asked the Minister of Health what tests have now been carried out with isonicotinic acid hydrazide, the new drug cure for tuberculosis, which has been a success in its first trial in the United States of America; and what action it is proposed to take to use the drug.

I cannot at present add to my reply to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) on 28th February.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons are on the waiting lists for the bone-conduction type of hearing aid; when he expects the present trials to be completed; whether results, to date, are satisfactory; and when he expects to begin general distribution of these appliances.

About 4,000 patients are on the waiting lists for this type of aid. Preliminary reports on the experimental model now undergoing trial are satisfactory, and although no date can yet be given I hope that it will soon be possible to authorise large-scale production and distribution.

asked the Minister of Health what materials his Department specifies as filling for hospital mattresses.

I am sending the hon. Member extracts from the specifications for mattresses purchased by hospitals under central contracts.

asked the Minister of Health if he will direct that the inquiry by the Welsh Regional Hospitals Board into the position at the Caernarvon and Anglesey General Infirmary, Bangor, shall consider evidence from persons not employed by, or officially connected with, this hospital.

The inquiry has just been completed, and I am informed that no offer of evidence was refused by those conducting it.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons suffering from tuberculosis are known to be awaiting admission to sanatoria in Bradford.

I am informed that the number is 41.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the recommendation of inter-Departmental Committee on the Statutory Registration of Opticians, he will take steps to prohibit the sale of ready-made glasses.

I have just received this report and would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself, of expressing our gratitude to this Committee and to its Chairman, Lord Crook, for their valuable work. The Report will be published as soon as possible and my right hon. Friend and I are considering its recommendations.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons for his refusal to reappoint Mr. J. W. Holt to membership of the No. 3 Group Management Committee of the North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

The appointment of members of hospital management committees is, under the National Health Service Act, 1946, the responsibility of regional hospital boards, and I am not concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of redundant civil servants; and what contribution his own Department is making towards its solution.

The assistance of my Department is available to any discharged civil servants and every effort will me made to put those who register in touch with suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the continued unemployment in the Lancaster area; and what steps he is taking to combat it.

Yes. The rise in unemployment in the area is due to the recession in the textile and linoleum industries. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade dealt fully with this question during the debate on 26th March.

asked the Minister of Labour how many industries give their employees a week's holiday with pay; and how many two weeks' holiday with pay.

Among the industries for which information is recorded in my Department and in which holidays with pay are granted to manual wage-earners under voluntary collective agreements between employers and work-people, or by statutory orders, 37 provide, in general, for one week's holiday and 114 for two weeks' holiday with pay a year, in addition to public holidays.There is also a small number in which the period is between one and two weeks or the arrangements provide for the extension from one to two weeks by stages and there are a few industries in which the period varies in different areas.Corresponding information regarding periods of paid holidays for non-manual workers is not available in my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has now considered the report of the committee of investigation into a difference regarding terms and conditions of Association Football players; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. The Committee's recommendations are now for examination by the parties and the report has been sent to them with the request that I be informed of the outcome of their consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will extend the women's representation on the committee appointed to consider employment of the elderly to include some women who have practical up-to-date knowledge of the problems involved.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wythenshawe (Mrs. Hill) on 1st April.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of unemployed in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry at the latest available date and for the three preceding months, separately, for the United Kingdom, the North-East coast and Sunderland.

The table below gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the concern felt in Abertillery at the failure of the Remploy Factory at Abertillery to absorb as many seriously disabled persons as was originally planned; and if he will make a statement.

The factory as at present equipped can employ 65 persons but Remploy Limited hopes eventually to install additional machinery to provide for the full capicity of 80 persons.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to find suitable work for Poles and other European immigrants now redundant in the textile industry.

The Employment Exchanges will submit any of these foreigners who may become redundant for other work in the normal way.

asked the Minister of Labour what increases in the unemployment figures have taken place in North-East Essex since 31st December, 1951; what industries are affected; and how many vacancies for employment remain unfilled.

Between 10th December, 1951, and 17th March, 1952, the numbers on the registers of the employment exchanges in North-East Essex^* increased by 292. The principal industries affected were:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of boot and shoe and hosiery workers registered as unemployed at the Leicester employment exchange on 29th March and at the same date in 1951.

