITAIN DURING EACH MONTH OF 1951 (PROVISIONAL)
—		Mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911	Mines under the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act, 1872
January	…	36	—
February	…	50	—
March*	…	38	—
April	…	25	—
May	…	25	1
June*	…	112†	1
July	…	42	3
August	…	24	—
September*	…	40	—
October	…	35	1
November	…	23	1
December*	…	35	—
Total	…	485	7
* Five weeks: the figures for other months relate to periods of four weeks.
† Includes 83 persons killed in the disaster at Easington Colliery, Co. Durham, on 29th May.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if bedding is now provided for the horses and ponies in all mines using them in accordance with the 1949 regulations; and to what extent all underground stables are now provided with electric light.

As regards bedding, the answer is yes. As regards light, electric lighting has been provided or is being provided in nearly every mine where electricity is available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make regulations to ensure that the pony haulage roads in mines shall be provided with electric light when electric battery lamps are not fixed to the ponies' and horses' collars, in the interests of safety and efficient working.

No. Pony haulage roads are generally in those parts of the mine where it would not be safe to install fixed electric lighting.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the capital cost of providing one megawatt of new generating capacity, calculated at January, 1952.

As the cost of constructing power stations varies considerably it is not possible to be exact, but a sum of £60,000 per megawatt represents a fair average figure for January, 1952.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many cases of cancer have been accepted by his Department as attributable to or aggravated by service in the Army.

I have been asked to reply. It is estimated that about 1,400 awards of pension have been made in respect of disablement or death from cancer accepted by my Department as attributable to or aggravated by service in the military Forces during the 1939 war and since. I regret that similar information in respect of the 1914–18 war is not available.

asked the Minister of Defence the results of the discussions for a joint defence plan for Vietnam, Malaya, Siam and Burma.

Far Eastern problems in general were reviewed during the course of my recent discussions in the United States and a number of matters relating to the defence of South-East Asia are now being examined in Washington by representatives of the Chiefs of Staff of the United States, France and the United Kingdom.