On 17th March (the latest date for which figures are available) the number of unemployed persons on the registers of the Leicester employment exchange whose last employment was in the boot and shoe and hosiery industries was 297 and 1,054 respectively. The figures for 12th March, 1951, were nine in the boot and shoe and 20 in the hosiery industries.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of building workers unemployed in London today, and a year ago; and what are the corresponding figures for the United Kingdom as a whole.

The latest available figures relate to 11th February, when the numbers for Greater London were 8,519 compared with 5,889 at 12th February, 1951. The corresponding figures for the United Kingdom were 39,301 and 31,825 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that about 3,000 dockers in Northend, Liverpool Docks, were idle last week, and that an increase is expected this week; and what action he is taking to facilitate full working for Liverpool dockers.

The number of dockers at present surplus to requirements at Liverpool is lower than the average for the ports of the country as a whole. The unemployment is partly seasonal and partly due to a decline in the volume of imports.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers unemployed at the latest date in the textile industry in cotton, rayon, silk and wool respectively.

At 11th February 22,870 in the cotton industry; 718 in rayon, nylon, etc. production; 3,531 in rayon, nylon, etc., weaving and silk; and 12,484 in the woollen and worsted industry. Figures for March are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give instructions that, in addition to the price index, there be prepared an index of the cost of subsistence.

No. I have accepted the views of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee, set out in their Interim Report of 26th June, 1951, to the effect that there would be serious objections to the publication monthly of two or more official indices of retail prices covering different social, economic or regional groups of the community. In any case there would be many different views on what constitutes "subsistence".

asked the Minister of Labour the number of male and female agricultural workers, respectively, in Scotland in 1945, 1950, and the latest date.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the figures are as follows:

• 86,700 males and 30,300 females at June, 1945;
• 85,500 males and 19,600 females at June, 1950; and
• 84,900 males and 19,200 females at June, 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ex-Service men, and disabled ex-Service men, respectively, employed in the Scottish Departments have lost, or are going to lose, their employment as a result of the cuts announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The numbers required are 42 ex-Service men, including six who are disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are employed by the statistical branch of the Department of Agriculture; and how many were so employed in 1938.

The number of persons employed in the statistical branch of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland was 90 on 1st April, 1952, and 48 on 1st April, 1938.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent his reports up to date indicate that there is a satisfactory response to the Government's offer of £5 an acre grant on grassland ploughed and cropped for this year's harvest.

Latest reports indicate that the response to the Government's offer of £5 an acre grant for the grassland ploughed and cropped for this year's harvest varies considerably in the different areas, but the response so far for Scotland as a whole can be regarded as satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Labour how many farm workers have been called up in Gloucestershire at the last convenient date.

124 up to 29th February, 1952.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of students attending universities and university colleges in England, Wales and Scotland in the current academic year; and how many are, first, colonial and overseas students, and, secondly, British students not receiving State grants or grants from local education authorities.

Full details for the current academic year are not available. For the academic year 1950–51 the number of full-time students attending universities and university colleges in England, Wales and Scotland was 85,314. Of these, 3,657 came from places within the Commonwealth; a further 2,902 came from foreign countries. It is not possible to give the number of British students not receiving State grants or grants from local education authorities. But of the 85,314 full-time students, 61,844 (72.5 per cent.) were assisted students, that is to say, were students holding scholarships, or other awards, whether from public or private funds, providing wholly or in part for the payment of their fees or other expenses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent railway pensions come within the scope of his inquiries into all forms of pensions.

The reference in my right hon. Friend's Budget speech to assistance to public service pensioners related to those classes of pensioner which are within the scope of the Pensions (Increase) Acts. As my hon. Friend the Minister of Transport stated in reply to a Question on 31st March, he is carefully considering the position of railway pensioners.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to promote economic heating in existing schools, and, in particular, to abolish wasteful open fires.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of Administrative Memorandum 398 which deals with this matter.

asked the Minister of Education if she is now in a position to state the numbers of classes of over 40 and over 50 pupils, respectively, in January, 1952.

No. I do not expect these figures to be available until September.

asked the Minister of Education why she proposes to close the secondary technical school, The Lawns, Swindon, next July; and what school will replace its facilities.

The local education authority have informed me that they propose to cease to provide secondary technical courses in the Technical College at Swindon. I am asking them to publish notices under Section 13 of the Education Act, 1944. I shall not be able to take any decision on the proposal until the notices have expired.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will encourage the formation of parent-teacher associations in connection with primary and secondary schools.

I warmly favour all forms of co-operation between teachers and parents in the interests of the children.

asked the Minister of Education how many women teachers are wanted to carry out the requirements of the Education Act.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the first Report of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers which gives estimates of the numbers of teachers required for primary and secondary schools at various dates on certain assumptions, and also discusses the distribution of posts between men and women respectively.

asked the Minister of Education whether her attention has been drawn to the report of the Royal College of Nursing that, owing to defective education, young nurses are now not sufficiently well-educated in arithmetic to be able to perform certain of their duties; and whether, in view of this fact, she will take steps to modify the curriculum of schools, so that more attention shall be given to the essentials in the early years of school life.

I am aware of the criticisms which have been made in reports from examiners of the General Nursing Council of England and Wales. I do not control the curriculum in the schools, and I have no evidence that there is anything wrong with the teaching of arithmetic generally; but attention was drawn to the importance of arithmetic in the general education of intending nurses in Administrative Memorandum No. 363 issued by my Department in June, 1950.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that the table of statistics issued by her Department in connection with the awards of university grants by Welsh education authorities is misleading; and whether she will make a statement.

I cannot agree that the table to which the hon. Member refers is misleading. It refers to nothing but the number of awards made by local education authorities and is clearly not intended to deal with the varying amount of assistance given by various authorities to students.

asked the Minister of Education the schools to be built in Bradford under the revised 1952–53 building programme; the number of school places which will be provided; and the number of school places that would have been provided under the original 1952–53 programme.

The revised 1952–53 programme will provide 1,440 places in four new schools and extensions to three existing schools. The original programme for this year, together with the part of the 1951–52 programme which has not started, would have provided 1,360 places.

asked the Minister of Education how many handicapped children are awaiting vacancies in special schools or other institutions.

Returns received from local education authorities show that, in December, 1951, there were 20,799 handicapped children awaiting vacancies in special schools. Many of these children are attending ordinary schools while they await places in special schools.

asked the Minister of Education the number of pupils now receiving grammar school education in Sunderland and the corresponding figure for 1938.

At the beginning of this year 2,112 pupils were receiving grammar education in grant-aided schools in Sunderland. The corresponding figure for 1938 was 1,325.

asked the Minister of Education the total number of places in training colleges and education departments, respectively; and what is the number of places remaining unfilled.

The total number of training college places available for students entering on courses in the current session is about 11,700 of which about 300 remain unfilled. In addition there are some 2,900 students in university education departments, the number of unfilled places in these departments being negligible.

asked the Minister of Education whether her attention has been drawn to the proposal to close Fairfield Nursery School, Camborne, the only one in Cornwall; and what action she proposes to take.

No proposal to close the Camborne nursery school has been made to me. I understand however that the local education authority are considering this matter, and I shall expect them to consult me if they conclude that the school should be closed.

asked the Minister of Education the position in regard to proposals made by Salop Education Committee for the closing of a number of their six nursery schools.

I understand that the local education authority are still considering this question and I have therefore, nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 6th March.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has yet received a report from the Departmental committee on maladjusted children.

No.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will make a statement in regard to her proposals to local authorities under the Endowed Schools Acts, 1869 to 1948.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to schemes to be made by me under the Endowed Schools Acts, 1869 to 1948. Only the scheme for Hertfordshire has so far been approved but three or four more have been drafted and are in course of the first publication. It is my practice to consult local education authorities at the earliest stage, even before such schemes are drafted, but no formal proposals are required to be made to them in this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will consult with the Government of Ceylon, which to meet the increased cost of living since the end of the war, has granted increases of pensions to all grades of Ceylonese pensioners, while refusing similar increases to pensioners resident in Britain, with a view to removing this discrimination.

I recently received a deputation from the Ceylon Pensioners' Association on this matter. The Association made certain representations which it is proposed to discuss with the Ceylon Government.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement about the most recent visit of Tshekedi Khama to the Bamangwato Reserve of Bechuanaland.

With the permission of the Resident Commissioner, Tshekedi Khama entered the Reserve on 11th March to inspect some of his cattle posts and to arrange for the marketing of stock. His visit and its purpose were made widely known in the Reserve before it took place. The visit was without incident.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why the accounts of the British Phosphate Commission for the year ending 30th June, 1950, were not presented to Parliament until June, 1951, and were not available in the Vote Office until the week beginning 24th March, 1952; and if he will state the reason for the apparent worsened financial results for the year ended 30th June, 1950, as compared with the previous year.

The hon. Member's attention is invited to the reply given on 20th February, 1951, to the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) explaining the reasons for the change in procedure in accordance with which the accounts of the British Phosphate Commission, commencing with those for the year ended 30th June, 1950, were to be published as a Command Paper. These accounts were not received from Australia until late in December, 1950, and, in view of the change in procedure, it was not possible to arrange presentation until June, 1951.I am informed that copies of the Command Paper were in fact available to hon. Members at the Vote Office as from 3 p.m., 26th June, 1951.The results of the Commissioners' management of the Nauru and Ocean Island phosphate rights during the year ended 30th June, 1950, which was a year of record output, are regarded as satisfactory and compare favourably with those for the previous year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations for what reason Her Majesty's Government has agreed, without admitting legal liability, to pay £125,000 to the Basle Trading Company.

The payment was made to compromise the claim of the Basle Trading Company as it was considered a reasonable settlement of a much larger claim. While denying legal liability the possibility of Her Majesty's Government having an award made against them for a sum larger than that offered and accepted in settlement could not be excluded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the Cotton Import Committee, set up under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Hopkins, has yet reported to him on the question how, in the current foreign exchange position, cotton can best be supplied to the United Kingdom cotton industry on the most advantageous terms as to quality and price.

Yes. The Committee's report, which is unanimous, was signed at the end of last week and is receiving urgent consideration by the Government. It will be published as soon as possible, and my noble Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and I hope to make an early announcement about the Government's intentions with regard to the recommendations which it contains.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, owing to limits imposed by export quota schemes, certain firms are unable to ship railway equipment which has been manufactured to Brazilian specifications and cannot be used elsewhere; and whether he will permit this export.

I am unaware of the particular orders to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, but if he will send me details I will make inquiries. He will be aware that, in view of the requirements of our defence programme and our other essential needs, it is necessary to restrict by means of export licensing the total amount of finished steel available for direct export, and we cannot therefore meet the requirements of Brazil and many other countries to the same extent as last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the cut of £2,950,000 in the amount to be spent on the building of new factories in the Development Areas will affect the progress of approved schemes in the North-East Development Area.

The estimated expenditure for the year 1952–53 for the Development Areas is calculated to provide for normal progress on all the schemes which can be proceeded with, having regard to the general limitations caused by the shortage of steel and the inevitable reduction in the capital investment programme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much rubber has been exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China and other Communist countries, respectively; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in continuing such exports of potential war material.

Exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of rubber either direct from Malaya or through the United Kingdom, amounted in the years 1949, 1950 and 1951 to 64,000, 78,000 and 56,000 tons respectively, and in the first two months of this year to 32,000 tons, a substantial part of which represented an accumulation of rubber which was licensed last year but was not shipped until the first quarter of this year.Comparable figures for exports to the European Soviet bloc countries were 16,500, 15,000 and 20,000 tons and in the first two months of this year 2,800 tons.The policy of Her Majesty's Government was explained in the answer which I gave on the 20th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Toxteth (Mr. Bevins).Exports of Malayan rubber in China amounted in 1951 to just under 28,000 tons but no export licences have been issued since 10th May of last year in accordance with the action taken by Her Majesty's Government under the United Nations Resolution of 18th May, 1951, to prohibit the export of rubber to China.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the value of the pharmaceutical imports into Hong Kong for each month since January, 1951, from each of the following countries: United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, respectively.

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to reply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the pharmaceutical products to which the Hong Kong Government applies essentiality certificates.

Essential Supplies Certificates are issued by the Government of Hong Kong in respect of any pharmaceutical products for which exporting countries demand them. The United Kingdom at present demands them for certain antibiotics, sulphonamides and anti-malarials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to which countries exporting pharmaceutical products to Hong Kong do essentiality certificates apply.

Hong Kong Essential Supplies Certificates may be issued in respect of imports from any country which requires them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the weekly cost per child in London County Council homes and in 12 other important cities; and what action is being taken to reduce the costs.

According to information obtained from the London County Council and the councils of the 12 largest cities in England, the weekly cost per child in children's homes and nurseries provided under the Children Act in London was £4 19s. 9d. in the financial year 1950–51 and the average of the corresponding figures for the 12 cities was £4 13s. 6d. Local authorities watch their expenditure in order to secure such economies as are consistent with the proper care of the children and efforts are constantly being made to have more children boarded out in suitable foster homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that over 1,700,000 experiments on living animals are carried out every year, many of which without the use of anaesthetics, he will appoint one or more officially-trained inspectors of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or other animal welfare societies as inspectors in his Department to assure public opinion on this matter.

No. Inspectors under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, are selected by open competition in common with other civil servants and I could not agree to vary this method of recruitment in favour of officers of any particular society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the amendment of the Criminal Justice Act, so as to permit the courts to impose corporal punishment for robbery with violence.

I would refer to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, North (Mr. Crouch) on 27th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the harm done when a boy of 17 years of age, who has been sentenced to Borstal, is first sent to Wormwood Scrubbs for upwards of 10 weeks and kept in solitary confinement there for 18 hours a day pending transfer to a Borstal institution; and whether he will give his attention to the length and character of the detention of these young offenders at Wormwood Scrubbs, with a view to improving the arrangements generally.

Boys sentenced to Borstal training go to one of two reception centres, where expert staff decide to which of the various training Borstals they should be allocated. One centre is at Wormwood Scrubbs prison. Boys normally spend about eight weeks there, although the period may be longer if they have to wait for a vacancy at the training Borstal.While at Wormwood Srubbs, boys leave their cells at 7 a.m., and are locked up at 5.30 p.m. unless they are attending an evening educational class. For about the first month boys have their meals in their cells, but after this period they associate at mealtimes and also have some evening association. The centre serves an essential purpose, and although I wish it could be housed elsewhere than in a prison, that is not practicable in present circumstances and I know of no grounds for making any other radical change in the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of making the current register of voters in Northern Ireland; and the amount for which the Northern Ireland Government is responsible as well as the total names approximately on the register, for the Imperial Parliament, the Northern Ireland Parliament and local government, respectively.

The register published in Northern Ireland last Tuesday is a combined register for use at elections to this House, to the Parliament of Northern Ireland and at local government elections. The cost of preparing it is estimated to have been about £74,000. This will be divided equally between the Government of the United Kingdom, the Government of Northern Ireland and the local authorities.The register contains the names of about 873,000 electors entitled to vote at elections to this House. I am informed that the numbers entitled to vote at elections to the Parliament of Northern Ireland and at local government elections are about 868,000 and 549,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will use his powers under the Dangerous Drugs Regulations, 1937, to set up a tribunal for the hearing of cases of alleged contravention by medical practitioners of the Dangerous Drugs Acts; and whether he will announce the names of the members of the tribunal.

Yes. I am in process of re-constituting the tribunal in consultation with the appropriate organisations and I will inform my hon. Friend when this process has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement of progress attained towards the implementation of the Gowers Committee on the Health, Safety and Welfare of Non-Industrial Workers.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Acton (Mr. Sparks) on 6th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider giving directions that no action should be taken by the police against any motorist who parks his car on the left-hand side of a one-way street in the London Metropolitan area.

I have no power to give directions to the Metropolitan Police as to their action in matters of this kind. I am, however, informed by the Commissioner of Police that in his view any such direction as is suggested would be inadvisable, since conditions in one-way streets vary greatly, and there are occasions when parked vehicles, wherever they may be left, give rise to obstruction necessitating police action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further decision has been reached as to the future of the Welsh film library.

I am happy to tell my hon. Friend that it has now been decided to continue to provide a separate film library service for Wales. It will be on the same lines as at present, except that, in conformity with new arrangements to be introduced for the Central Film Library, a charge will in future be made for the hire of films.

asked the Minister of Supply what orders have already been placed by him with the British Railways carriage or locomotive works; and what steps are being taken to ensure the fullest co-operation in this field.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given last Monday to the hon. Members for Acton (Mr. Sparks) and Winchester (Mr. Smithers). Re-armament work has already been placed by the Ministry of Supply with the locomotive shops at Horwich, and some coaching stock is being sent for overhaul to the workshops at Wolverton.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will introduce a self-contained task force system for foreign-based ships so that ships' companies can return home more frequently than at present.

As I told the House when I wound up the debate on the Navy Estimates on 7th March, 1952, the possibility of introducing the system of task forces as a means of reducing the length of foreign service has been under examination for some time. It is a problem of great complexity, and I regret that I am not yet able to say what will be the final outcome.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what safeguards exist under his Regulations to protect the domestic consumer of coal against paying top-grade prices for inferior grades of fuel.

Under the Retail Coal Prices Order, 1941, maximum prices are fixed for each grade of coal sold to the domestic consumer and any merchant charging more than the appropriate maximum price is liable to prosecution.

asked the Minister of Food if he will hasten a decision regarding overweight pigs kept on farms by foot-and-mouth disease restrictions.

My right hon. and gallant Friend has now written to the National Farmers' Union who raised this matter, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letter.

asked the Minister of Food how the consumption of milk per head in large families compares with consumption of single persons and married people without families.

According to the National Food Survey, which is based on a sampling procedure, the best estimates of domestic consumption and school milk, for the second half of 1951 (which is the latest period for which information is available) are as follows:

asked the Minister of Food the percentage uptake of the various welfare foods given separately; and what steps he is taking to increase that consumption.

About 97 per cent. of those entitled to obtain milk or National Dried Milk under the welfare foods service do so.The quantities of the vitamin supplements taken up in 1951 expressed as a percentage of the full entitlement are as follows: orange juice, 30 per cent.; cod liver oil, 27 per cent.; vitamin tablets, 33 per cent. The percentage of persons using the service is higher than these figures because many do not take up their full entitlement.Every opportunity is taken by the Welfare Foods Division of the Ministry in association with the Health Departments, the local authorities and voluntary bodies to give publicity to the service, and I would like to thank in particular the local Press who have assisted considerably in spreading knowledge of this service.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the total amount contributed by the Government to the cost of housing in Wales and Monmouthshire separately in each year since 1944.

The cost to the Exchequer of housing subsidies in Wales and Monmouthshire for the period 1st April, 1944, to the 31st March, 1952, was £11,726,195 of which £2,332,411 is attributable to Monmouthshire. It is not practicable without great labour to give separate figures for each year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the amount paid annually under the Local Government Act, 1947, by way of Exchequer Equalisation Grant and Exchequer Transitional Grant for the administrative county of Durham and for the county council of Lanarkshire.

The amounts paid to the county council of Durham are as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the gross amount paid annually under the Local Government Act, 1947, by way of Exchequer Equalisation Grant and Exchequer Transitional Grant for Wales and for Scotland.

The total amounts paid to county and county borough councils in Wales are as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the amount paid annually under the Local Government Act, 1947, by way of Exchequer Equalisation Grant and Exchequer Transitional Grant to the city of Birmingham and to the city of Glasgow.

The amounts paid to the county borough council of Birmingham are as follows:

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he will give details

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is now in a position to state whether he can arrange for an exhibit of photographic and other information relating to the Owen Falls Dam and ancillary schemes.

A small display of photographs, models and other material about the Owen Falls Hydro-Electric Scheme will be on show in the Members' Room of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Westminster Hall from

Sales were as follows:the afternoon of Thursday the 3rd April until the Easter Recess.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of motor tricycles that have been provided by his Department to disabled ex-Service men in each of the years 1945–51 inclusive.

80, 278, 511, 503, 336, 654 and 610, respectively.